Health insurance for diabetics
Having diabetes shouldn't stop you from applying for private health insurance. It's still possible to get health insurance - however your diabetes and associated conditions may not be covered.
Diabetes is a serious condition and over 4.7 million people in the UK live with diabetes diagnoses1. Because it's considered a chronic condition, it's not covered by most insurers2. But the NHS provides extensive support for managing health conditions related to diabetes. So, you can continue using the NHS for your diabetes treatment and use your private health cover for other conditions.
In this guide we explain how insurers assess pre-existing conditions when you take out private health insurance as a diabetic. We also look at the different types of underwriting available when you apply for health insurance. And whether having diabetes affects the cost of your cover.
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This guide contains general information about the insurance market and related topics. Some content may not reflect Vitality’s specific products, features, or processes. |
Diabetes as a pre-existing condition
A pre-existing condition is any medical problem you've had before applying for private health cover. These can be:
- physical health conditions
- mental health issues
- long-term conditions
- one-off medical events.
Conditions like high blood pressure, asthma and diabetes are often considered pre-existing conditions. Also, depression and anxiety, as well as broken bones, migraine, backache, hip and knee pain.
Most insurance companies will not provide cover for pre-existing conditions. The insurance company will typically exclude your diabetes from your cover. This means you won't be able to make a claim for your diabetes or any condition associated with it. But you would usually be able to make a claim for other conditions that are not excluded.
Private health insurance is designed to provide convenient access to treatment for acute conditions that can be cured. Such as physiotherapy for back pain or hospital in-patient treatment if you need surgery. It's generally not designed to provide ongoing care for a chronic condition like diabetes.
Most people with diabetes will have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition, where your insulin producing cells have been destroyed by your immune system. This means you can't make any insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is much more common. It's where your body can't make enough insulin, but it is able to make some.
Both these types of diabetes are considered chronic conditions by insurers and will be excluded from cover. However, gestational diabetes is only developed during pregnancy. And it usually goes away after giving birth. When you apply for health insurance, you'll need to let your insurer know that you've had gestational diabetes, but it may not affect the cost of your cover.
How do insurance providers assess diabetes risk?
When you apply for health insurance, you'll be taken through a series of questions. This process is called medical underwriting. It's the insurance company's risk assessment to establish what terms they can offer. The application for health insurance will include questions about your age, occupation and where you live. It may also include questions about your health.
You can usually choose whether you want to answer questions about your health, or not. If you answer questions about your health it's called Full Medical Underwriting. If you choose not to, it's called Moratorium Underwriting.
What is excluded from a health insurance policy if you have diabetes?
If you have diabetes - whether Type 1 or Type 2 - it will be excluded from cover under most private health insurance policies. This is because diabetes is considered a chronic condition, meaning it requires ongoing treatment and has no known cure. Health insurance is typically designed to cover acute conditions - those that are short-term, treatable, and expected to lead to full recovery.
What's typically excluded?
Once diabetes is disclosed or diagnosed, your policy likely will not cover:
- Routine check-ups or monitoring appointments related to diabetes
- Ongoing medication or insulin therapy
- Regular management of diabetes symptoms or complications
What happens if you're diagnosed after your policy starts?
If you develop diabetes after your policy begins, your insurer may initially cover:
- Consultations to investigate symptoms
- Diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis
- Initial treatment to stabilise the condition
However, once diabetes is confirmed as a long-term condition, ongoing care and treatment will usually be excluded from future claims.
You'll still be able to claim for unrelated medical issues, depending on your policy terms.
Applying for health insurance when you have diabetes
The key to applying for health insurance with diabetes lies in the underwriting method you choose.
Full Medical Underwriting
With this option, you provide complete details of your medical history during the application process. This includes any current or past conditions that may require future treatment - such as diabetes.
Since diabetes is a chronic condition requiring ongoing treatment, it will probably be listed as a personal medical exclusion on your policy. This means you'll know upfront that diabetes-related treatments won't be covered, but you'll have clarity about what your policy does and doesn't cover.
