In this non-experimental study carried out in the general population, we showed that after adjustment for severity of type 2 diabetes at baseline (duration of the disease and history of micro- or macrovascular complications) and presence of major risk factors for mortality (area of residence, age, gender, educational level, drinking, smoking, hypertension, LDL and HDL cholesterol), type 2 diabetic subjects treated with insulin had a mortality risk that was about 5 times higher than non-diabetic subjects (adjusted HR = 4.92 [1.70–14.3], p = 0.003). The gene discussed is INS; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.