Critical illness cover

Alumpsumwhenaseriousdiagnosischanges everything.

Critical illness cover pays out a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a specified serious condition. You don't have to die. You don't have to prove you can't work. You receive the money when you need it most — at the moment a serious diagnosis changes the financial reality of your life.

No advice fee — we're paid by the insurer if you proceed
Find out where you stand Speak with Nathan directly
FCA Regulated Whole-of-market access No advice fee
01 —
What happens when
you survive
something serious

Life insurance pays when you die.
Critical illness cover pays when you don't.

Most people understand life insurance intuitively — it provides for your family if you're no longer here. But the financial impact of a serious illness diagnosis is often just as devastating, and far more common. A cancer diagnosis, a heart attack, a stroke — you survive, but the financial reality of your life changes immediately. Income stops or reduces. Costs increase. The mortgage doesn't pause.

Critical illness cover provides a tax-free lump sum at the point of diagnosis — not at the point of death, not after months of waiting for an income protection claim. It's the financial breathing room that lets you focus on recovery rather than money. And the right policy, from the right insurer, structured correctly, can be surprisingly affordable.

"The diagnosis is the hardest part. The money shouldn't be. Critical illness cover exists to take that particular pressure off the table — at exactly the moment you need it most."

1 in 2
Will develop cancer
In their lifetime in the UK
0.7m
Heart attack survivors
Currently living in the UK
£0
Advice fee
Paid by the insurer, not you
Whole
market
Insurer access
Best terms for your health
The structure decision

Standalone or combined
with life insurance?

Standalone critical illness
A separate policy covering critical illness only — independent of any life insurance arrangement.
Often the stronger option
✓
Full sum assured remains intact. A critical illness claim doesn't reduce or cancel your life insurance — both policies pay out independently for separate events.
✓
Two claims possible. Survive a critical illness and still die within the policy term — your family receives the full life insurance payout as well as the CI payout you already received.
✓
More flexible as circumstances change. Each policy can be adjusted, cancelled, or restructured independently — without affecting the other.
✓
Easier to increase cover later. Separate policies make it simpler to add or increase cover at life events — property purchase, new children, business changes.
×
Two separate premiums — total monthly cost is typically higher than a combined policy for the same initial sum assured.
Combined with life insurance
A single policy providing both life and critical illness cover, with a shared sum assured between the two benefits.
Right for some budgets
✓
Lower monthly premium. A single combined policy typically costs less than two separate policies for the same initial sum assured — making protection more affordable.
✓
Simpler to manage. One policy, one insurer, one premium — easier to track and maintain over the policy term.
✓
Good entry-level protection. For those starting out with protection, a combined policy can provide meaningful cover at a manageable cost.
×
A critical illness claim reduces the remaining life cover by the amount paid out. If the full sum is claimed, the life cover ends entirely — leaving no payout on death.
×
Only one event is covered by the total sum assured — not two independent events. Most families need both to be covered independently.

For most clients with dependants and a mortgage, standalone policies provide meaningfully better protection — and the additional cost is often smaller than people expect. We calculate both options clearly before making any recommendation.

The reality of
serious illness
in the UK.

The statistics are not designed to frighten you. They exist because serious illness is more common than most people assume — and the financial consequences of being unprepared are entirely avoidable.

