tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63524603718722519392024-02-08T09:30:06.522-08:00Critical Illness Insurance Policies - Cover & Quotesrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-82982282495886776912011-12-04T09:34:00.000-08:002011-12-04T09:41:23.659-08:00Critical illnes insuranceWhen you decide to take some critical illness insurance out, there are a lot of factors you need to take into consideration. The first thing you need to do is to fully understand exactly what critical illness is. Critical illness insurance is an insurance plan you can take out that offers protection should you suffer from one of a number of critical illnesses specified within the plan you take. There are many different critical illness plans that are available in the market, and each and everyone has different illnesess they do and do not cover. It is for this reason that prior to taking out your chosen plan you should ensure you have done your research and take the appropriate plan that suits your needs.<br /><br />There are two main types of critical illness insurance you can take, one that will provide cover for your family by providing you with a lump sum of money that can then provide an income should the illness result in you loosing yours. The second form of critical illness insurance can be taken to protect a mortgage or loan that you may find difficult to maintain payments on should you suffer from a critical illness. The majority of the critical illness plans that are available in the market will cover you for heart attacks, cancer and strokes depending on severity. These are statistically the most claimed on illnesses although you will often find the better contracts that are available will cover you for far more illneses on top.<br /><br />Many people find that when taking critical illness insurance out, the most cost effective way of doing so is to combine it with their life insurance. If you do this then you can achieve a comprehensive protection plan that would offer a tax free cash payment from the insurance company should you make a claim. Quite simply the easiest way to find the most appropriate critical illness insurance plan that will suit your needs, is to discuss it with a specialist broker who can independently search the market. The broker can show you comparisons of the contracts available to you from the different providers and get the one that suits you best in terms of price and comprehensiveness.<br /><br />Price is also another important aspect to consider when taking out critical illness insurance, the difference in prices between the plans that are available can be quite vast and the more expensive a certain plan maybe, doesn’t necessarily indicate its superiority over another. The overall message to remember is to do your research, understand what you want and try and get the best plan for you at the best possible price. If you do this then you stand the best possible chance of getting a critical illness insurance plan you will be happy with, will give you peace of mind and most importantly should you need to make a claim on the plan (should you meet definitions set by the insurance company) will pay you with little complication.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-46444295688906989482010-05-31T05:53:00.001-07:002010-05-31T05:53:40.931-07:00Combining Life and Critical Illness Cover Within One Policyby James P White<br /><br />Critical illness insurance can be taken out as a separate policy or combined with life insurance. The coverage offered by both policy types are very different but nevertheless provide financial protection against two significant forms of family and personal risk.<br /><br />Life insurance can be viewed as a form of family protection as the sum insured is paid out to the chosen beneficiaries of the deceased policyholder. The payout can be used by the policyholder’s family for whatever purpose they wish, whether that be for general living expenses, repayment of debt or to contribute to funeral costs. On the contrary critical illness insurance is both a form of family protection and personal protection. If the policyholder were to suffer a serious (critical) illness the policy would payout a lump sum directly to them, which can be used for whatever purpose the policyholder decides.<br /><br />By combining life and critical illness cover the policyholder would be able to protect his family from the financial impact of his or her death and protect both their family and themselves from the financial risk of suffering serious illness. To clarify, if the policyholder were to pass away the benefit would be paid to their beneficiaries but if a critical illness were suffered then the benefit would be paid directly to the policyholder.<br /><br />With a combined policy there would only ever be one payout, either for the life insurance or critical illness part of the plan. ThusBusiness Management Articles, if the policyholder were to die the policy would payout and then terminate or if the policyholder were to suffer a critical illness the policy would payout and then terminate. The only exception to this is if the amount of critical illness cover is less than the amount of life cover. In this case the plan would payout the critical illness sum insured upon the suffering of a serious illness and then the remainder upon death.