A tax-free lump sum on diagnosis, not on death.
Pays out when you're diagnosed with a covered condition such as cancer, heart attack or stroke — money you can use for treatment, adaptations or simply time off.
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Critical illness pays a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis. Answer a few quick questions and we'll work out how much you'd need to keep the household running through recovery.
Step 2 of 3 · About you
Takes 60 seconds
Step 2 of 3: About you
Everything here is optional — it just sharpens your quotes.
No credit check. No obligation. Your details go to one FCA-regulated adviser only.
Straight answers to the questions UK households ask most about critical illness cover — what it costs, what it covers and how claims work.
Not sure if income protection is worth it?
Weigh the monthly cost against your employer sick pay, savings and Statutory Sick Pay.
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum when you are diagnosed with one of the conditions defined in the policy and survive a short period, usually 14 days. Cancer, heart attack and stroke account for the large majority of UK claims, with policies defining anywhere from around 50 to over 170 conditions in total.
Rarely. Condition definitions vary enormously between UK insurers, so a policy costing a few pounds more each month can define far more conditions and use more generous severity wording — which is what decides whether a claim is paid. Comparing definitions matters more than comparing headline price.
Standalone cover commonly starts from about £15 a month for a healthy non-smoker in their thirties. Age and smoker status have the biggest effect, and adding critical illness to a life policy is usually cheaper than buying the two separately.
Yes. Combined life and critical illness policies are cheaper but pay out only once, on whichever happens first, and the policy then ends. Standalone policies cost more but keep both benefits intact, which is often the better structure for a family with dependants.
Most modern UK policies include children's critical illness cover as standard, typically paying up to around £25,000 per child, with some insurers offering enhanced child benefit as an optional upgrade. Cover generally runs from a few weeks old until the child's late teens or early twenties.
Critical illness pays a single lump sum on diagnosis of a defined condition, whatever happens next. Income protection pays a monthly benefit for as long as any illness or injury keeps you off work. Many households hold both, because a lump sum clears debt while a monthly benefit replaces earnings.
Many do, through partial or additional payments for less advanced cancers and low-grade prostate cancers, usually a percentage of the sum assured up to a cap. Whether early-stage conditions are included, and at what level, is one of the clearest differences between cheap and comprehensive policies.