Can I get income protection insurance with diabetes in Germany?
In short
You can sometimes get income protection insurance with diabetes in Germany, but it is hard. Insurers treat diabetes mellitus as a critical pre-existing condition; many decline, others offer a surcharge or an exclusion. Test your chances with an anonymous risk enquiry (Risikovoranfrage). With a surcharge, cover for EUR 1,500 a month costs about EUR 90 instead of EUR 70.
What income protection costs in Germany and what to expect with diabetes.
Example
Typical range
Age 30, office job, EUR 1,500 a month, healthy
about EUR 70 a month
Range across all occupations
about EUR 20 to over 200 a month
Same policy with a diabetes surcharge
about 25 to 50 percent more, EUR 90 to 105
Basic abilities cover as alternative, age 30, EUR 1,500
about EUR 40 to 70 a month
Premiums without pre-existing conditions from published tariff examples, October 2026.
Surcharge and basic abilities premium are a guide value from quoting practice;
only the enquiry shows whether an insurer accepts.
Worked example
Office worker, 32, type 2 for three years
Well controlled on tablets, no complications. The broker sends an anonymous enquiry to five insurers.
Two insurers
declined
One insurer
postponed for a year
Two insurers
accepted with surcharge
Premium for EUR 1,500 a month with surcharge
about EUR 95 a month
She gets full cover with a surcharge, and no refusal was stored under her name.
Why diabetes makes income protection harder
German income protection pays a monthly benefit if you can no longer work in your job for health reasons, often for decades. Diabetes can lead to complications affecting eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart. A well known consumer guide lists diabetes mellitus among the conditions that make income protection difficult or impossible to obtain.
That does not mean every application fails. Insurers decide case by case and look at how well controlled the diabetes is and whether complications already exist.
What insurers usually want to know
A risk enquiry with diabetes works best with complete documents: type of diabetes, date of diagnosis, treatment, current long term blood sugar values (HbA1c), severe hypos and findings on eyes, kidneys and feet. Request copies of your medical records; the answers on the form must match them.
Anonymous enquiry instead of single applications
Do not apply to one insurer after another on your own. A refusal can be recorded in the insurers' information system (HIS) and make the next application harder. In an anonymous risk enquiry a broker asks several insurers at once, with your personal details blacked out, on what terms they would cover you with diabetes.
A surcharge is usually better than an exclusion because you keep full cover.
Result
What it means
Accepted with surcharge
full cover, higher premium
Accepted with exclusion
disability caused by the excluded condition is not covered
Postponed
new enquiry after a waiting period
Declined
look at alternatives
Answer the health questions honestly
Under section 19 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) you must disclose everything the insurer asks in writing. If you hide diabetes, the insurer may withdraw or adjust the contract for up to five years after it started, or ten years if you acted intentionally or fraudulently (section 21 VVG). An income protection policy with undisclosed diabetes is therefore almost worthless.
Alternatives if it does not work
Basic abilities cover (Grundfähigkeitsversicherung) pays if you lose certain abilities such as seeing, walking or gripping; its health questions are often less strict, but it does not pay for every occupational disability. Earning incapacity cover (Erwerbsunfähigkeitsversicherung) only pays if you can hardly do any work at all. The statutory reduced earning capacity pension is a basic safety net.
Step by step
Request your medical records.
Put values, treatment and findings in order.
Have a broker send an anonymous enquiry to several insurers.
Compare surcharge and exclusion offers.
Only then apply with complete answers.
Checklist
Diagnosis, type and treatment documented
Current HbA1c values available
Eye, kidney and nerve findings available
No single applications before the enquiry
Alternatives checked
Common mistakes
Hiding diabetes on the form
Applying to several insurers one by one
Accepting an exclusion without checking a surcharge
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
Can I get cover with type 1 diabetes?
It is harder than with well controlled type 2.
An anonymous enquiry shows whether an insurer accepts.
Do I have to disclose gestational diabetes?
Yes, if it falls into the period asked about.
Surcharge or exclusion?
Usually the surcharge, because disability caused by diabetes is then covered too.
Is a refusal stored?
It may be recorded in the HIS.
The anonymous enquiry avoids that.
What if I develop diabetes after taking out cover?
Your cover stays; illnesses after the start do not have to be reported.
