Diabetes and Prudential Life Insurance

[desktoponly]NOTE: Instant quotes will be displayed using the form on this site. You can select Prudential as the carrier, HOWEVER Prudential does not allow us to display many of the health ratings that are common with diabetes. We have listed examples further down this page. If you do submit a quote form, we will contact you to provide a custom quote for your situation comparing Prudential to other diabetic friendly carriers to find the lowest rate.[/desktoponly]

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I'm sure you'll agree that living as a diabetic has its challenges.

You may already know that one of those is getting approved for affordable life insurance.

But doesn't mean you can't protect those you love just like everyone else.

In this article we'll cover:

  • How Prudential underwriting will look at your diabetes (Type 1 & 2)
  • Possible outcomes from your application
  • Sample rates for diabetics at Prudential
  • Overview of Diabetes Mellitus
  • Prudential company background
  • How to find the best life insurance company for diabetes

How Prudential Views Diabetes

Life insurance companies are in the business of judging risk and will base their decisions and your premium payments off this risk analysis.

High blood sugar can have adverse effects on the body leading to a stroke or accelerating the development of atherosclerosis (see how Prudential looks at high cholesterol). Diabetes Mellitus can also be a cause of end-stage kidney disease.

All applicants will be assigned a health class rating that will determine the premium you pay.

Prudential will rate diabetes based on:

  • 1
    Age of diagnosis
  • 2
    Year since diagnosis
  • 3
    Are there any complications?
  • 4
    How well controlled is your diabetes?

Generally speaking, your health class will go down (and your premium payment up) with complications, poor control, longer time since onset, and being diagnosed at younger ages. 

Credits that lower your premiums may be given for HbA1c levels in excellent control (at or below 7%). Debits that raise your premiums will be added if certain complications such as proteinuria are present.

The below chart shows expected ratings from Prudential underwriting. Table ratings are below the Standard health class and will NOT be displayed in our quoter. Expect to pay about 25% more for each level lower table rating

Type I Diabetes

Diagnosis Age

0-7 years

8-14 years

15-20 years

Over 20 years

0-17

Decline

Decline

Decline

NA

18-34

Table E

Table E

Table F

Table G

35-49

Table D

Table D

Table E

Table F

50-65

Table C

Table D

Table D

Table E

66+

Table B

Table C

Table D

Table D

Type II Diabetes

Great news!

Type 2 diabetics under control can qualify for low rates and good health classes if you meet certain conditions.

Possible outcomes:

Non-smoker Plus health class

  • Onset ages 30-49
  • Only controlled by diet, no medication
  • A1c ≤ 7.0%
  • No complications

Non-smoker Plus health class

  • Onset age 50 or older
  • A1c ≤ 7.0%
  • Diet control or oral medications OK
  • No complications

Non-smoker Plus health class

  • Onset age 70+
  • A1c between 7.1% and 8.0%
  • Diet control or oral medications OK
  • No complications

Standard non-smoker

  • Onset ages 50-69
  • A1c between 7.1% and 8.0%
  • Diet control or oral medications OK
  • No complications

If you don't fall into any of the above, you can still be approved with Type 2 but the rates will be a little higher. Please use the chart below.

Diagnosis Age

0-7 years

8-14 years

15-20 years

Over 20 years

18-34

Table D

Table D

Table E

Table E

35-49

Table B

Table C

Table D

Table D

50-65

Table B

Table B

Table C

Table C

66+

Non-smoker Plus

Table A

Table B

Table B

Sample Life Insurance Rates for Diabetics at Prudential

29-year-old female - Type 2 - Diagnosed at age 20 

$250,000 policy on a 20-year term - $42.38 per month


40-year-old male - Type 1 - Diagnosed at age 31 

$500,000 policy on a 15-year term - $165.86 per month


52-year-old male - Type 2 - Diagnosed at age 45  

A1c ≤ 7.0% - No meds

$300,000 policy on a 20-year term - $99.58 per month


34-year-old female - Type 1 - Diagnosed at age 16  

$200,000 policy on a 30-year term - $103.92 per month


67-year-old male - Type 1 - Diagnosed at age 62  

$400,000 policy on a 10-year term - $406.44 per month


55-year-old male - Type 2 - Diagnosed at age 51

A1c between 7.1% and 8.0% - Oral medication OK

$400,000 policy on a 10-year term - $152.69 per month

Rates are subject to change and require underwriting approval. Contact us for an up-to-date quote with Prudential and to compare with other diabetic friendly life insurance carriers.