<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />Produced by James White of Drewberry Personal life insurance brokers, specialist providers of information, advice and broking services for combined life and critical illness cover and standalone critical illness policy coverage.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-45563558125042481842009-10-28T09:32:00.000-07:002009-10-28T09:33:47.011-07:00Critical Illness Premiums Up For Someby Sheila Challiner<br /><br />Premiums for Critical Illness Cover (CIC) are rising as a result of the increasing number of claims and advances in medical research. If you are diagnosed with a life threatening illness, CIC ensures that you will benefit from a tax free lump sum, to carry you through the time that you are unable to work, from a financial point of view.<br /><br />At least two of the major insurance companies are planning to raise the cost of cover, following other rises by companies such as Friends Provident and BUPA.<br /><br />The insurance industry is changing as breakthroughs in medical science are helping patients to survive major illnesses, which would have been classed as terminal only a matter of years ago. The result of this change mean that payouts on death are decreasing, but at the same time critical illness cover payouts are rising fast.<br /><br />For example, in an effort to reduce the rise in premiums, the conditions under which cover can be given for prostate cancer and heart problems has been amended by the Association of British Insurers. The life expectancy in these two conditions has been much improved as a result of early detection programmes.<br /><br />Currently the exact conditions under which CIC policies pay out are being redrawn, in an effort to reduce the number of claims and slow down the rate of increase of premiums. Conditions such as skin cancer used to be fully covered but have been altered to cover invasive skin cancer only.<br /><br />According to a spokesman from the broker LifeSearch critical illness policies are currently covering some conditions which are now much easier to detect and treat. This means that claims are being submitted and settles for non-life threatening conditions, which was never the idea of these policies.<br /><br />CIC is quite likely to be removed from many policies in the future, which will leave only BUPA including this condition.<br /><br />A product which is increasing being offered is a reviewable policy. Terms regarding illnesses and premiums which are covered by these policies are up for review every five years.<br /><br />Typically, CIC’s are what are classed as guaranteed policies, running for a certain agreed number of years. The premiums remain constant whilst the cover is in place and this is usually for the full term of the mortgage. This type of policy is becoming increasingly more expensive.<br /><br />According to the Group Director of Liverpool Victoria’s independent financial adviser division, you have to pay for the reassurance that a guaranteed policy offers. His thoughts are that people will be increasingly more likely to pick a renewable, rather than guaranteed policy as the increase in cost becomes wider. Some of the main players in the market are giving customers a choice on this matter, whilst others are offering only reviewable cover.<br /><br />It is understood that Legal and General’s reviewable price will cost around 15 per cent less than the guaranteed cover. If you have a guaranteed CIC it cannot be amended to include new definitions of illnesses.<br /><br />A representative of LifeSearch is of the opinion that although premiums on reviewable policies may be less expensive, customers would prefer to have a guaranteed policy. His thoughts are that if you don’t already have cover it would be a wise move to take it out now in advance of further changes.<br /><br />About Sheila Challiner<br />The Life Insurance Policies provides great deals on Life Insurance for its clients in the uk. Please visit our site for helpful information to aid you in making the right decision, first time. Brokers Online offers cutting edge articles and information about Life Insurance, mortgages and other great financial products.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-75272390175586123512009-09-11T04:28:00.000-07:002009-09-11T04:29:33.758-07:00Get Critical Illness Insurance For A Few Bucks Per Weekby Paul Abbey<br /><br />Preparing for bad events is a sensible thing to do; in particular when it comes to critical health insurance even if we do not sense that we will ever need it. For just a few bucks every week it is practicable to protect your close family financially should anything occur to you whereby you will no longer be able to provide for them.<br /><br />Unfortunately, despite longer lives, we are not generally healthier and insurance suppliers now routinely offer cover in their insurance policies as there is a reasonably high probability of contracting a serious condition.<br /><br />These studies make for somber reading when you think around one in five males will get one of these conditions before they reach retirement age. This figure reduces, but only slightly, for females with around 15 percent having a severe health condition before retirement.<br /><br />When asked, the majority of people surveyed claimed they were either unaware of critical illness insurance or they just did not believe they needed it. Those that take out critical illness cover usually do so to help pay their mortgage repayments if they are no longer able, but this type of plan can now be added straightaway to mortgage repayments.