Best Life Insurance for Diabetics of 2025

• Financial Strength Rating: A+
• Complaints: Much better than expected for company size

Nationwide’s underwriting guidelines state that people with diabetes may be considered for its Standard Plus class, which could mean lower rates. Nationwide also has an impressive final expense policy and three living benefits included with many policies at no extra cost. All of this is from a company that’s very strong financially and has a great customer complaint record.

Nationwide is among a handful of companies Investopedia researched that not only accepts applicants who have diabetes but also will consider them for its Standard Plus risk class. Insurance companies use risk classes to calculate how much risk they’re exposing themselves to when signing someone up, and therefore, what rate to charge that person. 

Standard risk class indicates typical risk and average life expectancy for most insurers. Standard Plus generally indicates above-average health and, therefore, lower premiums than Standard. But it all depends on other health factors, your medical history, and your family’s history. For someone with diabetes to qualify for Standard Plus, the condition must be well-managed, and the person must be in excellent health.

A few people with diabetes may even qualify for Nationwide’s Nontobacco Preferred risk class for further rate discounts, but you’ll need to be over 65, have Type 2 diabetes, and not be dependent on insulin. 

If you don’t qualify at all for a fully underwritten policy or simply don’t want to have your medical history reviewed you may be interested in a final expense policy (also known as burial insurance or funeral insurance). Final expense insurance is guaranteed issue and doesn’t require you to provide medical information.

Nationwide’s final expense policy is one of the best. You can get up to $50,000 in coverage, which is more than many companies allow, and you can buy it at any age up to 80. 

Nationwide also tops this list for many of the reasons we named it the best overall life insurance company. It offers a wide variety of policies, many that come with three living benefits at no extra cost. Living benefits, aka accelerated benefits, let you use a portion of your death benefit while you’re alive if you develop a serious illness.

Nationwide is one of the few companies that offer a long-term care rider, though you’ll need to pay extra for that. Other riders available for purchase include a child term rider, waiver of premium rider, and accidental death benefit rider. The child term rider adds coverage for your children to your own policy until they reach age 22, and it can be transferred to the children at adulthood and converted to a permanent policy if desired. 

Nationwide has an A+ financial grade from credit rating agency AM Best, which is the second-highest grade possible and indicates a “superior” chance that the company will be able to pay its financial obligations decades from now.

Nationwide customers file far fewer complaints with state regulators than expected for a company its size. This is a sign of high customer satisfaction.

The only downside we saw specific to coverage for diabetics is that unlike John Hancock and State Farm, Nationwide doesn’t have a program to help policyholders manage their diabetes. 

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide has been around since 1926.

• Financial Strength Rating: A+
• Complaints: Much better than expected for company size

John Hancock stands out for its comprehensive diabetes management program, which includes discounts on healthy food, virtual consultations with diabetes experts, and the opportunity to earn premium discounts through fitness activities. In addition, people with diabetes may be considered for the Standard Plus risk class.

John Hancock goes the extra mile to make people living with diabetes feel welcome. Its Aspire program is designed specifically for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. 

When you are ready to apply for a policy, an Aspire representative will walk through the application with you. If you become a member, you can access discounted or free fitness devices, discounts on food and fitness items, and, through the Vitality PLUS program (which requires a small fee), a way to earn up to 25% lower premiums over time by completing activities like walking, buying fresh vegetables, or getting preventive checkups. 

If you have Type 2 diabetes, you may qualify for Onduo, an app that offers free blood testing equipment and supplies, personal health coaching, and consultations with diabetes experts. 

John Hancock underwriting guidelines also allow for assigning a Standard Plus risk class for someone with Type 2 diabetes who is 50 or older, has no complications, and doesn’t need insulin. If you meet all of those qualifications and are 60 or older, you may even be considered for Preferred class, which should have even more discounted premiums for your age. 

A chronic illness or terminal illness rider may be included free of charge on policies. Other riders available for purchase include critical illness, long-term care, waiver of premium, and disability income riders. 

John Hancock has an A+ financial strength rating from AM Best, so you can feel confident it will be around and able to pay a claim when the time comes. And its three-year customer complaint record is excellent—only one-thousandth of a point worse than State Farm’s. 

The only downside is that there is no final expense insurance. So, if you’re denied a fully underwritten policy and want guaranteed issue coverage that won’t require a medical history check, you’ll need to go elsewhere.

John Hancock was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Boston. It is owned by Manulife Financial Corporation, which was founded in 1887.

• Financial Strength Rating: A++
• Complaints: Much better than expected for company size

Investopedia found that State Farm has the best possible financial strength rating and the most attractive customer satisfaction record among life insurance companies that cover people with diabetes. 

If trustworthiness is a high priority for you when choosing a life insurance company, State Farm may be the right fit. It’s on rock-solid financial footing, earning the highest possible mark (A++ ) from AM Best, meaning you can trust that it will be able to pay claims in the future. That stability also landed State Farm on our list of the best term life insurance companies.

State Farm has a stellar customer satisfaction record. According to Investopedia research, its complaint rate is the lowest among the companies that cover diabetics. It has received far fewer customer complaints to state regulators than expected for its size. And it has won the top spot on J.D. Power customer satisfaction surveys for five consecutive years, including 2024. 

While the company doesn’t have a robust program for diabetics like John Hancock’s, it does have a general health management program. The Life Enhanced app lets you earn points for setting and making progress toward fitness goals. You can use the points to buy gift cards for retailers such as Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart.

The best possible health risk class State Farm would offer someone with diabetes is Standard. While that isn’t bad,  it’s less impressive than the other two companies on this list, which offer Standard Plus in some cases. If your diabetes is under control and you’re otherwise in exceptional health, you might qualify for better pricing at Nationwide or John Hancock. 

State Farm’s living benefits are limited to chronic illness and long-term care riders you’ll need to pay for.  But it does offer a child term rider, an add-on for some policies that provides temporary coverage for children. The term life insurance can be converted to a permanent policy when the child turns 25. 

If you’re looking for funeral insurance, you could do better. State Farm limits those policies to $15,000 in coverage; you’ll need to be between 45 and 80 years old to buy one.  

State Farm is based in Bloomington, Illinois, and has been in business since 1929.