Critical illness cover – financial protection in troubled times
July 13th, 2011Critical illness cover is a form of insurance aimed at providing financial assistance in a very difficult situation.
If you are diagnosed with a critical illness, then you may be facing a number of physical and emotional challenges.
Medical treatment and perhaps a period of ill health, the stresses on your family and your drive to try and recover, are all likely to test your emotional resilience. During periods such as that, you’ll want to focus on your recovery and family rather than on what may become a growing catalogue of financial worries that may arrive as a result of your potential difficulties in working.
That is where critical illness cover comes into play.
These sorts of policies will pay out a lump sum (tax-free) in the event you are diagnosed with one of a number of conditions defined as being critical. Policies may pay out a few weeks after your initial diagnosis.
That money can be used to simply substitute for your income or pay off certain debts etc.
The conditions covered will be outlined by your policy but some modern policies cover a large number of conditions including what are sometimes called the major illnesses of cancer, organ failure, heart attacks and so on.
Of course, as is typically the case with all insurance, critical illness cover will contain its own terms, conditions and exclusions. It is very important that these are read carefully so you can assure yourself that the cover provided will meet your expectations.
There is also a form of cover available called serious illness cover.
The differences between the two are sometimes misunderstood but in general, serious illness cover may typically provide cover for a wider range of conditions than critical illness insurance and the conditions may not necessarily need to be defined in medical and insurance terms as critical.
Serious illness policies may pay out more than once whereas critical illness policies typically only pay out once and once only. The other major difference is that serious illness protection pays out sums that may be variable depending upon the severity of the condition diagnosed.
Some general exclusions may apply, relating to conditions that are attributable to drug use or dangerous recreational or occupational activities. Those exclusions may also typically include HIV/AIDS related conditions.
Although no form of insurance can prevent illness, critical illness cover may help you to avoid needing to try and deal with financial difficulties while you’re seriously ill. It is something that may be worth thinking about further.
