What is Critical Illness Cover?
Critical illness cover is a type of insurance that pays a tax-free, one-off lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specific, severe condition listed in the policy, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. It is designed to help with lifestyle costs, mortgage payments, or medical bills during recovery, providing financial security when you cannot work.
Key Aspects of Critical Illness Cover
Payout Structure: Provides a lump sum upon diagnosis and survival (usually 14 days) of a covered condition.
Illnesses Covered: Policies typically cover a wide range of specific illnesses, but each must meet strict definition criteria.
Policy Term: You choose the length of the policy, often aligning it with your mortgage term or until retirement.
Not Income Protection: It is a single lump sum payout rather than replacing monthly income. Most policies only pay out once, after which the policy ends.
Combined with Life Insurance: Often added to life insurance policies for an extra cost, though it can be bought as a standalone product.
Over 50 conditions covered, including these most common ones
Policies from leading UK insurers cover a wide range of serious conditions. Here are just some of the most frequently claimed.
Heart attack
Most types covered
Stroke
Including transient events
Cancer
Most diagnosed types
Coronary bypass
Full open-heart surgery
Multiple sclerosis
On diagnosis
Parkinson's disease
Before age 65
Loss of limbs
Permanent severance
Loss of sight or hearing
Permanent and total
Organ failure
Requiring transplant
Alzheimer's disease
Diagnosed under 65
Helpful critical illness
cover guides
Life insurance and critical illness cover
Learn how life insurance and critical illness cover differ and work together.
Read the guideFinancial protection insurance guide
Understand how critical illness cover fits within a wider protection plan.
Read the guideTypes of life insurance explained
Review the main policy structures and how additional protection can be added.
Read the guide1 in 2
people will get cancer in their lifetime
£65k
average payout from our clients in 2024
97%
of claims paid by top UK insurers
48hr
average time from quote to policy
How it works
Frequently asked questions
We do not guarantee a specific premium or that cover will be offered. Eligibility and underwriting decisions are made by the insurer. Always read your policy documents carefully.
Don't wait for a reason to get covered.
Start your critical illness quote online.
Important service information
This is an advised service
One of our advisers will talk through your circumstances and give you a personal recommendation based on your needs and budget. We will explain why a policy suits you before you decide to go ahead.
Understanding your demands and needs
Before we arrange any cover, we will ask about your situation so we understand what you need the policy to do. Any cover we put forward is based on the information you give us, so please make sure it is accurate and complete.