<br /><br />More and more individuals now use the net to source their insurance cover and there has been an increase in the number of individuals who are arranging their health policies on-line. In a rush to supply this type of health coverage, many details are not looked into fully and a number of problems have arisen from attempting to do this on-line. Even if a insurance policy is applied for on-line there is still the problem of organizing a physical examination as no insurance provider wants to have present, possibly expensive medical conditions, to pay out for from the start. Underwriters have become more understanding when a person who has one of their critical illness insurance policies contacts them when making a claim.<br /><br />Of course smokers will pay more for their cover, even if they have given up within the previous year as they are still believed to be in a high risk group. Smoking is a potential threat to your life therefore, premiums will increase even though having said this, the insurance company will also consider your age, type of work you do, general health, and pastimes before it issues the cover.<br /><br />Even though a individual may be suffering with a terminal illness; critical illness insurance will guarantee medical expenses, as well as living expenses are met. For people that have families, there shouldn't even be a discussion about whether this type of plan should be arrangedBusiness Management Articles, should there?<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />P Abbey owns and operates http://www.employersliabilityok.com/employersliabilitycompulsoryinsurance.html Employers Liability Compulsory Insurancervdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-5737205778355306952009-07-28T05:12:00.000-07:002009-07-28T05:13:41.778-07:00What’s Critical for Critical Illness Cover?by Michael Challiner<br /><br />If you have critical illness cover, you need to make sure that even minor illnesses are disclosed. Non-disclosure can totally invalidate insurance – an expensive mistake!<br /><br />Critical insurance is a useful backup to have in the event of becoming ill. But twenty percent of all claims against it are turned down – which means that one in five of those who take out critical illness cover are not getting the insurance they pay for.<br /><br />Critical illness cover works in a standardised way: if you should fall ill with any of the listed illnesses described on your policy, you will receive a payment. Many people see this kind of insurance as a vital part of their plans for the future, for a good reason: a serious illness can affect the whole family. Becoming critically ill can affect your ability to work – as well as having to pay for care for yourself and any children, you may need to move from or modify your home, or even retrain for a new job altogether. Taking out critical cover should insulate you against having to worry about paying for the things you need, freeing you to get along with the important matters – like getting well again.<br /><br />Sadly, this does not always work out as it should. Some policy holders have failed to disclose minor ailments in the past, thinking them too insignificant to mention. Unfortunately, their insurance company has then used this fact as a reason to disallow their claim for a more serious illness. And this process is entirely legal<br /><br />Because you have not told them about an illness, an insurer is entitled to terminate the cover you have been given. Should this happen to you, you then face the twin pressures of dealing with the illness and the fact that the careful, prudent plans you made for just such an emergency have been derailed. So what options do you have in this situation?<br /><br />You could take the insurer to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and appeal their decision, but some people find this situation too much to cope with as well as dealing with their illness, and who could blame them? But the good news is that, if you can face it, they will do their best to help. Crucially, the FOS will also work to establish whether you could be said to have deliberately misled the insurers, or were in fact the victim of poorly worded or confusing forms or insurance proposals.<br /><br />In the event of your making a claim against your critical illness insurance, your insurer will begin a thorough check of your medical records. Alarmingly, there is no limit on how far back they can go. Not only that, but anything you have failed to disclose can then be used to invalidate your claim, yet this search is not carried out when the policy is taken. No wonder some people feel that this is a matter open to abuse. Can you remember every little ailment you’ve ever had, from the childhood ear infection to the odd bout of headache or muscle pain?<br /><br />Incredibly, things like this – not to mention eye pains, a stiff neck, or depression have been cited by insurance companies as reasons for turning down a claim. A man suffering from prostate cancer had his claim “invalidated” by an undisclosed ear infection, and a woman’s claim was turned down because she had suffered from depression earlier in her life.