1 in 2
People in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. The survival rate continues to improve — which means more people living with the financial impact of a diagnosis.
£0
Statutory sick pay provides £116.75 per week. For most households with a mortgage, that covers a fraction of the monthly outgoings. Critical illness cover fills the gap that income protection and savings cannot always reach.
9 mo
Average time off work following a cancer diagnosis in the UK. For most mortgage holders, that timeline presents a serious financial challenge without adequate cover in place.
What good critical illness advice looks like
The right number of conditions covered
Policies vary from covering 40 conditions to over 130. More isn't always better — the key is that the most statistically common conditions are covered comprehensively, and that the definitions are broad rather than restrictive. We review policy definitions, not just headline condition counts.
The right insurer for your health history
Insurers underwrite pre-existing conditions very differently for CI compared to life insurance. A condition that's accepted at standard rates by one insurer may be loaded or excluded by another. We know which insurers are most favourable for specific health histories — and approach them first.
Children's cover included as standard
Most quality critical illness policies include children's cover at no additional cost — paying a proportion of the sum assured on the diagnosis of a critical condition in a child. We check this is included and at a meaningful level before placing any policy.
Waiver of premium on claim
Some policies waive the monthly premium if you make a partial CI claim but don't receive the full sum. This keeps the remaining cover in force at no additional cost during recovery. We check for this feature as standard across all policies we recommend.
——
"The question isn't whether you can afford critical illness cover. It's whether you can afford not to have it — and still pay the mortgage while you focus on recovering."
Nathan Lawes — Director & Principal Adviser
What we do differently
01
Policy definitions reviewed, not just prices.A cheap policy with restrictive definitions may not pay out when you need it. We read the small print on condition definitions — particularly for cancer, heart attack, and stroke — before recommending any policy.
02
Health disclosure handled carefully.Critical illness underwriting is more complex than life insurance — health conditions affect eligibility and terms significantly. We guide you through disclosure accurately, ensuring the application is correct without triggering unnecessary exclusions.
03
Reviewed at every mortgage review.Your CI cover should reflect your current mortgage balance, income, and family situation. We review protection at every client mortgage review — ensuring cover remains adequate as your life changes.
04
No fee. Ever.We are paid a commission by the insurer if you proceed with a policy. The advice — including all research, comparison, and recommendation — costs you nothing regardless of the outcome.

Critical illness cover — clearly explained

The questions people ask when they're ready to take protection seriously — answered honestly, without pressure.

What conditions does critical illness cover pay out for?
The core conditions covered by virtually all critical illness policies are cancer, heart attack, and stroke — which together account for the majority of all CI claims. Most comprehensive policies also cover conditions including coronary artery bypass surgery, kidney failure, major organ transplant, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, blindness, deafness, and total permanent disability. The exact list and definitions vary significantly between insurers — and the definitions matter as much as the list of conditions. We review both before making any recommendation.
Does critical illness cover pay out if I survive?
Yes — that's the defining feature of critical illness cover. It pays on diagnosis of a specified condition, not on death. You don't have to be terminally ill, unable to work, or expected to die. If you are diagnosed with a covered condition and the diagnosis meets the policy definition, the lump sum is paid — regardless of your prognosis or whether you go on to make a full recovery.
How much critical illness cover do I need?
A useful starting point is: enough to clear the mortgage, plus a sum to cover lost income during recovery — typically 1–2 years' salary. For a household with a £300,000 mortgage and a combined income of £80,000, that suggests a sum assured of £380,000–£460,000. The right figure depends on your specific financial commitments, savings position, employer sick pay, and how much income protection you have in place alongside CI cover. We calculate this properly rather than applying a generic rule.
I had cancer several years ago. Can I still get critical illness cover?
Possibly — though the options narrow significantly. Some insurers will consider applicants with a history of cancer once a defined period has passed since completion of treatment (typically 2–5 years depending on the type and stage). Cancer is typically excluded from the policy, but other conditions remain covered. The key is knowing which insurers have appetite for your specific history and how to present the application correctly. We assess this honestly and only approach insurers we believe will consider the case.
What's the difference between critical illness cover and income protection?
Critical illness cover pays a single lump sum on diagnosis of a specified serious condition — regardless of whether you can work. Income protection pays a monthly income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury — for any condition that prevents you working, not just the specified list in a CI policy. Both address different risks and many clients benefit from having both. Critical illness provides the immediate lump sum; income protection provides the ongoing monthly income. We review the need for both at every protection conversation.
Does children's critical illness cover cost extra?
No — most quality critical illness policies include children's cover automatically at no additional premium. This typically provides a payout of 25–50% of the sum assured (subject to a maximum, usually £25,000–£30,000) on the diagnosis of a covered condition in a child. The conditions covered for children often differ slightly from the adult list and may include additional childhood-specific conditions. We confirm children's cover is included and review the level before placing any policy.
No fee. No pressure. No obligation.

Financial breathing room
when a diagnosis
changes everything.

Tell us about your situation — your mortgage, your family, your health — and we'll find the right critical illness cover at the right premium. The advice is free. The difference it makes is not.

Find out where you stand Speak with Nathan directly

FCA regulated · Whole-of-market · Independent advice