Overview of Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes affects over 100 million people in theUnited States. Statistics from the CDC show that almost 10% of the population has some form of the disease and many more have prediabetes that could lead a diagnosis in the next few years if left untreated.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes hinders the bodies ability to use the energy found in food. During digestion, food is turned into sugars, or glucose. Insulin, a hormone, is critical in allowing the glucose to enter the cells where it can be used.

For diabetics, not enough insulin is produced or the body has trouble using the insulin it does produce. This results in glucose building up in the blood which is referred to as hyperglycemia or high blood sugar.

High blood sugar can lead to complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, or other complications.

Type 1 

The body attacks and damages the pancreas which decrease insulin production. Type 1 diabetes is considered an auto-immune disease and it may be caused by genetics.

Type 1 is considered to be the more severe form of diabetes and is often times develops in children although it can happen at any age.

Type 2

The most common form of diabetes, type 2 is non-insulin dependent. This means the body is able to produce its own insulin but not enough or it doesn't work properly to open up the cells for glucose absorption.

Often referred to as "adult-onset" diabetes, it's usually seen after age 35. Type 2 diabetes is often linked to people who are overweight, have poor diets, and don't exercise. 

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is the same as other types, in that it affects blood sugar, however, it occurs specifically in pregnant women. While it does cause concern during pregnancy, it's typically not a long-term issue and blood sugar usually returns to normal after giving birth.

Women who have had gestational diabetes are at higher risk to develop type 2 diabetes so it is something to continue monitoring and focus on being healthy.

About Prudential Life Insurance Company

prudential life insurance for diabetics

Marketed as "The Rock", Prudential is a company that is well known and trusted by consumers. They were founded in 1875 have been a leader in the industry for many years. Today, PRU is the 3rd largest life insurance company in the US and hold over $3 trillion of policies in force.

Prudential is a leader in approving high-risk cases as they are constantly improving their underwriting process to approve applications that other companies would deny. 

Industry rating service AM Best gives Prudential an A+ "Superior" rating for their financial stability. 

Prudential offers the following products:

  • Term Life Insurance
  • Variable Insurance
  • Guaranteed Universal Life Insurance
  • Mutual Funds
  • Real Estate Services
  • Retirement Plans 
  • Annuities

Best Life Insurance Company for Diabetics

Prudential is among the best and we place many clients there.

But that doesn't mean it's automatically #1 for you...

There are several carriers that excel at underwriting diabetes and the specifics of your own case will decide which one it's best to apply with. Choosing the right company to apply at can be the difference between paying high rates and getting affordable insurance. In some cases, it can mean an approval vs a complete denial.

We can help you get to the right company for you.

As an independent broker, we live and breath life insurance and it's the only product we sell. Our only job is placing our clients at the right company. We work with over 50 different carriers are not obligated to any of them. There is no fee to use our service.

If you are ready to get started, please fill out the quote request form and we'll reach out to help.

Authors

  • Ty Stewart

    Ty Stewart is a founder and contributor of SimpleLifeInsure.com. He started researching and studying about life insurance when he got his first policy for his own family. He has been featured as a life insurance expert speaker at agent conventions and in top publications. As an independent licensed life insurance agent he has helped clients nationwide to secure affordable coverage while making the process simple.

  • Bennett Bier

    I’m Bennett Bier, owner, author and fact checker of Simple Life Insure. I believe working with a small independent broker offers consumers more personal attention and superior customer service. As an independent agent licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia I have access to many of the top A+ rated life insurance carriers. This lets me locate a plan that you will qualify for while saving you money at the same time. Over the years I have mastered the art of underwriting, getting approvals even for my highest risk clients. I’m also likely the person that will answer the phone when you call.