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Insurance Cover As a Method of Coping With Diabetes

Diabetes can occur at different stages of life and for some people is a lifelong illness. A colleague of mine recently passed away as a result of diabetes which many of us in the department did not even know he had because he never spoke of it. Whether the man was too embarrassed to mention his illness because he did not want to be pitied or treated like an invalid, or whether he was reluctant to acknowledge its existence even to himself we will never know.

Diabetes is classed as a chronic disease for which there is no cure. In short, it is caused by elevated levels of sugar in the blood. Under normal circumstances, the body uses insulin to regulate blood sugar levels but in diabetes sufferers there is either a lack of insulin, or a resistance to insulin, or both. In other words, their pancreas either does not produce the necessary insulin for blood sugar regulation or their cells are not receptive to insulin, or they experience both of the aforementioned problems in combination.

However, it is important to note that not all individuals have the same kind of diabetes. There are three main types: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. The latter starts during pregnancy and is caused, among other things, by the presence of pregnancy hormones which interfere with the functioning of insulin, thereby allowing blood glucose levels to rise unchecked. Type 1, on the other hand, can start at any age but it often manifests in childhood or during the teenage years. Type 2 is the most prevalent form of diabetes and usually manifests during adulthood although it is now starting to occur in teens due to rising obesity rates in the youth. This second type is especially dangerous because it is possible to live with it and not know you have it which could even have been the case with our poor colleague.

The sad fact is that diabetes is potentially a killer disease, and the best thing that sufferers can do apart from following doctor's orders, is to educate themselves about the disease and to prepare for the possibility of disability and even death as a result of the condition. This preparation can be psychological, for instance, as in the sufferer coming to terms with the fact that they are afflicted with diabetes, and by making financial provisions by taking out some form of insurance. Certain lifestyle adjustments are also likely to be necessary in order to manage the disease.

Having said that, the importance of taking out insurance cover as part of a strategy for coping with diabetes should not be underestimated as it can afford the sufferer considerable peace of mind. More and more, the negative effects of stress and worry are coming to be recognised as culprits in exacerbating disease hence it makes a lot of sense to have insurance coverage so that, at least, the sufferer will not have to worry about money and the future. Moreover, there are insurance companies out there that specialise in insurance for diseases like diabetes which is even better as the coverage is tailored specifically to the exigencies of the illness.