Super visa insurance covers diabetes when the condition has been stable for the insurer’s stability period before the effective date. In October 2026 that was 90 days at Secure Travel to age 69, 120 days at TuGo and Destination from 60 to 69, and 180 days at Manulife, GMS, Allianz (from 60) and 21st Century Enhanced. Stable means the same medication at the same dose, no new complication and no pending test.
Diabetes is the most common declared condition among super visa applicants from South Asia, and the one that most often causes a questionnaire error. The error is usually a dose change the family did not think mattered.
What do insurers ask about diabetes?
Most questionnaires ask whether the applicant has been diagnosed with diabetes and whether it is treated with insulin. They ask whether medication has changed in the stability period. They ask about complications such as kidney, eye, nerve or circulation problems. Some ask about hospital visits for high or low blood sugar.
| Typical question | Why it is asked |
|---|---|
| Diagnosed with diabetes? | Establishes the condition is pre-existing |
| Treated with insulin? | Insulin use is priced and underwritten separately at most insurers |
| Any change to medication or dose in the last 90/180/365 days? | Tests the stability clause |
| Any diabetic complication (kidney, eye, nerve, foot, heart)? | Each complication is a separate condition with its own stability test |
| Hospitalized for diabetes in the last 12 months? | Signals instability |
A yes to insulin does not mean a decline. It usually means a higher premium band or an additional question about dose stability. A yes to complications means each complication is assessed on its own.
Which insurers cover stable diabetes?
All 8 insurers we compare cover stable diabetes within their stability periods. The periods differ, so the insurer that covers a parent whose dose changed five months ago is not the one that covers a parent whose dose changed two months ago.
| Insurer (underwriter) | Stability required at 65 | Stability required at 72 | Covers stable diabetes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secure Travel/RIMI (iA Financial Group) | 90 days | 180 days | Yes |
| TuGo (iA Financial Group) | 120 days | 180 days | Yes; 7-day rider to 79 |
| Destination (Zurich, Canadian Branch) | 120 days | 180 days | Yes to 79 |
| Allianz (CUMIS General Insurance) | 180 days | 180 days | Yes |
| Manulife CoverMe Plan B (Manufacturers Life) | 180 days | 180 days | Yes |
| GMS (Group Medical Services) | 180 days | 180 days | Yes to 79 |
| 21st Century Enhanced (Manulife) | 180 days | 180 days | Yes |
| Travelance Premier (Old Republic) | Per policy wording | Per policy wording | Yes |
Stability periods seen October 2026 — verify in the policy wording. Pricing for a 65-year-old with stable diabetes covered ran from $2,051 at Secure Travel to $4,201 at Allianz on the PolicyAdvisor and BestQuote tables. See the cost page.
What does stable mean for diabetes specifically?
Stable means the same drugs at the same doses for the whole period, no new complication diagnosed, no hospital visit for blood sugar, and no test pending that could change treatment. Starting insulin, changing the type of insulin, adding a second oral drug or stopping one all break stability. A routine HbA1c with no change after it does not.
| Event | Stable? |
|---|---|
| Metformin renewed at the same dose | Yes |
| Metformin dose increased or decreased | No |
| Second oral drug added | No |
| Switched from oral medication to insulin | No |
| Insulin units adjusted by the doctor | No at most insurers; check wording |
| Routine HbA1c, no change in treatment | Yes |
| New diagnosis of neuropathy or retinopathy | No, and the complication is a new condition |
| Diet-controlled, no medication, no change | Yes |
Day-to-day self-adjustment of insulin within a doctor’s prescribed range is treated differently by different insurers. Ask the insurer in writing before buying if the parent uses a sliding scale.
What should you document?
Get the prescription list with the start date and the date of the last change for each drug. Add the most recent HbA1c result and date. Add the doctor’s letter confirming no change in treatment for the stability period, and the date of any hospital visit. Photograph everything before answering the questionnaire.
Keep the completed questionnaire. The THIA Bill of Rights entitles the buyer to a copy of the medical answers before the policy starts. At claim time the insurer will request the home-country records; a clean file that matches the answers is what gets the claim paid. The claims page explains the process.
If diabetes sits alongside hypertension or a heart condition, each is assessed separately. See hypertension and heart conditions. The IRCC rule itself is unaffected: $100,000 of emergency coverage for one year from entry, per the forms and documents page.
Questions people ask
Is diabetes covered by super visa insurance?
Yes, if it is stable for the stability period before the effective date. Diabetes controlled by diet or by the same oral medication at the same dose is routinely covered by all 8 insurers we compare. Insulin-treated diabetes is covered by most but is asked about separately and may be priced higher.
Does a change in metformin dose make diabetes unstable?
Yes, at every insurer. Any increase or decrease in dose, or a switch to a different drug, resets the stability clock. If the parent's dose changed four months ago, Secure Travel (90 days to 69) covers it and Manulife (180 days) does not. Wait out the period or accept the exclusion.
What if my parent's HbA1c test is pending?
A pending test that could change treatment makes the condition unstable at most insurers until the result is in and no change follows. A routine HbA1c with no change in treatment is not a problem. Ask the doctor to confirm in writing that no change is planned.
Does diabetes affect the super visa application itself?
Not the insurance rule. IRCC requires $100,000 of emergency coverage; it does not require that diabetes be covered. The immigration medical exam may note the condition. A refusal on medical grounds is rare for controlled diabetes, but that is an IRCC decision, not an insurer one.
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