Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because your pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance).
There are two main types of diabetes:

Type 2 Diabetes is more common than type 1, accounting for between 85 and 95 per cent of all people diagnosed and is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.  In addition to this, medication and/or insulin is often required.  It occurs when not enough insulin is produced or when the body does not react to insulin as it should, meaning glucose levels are not lowered. Obesity is a risk factor that increases the chances of developing the condition, and is a serious concern to the UK health service as obesity levels in the UK continue to rise. 

Type 1 Diabetes is the rarer form of diabetes, occurring when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.  It usually appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood.  Type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5 and 15 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated by daily insulin injections, a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

Life Insurance and Diabetes
Although diabetes is a chronic condition, specialist life insurers recognize the importance and success of good management of symptoms.  Pulse, with the help of a number of specialist underwriters, can frequently although not always, arrange cover.

The condition varies hugely but the following broad guidelines concerning underwriters’ attitudes to diabetes and life and income protection cover maybe useful;

The most important factor in obtaining cover is to demonstrate good control of the condition.  With modern medication, diabetes responds well, and is evidenced by control of blood pressure, cholesterol levels, height-weight issues, alcohol intake and HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin) readings.

HbA1c is a test that indicates blood glucose levels in the previous 2-3 months and is used as a measure of long-term control of diabetes.  As a general rule, HbA1c readings should be below 8.5 for income protection and below 10 to obtain life cover, although it is possible to obtain life cover for HbA1c readings up to 14 in the absence of complications or other medical conditions 

Not smoking tends to increase the chances of obtaining cover

Diabetes varies considerably between types 1 and 2.  Where the condition is relatively simple and it is not associated with other problems, cover is easily obtainable. Where the condition is associated with problems such as strokes and amputation, cover is more difficult to obtain.