Protection · Critical Illness
Financial breathing room when you need it most.
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with a serious illness covered by your policy — cancer, heart attack and stroke are the most common claims. It's designed to take financial pressure off while you focus on recovery.
What is critical illness cover and how does it relate to debt?
Critical illness cover pays out a single tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a serious illness defined in your policy — it does not require you to stop working or prove loss of income, unlike income protection. Many people take it out alongside a mortgage specifically so a serious diagnosis doesn’t also mean a mortgage arrears problem on top of everything else.
The lump sum is yours to use as you see fit — clearing some or all of the mortgage, covering private treatment, adapting your home or simply replacing lost income while a partner takes time off work. It can often be combined with life insurance in a single policy (sometimes called combined life and critical illness cover), which can be more cost-effective than two separate policies.
It’s worth understanding that critical illness policies only pay out for the specific conditions and definitions listed in the policy — not every serious diagnosis is automatically covered, which is exactly why comparing providers properly matters.
Who this is for
- Homeowners with a mortgage to protect
- Parents who'd need to reduce working hours to care for family
- Self-employed people with no employer sick pay
- Anyone without significant savings to fall back on
- People with a family history of serious illness
- Those who already have life insurance but no illness cover
How it works
Tell us about your health and budget
Your circumstances, any existing conditions and what you're looking to protect.
Compare providers
Cover amount, illnesses covered and premium — insurers vary significantly on definitions.
Recommendation
A personalised recommendation, following a full advised process.
Policy in place
We handle the application and underwriting through to your policy going live.