Key Takeaways
- Managed diabetes usually means day-one coverage — and with most burial plans, at the same Level rate as everyone else. There is no separate “diabetic price.”
- Applications care about four things: control, complications, when insulin started, and what it’s combined with — not the diagnosis itself.
- Insulin is not an automatic no. Several carriers accept controlled insulin use for day-one coverage; the carrier choice is what decides it.
- Complications (nerve, eye, kidney) route you to a graded plan or guaranteed acceptance — still covered, with the 2-year rule on natural causes.
- Know your latest A1C before you call — then call or text "info" to 971-444-6449 and we’ll route it in ten minutes.
Diabetes rarely means no
Here’s the thing most people with diabetes don’t know: burial insurance was built for you. These plans exist specifically for people whose health would complicate a big traditional policy. The applications don’t ask “do you have diabetes?” and stop there — they ask how it’s going. Controlled and complication-free is a yes almost everywhere. We’ve reviewed the underwriting guides of every final expense carrier we sell, and the pattern is consistent.
What the applications actually ask about
Across the carriers we compare, diabetes questions come down to four things:
- Is it controlled? Treated and stable passes. “Uncontrolled” or untreated diabetes is what applications flag — several carriers’ medication guides literally mark diabetes medicines “acceptable if controlled.”
- Any complications? This is the big one: neuropathy (nerve damage), retinopathy (eyes), nephropathy (kidneys), or a history of insulin shock or diabetic coma. Any of these typically moves you off day-one coverage.
- When did insulin start? Insulin itself is fine with several carriers. Insulin that started before age 50 reads as early-onset (often type 1) and usually routes to a graded plan instead.
- What’s it combined with? Diabetes plus tobacco, significant weight, or vascular disease is where some carriers decline — and others still accept. Combinations are exactly why shopping first matters.
Your situation, and where it typically lands
| Your diabetes situation | Typical plan type | Day-one full coverage? |
|---|---|---|
| Type 2, pills only, well controlled | Level | Usually yes — same rate as anyone else |
| Insulin, started at 50 or later, controlled, no complications | Level with the right carrier | Often yes — carrier choice decides it |
| Insulin started before age 50 (incl. most type 1) | Graded | Accidents day one; natural causes after the graded period |
| A1C above ~10, or uncontrolled / untreated | Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents only, first 2 years |
| Neuropathy, retinopathy, kidney involvement, or past insulin shock/coma | Graded or Guaranteed Acceptance | Accidents day one |
| Diabetes + tobacco, significant weight, or vascular disease | Varies widely by carrier — shop before applying | Sometimes |
| Diabetes with any of the above, ages 50–80, just want a yes | Guaranteed Acceptance — accepts everyone | Accidents only, first 2 years |
Typical routing across the 15+ carriers we compare, based on their published underwriting materials as of July 2026. Not an offer of coverage — each carrier decides individually and criteria change. The 2-year rule: natural-cause claims in that window return all premiums paid plus interest; the policy is active from day one and accidental death pays in full.
The part worth repeating: the same diabetes gets different answers at different carriers. One carrier’s decline is another’s day-one approval at their normal rate. Applying to the wrong one first leaves a decline on your record for the next application to see. That’s the whole reason to let an independent agent route it — at no cost to you.
Why your A1C number matters
Some of our carriers price diabetes on control, not diagnosis. In practice: an A1C under about 7.5 with no complications can qualify for a carrier’s best tier — insulin or not. Control up to roughly 9 or 10 still finds standard tiers. Above 10, guaranteed acceptance becomes the path. One number, measured at your last checkup, tells us most of what we need — so look it up before you call.
Have these five things ready before you call
Straight from the carriers’ own agent instructions — the more complete this is, the faster your approval:
- Age when diabetes was diagnosed (and when insulin started, if it did)
- Your medication list — names and doses, right off the bottles
- Your most recent A1C and roughly when it was measured
- Your doctor’s name and when you last saw them
- Any complications, yes or no — nerve pain, eye issues, kidney results
That’s the whole interview. No exam, no blood draw — carriers verify prescription history electronically, which is instant and routine.
