Can you get life insurance if you have diabetes or high blood pressure?
Yes, most people with diabetes or high blood pressure can get life insurance. These are two of the most common health conditions in the country, and carriers have underwritten them for decades.
That said, your approval and your rate depend on how well those conditions are managed — not simply on whether you have them.
---
The short version
- Having diabetes or high blood pressure does not automatically disqualify you.
- Underwriters look at control, not just diagnosis.
- Well-managed conditions often qualify for solid coverage at reasonable rates.
- Poorly controlled or recently diagnosed conditions may face higher rates or, in rare cases, a decline.
- Working with an independent agent who shops multiple carriers matters more here than for a healthy applicant.
---
What does "underwriting" actually mean?
Underwriting is just the process a carrier uses to decide whether to insure you and at what rate. Think of it as a detailed health review. The underwriter's job is to estimate risk — not to penalize you for having a health condition, but to price your policy appropriately for your situation.
For common conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, underwriters have well-established guidelines. They are not seeing something unusual. They are running through a checklist they have used thousands of times.
---
What underwriters actually look at for high blood pressure
High blood pressure — also called hypertension — is one of the most common conditions underwriters see. Here is what they focus on:
- Your current readings. Numbers that are consistently in a controlled range look very different from readings that are frequently elevated.
- Whether you are being treated. Taking medication and following your doctor's guidance is generally viewed positively.
- How long you have been diagnosed. A recent diagnosis with no complications is different from a long history with cardiac events.
- Any related complications. Heart disease, stroke history, or kidney involvement all factor in separately and significantly.
Many people with well-controlled blood pressure on medication qualify for standard or even preferred rates. The condition alone is rarely a dealbreaker.
---
What underwriters actually look at for diabetes
Diabetes has more moving parts than hypertension, so the review is a bit more detailed. Underwriters typically want to know:
- Type 1 or Type 2. These are underwritten differently. Type 2, especially when diet- or medication-controlled, often has more favorable outcomes.
- Your A1C. This is the three-month blood sugar average your doctor measures. A stable, well-controlled A1C is one of the most important factors in your application.
- How long you have had the condition. Longer history with stable management can actually work in your favor. It shows a track record.
- Complications. Neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney disease, or cardiovascular involvement all affect the underwriting decision significantly.
- Age at diagnosis. Being diagnosed younger sometimes adds complexity, depending on the carrier.
Type 2 diabetes that is diet-controlled with a strong A1C and no complications is often approvable at reasonable rates with many carriers.
---
Why the same condition can get different results at different carriers
Carriers set their own underwriting guidelines, and those guidelines are not identical. One carrier might be more comfortable with a specific A1C range. Another might weigh a history of smoking alongside diabetes more heavily than a third carrier would.
This is exactly why it helps to work with an independent agent. An independent agent can shop your health profile across multiple carriers and match you with the one whose guidelines fit your situation best. Applying blindly to a single carrier is like applying to one college without knowing your odds.
---
What if your condition is not well controlled right now?
You still have options worth exploring. Some possibilities depending on your situation:
- Guaranteed issue policies do not require any health questions. Coverage amounts are lower and costs are higher, but approval is not tied to health.
- Simplified issue policies ask a limited set of health questions and skip the full medical exam.
- Improving your health first. If your A1C or blood pressure has recently been trending in the right direction, waiting a few months and applying with better numbers can make a meaningful difference.
An agent can help you decide which path makes sense given where you are today.
---
Does your medication matter?
Yes. Underwriters look at what medications you take as a window into how serious your condition is and how actively it is being managed. Being on medication is not a negative on its own. In fact, a controlled condition managed with medication often looks better than an uncontrolled condition with no treatment.
What they are watching for is whether the medications suggest complications — for example, multiple insulin adjustments for Type 1 diabetes, or blood pressure medications alongside a recent cardiac event.
---
The bottom line
A diagnosis of diabetes or high blood pressure does not close the door on life insurance. What underwriters care about most is how well you are managing your health. A well-documented, stable condition under a doctor's care looks very different from the same condition left untreated.
Your best move is to talk to an independent agent, be honest about your health history, and let them find the carrier whose guidelines match your situation.
See what you'd qualify for
Text QUOTE to (309) 239-1353 or request information online. A licensed Illinois agent follows up personally — no cost, no obligation.
Text QUOTE Now