No medical exam, no health questions — guaranteed acceptance burial and final-expense plans for diabetics who need simple, reliable coverage.
If you have diabetes and you need a quick, no-exam solution to protect your family from funeral costs and final bills, guaranteed acceptance life insurance is a practical option. This page explains how these policies work, what to expect in Virginia, realistic cost examples, alternatives (simplified & underwritten), and how a local Richmond agent can help you choose and apply.
Guaranteed acceptance (often called guaranteed-issue) life insurance is a product that requires no medical exam and usually no health questions. If you meet the carrier’s age limits and premium is paid, the company will issue the policy — acceptance is effectively guaranteed. These products are commonly used as final expense or burial policies with modest face amounts (usually between $5,000 and $25,000).
Why it exists: the product is designed for applicants with health conditions (including complicated diabetes) who cannot reliably pass underwriting or who need acceptance immediately.
If immediate acceptance is the priority (for example, after recent hospitalization or a decline from another company), guaranteed acceptance gives certainty and peace of mind.
Diabetes is a broad diagnosis — insurers distinguish between well-controlled diabetes without complications and diabetes with complications (kidney disease, heart disease, neuropathy, etc.). Underwriting favors controlled cases with good A1C values, but applicants with complications or recent acute events often face denials or very high rates in underwritten markets. Guaranteed acceptance avoids that hurdle. Source: American Diabetes Association (A1C guidance).
Local prevalence context — diabetes affects a sizable portion of Virginia adults (roughly 11–12% recent estimates), making guaranteed acceptance products relevant to many families in Richmond and surrounding counties. Source: Virginia Department of Health.
Most guaranteed acceptance policies include a waiting period for natural death (commonly 12 or 24 months). If the insured dies from natural causes during that waiting period, the carrier typically limits the payout — often returning premiums with interest or paying a partial benefit. Accidental death is usually paid in full right away.
Example: a 24-month graded policy may return 110% of premiums paid during the first year and 125% in the second year, or pay a fractional benefit. Always read the policy wording or ask your agent to explain the exact benefit schedule.
Guaranteed acceptance pricing depends on issue age, face amount, and carrier. These example ranges are for educational purposes to set expectations — exact pricing requires quotes.
These are sample ranges only. If you want exact numbers, I will run side-by-side quotes from carriers licensed in Virginia and show the exact premium and waiting-period trade-offs.
Usually recommended approach: If you have any recent evidence of stable diabetes control (recent A1C, no hospitalizations, manageable comorbidities), try a simplified-issue product first — it may produce a lower premium and immediate full benefits. If simplified-issue is not available or returns an unfavorable result, fall back to guaranteed-issue for certainty.
I run both paths for clients so you can compare exact numbers and waiting period rules before you decide.
I meet clients in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell and surrounding counties — in person or virtually — and complete the application with you so there are no surprises.
Before buying, confirm the company is licensed in Virginia and has strong financial ratings (so they can pay claims). A.M. Best is a respected ratings firm for insurance company financial strength. A.M. Best — company ratings.
Also review NAIC consumer guidance for life insurance to understand contestability, replacement rules, and what to watch for in policy wording. NAIC — Life Insurance Consumer Info.
Funeral and burial or cremation costs vary by choices. National median data (useful as a baseline) shows median funeral costs in the low thousands to mid thousands (e.g., 2023 median funeral + burial around $8,300; cremation lower). Local Richmond costs depend on burial vs cremation, cemetery costs, and service choices. Use NFDA national data for context when sizing coverage. NFDA — funeral cost statistics.
Mrs. A., Henrico (Age 72)
Mrs. A had diabetes complicated by early-stage kidney disease and recent hospitalization. We placed a $10,000 guaranteed acceptance policy with a 24-month graded period. It gave her family certainty and a predictable monthly payment they could budget for.
Mr. B., Richmond Southside (Age 66)
Mr. B is on oral meds with A1C 6.8. We tried a simplified-issue option first which issued in days with a lower premium than guaranteed acceptance; he chose simplified for immediate full benefits.
Use cases vary. If acceptance certainty matters most, guaranteed acceptance is the right choice. If cost and immediate full benefit matter and health looks stable, simplified-issue may be available and often cheaper.
If you want guaranteed acceptance, or want to compare simplified-issue vs guaranteed-issue side-by-side, I’ll prepare clear quotes and explain waiting periods. Call me at (804) 551-9526 or complete the quick form on the right — submissions are emailed directly to [email protected].
Local service: in-person appointments in Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Prince George, and Dinwiddie — or remote help if you prefer.
Guaranteed acceptance life insurance is an important tool for diabetics in Richmond who need acceptance certainty without medical exams. If your health makes underwriting risky, this product gives a straightforward path to protect loved ones from funeral costs and outstanding bills.
If you’d like side-by-side pricing (guaranteed vs simplified vs underwritten when applicable), call (804) 551-9526 or complete the quote form on this page. I’ll shop Virginia-licensed carriers and explain exactly how waiting periods and payouts work so you can choose with confidence.
