In plain English
If you’re diagnosed with one of the serious illnesses listed in your policy, such as many cancers, heart attacks or strokes, it pays out. You can spend the money however you need: clearing the mortgage, covering bills while you recover, or adapting your home. Each insurer defines the illnesses it covers slightly differently, which is why comparing them matters.
You’d struggle to keep up with the mortgage and bills if a serious illness stopped you working for a long time.
How insurers’ definitions compare, adding children’s cover, and combining it with life cover.
The details
Everyone can think of a friend or a family member who has become seriously ill. Most of us think that the good health we enjoy now will stay with us forever. Unfortunately, statistics suggest the odds are stacked against us: around one in five males and one in six females will suffer a serious medical complaint at some stage in their life.
What counts as a Critical Illness? Each assurance company provides comprehensive definitions of what they include as a Critical Illness. Please don’t confuse Critical Illness with Terminal Illness. Level Term Assurance and Mortgage Life Assurance include Terminal Illness cover at no additional cost. If you have a Terminal Illness, this means that you will not recover from the illness and your doctor or consultant has confirmed that your lifespan can be counted in weeks or months rather than years. In these circumstances, your policy could pay out on diagnosis of your Terminal Illness.
With ever-advancing medical science, you have an ever-improving chance of surviving a Critical Illness. Illnesses such as breast or testicular cancers are now curable in many cases but are still considered to be a Critical Illness.
Questions people ask us
Is critical illness the same as terminal illness?
Which illnesses are covered?
Can I add it to my life insurance?
Does it replace income protection?
How it works
- Drop us a message
- Have a proper chat
- We keep looking after you