Way back when, in 1694 to be precise, the first notion of insuring a persons health was put forward by by Hugh the Elder Chamberlen. Health Insurance developed through the centuries, but essentially it was insuring a persons health against a disablilty. That is, covering the costs of medical treatment for a person severly injured. As we have moved on into the modern world along with the development of many other insurances we now have critical illness cover, a form of insurance that is designed to pay a lump sum when the policy holder is diagnosed with a specific illness.

The list of illness you can obtain cover for is varied, and of course if you develop an illness that you are not covered for then your insurance won't pay out. Some of the conditions you can get cover for are the following.

Alzheimer's disease
Bacterial Meningitis
Blindness
Cancer
Coma
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Deafness
Heart attack
Kidney failure
Loss of limbs
Major organ failure requiring transplant
Multiple Sclerosis
Occupational HIV
Paralysis
Parkinson's disease
Severe burns
Stroke

There are many more condition that can be covered, upon negotiation with your insurance company.

Why might I want Critical Illness Cover?
It is a fact of life that people get seriously ill. And if you do what are the consequences?
If you have a partner and/or a family what does the loss of your income mean?
Do you still have outstanding payments to be made on your mortgage?
Do you run your own business?
Does the illness you have developed require specialist treatment, perhaps not covered by other health plans you might have?

At the end of the day your Critical Illness Cover is there to provide a lump sum to help you through the potential financial difficulties arising from a serious illness.

Where can I get Cover?

S with all types of insurance there are a multitude of providers. Some of the larger insurance companies that deal with all types of cover will undoubtedly be able to give you a quote for cover. But also do not rule out some more of the more specialist insurance providers. The main thing is to check out the full details of your policy, if your family has a history of a particular illness you must make sure your policy covers this, but also do bear in mind that you have to fully disclose your family health history and your insurance premium will reflect this.

Mike Bromley