<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-03-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001145197</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INSULET CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PODD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001181286</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LIAMOS CHARLES T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O INSULET CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>9 OAK PARK DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BEDFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01730</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>33000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110316</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>9482</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>47.41</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100834</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.82</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110834</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>45.8465</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100834</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.82</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-01-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The 33,000 performance share units were granted on March 1, 2013, and the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors subsequently determined the performance share units were earned based on the performance of the Company.  11,000 performance share units vested on March 1, 2014, and the remaining 22,000 performance share units vest one-half of the total units on March 1, 2015 and one-half of the total units on March 1, 2016.  Vested shares will be delivered to the reporting person as soon as practicable following a vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 24,000 restricted stock units granted on April 1, 2012, which vest one-third of the total units on April 1, 2014, one-third of the total units on April 1, 2015 and one-third of the total units on April 1, 2016; and 22,500 restricted stock units granted on March 1, 2013, which vest one-third of the total units on March 1, 2015, one-third of the total units on March 1, 2016 and one-third of the total units on March 1, 2017.  Vested shares will be delivered to the reporting person as soon as practicable following a vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes an aggregate of 1,166 shares acquired under the Insulet Corporation Amended and Restated 2007 Employee Stock Purchase Plan on the following dates:  357 shares acquired on June 29, 2012; 360 shares acquired on December 31, 2012; 243 shares acquired on June 28, 2013; and 206 shares acquired on December 31, 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This transaction represents the withholding of shares received upon the vesting of restricted stock units and performance share units to cover the associated tax obligations.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Includes 24,000 restricted stock units granted on April 1, 2012, which vest one-third of the total units on April 1, 2014, one-third of the total units on April 1, 2015 and one-third of the total units on April 1, 2016; 22,500 restricted stock units granted on March 1, 2013, which vest one-third of the total units on March 1, 2015, one-third of the total units on March 1, 2016 and one-third of the total units on March 1, 2017; and 22,000 performance share units granted on March 1, 2013, which vest one-half of the total units on March 1, 2015 and one-half of the total units on March 1, 2016.  Vested shares will be delivered to the reporting person as soon as practicable following a vesting date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on September 15, 2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The price reported represents the weighted average sale price of the shares sold.  The shares were sold at varying prices in the range of $45.06 to $46.78.  The Reporting Person hereby undertakes, upon request of the Staff of the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, the Issuer or a security holder of the Issuer, to provide full informaiton regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">This option is subject to a four-year vesting period, with 25% of the total award vesting one year after the grant date and the remainder vesting in equal quarterly installments each quarter thereafter for 12 quarters, subject to continued employment.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ R. Anthony Diehl, attorney in fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-03-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
