Critical illness insurance is a type of cover that can be added to a life insurance policy or bought as a standalone policy. It's designed to pay out a cash lump sum if you are diagnosed with or undergo a medical procedure for a serious illness or injury and survive between 10 and 14 days from diagnosis.
In some instances, cover can be limited; for example, certain types of cancer may excluded. So, what types of illnesses and injuries does this policy cover? In this guide, we'll look at the most common illnesses and injuries that are usually covered by most insurers.
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Why do I need critical illness cover?
A serious illness or injury can strike at any time, no matter your age or health. Depending on your financial situation, a lengthy or permanent serious health condition that requires time off work could mean significant strain for you and your family.
With critical illness insurance, you receive a lump-sum payment upon diagnosis of a covered condition. If you're unable to work, the policy payout can serve as a source of income, helping you manage daily expenses without draining your savings.
It can mean you're financially prepared if you're unable to work or need specialised treatment. Even with comprehensive health insurance, some procedures and treatments might not be fully covered.
As life insurance does not cover critical illness, it can be useful to have both for added peace of mind.
Illnesses and injuries typically covered by critical illness
While policies vary between insurers, most critical illness insurance plans cover a set list of serious medical conditions. Most UK insurers will cover core conditions, such as:
Cancer (excluding less advanced cases)
Heart attack
Cardiac arrest
Stroke
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
Motor neurone disease (MND)
Organ transplant
Kidney failure
Blindness
Deafness
Loss of limb(s)
Paralysis
Additional conditions covered may vary by provider, but often include:
Major brain injury
Benign brain tumour
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Heart valve replacement/repair
Aplastic anaemia
Bacterial meningitis
Third-degree burns (covering a significant body area)
Coma
Liver failure
Encephalitis
Loss of speech
Coronary artery bypass grafts
Pulmonary arterial hypertension
The policy does not cover conditions considered pre-existing or conditions that are associated with your family’s medical history.
To find out more, the Association of British Insurers have put together a guide on the minimum requirements for critical illness cover - i.e. the things all critical illness plans must cover.
Heart attack
Most types of heart attacks are covered by critical illness insurance, with acute coronary syndromes and angina with myocardial infarction being the exception. Some policies may also cover heart and chest-related surgeries, such as thoracotomy (where a heart valve is repaired or replaced).
Stroke
Strokes can lead to a variety of significant consequences, such as paralysis, vision problems, and impaired cognitive abilities. Such implications can affect your ability to work and maintain your previous quality of life.
Most policies specify that the stroke must lead to symptoms persisting for at least 24 hours. This may exclude transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs), often referred to as mini-strokes, as these do not typically cause permanent damage.
Cancer
More than 400,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK, with someone diagnosed at least every 90 seconds on average. [1] Not all types of cancer are covered under a critical illness plan, however. It often depends on aspects like the stage and seriousness of the disease.
Generally, critical illness insurance will cover more advanced forms of cancer, such as Leukaemia, Lymphoma or invasive cancers like Malignant tumours that have spread.
Most policies may exclude early-stage cancers that can be treated effectively and without extensive medical intervention (stage 0-1). Benign tumours may also be excluded as they don't tend to pose the same level of threat to life or require extensive treatment.
Insurers may also exclude in situ cancers, which are confined to the place where they started and haven’t spread.
Due to the potential loss of life associated with cancer, you may want to consider life insurance as well as critical illness cover. In the event of your death, it could help your family maintain essential costs like mortgage repayments as well as your funeral expenses.
Organ failure
Major organ failure is typically covered by most insurers, but policies may have specific conditions or exclusions.
Liver failure is usually covered, though insurers often specify qualifying causes such as chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Critical illness cover may exclude less severe conditions or early-stage liver disease.
Kidney failure is also included, particularly when it leads to permanent and irreversible loss of function, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. It is often caused by conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure, but insurers can have specific terms regarding what qualifies as significant kidney failure.
Loss of limb
Would you still be able to do your job if you suddenly lost a hand, arm, leg or an eye? While it may seem unlikely, the loss of a limb or an eye can have a detrimental effect on your ability to work and perform daily activities.
Critical illness cover includes the permanent physical loss of a limb, such as an arm, leg, hand, or foot. However, the loss usually needs to be complete, meaning full amputation rather than partial loss. For example, the policy may not pay out if you lose a finger or toe rather than an entire limb.
You may also be ineligible from injuries deemed self-inflicted or those resulting from high-risk activities like extreme sports.
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Multiple sclerosis is a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the protective coating around your body's nerves, disrupting signals between the brain and body. It can cause symptoms like weakness, vision problems, and difficulty with movement, which can impact your ability to work as you did previously.
There are different exclusions for MS based on the severity of your condition. Early-stage or mild cases without lasting neurological symptoms may not be covered. Some insurers may require you to show symptoms for a minimum period before accepting your claim.
How to get advice on critical illness cover
Cavendish Online is committed to helping you find the cheapest premiums and the right cover for your needs.
You can purchase a critical illness policy through Cavendish Online in three ways:
Get a quote online: If you have no health disclosures, you can apply for critical illness cover alongside your life cover via the Cavendish website. Limited options are available online, but more are accessible through our phone services.
Guidance (Phone): If you know what you're looking for, our Guidance team can provide quotes and help with applications, allowing different cover amounts for life and critical Illness cover.
Advice (Phone): If you have health issues or high-risk factors, our advised team will provide recommendations and tailor cover to your needs.
For more info, call us on
01392 436193
(Monday to Thursday 9am – 5.30pm, Friday 9am – 5pm)
[1]https://www.macmillan.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/research/cancer-statistics-fact-sheet
