Health Insurance for Diabetes
Living with diabetes can make it challenging to get private health insurance.
At More Than Diabetes, we believe that access to health cover for diabetics in the UK should see you as a person, not a risk. That’s why we can help you get fuss-free health insurance for diabetes, giving you peace of mind.
Here’s the truth:
who are covered
It’s considered a chronic health condition and is typically excluded as a pre-existing condition by health insurers. However, it’s not impossible to get diabetes specialist health insurance in the UK.
Seeking diabetes specialist health insurance does not mean routine diabetes care will be covered. Private health insurance usually excludes pre-existing conditions and ongoing treatment for chronic conditions such as diabetes; cover for unrelated conditions depends on the policy.
Private health insurance for diabetes in the UK
Do you need health insurance for diabetes in the UK?
In the UK, chronic conditions such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes are managed by the NHS. They’ll handle your ongoing care, with personalised management programmes, monitoring and free medications.
Private health insurance for diabetes in the UK doesn’t cover chronic conditions, but can give you quick access to treatment for a range of other treatable conditions, including physiotherapy or access to in-patient surgery at a private hospital.
While NHS diabetes care is excellent, you may want the option to access fast, private treatment for other conditions that require blood tests, scans, or surgical procedures.
Can I get diabetes specialist health insurance in the UK?
The key to applying for diabetes specialist health insurance in the UK is choosing the best underwriting method for your condition.
How private health insurance assesses diabetes
Before you apply for health cover for diabetics in the UK, it's essential to understand how insurers assess risk.
Private health insurance is designed to cover acute, treatable conditions, not chronic conditions with no known cure. Most private health cover excludes type 1 and 2 diabetes, so you won’t be covered for:
- Medication or insulin therapy
- Regular diabetes management
- Routine check-ups and monitoring
Health cover for diabetics in the UK is handled by the NHS. Your private health policy covers unrelated health issues, giving you access to swift, professional treatment. If you need physiotherapy, nursing care or MRI scans, a private healthcare policy provides quick access to specialist care, giving you peace of mind for you and your family.
If your concern is lost earnings while you are unwell, income protection for diabetes addresses that financial need rather than the cost of private treatment.
Full medical underwriting
You'll be expected to provide a full medical history, including your diabetes diagnosis, and your GP may be asked for additional information.
The downside of full medical underwriting is that diabetes is excluded as a chronic condition. On the other hand, you’ll have full transparency over what is and isn’t covered, and you’ll know upfront what you can and can’t claim for.
Moratorium underwriting
Instead of providing your medical history, each claim is independently assessed, excluding any conditions you were aware of or received treatment for in the previous five years.
For a successful claim, you must be able to show a continuous two-year period during which you didn’t take medication or receive treatment for diabetes. As type 1 and type 2 are ongoing conditions, you’re unlikely to be eligible for this type of cover.
What's covered with health insurance for diabetes in the UK?
Even if your diabetes care is excluded, you should be able to use your private health insurance for diabetes in the UK in the following situations:
- Diagnostic tests for unrelated conditions
- Private consultations
- Physiotherapy for bone, joint and muscle conditions
- In-patient treatment in private hospitals
- Outpatient care, including scans and x-rays
Always check your policy to see exactly what’s included in your private health insurance.
Critical illness cover for diabetes has a different purpose: a lump sum for a condition that meets the policy definition, subject to eligibility and exclusions.
For emergency medical treatment on holiday, travel insurance for diabetics needs its own checks on destinations, declared conditions and exclusions.
Health cover for diabetics in the UK with More Than Diabetes
At More Than Diabetes, we don't think you should pay higher premiums or risk not getting cover because you're living with diabetes.
- Diagnostic tests for unrelated conditions
- Private consultations
- Physiotherapy for bone, joint and muscle conditions
- In-patient treatment in private hospitals
- Outpatient care, including scans and x-rays
If you’re anxious about getting turned down or just want to sort out your family’s health, we’ve helped thousands of people get affordable deals on their insurance policies. Just start your free quote today and our family-run business will be happy to help you find the right policy for your healthcare needs.
Life insurance for diabetics serves a separate family need by providing a payout after your death, subject to the policy terms.
How to apply for private health insurance with diabetes
At More Than Diabetes, we make getting health insurance for diabetes in the UK simple. Our simple three-step process means you’re just minutes away from a competitive quote:
01. Fill out a quick health check
We’ll use this information to find you the best options
02.Get bespoke advice
We’ll match you up with insurers that understand about living with diabetes
03. Get covered
We can arrange coverage the same day for your peace of mind
There are no hidden surprises or additional fees, and we may not even need a GP report to sort out your health insurance.
Diabetes Health Insurance in the UK FAQs
Got questions? We’ve got answers. Here’s what people often ask us about health insurance with diabetes.
The NHS covers all your care and treatment, so you won’t need private health insurance in the UK. However, you can still take out a policy to cover you for unrelated, acute conditions.
It’s unlikely that an insurer would refuse you cover, but they will exclude your diabetes and any related conditions like retinopathy from your policy.
If you develop diabetes after taking out a health insurance policy, you may get private treatment because it wasn’t an existing condition. However, when the policy comes up for renewal, your ongoing diabetes management and treatment will be excluded from your cover.
Your expertise is real. Your family's protection should be too.
You've managed the unmanageable since childhood. Your family's security shouldn't be another battle.