If you’re diagnosed,
you’re covered.
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum if you’re diagnosed with one of the serious illnesses defined in your policy — most often cancer, heart attack, or stroke. It’s the protection most people don’t think about until it’s too late.
Why critical illness cover matters
Most working-age people are statistically more likely to be seriously ill than to die during their working life. Yet life insurance is widely held while critical illness cover is far less common.
The lump sum from a critical illness policy can pay off the mortgage, fund time off work for treatment, adapt your home for recovery, or simply remove financial stress at the moment you most need to focus on getting better.
How critical illness cover works
Covering a defined list of serious illnesses — typically 40 to 100+ conditions depending on the insurer.
If you’re diagnosed and meet the policy definition, you receive a tax-free lump sum.
Pay off the mortgage, fund recovery time, adapt your home — no restrictions on how the lump sum is spent.
Many clients hold a combined life-and-CIC policy — one premium, two protections.
Policy definitions are everything
- One insurer may cover early-stage cancer where another would not
- We compare definitions across the market, not just headline prices
- Pre-existing conditions handled properly upfront
- Partial pay-outs for less severe diagnoses — we check which policies include these
- Combined life-and-CIC options modelled where relevant
What it costs
Our advice is free at point of use. The insurer pays us a small commission when a policy goes live — disclosed upfront. You pay only the policy premium. No charge if you decide not to proceed.
Common questions
How is critical illness cover different from life insurance?
Life insurance pays out on death. Critical illness cover pays out on diagnosis of a defined serious illness while you’re alive — so you benefit from it yourself when you need it most.
Is every illness covered?
No. Each policy lists specific defined illnesses. Cancer, heart attack and stroke are universal; many other conditions vary substantially between insurers — which is exactly why definitions matter.
Will pre-existing conditions affect the policy?
Almost always — they may be excluded, premium-loaded, or accepted normally depending on the condition and insurer. We handle this upfront so there are no surprises.
Can I get partial pay-outs for less severe diagnoses?
Some policies offer ‘additional payment’ for less severe conditions — typically a percentage of the full sum assured. We check which policies include these when comparing for you.
Will I get back any premiums if I never claim?
No — critical illness cover is protection, not savings. If you stop paying premiums your cover stops and no premiums are returned.