Can You Get Burial Insurance With Diabetes?

Last updated: May 22, 2026 by Ryan Vallett

If you have diabetes and you’ve been told you can’t get life insurance — or you’ve been quoted a premium that felt punitive — you’re not crazy, and you’re not out of options. Burial insurance for diabetics is one of the most common situations we underwrite at RyCo, and the path to coverage is more straightforward than most people think.

According to the CDC’s National Diabetes Statistics Report, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes, and nearly 30% of adults over 65 are diabetic. Despite that, an entire industry of TV ads has convinced families that diabetes disqualifies you from affordable life insurance. It doesn’t — but the way you apply matters more than most people realize.

This guide walks through exactly how carriers underwrite diabetics for burial insurance, what coverage tier you’ll likely qualify for, what it costs, and the common mistakes that get diabetic applicants quoted twice what they should be paying.

Can You Get Burial Insurance With Diabetes?

Short answer: yes, almost always. The longer answer is that which kind of burial insurance you qualify for depends on how your diabetes presents on paper to an underwriter.

There are three tiers of burial insurance, and diabetics commonly qualify for all three depending on the details:

• Level Benefit — full death benefit from day one, lowest cost. Most well-managed Type 2 diabetics qualify here.
• Graded / Modified Benefit — full benefit after a 2–3 year waiting period. Common for Type 1 diabetics, insulin-dependent Type 2, or those with minor complications.
• Guaranteed Issue — no health questions, accepted regardless of condition. Used for diabetics with serious recent complications or unstable control.

The biggest mistake we see diabetic applicants make is assuming they only qualify for the most expensive tier. Most don’t. If you want the full picture of how burial insurance works in general, our burial insurance for seniors guide covers the basics.

How Carriers Underwrite Diabetes for Burial Insurance

Burial insurance uses what’s called simplified issue underwriting — no medical exam, no blood draw, no urine sample. Instead, the carrier asks a series of yes/no health questions, runs a database check, and makes a decision in minutes.

For diabetics, the questions almost always include:

• What type of diabetes do you have (Type 1, Type 2, or gestational)?
• How old were you when diagnosed?
• Are you on insulin? If so, since when?
• What is your most recent A1c?
• Have you had any diabetes-related complications: kidney disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, amputation, or cardiovascular events?
• Have you been hospitalized for diabetes-related issues in the last 12 or 24 months?

The carrier also pulls a prescription history database check, so what you’ve been prescribed in the last several years is visible to them. This is why honest answers matter: lying about insulin or oral medications is the fastest way to get a policy rescinded later, leaving your family with nothing.

What Underwriters Actually Look At

Different carriers weight these factors differently, which is exactly why an independent broker matters more for diabetics than for almost any other condition. Here’s the simplified version of how underwriters categorize diabetic applicants:

Your Situation	Typical Tier
Type 2, diet-controlled, A1c under 7, no complications	Level Benefit
Type 2 on oral medications, A1c 6.5–8, no complications	Level Benefit (some carriers)
Type 2 on insulin, stable, A1c under 8.5	Graded (some level)
Type 1 diabetes, stable, no complications	Graded
Diabetes with minor complications (mild neuropathy)	Graded
Diabetes with major complications (kidney, cardiovascular, amputation)	Guaranteed Issue
Recent diabetes-related hospitalization (under 12 months)	Guaranteed Issue

This is a generalized framework. Specific carriers move the goalposts on each line — one carrier might offer level benefit at A1c 8 where another caps it at 7.5. That’s why shopping multiple carriers matters.

Three Tiers of Coverage Available to Diabetics

Level Benefit (Best Case for Diabetics)

If you’re a well-managed Type 2 diabetic — reasonable A1c, no complications, and either no medications or oral medications only — you can typically qualify for level-benefit coverage. That means the full death benefit is available from day one, and you pay the lowest premium per $1,000 of coverage.

This tier is often missed by diabetics who assume they need guaranteed issue. We see clients save 30–50% on premiums by qualifying for level when they thought they couldn’t.

Graded or Modified Benefit

If you’re on insulin, have Type 1, or have minor diabetes-related complications, you’ll most likely qualify for graded coverage. The full death benefit kicks in after a two- or three-year waiting period. If you die from natural causes during the waiting period, the policy returns your premiums plus interest (typically 10%) instead of the full face amount. Accidental death is covered in full from day one.

Guaranteed Issue

For diabetics with serious complications, recent hospitalization, or uncontrolled blood sugar, guaranteed issue is the safety net. No health questions, no underwriting — just acceptance, with a two-year waiting period and higher cost. This tier exists specifically so that no one with diabetes is locked out of burial coverage.

What Burial Insurance for Diabetics Costs

Diabetic applicants generally pay 10–30% more than non-diabetic applicants for the same coverage at the same age, depending on which tier they qualify for and how well-controlled the diabetes is.

For a $10,000 level-benefit policy for a well-managed diabetic non-smoker, typical monthly premiums look roughly like this:

Age (Non-Smoker, Managed Diabetes)	Typical $10,000 Burial Policy Range
60	$35–$55/mo
65	$45–$65/mo
70	$60–$90/mo
75	$85–$125/mo
80	$120–$175/mo

Examples are for educational purposes only. Actual rates vary by state, type of diabetes, A1c, complications, tobacco use, carrier, and benefit type. Graded and guaranteed-issue plans cost more than level-benefit at the same age.

