A lump sum if you are seriously ill, not just if you die

Critical illness cover pays out on diagnosis of a specified serious condition. The definitions are everything, and they vary enormously between insurers.

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The point of it

Surviving a serious illness has costs of its own

Survival rates for heart attacks, strokes and many cancers have improved enormously. What has not improved is the financial hit: months off work, adaptations to the house, travel to treatment, and often a partner cutting their hours to help.

Critical illness pays a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis, and you spend it on whatever you need. It is commonly bought alongside life cover on the same policy, which keeps the cost down.

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An adviser talking a client through their options

What to look at

Price is the least important part

Two policies at the same premium can differ hugely in whether they actually pay when you claim.

Condition definitions

Every insurer defines a stroke or a heart attack slightly differently. Those words decide claims. This is where advice earns its keep.

Number of conditions

Basic plans cover a core set. Comprehensive plans cover a hundred or more, including many at an earlier and more treatable stage.

Children's cover

Most policies include cover for your children as standard, often up to a capped amount. Check whether it is included or costs extra.

Partial payments

Better policies pay a percentage for less severe conditions, such as early stage cancers, without ending the policy.

Realistic expectations

What critical illness does not do

We would rather set this out clearly now than have you discover it at claim.

It is not general illness coverIt pays only for the specific conditions listed in the policy, at the severity the policy defines. Most illnesses are not covered.
Back pain and stress are not coveredThe two biggest causes of long-term absence from work in the UK are generally outside these policies. Income protection is the answer there.
Pre-existing conditions are usually excludedIf you have already had a condition, it will typically be excluded or heavily loaded. Disclose everything at application.
It pays once and endsUnless the policy specifically offers reinstatement, a full claim ends the cover. Partial payments generally do not.

How it works

Three steps, no jargon

Step 01

A proper first conversation

Tell us where you are and where you want to get to. We listen first, then set out the realistic options in plain English, including the ones that mean waiting.

Step 02

We search and recommend

We compare the market, run the affordability and stress tests, and bring back the mortgage and protection that genuinely fit. Our reasoning goes to you in writing.

Step 03

We handle the paperwork

From application to completion we deal with the lender, chase the valuation and the solicitors, and keep you posted the whole way through.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Should I take critical illness or income protection?

If you can only afford one, income protection usually does more work for more people, because it covers any cause of absence including back problems and mental health. Critical illness gives you a lump sum, which is genuinely useful for adaptations, debt clearance and taking real time off. Many people take a smaller amount of each rather than a lot of one.

How much cover do I need?

A common approach is enough to clear the mortgage, or enough to replace two to three years of income. Adaptations to a home after a stroke, and a partner reducing their hours, are the two costs people consistently underestimate.

Are all critical illness policies the same?

Not remotely. The number of conditions covered ranges from around ten to well over a hundred, and the definitions of the common conditions differ between insurers in ways that decide claims. Comparing on price alone is the single most expensive mistake in this market.

Does it cover all cancers?

No. Policies typically exclude certain early stage and less advanced cancers from the full payout, though better policies pay a partial amount for them. The exact wording varies by insurer and it is one of the first things we check.

Can I add it to my life insurance?

Yes, and it is usually cheaper that way. Combined policies pay out on the first event, either death or a critical illness claim, and then end. Separate policies cost more but can pay out twice, so we will show you both.

Important. Cover is subject to underwriting, the policy terms and the exclusions that apply. If you stop paying premiums the cover will end.

Let's talk

Compare critical illness cover

A short, friendly chat is all it takes to see what you could save. No jargon, no pressure, just clear advice.

Book a callback Call 07788 580 360