<br /><br />These are alarming facts. But it is important to remember that this is the extreme end of the spectrum – four out of five people do still find this kind of insurance functions as needed. Once alerted to the dangers of non-disclosure, you can make sure that this figure improves and you are not one of the unlucky ones! It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to read all of the small print. Be aware of exactly what you are – and are not – buying. And it is equally important to make sure that you do disclose your full health history. Never try to cover anything up, as it will cause many more problems if exposed later. When properly applied, with the right policy, critical illness cover provides valuable help and peace of mind – the way it was meant to be.<br /><br />So how do you find the right policy for you? It’s worth taking a look online. Internet brokers will be able to keep you up to date on the latest deals, and advise you clearly on what each policy means for you. They’ll be able to answer your questions, tailor a policy to your specific needs and best of allFree Web Content, maybe find you a real bargain!<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />Check out Michael Challiners great articles about insurance and financial matters, go to http://www.life-assurance-bureau.co.uk/life-insurance/ )rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-51806047967469364782009-06-02T01:46:00.003-07:002009-06-02T01:46:50.279-07:00The Real Need For Critical Illness Insuranceby Paul Abbey<br /><br />No-one ever anticipates to become ill especially when they are young and healthy but preparing for the day when critical illness insurance might be required is not as strange as it sounds. Providing financial peace of mind for your immediate family by taking out protection for a few bucks each week, does not seem as essential to most of us as having that luxury cup of coffee every day during luncheon.<br /><br />After numerous years of medical studies it is apparent the chances of a individual contracting a critical illness during their life is quite high and so insurance providers now handle insurance policies like this every day.<br /><br />Studies has shown that males are more likely to contract a serious condition than females with a figure of one-fifth before the age of 65. The studies only provide women with a little better chance with one in six having serious health problems by the time they stop work.<br /><br />Of course, most people do not in reality feel they need critical illness insurance and would explain why they are so unwilling to start a plan. This type of insurance is designed to cover those around you who you love but the primary reason why individuals organise critical illness cover is to guarantee mortgage repayments do not lapse.<br /><br />More and more people now use the internet to source their insurance cover and there has been a growth in the number of individuals who are arranging their health policies on-line. There are still some teething problems with this type of facility with insurance underwriters realizing it may not be as simple as they thought. Not surprisingly, insurance providers often require the applier to undergo a routine exam to clear up any possible existing complaints right from the outset. A common complaint of insurance underwriters is that they are often insensitive to the plight of their customers and this is not the attitude you want if you are contacting them about your critical illness insurance.<br /><br />Some groups of people fall into high risk categories like those who smoke for instance and can be expected to pay more for their cover. Many things are taken into account when dealing with the risk component asociated with any type of insurance including the applicant's age, their overall health, whether the type of work they do is risky or any activities they participate inArticle Search, not just whether they are a smoker.<br /><br />One of the biggest benefits of critical illness insurance is it will also cover the health and living expenses should a individual be diagnosed with a deadly illness. Family responsibilities are never easy but ensuring your close family is looked after if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness does not have to price the earth.<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />P Abbey owns and operates http://www.employersliabilityok.com Employers liabilityrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-3274259772124552942009-05-18T06:57:00.000-07:002009-05-18T06:58:09.129-07:00Disability Insurance: Things to Rememberby Kanishkm<br /><br />Insurance, needless to say, is a very well known word in the whole world. Not only Life insurance, Vehicle insurance, Building insurance, people today go for even body parts insurance, say eyes or voice insurance. And talking about Disability Insurance, it is definitely one of the much sought after types of insurance.<br /><br />This insurance, justifying its name, helps the policyholder to take care of his or her necessities when the person fails to attend work due to illness or injury. Some surveys show that one in three people becomes disabled at the age of 35; they get disabled minimum for three months before attaining the age of 65; and one in ten may face permanent disability. This type of coverage will, undoubtedly, solve some of your financial problems such as medical and rehabilitation expenses.<br /><br />Generally, disability insurance is available in two kinds: short term disability insurance and long term disability insurance. Long-term insurance covers periods more than six months till the time of retirement. No insurance company will offer coverage of 100% of your income fearing that you will not go back to work even after becoming fully fit. Short-term disability insurance covers 40% to 60% of the policyholders actual income<br /><br />while long-term insurance will offer 75% to 80% on a tax-free basis. Therefore, it is wise to get as much coverage as possible.