Additional information may be requested from your GP, but this is usually only for conditions where cover might be declined - not for diabetes, which is usually excluded, but does not prevent you from being insured.
Moratorium Underwriting
This method doesn't require you to provide your full medical history when applying. Instead, the insurer assesses claims when they're made, excluding any conditions you had symptoms of, received treatment or advice for, or were aware of in the five years before your cover started.
For a pre-existing condition to become eligible for cover, you must have a continuous two-year period without receiving treatment, advice, or medication for that condition after your cover starts. Diabetes, which requires continuous treatment, is unlikely to ever become eligible for cover.
Important considerations during your application
Be completely honest about your health history. You must provide full and accurate information about your medical history when applying. Failing to disclose your diabetes or providing incomplete information can have serious consequences, including:
- Claims being rejected
- Changes to your policy terms
- Cancellation of your cover
- Being required to repay treatment costs already paid by the insurer
Understanding your exclusions. Your diabetes will generally be listed as a personal medical exclusion on your membership certificate, along with any related conditions or complications. This creates a permanent record of what cannot be claimed under your policy.
Exclusions are typically permanent. While some personal medical exclusions can be reviewed after 12 months of coverage, chronic conditions like diabetes are not eligible for review or removal. A diabetes exclusion would remain in place for the life of the policy.
How much does health insurance cost for a diabetic?
The cost of health insurance when you have diabetes isn't necessarily higher than for non-diabetics, but understanding what you're paying for is crucial since diabetes-related treatments won't be covered.
Health insurance premiums are calculated using the factors like your age, location, policy type, excess level, and underwriting method.
At Vitality, our Core Cover starts at £1.45 per day3. However, the most accurate way to determine your health insurance costs is to get a personalised quote.
Read more: How much does UK health insurance cost?
Why choose Vitality health insurance?
Our comprehensive health insurance cover includes online GP appointments and private hospital treatment. It also includes mental health support, out-patient surgery, cancer care and physiotherapy. But what makes us stand out from other providers is that we focus on your overall wellbeing. We go the extra mile and reward healthy behaviours, such as tracking your steps and buying healthy foods.
These behaviours benefit everyone but are particularly valuable for people managing diabetes.
That's why we offer the Vitality Healthcheck to all our members who have a health insurance plan with us. You can book one Vitality Healthcheck at no cost each plan year. You'll also have access to a Bluecrest Health Assessment at discounted rates. Eligible members can get 50% off one Bluecrest Health Assessment each plan year. While members aged 40 and over with a Vitality Age Gap of five or more years can get one Advanced Health Assessment at no additional cost. This allows you to stay informed about the progress of your health.
And with every healthy activity you make a habit, you'll earn points. The more points you earn, the better your discounts and rewards become. We're talking discounted gym memberships and wearable tech, such as Apple Watch and Fitbit.
Key takeaways
- You can still apply for private health insurance if you have diabetes.
- Diabetes is considered a pre-existing condition, so it and related conditions are unlikely to be covered by your private health insurance. But this would not prevent you from being able to make a claim for other conditions unrelated to diabetes that are covered by your policy.
- When you apply for health insurance, you'll need to tell the insurer that you have diabetes. This helps the insurance company decide if they can offer you cover.
- Having diabetes doesn't mean the cost of your cover will automatically be more expensive. Vitality's health insurance focuses on your overall wellbeing and rewards healthy behaviours. These behaviours benefit everyone but are particularly valuable for people managing diabetes. Find out more about Vitality rewards.
Sources:
[1] Diabetes UK, Diabetes is Serious 2022 report ↑
[2] Insurance and diabetes, Diabetes UK, 2026 ↑
[3] Price is based on a 35-year-old living in Peterborough, plan starting 01.04.2025, with Consultant Select hospital option, Full Medical Underwriting, plan excess of £250, and £500 Out-patient benefit. Includes Insurance Premium Tax.↑
