Conditions covered
There is a core of major illnesses which tend to be covered by all providers including cancer, stroke, major organ transplant, coronary artery by-pass surgery, multiple sclerosis, heart attack and kidney failure.
Many providers cover 'additional conditions' which may include aorta graft surgery, benign brain tumour, blindness, coma, deafness, heart valve replacement or repair, loss of limbs, loss of speech, motor neurone disease, paralysis/paraplegia, Parkinson's disease, terminal illness and third degree burns.
The list of critical illnesses' covered by critical illness policies varies from provider to provider and will be specified in the policy along with any exclusions. You should never assume that a particular illness is listed. You should also check which type of critical illness cover (basic or comprehensive) you quote has been prepared on and which actual critical illnesses are covered before you commit to buying a specific providers plan.
Below is a comprehensive list of critical illnesses and definitions that you might expect to find within a providers own plan literature - source: Chartered Institute of Insurers
- Alzheimer's disease [before age x] - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- aorta graft surgery - for disease;
- benign brain tumour - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- blindness - permanent and irreversible;
- cancer - excluding less advanced cases;
- coma - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- coronary artery by-pass grafts - with surgery to divide the breastbone;
- deafness - permanent and irreversible;
- heart attack - of specified severity;
- heart valve replacement or repair - with surgery to divide the breastbone;
- HIV infection - caught [in the UK] from a blood transfusion, a physical assault or at work in an eligible occupation;
- kidney failure - requiring dialysis;
- loss of speech - permanent and irreversible;
- loss of hands or feet - permanent physical severance;
- major organ transplant;
- motor neurone disease [before age x] - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- multiple sclerosis - with persisting symptoms;
- paralysis of limbs - total and irreversible;
- Parkinson's disease [before age x] - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- stroke - resulting in permanent symptoms;
- terminal illness;
- third degree burns - covering 20% of the body's surface area;
- traumatic head injury - resulting in permanent symptoms.
In addition, other critical illnesses may be covered, included under permanent and total disability, at least in their later stages:
- angioplasty;
- aplastic anaemia;
- bacterial meningitis;
- cardiomyopathy;
- CJD;
- diabetes mellitus from age 45;
- Hodgkin's disease;
- keyhole heart surgery;
- liver failure;
- loss of independent existence;
- open heart surgery;
- pre-senile dementia;
- progressive supranuclear palsy;
- pulmonary artery surgery;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- severe lung disease.
It's worth bearing in mind that medical advances constantly change this list. New techniques and cures mean recovery times are being cut for conditions that used to be debilitating.
To research your CIC position further you can go to our online personal finance consultant, the Finance Navigator.
