Diabetes & Substandard Life Insurance — Virginia

Substandard Underwriting Guidance

Substandard or "impaired" underwriting is used for applicants with health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions. Key factors include:

• HbA1c and blood sugar control
• Blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Weight/BMI and lifestyle factors
• Medication history and overall health stability

Underwriting categories often range from Table A (slightly impaired) to Table H or higher (more severe risks), affecting premium pricing.

Carrier Options for Moderate Health Risks

Virginia residents with diabetes can often qualify with the following approaches:

• Kemper Life: Simplified underwriting for moderate risks, term and whole options.
• Mutual of Omaha: Flexible term policies with substandard ratings.
• Globe Life: Guaranteed issue conversion options if condition worsens.
• State Farm: Traditional term/whole life with impaired risk consideration.

A local advisor can help match your health profile to the best carriers and policies.

Guaranteed Conversion & Simplified Options

Many substandard policies allow conversion to guaranteed life insurance if health declines. Options include:

• Term to whole life conversion within a set period (usually 5–20 years)
• Guaranteed acceptance final expense policies if standard coverage is no longer available
• Maintaining coverage continuity without additional underwriting

This ensures peace of mind for clients whose health may change over time.

Back to Virginia Hub

Return to the Virginia Life Insurance Hub for term, whole, final expense, and other specialized insurance pages.