| Critical illness insurance is designed to pay out a | | | | diabetes". This is quite common. Most cases don't |
| lump sum if you are unfortunate enough to be | | | | even need treatment and clear up, never to |
| diagnosed with one of a list of medical conditions | | | | return. Years later you may decide to take out |
| specified in the policy documents. | | | | some critical illness cover. Do you even remember |
| There is a wide variation in the length of the lists, | | | | the pregnancy problems, let alone imagine they |
| some covering as few as eight illnesses and one a | | | | could make a difference to an unrelated illness? |
| staggering 140, but this is a slightly different | | | | Yet this failure to disclose could be the reason for |
| version, which pays various sums, according to | | | | an insurer refusing to pay out on a later, |
| the severity of the condition. Heart disease and | | | | unrelated, critical illness. |
| cancer head the list on all the policies. Very few | | | | How many times do you come out of the |
| policies will cover illness caused by stress or | | | | Doctor's surgery clutching some pills, unsure of |
| mental problems. Back problems are rarely | | | | the actual name the doctor gave to the condition |
| covered either. | | | | for which you're now being treated? It will be |
| Whilst some people consider critical illness cover | | | | there, on your records, but years later and with |
| essential and enjoy the peace of mind being | | | | the condition long cleared up, who can honestly |
| insured offers them, it is interesting to note that | | | | say that they remember, and record, every |
| a great many claims are turned down. It is | | | | minor illness. |
| believed that this figure is 20%. The most | | | | In the event of a dispute regarding |
| common reason for this being non-disclosure of a | | | | non-disclosure, if the Financial Ombudsman Service |
| previous illness. Insurance companies are quite | | | | gets involved, they will try to establish whether |
| entitled to do this and the first thing that will | | | | the consumer told deliberate lies or whether they |
| happen, in the event of a claim, is that the | | | | had omitted details because, for example, the |
| insurance company will ask for your full health | | | | questions on the proposal form were poorly |
| records. They will go through these very | | | | worded. |
| thoroughly and if they find any proof of failure to | | | | One way in which the situation could be |
| tell them about a previous illness or condition, | | | | improved would be by insurers carrying out more |
| whether or not you consider it to be relevant to | | | | detailed investigations prior to issuing cover or if |
| the current condition, they can legally refuse to | | | | they were to agree not to scour medical records |
| pay out on the claim. The law states, quite clearly, | | | | if a claim is made after an agreed and reasonable |
| that if a customer has failed to disclose | | | | period. |
| information sought by the insurer, the provider is | | | | If you're considering taking out critical illness |
| entitled to scrap the cover. | | | | insurance, it is obviously very important to read |
| What this means, in effect, is that if you fail to | | | | the policy very carefully and make sure you tell |
| tell the insurers, at the time of making the | | | | the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the |
| application for critical illness cover, of even minor | | | | truth. Only make the final decision to go ahead |
| ailments, then the whole policy will not be worth | | | | when you're sure you're totally confident |
| the paper it's written on. | | | | regarding your choice of insurer. |
| This appears to be an impossible situation. Minor | | | | An on-line broker will be able to offer you a |
| illnesses, long forgotten, may come back to haunt | | | | choice of policies and lots of advice. There are |
| you. For the Mums' out there - can you | | | | some special internet discounts, too. |
| remember the "oddities" of your pregnancy? Your | | | | Critical illness,critical illness insurance cover Critical |
| blood pressure may have been raised; you may | | | | illness safeguard can protect your family. Visit this |
| have suffered the usual morning sickness, | | | | site for information on critical illness policies and life |
| backache and what is known as "gestational | | | | insurance cover. |