Diabetes runs in a lot of our families
We serve a largely Latino community, and diabetes is part of daily life in many of our families — according to the CDC, more than half of Hispanic adults will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime, and it often starts younger. The carriers know how common it is. That’s exactly why burial insurance underwriting is built to say yes to managed diabetes — and why we walk through these applications in Spanish every day, medication list on the table, without rushing anyone.
What it actually costs
With most burial carriers there’s no diabetic surcharge on Level coverage — you pay the same as anyone else your age. Two verified examples at $10,000 of coverage, non-tobacco, with a top day-one carrier (e.g., Mutual of Omaha), as of July 2026:
- Woman, 67, type 2 on metformin, A1C 6.9: about $45.86/month — day-one coverage, rate locked for life.
- Man, 72, insulin since age 60, controlled, no complications: about $83.99/month with a carrier that accepts controlled insulin — same Level rate table as everyone else.
Estimates from carrier rate charts for Oregon as of July 2026; your rate depends on age, state, health details, and final underwriting. Not an offer of coverage.
Wondering about other amounts or ages? The burial insurance guide has full rate tables from 50 to 85, and the calculator shows your number in about 60 seconds — no phone number required.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get burial insurance if I take insulin?
Yes. With several carriers we work with, insulin use by itself is not disqualifying — what matters is that your diabetes is controlled and complication-free. One detail that matters: some carriers treat insulin that started before age 50 differently, routing you to a graded plan instead of day-one coverage. Started at 50 or later and well controlled? Day-one coverage is realistic with the right carrier.
Does type 2 diabetes raise my burial insurance price?
Usually not. Most simplified-issue burial plans have one Level rate for everyone who qualifies — there is no separate diabetic rate. If your diabetes is managed, you typically pay the same premium as anyone else your age. A few carriers use rate tiers based on your A1C, where better control can earn a lower tier.
What A1C number do carriers want to see?
Carriers that look at A1C generally like to see it under about 7.5 for their best tier, and control up to roughly 9 or 10 can still qualify at standard or modified tiers. Above that, guaranteed acceptance becomes the path. Know your most recent A1C before you call — it is the single most useful number for routing you to the right carrier.
What if I have neuropathy, retinopathy, or kidney problems from diabetes?
Complications are the main thing applications ask about — nerve damage (neuropathy), eye damage (retinopathy), kidney involvement (nephropathy), or a past insulin shock or diabetic coma. They usually move you from day-one coverage to a graded plan or guaranteed acceptance. You can still get covered; the 2-year rule applies on the guaranteed path, with accidents covered in full from day one.
Can I get coverage with type 1 diabetes?
Yes. Because type 1 almost always means insulin from a young age, many carriers route it to a graded plan rather than day-one coverage — and guaranteed acceptance (ages 50–80, no health questions, 2-year rule on natural causes) is always available as a backstop. A ten-minute call sorts out which path fits.
What about diabetes plus tobacco, or diabetes plus extra weight?
Combinations are where underwriting gets strict. Diabetes plus tobacco use, significant weight, or vascular disease can turn an easy yes into a decline at some carriers — while others still say yes. This is exactly the situation where applying blind hurts you: one wrong application leaves a decline on your record. Have an independent agent shop it first.
I was denied life insurance because of diabetes before. Is it worth trying again?
Yes. Burial insurance underwriting is much friendlier to diabetes than the fully underwritten policies most people were declined for years ago — and every carrier draws its lines differently. If simplified issue still says no, guaranteed acceptance accepts everyone ages 50–80 with no health questions (2-year rule on natural causes, accidents covered day one). Nobody with diabetes is uninsurable in that age range.
See your rate
Ten minutes. No obligation. English or Spanish.
Grab your medication list and your last A1C. We’ll tell you which carriers say yes, whether it’s day-one coverage, and the exact price — before you apply anywhere.
📞 Call or Text 971-444-6449 See Your Rate
Sources & further reading
This article was last reviewed on July 7, 2026 by Gilbert Lopez, NPN 16945680, a licensed insurance agent in Woodburn, Oregon. Underwriting patterns are drawn from the published agent guides and medication guides of the final expense carriers Legacy Insurance Group is appointed with, described here by plan-type outcome rather than by carrier; individual carrier criteria vary and change.
- CDC — Diabetes data, including prevalence among Hispanic/Latino adults
- NAIC — Consumer resources on life insurance
- Oregon Division of Financial Regulation — life insurance resources
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