Life Insurance And Type 1 Diabetes!

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about life insurance underwriting of type 1 diabetes. Plenty of time has been spent painting the parameters around type 2 diabetes, so let’s update since they are different from an underwriting standpoint.

Let’s talk first about the similarities. Underwriting of diabetes, no matter the type, still focuses on control and compliance. Are the glucose levels remaining in a controlled range based on the hbA1c? Optimal underwriting is between 6 and 7. 7.5 is still considered good control. Above that things start to slide from an underwriting view. Does the client monitor their glucose levels regularly and keep regular, usually quarterly appointments with the doctor for full blood and urinalysis workups?

With type 2 diabetes early onset, prior to age 50 or 40 depending on the company, is a key factor. With type 1 there is an assumption that most cases were diagnosed prior to age 20. Because both types of diabetes are hard on the body in a best case. Type 1 in almost all cases has longer to work on the body. Because of this, collateral issues such as eyesight, kidney, or cardiovascular problems really need to be absent completely for best case results.

I am currently shopping a case for a 42 year old type 1 diabetic. He was diagnosed at age 15. His a1c is 7.1 and he has no collateral health issues. I will share this coming week what kind of offers we get back.

Bottom line. With good compliance and control type 1 diabetes can be underwritten at fair rates. Overall there is about a 7 year difference in mortality between those who have type 1 and normal mortality, but remember that those kind of statistics take into account all of those who don’t take care of themselves as well as those who have exceptionally difficult diabetes to control. In the healthiest type 1 diabetes population the mortality risk is the same as the general population.