<br /><br />Either, people can go for disability insurance issued by the government or get it as insurance package provided by their employers. Mostly, the insurance coverage provided by the employer ends at the time of termination of ones job. Several US States are able to manage public disability insurance coverage policy financed by payroll taxes.<br /><br />Again, you have to look into several important factors while choosing a disability insurance policy. Such factors as total disability and renewability have to be considered carefully.<br /><br />Choose the policy that provides the clause that the insurance company cannot cancel or raise your premiums so that you will not be forced to cancel it. Better look for a non-cancelable policy or guaranteed renewable policy. With this policy you will not be singled out and the raise in premiums could be done only with the consent of the whole class of insured people. Conditionally renewable policies are also welcome.<br /><br />Other policies needed to be taken into consideration are residual insurance-- for hardworking lot falling ill or getting injured; presumptive insurance-- protecting severely affected ones; and recurring insurance-- for helping people who, after recovery, become disabled again.<br /><br />Also, elimination as well as benefit periods and policy exclusions ought to be keenly studied. To promote disability insurance, various optional riders such as cost of living, are available. The additional clauses also comprise automatic increase rider, social-insurance-substitute-rider and residual-disability insurance. SoArticle Submission, know everything about the policy before going for it. An informed choice is always a better choice.<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br /><br />To get more information visit http://www.about-disability.com/disability-insurance/, http://www.about-disability.com/disability-aids/and http://www.about-disability.com/disability-and-civil-rights/rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-90158791930205400282009-04-30T05:10:00.000-07:002009-04-30T05:11:02.171-07:00Look at the Small Print When Buying Critical Illness Insuranceby Sheila Challiner<br /><br />As a reaction against recent criticism that sickness policies are being mis-sold, the industry claims that it has already put new guidelines into place. A review by the ABI provided more rigorous standards, with easier to understand headings on brochures and standard wording to give a clearer picture.<br /><br />Some providers have also reduced the number of people they refuse - to 15 per cent, at Standard Life, or 11 per cent in the case of Scottish Provident. In total, Scottish Provident paid 45.5million pounds in claims in the first 6 months of last year, with cancer being the most frequent trigger. This brings the amount paid by the insurer to 344m since 1996. Standard Life paid out 5,047 death and health claims in the same period to the value of 134million pounds.<br /><br />The majority of people, whose claims are refused, are denied a payout because they did not declare a pre-existing condition. Others fail because their illness does not fall within the bounds of the policy. This mistake is easy to comprehend. What is covered as critical illness to one insurer is excluded by another.<br /><br />If you take out a loan with Sainsbury's Bank, you will be asked if you require its creditcare protection insurance. The highest price "gold level" includes insurance for critical illness. But what the policy covers will be very different to that on offer from Standard Life.<br /><br />At Sainsbury's it covers open heart surgery, strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure, quadriplegia and paraplegia and kidney failure. Cancer also features on the list though there are exceptions, including all but the very serious prostate cancers and lymphoma and skin cancer.<br /><br />Standard Life encompasses 30 different illnesses including the seven highlighted by Sainsbury's. They range from the human form of mad cow disease and third degree burns to bacterial meningitis and Parkinson’s disease. The company’s definition of cancer has the same exclusions as Sainsbury's.<br /><br />Insurance broker Simon Burgess states he will not sell critical illness cover since, in too many cases, policyholders never claim or the policy fails to pay out "You see adverts which say one in three people will get cancer and how a critical illness policy will help. But these policies are cancelled when people reach retirement age and that's when most people get cancer. The figures for cancer are nearer one in 40 before 70 years of age, but the adverts don't tell you this."<br /><br />Mr Burgess also says that the financial advice industry is guilty of churning policies. This means that advisers recommend clients to review policies every five years because it may give them a better deal. According to Mr Burgess this is just a money-spinning exercise because each new policy gives commission to the financial advisor. In some cases this can be equivalent to two year’s worth of premiums from the policyholder.<br /><br />Even some of the largest providers of critical illness insurance agree that there can be better alternatives for paying the mortgage or generating an income when life-threatening illnesses stop you from working.