Smokers with diabetes typically pay 40–70% more than non-smoking diabetics. Insulin-dependent diabetics on graded plans often pay 25–40% more than level-benefit pricing. The only way to know your actual rate is to run quotes across multiple carriers, because diabetes is exactly the kind of condition where one carrier’s “no” is another carrier’s “yes, at level pricing.”

Which Carriers Underwrite Diabetics Best

There’s no single “best carrier for diabetics” because the answer depends on your specific profile. What matters is that you’re shopped across enough carriers to find the one whose underwriting box your situation actually fits inside.

In our experience, the carriers that consistently treat diabetic applicants fairly tend to fall into a few categories:

• Mid-tier mutual carriers that price diabetes risk based on actuarial data rather than blanket assumptions. These often offer level benefit to Type 2 diabetics where larger national brands offer only graded.
• Specialty final-expense carriers that build their entire business around the senior market. They’ve seen every diabetic profile and have specific products built for them.
• Carriers with “modified underwriting” Type 2 programs that recognize well-managed Type 2 as a lower risk than the standard simplified-issue questionnaire assumes.

A captive agent — meaning an agent who only sells one company’s products — can only offer you that company’s underwriting decision. If their company says graded, you get graded, even when three other carriers would have said level. An independent brokerage like RyCo shops your application across multiple carriers and lets the best offer win.

Common Mistakes Diabetics Make When Applying

1. Applying to the First TV Commercial You Saw

Captive carriers spend heavily on TV ads precisely because they’re trying to capture applicants who don’t know they have options. The biggest brand on television is rarely the best fit for a diabetic applicant.

2. Underreporting A1c or Medications

Carriers run prescription database checks. If your application says “no insulin” and the database shows an insulin prescription, the application is denied — or worse, the policy is issued and later rescinded when a claim is filed. Honest answers always win.

3. Applying During an Uncontrolled Period

If your A1c has been recently high or you’ve had a recent hospitalization, waiting 6–12 months for control to stabilize often moves you from guaranteed issue into graded or level pricing. The difference can be 30–50% of premium for the rest of your life.

4. Accepting Guaranteed Issue When You’d Qualify for Level

Some agents default everyone with diabetes into guaranteed issue because it’s the easiest sale. That’s the most expensive option per $1,000 of coverage. Always ask whether you’d qualify for level or graded first.

5. Not Disclosing All Conditions Upfront

The biggest mistake isn’t having diabetes — it’s having diabetes plus another condition you didn’t mention. Full disclosure on the front end lets an independent broker route you to the carrier that handles your full profile best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get burial insurance with Type 1 diabetes?

Yes. Most Type 1 diabetics qualify for graded burial insurance, with full coverage after a two- or three-year waiting period. Some carriers will offer level benefit to long-stable Type 1 diabetics, though this is less common than for Type 2.

Can I get burial insurance if I’m on insulin?

Yes. Insulin use moves most applicants from level-benefit to graded coverage, but it does not disqualify you. The age you started insulin and how long you’ve been stable on it both matter to the underwriter.

Does diabetes mean I have to take guaranteed issue?

No, and this is one of the most common misconceptions. Guaranteed issue is the most expensive option per $1,000 of coverage and exists for applicants who can’t qualify for level or graded. The majority of well-managed diabetics qualify for level or graded coverage at significantly lower cost.

What A1c do I need to qualify for level coverage?

It varies by carrier. Some carriers cap level-benefit eligibility at A1c 7.0, others at 7.5, others at 8.0. This is one of the reasons independent broker shopping matters — a 7.8 A1c might be level at one carrier and graded at another.

Does my diabetes have to be under control to apply?

Not necessarily, but it affects which tier you qualify for. Well-managed diabetes opens up level benefit. Recently uncontrolled or recently hospitalized diabetes typically routes you to graded or guaranteed issue. If your control has improved recently, waiting a few months for that improvement to show up in your records can pay off.

Will my premiums go up if my diabetes gets worse later?

No. Once a burial insurance policy is issued, the premium is locked in for life. If your diabetes worsens after the policy is in force, your rate doesn’t change. This is one of the strongest reasons to apply while your control is still good.

Can I get burial insurance with diabetic complications like neuropathy or kidney disease?

Yes. Minor complications like mild neuropathy typically place you in graded coverage. Major complications like dialysis or recent cardiovascular events typically place you in guaranteed issue. Either way, coverage is available.

How do I prove my A1c to the underwriter?

You don’t need to provide lab results directly. The carrier asks for your most recent A1c on the application and verifies it through a prescription database check and your stated medical history. If there’s a discrepancy, they may request medical records, but for most diabetic applicants the simplified-issue process moves quickly.

Take the Next Step

If you have diabetes and you’re comparing burial insurance for yourself or for a parent, the fastest way to see real numbers is to get a personalized quote. We’ll review your diabetes profile, shop it across 30+ A-rated carriers, and walk you through the options on the phone — no obligation, no pressure, no fee.

Want to learn more about how burial insurance works in general? Start with our burial insurance for seniors guide, or our expert guidance page for an overview of how we work.

RyCo Life Solutions is a licensed insurance brokerage. Coverage availability, rates, and policy terms vary by state and carrier. Rate examples in this article are illustrative; final premiums depend on full underwriting based on age, health, tobacco use, diabetes type and control, and other factors. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute insurance, medical, tax, or legal advice. Consult a licensed broker, physician, or qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.