Health Insurance with Diabetes UK | What's Covered

Can you get health insurance with diabetes?

Yes. Private medical insurance is available to people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and you won't usually be turned down because of it. The catch is what the policy will pay for. UK health insurance is designed for acute conditions: illnesses or injuries that respond quickly to treatment. Diabetes is a chronic condition that needs lifelong management, so insurers exclude it.

What's excluded

Insurers are consistent on this:

The diabetes itself. Vitality says both types of diabetes "are considered chronic conditions by insurers and will be excluded from cover". Bupa, Aviva and MoneyHelper all list diabetes as a chronic condition that standard policies don't treat.
Routine diabetes care. Check-ups, medication, insulin, monitoring equipment and annual reviews stay with the NHS. None of the insurers we checked covers them.
Complications, often. Diabetes UK warns that treatment relating to diabetes, including complications, is often excluded. That can include problems with your eyes, kidneys, nerves, feet or heart where they're linked to diabetes.

Diabetes UK's view is that private medical insurance is of "limited value" to people with diabetes, and that it can be difficult or expensive to arrange. That's worth knowing before you start.

What you can still claim for

A policy still covers new, unrelated conditions that start after you join, subject to the normal terms. For many people with diabetes, that's the real value of cover:

Fast diagnosis of new symptoms, with scans and specialist appointments in days rather than months
Orthopaedic surgery, such as hip or knee replacement
Cancer diagnosis and treatment
Hernia repairs, gallbladder surgery and other common operations
Mental health support, where your policy includes it

The grey area is anything an insurer could say is related to diabetes. Before buying, ask how the insurer decides what counts as related, and get the answer in writing if you can.

How underwriting affects you

The type of underwriting decides how the diabetes exclusion is applied.

Moratorium underwriting. You don't declare your medical history. Anything you've had symptoms of, or treatment for, in the last five years is automatically excluded until you go a continuous period (Bupa uses two years) without symptoms or treatment. Because diabetes needs ongoing treatment, it's very unlikely ever to qualify. Vitality says it "is unlikely to ever become eligible for cover".

Full medical underwriting. You complete a health questionnaire and the insurer lists your exclusions up front. Diabetes, and possibly related conditions, will be a permanent named exclusion. The advantage is certainty: you know before you claim what is and isn't covered.

Our guide to health insurance with pre-existing conditions compares the two in more detail.

Policies with some chronic condition cover

A few insurers offer limited help with chronic conditions. None replaces NHS diabetes care, but they can help at the margins:

The Exeter pays for diagnosis and treatment to stabilise a chronic condition for up to three months, and for treatment of acute episodes.
Bupa says some of its policies cover flare-ups of long-term conditions.

How these benefits apply to a condition you already have when you join depends on your underwriting, so check before you buy.

Wellbeing benefits

Some policies include health and wellbeing extras that can be useful if you're managing diabetes, even though the condition itself isn't covered. Vitality, for example, has no diabetes-specific cover, but offers health checks and rewards for activity. In February 2025 it also announced discounted weight-loss medication (Wegovy and Mounjaro) for eligible members, including those with a BMI over 25 who have type 2 diabetes. Eligibility criteria apply.

If you have cover through work

If you're in a company health insurance scheme, it may cover more than a personal policy would. Larger schemes are often set up on "medical history disregarded" terms, which means conditions you had before joining can be covered, although routine management of a chronic condition is still usually excluded. If you're leaving the job, ask whether the scheme has a continuation option. This lets you move onto a personal policy without new medical exclusions, and Diabetes UK specifically recommends checking for it.

Alternatives to consider

Health cash plans pay back part of the cost of everyday care such as eye tests, dental checks and physiotherapy, and many don't exclude pre-existing conditions, though waiting periods can apply. See our health cash plans guide.
Paying for treatment yourself can be cheaper than a premium if you only want help with a single operation. Our private treatment costs pages show typical UK prices.

Sources

Vitality: Health insurance for diabetics and weight-loss medication announcement
Bupa: Private health insurance exclusions and Pre-existing conditions
Aviva: Chronic and acute conditions
Diabetes UK: Insurance and diabetes
MoneyHelper: Do you need private medical insurance?
The Exeter: Health+ policy document

Questions and answers

Can I get health insurance if I have diabetes?

Yes. Having diabetes doesn't stop you buying a policy. But insurers treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as chronic conditions, so the diabetes and its ongoing care will be excluded. You can still claim for new, unrelated conditions, such as a hernia, a joint problem or a cancer diagnosis, subject to the policy terms.

Does private health insurance cover type 2 diabetes?

No. Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition that needs ongoing management rather than a cure, which insurers class as chronic. Vitality says both types of diabetes "will be excluded from cover", and Bupa, Aviva and MoneyHelper all list diabetes among the chronic conditions most policies don't treat.

Are diabetes complications covered?

Often not. Diabetes UK says the cost of any treatment relating to diabetes, including complications, will often be excluded. That can include eye, kidney, nerve and foot problems linked to diabetes. Ask any insurer exactly how it treats conditions related to an excluded condition before you buy.

Will diabetes ever become covered under a moratorium?

Very unlikely. A moratorium only lifts an exclusion once you've gone a continuous period, usually two years, without symptoms, treatment, medication or advice for the condition. Because diabetes needs ongoing treatment and monitoring, Vitality says it is unlikely ever to become eligible.

Is full medical underwriting or moratorium better if I have diabetes?

With full medical underwriting, diabetes and any related conditions are written into your policy as exclusions, so you know exactly where you stand from day one. With a moratorium, the exclusion is decided at claim time, which can be less certain. Many people with a known chronic condition prefer the clarity of full medical underwriting, but a specialist can compare both for you.

Does any insurer offer cover for chronic conditions?

Not for ongoing care. Some policies offer limited help: The Exeter pays for diagnosis and treatment to stabilise a chronic condition for up to three months, plus treatment of acute flare-ups. Bupa says some of its policies cover flare-ups of long-term conditions. These don't replace NHS diabetes care.

Is health insurance worth it if I have diabetes?

Diabetes UK describes private medical insurance as of "limited value" to people with diabetes, because diabetes-related treatment is usually excluded. It can still be worth having for fast diagnosis and treatment of unrelated problems, such as orthopaedic surgery or cancer care. Compare the premium with what you'd realistically claim for.

I'm leaving an employer scheme. Can I keep my cover?

Possibly. If you're covered through work, ask whether the scheme has a continuation option, which lets you move to a personal policy on similar terms without new exclusions. Diabetes UK specifically suggests checking for this, as it can be the best route to cover when you already have diabetes.

Health Insurance if You Have Diabetes