Jason Fisher Qualifying for life insurance with gestational diabetes will seem challenging for some applicants.
However, getting approved for the policy you need may not be as difficult as you originally thought, provided you work with a high risk life insurance specialist who knows how to navigate the carriers who are liberal for diabetics.
We work with people who are considered to be higher risk insurance cases, meaning they may have particular adverse health issues.
Gestational diabetes is a common condition we deal with on a regular basis, as 1 in 10 women develop some level of gestational diabetes.
While gestational diabetes can certainly affect your health in the short term, your blood sugar will typically return to normal soon after the delivery of your child.
For this reason, working with the right company makes all the difference. Not all companies are as flexible as others, even though the long term risks are much lower than having Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Buying Life Insurance With Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops when a woman is pregnant, and similar to other forms of diabetes, this type will also affect how the body uses glucose. In this particular case, high glucose levels can not only have an effect on the woman’s health, but also on the health of the unborn baby.
Unfortunately, data has shown the occurrence of gestational diabetes to have grown throughout the past two decades, especially in certain races and ethnic women, such as Native Americans, Asians, African Americans, and Hispanics. This increase, however, could also be the result of increased patterns of obesity in the overall population.
The good news is, gestational diabetes can be controlled with eating a proper diet, along with maintaining a good and healthy exercise program where allowed by a doctor. It can still, however, be of concern to life insurance underwriters if an applicant has had gestational diabetes. This is due to the higher risk of the applicant progressing to Type 2 diabetes in the future.
It will be important to show the insurance underwriters how you are managing or controlling your condition, whether it is through diet and exercise, through medication, or both. In addition, proving your positive long term health factors are a must.
Proper Life Insurance Application Process
When applying for life insurance, it is always necessary to fill out a standard application for coverage, each of which varies from one company to the next. This allows the insurance carrier to get basic information regarding your:
- Basic Contact Information
- Beneficiary Information
- Age
- Height
- Weight
- Tobacco Use
- Health History
- Driving History
- Family History
- Other Risks (Occupations/Hobbies)
Because of your gestational diabetes, you will also need to provide additional, condition specific details. This is so the underwriter can obtain a more clear picture of how the condition has affected your health, and what possible risks lie in front of you. These additional questions will include:
- Prior to pregnancy, do you have any history with diabetes or pre-diabetes?
- Are you currently pregnant?
- Do you have regular visits with your endocrinologist or regular doctor/gynecologist?
- Have you had any other blood tests performed within the past 6 months? (such as FBS, RBS or GTT)
- What steps are you taking to control your gestational diabetes, if it has not yet gone dormant?
- What is your current blood glucose level?
- What is your most recent A1C reading?
- Do you take any prescription medication for your gestational diabetes currently? If so, what dosage?
–Fast Acting Insulin (or Basal Insulin)
-Glyburide
-Metformin - Has your gestational diabetes led to other health conditions?
- Do you have a family history of diabetes?
- Have you ever used tobacco of any kind?
- Do you have any other current adverse health issues?
The insurance company will almost always require you take a medical exam, though it is possible to get covered without one. During this exam, you will be asked additional health related questions, your blood pressure will be taken 3 times, your examiner will calculate your BMI (by measuring height and weight), and you will also be asked to submit both blood and a urine samples.
It is also possible the underwriters may want to review additional health information about you via your medical records. These could be obtained through your primary care physician, your endocrinologist, gynecologist, or other medical professional who you’ve seen.
Only when your entire file is complete and the underwriter has had time to review all pertinent documentation will you see a possible rating of approval.
Possible Rating Outcomes
One of the greatest risks to a life insurance company is the unknown. When it comes to gestational diabetes and life insurance is being applied for, the underwriter needs definite information regarding the long term risks you pose.
If the diabetes is no longer present, your height and weight return to pre-pregnancy weight, and you show no other signs of the gestational diabetes leading to either Type 1 or Type 2 in the future, you could see as high as Standard rates within 6 months post-delivery.
If, however, you still show signs of pre-diabetic stages after giving birth, you may only be eligible for as high as Mild Sub-Standard. This would still require a large period of stability, like 1-2 years, where you can prove you’ve not yet advanced to full diabetes.
Women who are still pregnant and recently developed gestational diabetes will need to wait until after the baby is born, or otherwise need to seek an alternative type of policy for the short term, such as a graded or guaranteed life insurance policy.
If the gestational diabetes does not subside and persists beyond pregnancy for a duration beyond several months, you’ll be essentially applying as a diabetic.
Taking The Next Step
Having to deal with gestational diabetes is tough enough. Having to jump over additional hurdles to get an affordable policy shouldn’t be a concern. Let us help you by leveraging our expertise in getting many others approved, as well.
Being familiar with which carriers will work with certain applicants is a must, and we’ll take the time to choose who is most suitable for you. Not all diabetic cases should go to the same carrier; we know that.
If you’re ready to see what you may be able to qualify for, being by getting a quote in the sidebar at no better than a Regular rating, and we’ll be in touch shortly to answer any questions you may have.
