What Is Covered By Critical Illness Insurance?

By Author: Lecia Selbo
Total Articles: 49
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According to insurance industry guidance, in order for an insurance product to qualify as critical illness insurance it must cover you for a minimum of the following three conditions - severe heart attacks, strokes that lead to chronic health issues and advanced cases of cancer.

The basic standard critical illness insurance will often cover heart bypass surgery and major organ transplant operations, kidney failure and the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. However, cover will vary from provider to provider, with some policies being more comprehensive than others.

There are more comprehensive policies available that cover conditions such as permanent hearing loss, loss of sight, and permanent disabilities that prevent you from working. Some also provide cover in the event that you lose a limb.

Some insurers specify that a condition must reach a certain level of severity before any claims can be made on the policy. It is up to each insurer to decide exactly which conditions to cover, so for these reasons it is essential that before choosing a policy you read through the plan properly so that you know exactly ...
... what kind of cover you will be entitled to.

Some insurers impose age restrictions on claims relating to certain illnesses. For conditions that typically effect older policyholders, such as Alzheimers, you may find that some insurers are not willing to cover you if you are diagnosed with such an illness after you reach a certain age.

There are some conditions that are exempt from cover from most, if not all, policies. These include any conditions that arise through drug use and alcohol abuse, self-inflicted injuries and dangerous sports.

Conditions that result from flying are usually not covered, with the exception of ordinary passenger flights. You will also not be covered if you get injured or become ill taking part in a war or a civil commotion, such as a riot.

Conditions such as AIDS and HIV will generally not be covered by critical illness insurance. There are exceptions however, and this is usually in cases where the disease has been transmitted as a result of an infected blood transfusion, or through working as a member of the army, navy or other part of the armed forces, or through working in a medical capacity.

Lecia Selbo took out critical illness cover with Legal