<br />In today’s world, a person can sometimes be fighting cancer or other diseases for a number of years. If they are unable to work whilst receiving treatment or recovering from side effects, a lump sum payout from critical illness cover could run out very quickly.<br /><br />It is worth looking into other kinds of policy such as family income benefit or an income protection policy. With the latter, for example, a payout would be made for a bad back if it prevents you from working.<br /><br />Clearly this would not be covered in a critical illness policy.<br /><br />Mick James from Standard Life says. "For every income protection policy sold, people buy four to five critical illness policies.”<br /><br />Yet that is an improvement on some years ago when the ratio was 10 to one. The fact still remains that the industry as a whole needs to do more to explain the alternatives to people so that they are able to make an informed choice.<br /><br />If you are concerned about NHS waiting times for treatment after a diagnosis for cancer or heart disease has been made and you think you might want private medical treatment then private medical insurance (PMI) is usually a better choice.<br /><br />About Sheila Challiner<br />If you are concerned about NHS waiting times, after a diagnosis for cancer or heart disease has been made and you think you need private medical treatment.Then private medical insurance (PMI) is a better choice. Get a quote on Life insurance? Please Visit the Life Insurance Angel for information and other resources. Our sister site Brokers Online offers information about Life Insurancervdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-1861533032715060132009-04-04T04:30:00.001-07:002009-04-04T04:30:58.327-07:00Critical Illness Insurance And Disability Insuranceby Paul Abbey<br /><br />Many of us believe critical illness insurance and disability insurance is something that would be a good thing to have, but when we are fit and healthy, cannot see the point of making a monetary allowance for it in our monthly expenditure. Providing monetary peace of mind for your close family by taking out critical illness protection, for a mere few dollars each week should something occur to you, does not to seem as essential to most of us as having that additional, luxury cup of coffee every day during luncheon.<br /><br />As the majority of health insurance products now cover common conditions and given the statistical probability that you will be critically ill at some point, it is a good thing to have. The number of men who, before they retire, will suffer from a life-threatening illness is an astonishing twenty percent according to figures published from recent study. For ladies, this figure is slightly lower with only one in six being affected by a life-threatening illness before retirement.<br /><br />Lack of knowledge or belief in the chances of getting a critical illness might be the fundamental reason why so few adults take out health protection, according to insurance underwriters. For the bulk of people who do decide to take out critical illness insurance, the most essential benefit is to protect their mortgage. As luck would have it, most mortgage security policies will now allow you to include life insurance and critical illness cover.<br /><br />To make things simpler for someone who wants to take out critical illness insurance, a growing number of individuals begin to start buying products online. Regrettably, being a comparatively new facility, there are new problems that occur as more companies start offering services over the internet for the first time. From critical illness cover providers point of view, this is quite understandable as there often requirements for a medical exam carried out on the insurance applicant prior to the plan being accepted. If you're in the unfortunate position of having to make a claim on your insurance policy , the last thing you want is callous hassle or apparent non-cooperation from your insurance underwriter.<br /><br />Smokers, regrettably, are treated as higher risk health insurance applicants, including anyone who has smoked within the previous 12 months and as a consequence are placed in a high risk category. It is now thoroughly acknowledged that smoking is dangerous for you and as a result your monthly insurance installment will cost more. For the most part though, when you apply for any type of health insurance, the company will look at your age, health, workplace, environment, activities and so forth. A typical insurance policy will cover you if your prospects are fatal or criticalFree Articles, as well as cover you if you need certain surgery - the plan will also] handle your permanent job loss due to sickness. There can be no argument about the peace of mind that having a critical illness protection insurance policy in place can bring to somebody who has a close family and monetary obligations.