For just about any health issue there is a “sweet spot” for life insurance underwriting, that place where all of the pluses overcome the minuses and a better than usual approval is received. This is especially true of underwriting guidelines for type 2 diabetes and the good news is that with current treatment options it is possible to shoot for and reach the thresholds that bring lower insurance prices.
With diabetes underwriters are looking for those people who accept that they have it but aren’t willing to let it get a hold on their medical future. A lax attitude toward diabetes can lead to complications and collateral health issues, none of which paint a pretty picture for the years to come.
To start with, early onset type 2 diabetes is a problem. Most type 2 can be traced back to life style issues with obesity being the number one culprit. If a person, due to poor life style choices, has diabetes starting in their 20’s-40’s, convincing an underwriter that you present a good life insurance risk is going to be very hard. The first sweet spot in underwriting type 2 diabetes is onset after age 50 and not linked to morbid obesity.
The underwriters want to see compliance with your doctor. Do you take seriously your doctor’s recommendations to lose weight, exercise and change diet? Do you take your medications and check your glucose regularly? Have you done any diabetes education classes? Do you know what an hbA1c is and do you know what your’s is?
Underwriters want to see control. They don’t care if you can fast and get a glucose reading of 98. They want to see that you hbA1c is less than 6.5 which would indicate that your glucose levels have been consistently in a controlled range for the past three months.
And last, but by no means least, to get the best rates you can’t have other risk factors such as eye sight, high blood pressure, kidney problems or coronary artery disease (CAD).
Bottom line. The sweet spot for diabetes underwriting is all about late onset and good compliance, education and control.
My 20 years of experience give me the knowledge and leverage to find reasonably-priced life insurance for people who have been declined or are paying more than they need to.
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