Life Insurance
Protect your family with a tax-free lump sum. Often combined with critical illness on a single policy.
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Critical Illness Cover
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness covered by the policy. It gives you financial breathing room at one of life’s most difficult moments — helping you focus on recovery rather than bills.
Get a free quoteA critical illness diagnosis can mean time off work, unexpected treatment costs, home adaptations, or changes to your lifestyle that carry a real financial impact. Critical illness cover provides a one-off lump sum that you can use however you need — whether that’s paying down your mortgage, funding private treatment, covering childcare, or simply giving yourself time to recover without the pressure of bills.
What’s typically covered?
Most policies cover a core set of conditions, with enhanced plans offering broader protection.
Cancer
Most policies cover a wide range of cancers at a defined stage. Early-stage or less advanced cancers may trigger a partial payment on enhanced plans.
Heart attack & stroke
Heart attacks, strokes, and coronary artery bypass surgery are among the most commonly claimed conditions across the UK market.
Additional conditions
Most policies cover 40–80+ conditions including multiple sclerosis, organ transplant, Parkinson’s, total permanent disability, and more. Some include children’s cover at no extra cost.
Claims success rates
The UK insurance industry paid 92.4% of critical illness claims in 2023. The most common reasons for declined claims are non-disclosure of medical history at application stage. Completing your application accurately — with our guidance — significantly reduces the risk of issues at claim time.
Critical illness vs income protection
They solve different problems — and often work best together.
Critical illness cover
Pays a one-off lump sum on diagnosis of a covered condition. Use it to clear your mortgage, fund treatment, adapt your home, or cover immediate costs. It pays out regardless of whether you can work or not — diagnosis is the trigger.
Income protection
Pays a monthly benefit if you can’t work due to illness or injury. It replaces your income and keeps paying until you return to work or the policy ends. It covers any condition that prevents you from working — not just those on a defined list.
Our recommendation
For comprehensive protection, many of our clients combine both. A lump sum handles the immediate financial shock, while income protection replaces ongoing earnings during recovery. We’ll help you balance both against your budget.
How we help
Understand your needs
We assess your financial commitments, dependants, and existing cover to identify gaps.
Compare insurers
We search the market for competitive premiums and the widest condition coverage for your situation.
Guide your application
Accurate disclosure is critical. We walk you through every question to protect your claim.
Ongoing support
If you need to claim, we help you navigate the process with your insurer from start to finish.
Related cover
Build broader protection alongside your critical illness policy.
Income Protection
Replace your income if illness prevents you from working — covers conditions not on a defined list.
How it works →
Private Medical
Faster access to diagnosis and treatment — giving you more control over your healthcare journey.
Learn more →Get a critical illness quote
We’ll find the right level of cover for your situation and guide you through every step of the application.