<br /><br />ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />P Abbey owns and operates http://www.employersliabilityok.com employers liabilityrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-48447379370505934082009-03-17T06:47:00.001-07:002009-03-17T06:48:26.954-07:00Critical Illness Insurance And Your Familyby Jason Hulott<br /><br />For a good percentage of people today, family is the most important thing. It is important that you make the most of every moment spent with them because you never know what may happen in the future. There is any number of things that could happen to us all at any given time, with critical illness being one of the most common problems in most peoples’ futures. With incidences of cancer, heart disease, genetic disorders and environmental illnesses on the rise, you should begin to consider the future in terms of what would happen to your family if you did become ill for a period of time. Critical illness insurance is one of the solutions to the age old problem of protecting your family ahead of time should anything happen to you.<br /><br />Lets face the fact that we are not immortal but, before we do pass on, illness often intervenes to shake up our lives and those of the people that are closest to us. For some it comes sooner rather than later. If that sounds scary then that is because it is. None of us like to think to far ahead, but good planning can save your family from the heartache of having to cope on a dramatically reduced income whilst you or your partner or spouse tries to come to terms will and beat a serious illness, Critical illness insurance can certainly help a family to get back on even terms following a major health problem and has a number of advantages that are not to be sniffed at. These advantages demonstrate exactly why critical illness insurance is a policy that is most definitely worth considering:<br /><br />1. Critical illness insurance can give you peace of mind that should anything happen to you, your family would be financially secure and provided for. The payouts from critical illness insurance policies can come as a lump sum or as a monthly salary type payments and can actually cover the entire amount of your annual income, if not more if you choose. This is obviously dependent on the nature of the policy, but it does mean that there is no major gap in your family’s ability to make up for your wage ceasing.<br /><br />2. You can stop worrying about your family and concentrate on fighting if critical illness insurance is in place. It is hard enough to fight against an illness that is intent on destroying you without the added stress of how your household will make ends meet, but you can actually forget about the money side of things and concentrate on beating your illness.<br /><br />3. You are covered at any age if you develop a serious illness, so long as it is not a pre-exiting condition and develops during the lifetime of your policy. As long as your illness is within the bounds of your policy, which can be determined by checking the terms and conditions, then you are fully covered, whether an illness invades your body next year or in ten years time.<br /><br />Of course, there are other relative advantages of critical illness insurance, but you really should look at the individual policies for those because many of them are specific to the terms and conditions. This can be done by using a website that specifically allows you to compare all of the policies that would suit your needs so that you can find the best deals and the policies that would best suit you and the needs of your family. However, whatever form it comes in, critical illness insurance can help you to get your priorities in order and be practical when looking to the future. You can enjoy every moment as it comes, safe in the knowledge that your family is safely equipped to cope and financially sound.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Jason Hulott is Business Development Director of Protection Insurance, an internet based insurance business dedicated to getting consumers the best rates and the best products. Visit us for Low Cost Insurancervdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-73195338800321695442009-01-29T06:15:00.000-08:002009-01-29T06:16:35.701-08:00Critical Illness Cover – Tell Allby Michael Challiner<br /><br />Life insurance, term assurance, critical illness cover, level term, pension term and Uncle Tom Cobley and all!<br /><br />Confusing, isn’t it? Despite all the different names, insurance policies are all there to protect you. Some insurance products are designed to help when things go wrong, like payment protection which will cover your credit payment commitments when your earnings fall or stop. You make payments in the form of premiums and in return you have the assurance that, whatever else, your financial worries will be addressed. Other products are designed to put your house in order when the inevitable happens.<br /><br />Car Insurance, house insurance and critical illness insurance are in the first category. Hopefully, with the latter, having taken this invaluable cover out, you’ll never have any need to make a claim on it.<br /><br />The life-threatening diseases and conditions covered by critical illness policies are the familiar ones of cancer, stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant, multiple sclerosis and coronary artery by-pass surgery. These are what are known as the “core” conditions. Increasingly there are policies that will cover other conditions too. All conditions should be clearly listed in the policy document. If you are diagnosed with any of these conditions you will receive a lump sum payment.<br /><br />There may be some sort of exclusion within the range of conditions. Some cancers, caught and treated at an early stage, usually by screening techniques, are not in the life-threatening category and may not be covered. If initial treatment was unsuccessful and the condition developed severely, then the cover would apply.