There is no single cheapest insurer for every person with type 2 diabetes. The answer depends on your age. For people with type 2 diabetes and no complications, the figures from our own cases show Royal London, Scottish Widows and Guardian close together in each age band, with the order changing as you get older.
What this article covers
If you have type 2 diabetes, no disclosed complications and are managing with diet or tablets, this is the comparison that applies to you. If you have complications, are on insulin, or have other health conditions alongside your diabetes, the picture changes and we cover that further down.
Level life insurance pays a fixed lump sum if you die during the policy term. People typically use it to leave money for a partner or children, cover household bills, or replace income. Because the amount stays the same throughout the term, it tends to cost more each month than decreasing cover, which is designed to track a repayment mortgage.
Why the cheapest insurer depends on your age
Insurers price life insurance differently, and the gap between them is not fixed. An insurer that is cheapest for a 45-year-old with type 2 diabetes may not be cheapest for a 55-year-old with the same profile. The only way to know is to compare real final terms across the insurers most likely to accept your application.
Having analysed over 1,100 applications, we can show what clients in different age bands actually paid at each insurer. The figures below are averages from our own accepted cases, expressed as a monthly cost per £100,000 of cover. They are not quotes, and your own premium will depend on the term you choose, the amount of cover, and the full picture of your health.
Level cover: what our clients paid by age band
The figures below are for type 2 clients with no disclosed complications. ‘No disclosed complications’ means no diabetic eye disease, nerve damage, kidney problems or other diabetes-related complications were declared on the application. Our figures for this group cover people managing with diet or with tablets such as metformin. Almost all of them were non-smokers, so treat these as non-smoker prices; if you smoke you will pay more. They cover the policy terms our clients actually chose, mostly 16 to 25 years, and a longer term costs more.
Age 40 to 49
In this age band, Royal London (Personal Menu Plan) had the lowest average price at £23.88 per month for every £100,000 of cover, with latest terms from September 2026. Scottish Widows came in close behind at £24.43, with latest terms from August 2026.
For a straightforward type 2 application in this age band with no complications, Royal London and Scottish Widows are likely to be the more competitive starting points.
Age 50 to 59
In the 50-59 band, Royal London (Personal Menu Plan) again had the lowest average price at £40.89 per month per £100,000, with latest terms from July 2026. Guardian came in at £48.30, with latest terms from May 2026, the oldest figure in this comparison, so it is worth confirming the current position before relying on it. Scottish Widows returned £49.77, with latest terms from July 2026.
Royal London, Guardian and Scottish Widows are all within a few pounds of each other in this band. The right choice for any individual will depend on the full application, not just the diabetes.
Age 60 and over
In the 60-plus band, Scottish Widows came out at an average of £100.99 per month per £100,000 of level cover, with latest terms from May 2026. That figure is now a few months old, so it is worth checking the current position before relying on it.
If you are in your sixties and looking for level life insurance with type 2 diabetes, the best approach is to get current terms from several insurers rather than relying on a single figure.
Ready to see your own number?
Tell us about your diabetes and what the cover is for. We check the insurers and explain what we find. No fee, no obligation, and we’ll tell you if we don’t think there’s a realistic route.
What changes if you have complications or other health conditions
The figures above are for people with no disclosed complications. If you have diabetic eye disease, nerve damage, kidney problems or other conditions alongside your diabetes, the options and the prices will be different, and the right insurer depends on exactly what the complication is.
A few examples from our own cases. Background retinopathy, or laser treatment on the eyes, can still be placed: Royal London Diabetes Cover and The Exeter have previously accepted both. Nerve damage in the feet closes most doors, but The Exeter and Legal and General have previously accepted it. Injections or surgery on the eyes, or kidney damage, are usually a decline at the mainstream insurers, and The Exeter may still consider them.
None of this is a promise. Each insurer decides on the full application, so we check the current position before we put anything forward. If your complication is not mentioned here, we would need to look at your situation before saying who is worth approaching.
How we can help
We specialise in protection insurance for people with diabetes. When you speak to us, we will go through your diabetes in detail, including your treatment, your most recent review and any complications, as well as anything else that might affect the application. We then check the current position with the insurers most likely to accept you, explain what we find, and help you apply.
We will not put you through an application where we do not think there is a realistic route. If the mainstream market is unlikely to work for your situation, we will tell you that and explain what the alternatives are.
Call us or use the contact form on the website to get started.
Your questions
Do all insurers charge more for level life insurance if you have type 2 diabetes?
Most do apply a loading, though the amount varies by insurer and by your individual profile. In the cases we handle, it is uncommon for a person with type 2 diabetes to receive standard terms, but it does happen, particularly where the diabetes is well controlled, recently diagnosed and there are no other health factors.
Is level life insurance always more expensive than decreasing cover for someone with type 2 diabetes?
Yes, in the cases we see. Level cover pays the same amount throughout the term, so the insurer carries more risk for longer. Decreasing cover is designed to track a repayment mortgage and the amount reduces over time, which is why it tends to cost less each month. The right type depends on what you need the money to do.
Will my HbA1c reading affect which insurer is cheapest?
It can, but probably less than you expect. Our analysis of over 1,100 applications found that the HbA1c reading moves the price less than most people assume once you compare like with like across the same insurer and age band. The insurer you apply to and your age have a bigger effect on the final premium than the reading alone.
Can I apply to more than one insurer at the same time?
You can, but it is worth being careful. Some insurers’ application forms ask whether you have previously been declined for life insurance. Applying to several insurers at once and receiving a decline from one of them could affect how another insurer views your application. We research the most suitable insurer for your situation before applying, rather than applying to several at once.
Do these prices apply to smokers with type 2 diabetes?
The figures in this article are drawn from our general type 2 population, which includes both smokers and non-smokers. When we look at the non-smoking sub-group separately, the averages come out the same, so the published figures are not inflated by smokers and are a reliable guide for non-smokers. If you smoke, you will pay more than the figures shown, the combination of smoking and diabetes affects both the price and which insurer is likely to offer the best terms.
Where these figures come from
Average monthly price per £100,000 of level life cover, taken from the final accepted terms in our own applications for type 2 clients with no disclosed complications, grouped by insurer and age band.
Declined and postponed cases, cases with disclosed complications, and decreasing cover policies.
Averages reflect the mix of clients in each group, including their term length, amount of cover and other health factors beyond diabetes. They are not a quote for any individual. Insurer positions and prices change; each figure is dated to the month of the latest terms behind it.
Our own figures are correct as at 11 September 2026. Insurer positions can change. We regularly review them and check the current position again before we apply.
Read next
- Type 2 diabetes and life insurance
- how diabetic complications can affect your life insurance
- your HbA1c reading and life insurance
- diabetes insurers: who’s best
Talk to a diabetes insurance specialist
Tell us about your diabetes and what the cover is for. We’ll check the insurers available to us, compare the realistic options and help with the application. The insurer makes the final decision; we make sure you go to the right one.
