Key Takeaways
- Almost every health condition has a yes — the question isn’t if you can get covered, it’s which plan type says yes.
- Managed conditions (blood pressure, cholesterol, controlled diabetes) usually qualify for day-one Level coverage.
- Serious or recent conditions route to guaranteed acceptance: no health questions, ages 50–80, with a 2-year rule on natural causes.
- The same condition gets different answers from different carriers — that’s why we shop 15+ of them before you apply anywhere.
- Call or text "info" to 971-444-6449 — a ten-minute check tells you your exact options.
The three plan types, in plain English
Level (day-one coverage). Full benefit from the day your policy starts. You answer a short health questionnaire by phone — no exam, no blood work — and most people with managed conditions qualify here.
Graded. Same application, but natural-cause deaths in the first two years return everything paid plus interest instead of the full amount. Accidents pay in full from day one. Think of it as a stepping-stone answer for borderline health histories.
Guaranteed Acceptance. No health questions, no exam — everyone ages 50–80 is accepted. The trade is the 2-year rule on natural causes (your money back plus 10% interest during that window); accidents are covered in full from the start.
The condition-by-condition table
These are the typical outcomes we see across the 15+ carriers we shop. Your final answer depends on the specific carrier, how recent and how controlled the condition is, and the rest of your health picture — which is exactly the check we run before you apply anywhere.
| Your condition | Typical plan type | Day-one full coverage? |
|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (on medication) | Level | Usually yes |
| High cholesterol | Level | Usually yes |
| Type 2 diabetes — pills, well controlled | Level | Usually yes |
| Diabetes on insulin | Level or Graded — carrier choice matters most here | Often yes |
| Diabetes with complications (neuropathy, kidney involvement) | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Heart attack or stroke, 2+ years ago | Level or Graded, by carrier | Often yes |
| Heart attack or stroke, within 12 months | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| COPD, mild to moderate (no oxygen) | Level or Graded | Often yes |
| Oxygen use (any amount) | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Cancer — in remission 2+ years | Level with many carriers | Often yes |
| Cancer — currently in treatment | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Depression or anxiety | Level | Usually yes |
| Arthritis, joint conditions | Level | Usually yes |
| Dialysis | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Alzheimer’s or dementia | Guaranteed Acceptance (varies) | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Wheelchair from a chronic condition, or nursing home | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Several conditions at once / not sure | This is what the ten-minute call is for | — |
Typical routing across the carriers we compare, as of July 2026. Not an offer of coverage — underwriting decisions belong to each carrier and vary by state and individual history. "Accidents only, first 2 years" refers to the 2-year rule: natural-cause claims in that window return all premiums paid plus interest; accidental death pays in full from day one, and the policy is active from day one.
Diabetes is the condition we’re asked about most, so it has its own deep-dive: burial insurance with diabetes — insulin timing, A1C tiers, and verified example rates.
Cancer survivors have one too: life insurance after cancer — the remission clock, the maintenance-medication detail, and when day-one coverage returns.
The part most people miss: the same condition can be a day-one yes at one carrier and a decline at another. Applying blind to the wrong company gets you a decline on your record and a worse plan than you deserved. Shopping first is the whole game — and it’s what we do, at no cost to you.
A worked example: “Mom is 78 and diabetic”
This is one of the most common calls we get, so let’s answer it plainly. Say your mother is 78, lives in Oregon, manages type 2 diabetes, and you just want the funeral covered so it never lands on the family.
- Is she insurable at 78? Yes — burial insurance runs to age 85, and guaranteed acceptance to 80, so she has both doors open.
- Does the diabetes block day-one coverage? If it’s managed — pills or even insulin, without major complications — day-one Level coverage is realistic with the right carrier.
- What would it cost? As a reference point, $10,000 of non-tobacco coverage for a 78-year-old woman runs in the neighborhood of $88 a month with a top carrier — locked for life, never increasing. Cremation-focused amounts ($5,000–$7,000) run less.
- And if her health is more complicated than that? Guaranteed acceptance still says yes through age 80 — no health questions at all.
Adult children set this up for a parent all the time — your mom just needs to be on the call to give her consent. The full burial insurance guide covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get burial insurance with diabetes?
Yes — and usually with day-one coverage. Controlled diabetes, whether managed with pills or insulin, is approved routinely by carriers we work with. The carrier choice matters (some are notably more diabetic-friendly than others), which is exactly the shopping an independent agent does for you. Diabetes with serious complications may route to a graded or guaranteed-acceptance plan instead.
I had a heart attack — can I still qualify?
Usually yes. If the heart attack was two or more years ago, many carriers offer simplified-issue coverage, often with day-one benefits. If it was within the last 12 months, you’d typically start with a guaranteed-acceptance plan (2-year rule on natural causes, accidents covered in full from day one) — and we can revisit better options later.
What is the difference between Level, Graded, and Guaranteed Acceptance?
Level means full day-one coverage — most people with managed conditions qualify for this. Graded means natural-cause deaths in the first two years return premiums plus interest instead of the full amount. Guaranteed Acceptance asks no health questions at all — everyone ages 50–80 is accepted — and always carries the 2-year rule on natural causes, with accidents covered in full from day one.
Will my health condition raise my price?
It can affect which plan type you qualify for, and graded or guaranteed-acceptance plans do cost more per dollar of coverage than day-one Level plans. That’s why the first move is checking whether you qualify for Level with any of the 15+ carriers we compare — many people who assume they’ll be declined actually do.
Do I need a medical exam or medical records?
No exam, no blood work, no doctor visits. Simplified-issue plans use a short phone questionnaire (10–15 yes/no questions). Guaranteed-acceptance plans ask nothing at all. Carriers may verify prescription history electronically — which is routine and instant, not an exam.
Should I just answer the health questions "no" to get approved?
Never. Wrong answers can void the policy when your family files a claim — the opposite of what you’re buying it for. The better path: answer truthfully, and if the questions are a problem, use a guaranteed-acceptance plan that asks none. There is a truthful yes for nearly everyone 50–80.
My mom is 78 and diabetic — what would she actually qualify for?
At 78 she’s inside the age range for both simplified-issue burial insurance and guaranteed acceptance (50–80). If her diabetes is managed, day-one Level coverage is realistic — as a reference, $10,000 of non-tobacco coverage for a 78-year-old woman runs in the neighborhood of $88 a month with a top carrier, locked for life. A ten-minute call tells you her exact options.
See your rate
Ten minutes. No obligation. English or Spanish.
Tell us the condition; we’ll tell you which carriers say yes, whether it’s day-one coverage, and what it costs. Before you apply anywhere.
📞 Call or Text 971-444-6449 See Your Rate
Sources & further reading
This article was last reviewed on July 6, 2026 by Gilbert Lopez, NPN 16945680, a licensed insurance agent in Woodburn, Oregon. Plan-type behavior (Level, Graded, Guaranteed Acceptance) is described per standard industry structure; individual carrier underwriting varies.
- NAIC — Consumer resources on life insurance underwriting
- Oregon Division of Financial Regulation — life insurance resources
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