By Debi McGrady
Critical illness is up there with one of the most important issues in life that people just do not like or want to talk about. Now, at the risk of sounding depressing, have you ever thought about how you were to financially cope if you fell too ill to work? Could your family cope? Perhaps this New Year should encourage you to kick start some financial planning and preparation for just such a scenario why not get some professional life insurance advice and even a life insurance quote or two. Do not take a macabre view on the process, see it as an investment, should (being the imperative word here) anything happen to you.
Britains leading private health care company BUPA recently revealed that a huge one in four people will develop a serious health condition between the age of 30 and 60. This is a worrying statistic when there are so many Britons that continue their daily routine without critical illness cover. This is even more worrying when you consider that people in the UK spend around 919 GBP a year on Life Insurance. The question is, why spend all that money of life insurance if you do not have a critical illness clause attached? Do not take the gamble on good health; look into obtaining critical illness cover either through your existing policy or independently.
The term critical illness covers a multitude of conditions, but the same definitely cannot be said for critical illness cover. With the continued advances of medicine and the emergence of new conditions makes it impossible for the financial services to offer protection for all eventualities. While all the major policies will offer protection against the more common conditions, you are advised to do a little bit of your own research. Look into your family history to see if there are any common genetic trends in regards to critical illnesses. Then speak to an independent financial advisor who will be able to point you in the direction of the most suitable policy.
While obtaining critical health cover may appear to be a bit of an arduous task, with a little bit of financial advice, the process can be a lot simpler. Plus it can make things a lot easier for you and your family should you fall ill, meaning you have more time to focus on your recovery. Here are some essential tips to consider when looking in to critical health cover.
Just 25 per cent of the British public who have life insurance, according to prudential, buy on price alone. But even if the person applying for a policy is astute, according to fellow insurer Scottish Provident, the UK as a whole, is not. A recent study by the provider found that six Britons in ten have no protection, with just 35 per cent taking out life cover, and only 13 per cent opting for a policy that pays in the event of a critical illness. These are uncomfortable statistics to read when you consider how much debt must therefore exist without any protection.
This difference between the numbers of people with standard life insurance, compared to those with critical illness shows many customers may not have a truly comprehensive understanding of the marketplace. Understandable, really, as in 2006 the FSA reviewed the life insurance market. It found that firms needed to make significant progress when it came to transparency, and the clarity of information provided to potential and current customers alike.
In the simplest terms, critical illness cover protects an individual if they suddenly contract a critical illness. The UKs biggest killers, heart disease and cancers are automatically covered in health insurance policies. Similarly, strokes, cancers, Parkinsons disease, kidney failure and Alzheimers disease are all generally covered. However, most policies specify that the individual must survive a certain length of time following their diagnosis, usually between 1 to 2 weeks, in order to receive the payout. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly understand the policy you are considering.
But diabetes, for example, is the fifth most common cause of death. Most people with the condition continue to live a pretty normal life, so it’’s not surprising you ca not claim for it on insurance. But it is intrinsically linked to countless other health problems, which can develop as a result. Now this is an example of where the problems start. Amongst the most comprehensive of all the providers, Friends Provident covers an impressive 37 critical illnesses. On this list is Loss of Hands or Feet, defined as permanent physical severance. This is unfortunate considering nerve damage, and issues with extremities (i.e. hands and feet) are all-too-common complications for diabetics.
Of course there are various help points for diabetics, for example Diabetic Life who operate on the market for exactly this reason. But the point still remains. So you must decipher if obtaining critical illness cover will be of true benefit for you. When you weigh up the potential benefits of an all inclusive life insurance and illness package, I personally believe the pros would certainly outweigh the cons.
Again, we would highly recommend seeking professional advice to find a policy specifically tailored to you. A thorough screening should include information about yours and your parental families medical histories, in addition to lifestyle information. Sadly, many illnesses are still impossible to detect with 100 per cent accuracy. This means there is no such thing as a comprehensive policy when it comes to protecting yourself against the unthinkable and unforeseeable. So remember that the greatest insurance of all combines a well suited, personally tailored policy, a sensible financial plan for the future, and, of course, an active, healthy lifestyle. Keep this in mind, and any nasty surprises should not lead to more, unnecessary shocks. Because we can not predict the future, but we can certainly prepare for it.
About The Author
Debt writes for http://justlifeinsurance.com/ the top website in the UK for free life insurance advice, and market leading life insurance quotes.