Critical illness cover is an insurance that protects you if you are diagnosed with certain illnesses or disabilities. Learn how critical illness cover works in this short article.
What is critical illness cover and what does it cover?
Critical illness cover is a form of insurance that protects you if you are diagnosed with certain illnesses or disabilities. It pays out a lumpsum, which can be used for whatever you deem necessary, but could include:
- Private medical treatment
- Necessary adaptations to your home
- Covering the loss of income if you are no longer able to work
- Enjoying time with your family, such as a holiday
How does critical illness cover work?
Critical illness cover, also known as CIC, will pay out if you were to get one of the specific medical conditions or injuries listed in your policy. Some of the policies available can also make a smaller payment for conditions that are less severe. In some cases, providers allow children to be added onto a policy too.
What are the types of critical illness cover?
There are two types of critical illness cover, standalone cover or combined which is added to a life insurance policy. Both offer different pros and cons depending on your needs.
If you choose to take out critical illness cover alongside a standard life insurance policy, then you can also choose whether you want your policy to cover just yourself or you and a partner.
How much critical illness cover do I need?
When working out how much cover you’ll need, there are a few things to consider. For example, if you’re employed, you’ll need to think about the amount of financial support you and your dependents would require if you were unable to earn an income due to your illness. Additional things to consider would be:
- Your monthly income
- Your monthly outgoings
- Do you have a mortgage or any other debts
- How much you can afford for monthly premiums
What does critical illness insurance cover?
The list of conditions that are covered by critical illness policies varies between providers. However, heart attacks, strokes and some forms/stages of cancer are typically covered by critical illness cover.
Other covered illnesses commonly include:
- Total blindness
- Parkinson's disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Major organ transplant
- Total deafness
- Alzheimer's disease
- Loss of limbs
- Permanent disability
What is commonly not covered:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Hereditary illnesses
- Temporary illnesses
So if you’re asking yourself, ‘do I need critical illness cover’ …
Critical illness cover can offer valuable financial support if you unfortunately become seriously ill, if you don’t have significant savings, then this cover can be particularly helpful. The pay-out can be used to cover costs such as loss of earnings, household bills, provisions for your dependents or rent or mortgage payments.
How to get covered
This is where we come in and we’re here to make it as simple as possible for you. You can even compare quotes from leading providers in minutes! All you have to do, is fill out a form and we’ll get the quotes for you. If you have any questions along the way, you’ll also have the option to speak to someone who can help.