<br /><br />As far as the amount insured is concerned, at a minimum you should aim to be able to fully repay any loans as well as your mortgage. More cover on top of this could be used to cover day to day expenses. Up to date treatments mean that you have much more chance of surviving these critical illnesses but treatment and recovery can be prolonged. Sometimes a critical illness can mean a different lifestyle, with possibly a change of career, home and car being needed, in addition to help within the home or with the family. Make sure you take out sufficient cover to keep everything up and running until your recovery is complete. A diagnosis of leukaemia could involve up to two years of treatment and even then a return to full time employment may well be a gradual process.<br /><br />It is critically important that you are completely honest and open when filling in your application form for critical illness cover. Leave nothing out. If you do, you could inadvertently put your claim at risk. The first thing that will happen if you need to make a claim is that your insurance company will go through your medical records. If it is found that you have not disclosed information regarding past illnesses, diagnostic tests or operations then your claim may be at risk. The illness that you are making the claim for doesn’t have be connected with the illness or test that you have omitted from your information, nor does it have to be what you would class as serious.<br /><br />Companies vary in their claim rejection rates, with one leading insurer rejecting as many as 30% of claims simply because of non-disclosure of information on the original application form. With payment protection policies there are likely to be a number limitations which need to be carefully considered before signing up.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance costs will vary according to your individual circumstances. Previous medical history will obviously come into the calculation as well as your age and amount insured.<br /><br />Contact an on-line broker for a range of quotes – you’ll get all the help you need and they’ll offer you a range of options at the best possible price.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Check out Michael Challiners great articles about insurance and financial matters. Cheap Insurance articles - Loans articles - Mortgage articlesrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-61983238557645756552008-12-21T05:10:00.001-08:002008-12-21T05:15:29.634-08:00Critical Illness Insurance. Concerns For Cautious Customersby Michael Challiner<br /><br />The Financial Services Authority has recently carried out a review of the way in which information and advice is given to retail customers purchasing financial products. One of the products which they considered was the sale of Critical Illness Cover.<br /><br />Critical Illness Cover is often taken out by people taking out a mortgage, usually as part of a term assurance policy. It may also be purchased as a stand-alone product. The policy will pay out a lump sum if the borrower becomes seriously ill with one of a list of specified illnesses, commonly cancer, heart conditions, stroke etc.; this will help with loss of earnings due to the illness and general life-style changes which may be the result of the illness.<br /><br />Firms selling critical illness cover are required to comply with certain standards and although these are being met reasonably well, the survey showed that there could be some improvement in the way in which they could help the customer to gain a better understanding of the product.<br /><br />The FSA have visited firms and employed mystery shoppers to look specifically at how compliancy is working out with regards to sales processes when selling critical illness cover.<br /><br />Supervision visits were paid to 42 firms. Whilst in the main these were financial and mortgage advisers, they also included banks, building societies and insurers. The market research company, Research International, carried out 80 mystery shops to 51 firms in total, to report on what actually occurs.<br /><br />Director of Retail Firms, Sarah Wilson, has said that whilst many of the findings were positive, a few problems had been identified. Initiatives have been launched in order to deal with them. The fair treatment of customers is of prime importance, especially with regard to making policy application forms and documents more easily understood. So far these changes seem to be helpful.<br /><br />Critical illness cover is, however, complex and some of the problems cropped up in the context of the financial promotion of the schemes and general insurance documentation. Customers sometimes have difficulty in comprehending exactly what they are being sold. Therefore it is difficult for them to assess whether this is the correct cover for them, or whether a payment of income protection product would be more suitable.<br /><br />The needs of the customer have to be taken into account and there should be a careful assessment of the type of protection which they need. However, where there were two or more types of policy, the cost was sometimes the only aspect taken into account when recommending the most suitable one. Other factors may have been left out of the equation, such as conditions covered or whether there were other products more suited to a particular client’s requirements.<br /><br />Miss-selling is a risk, but most firms had taken reasonable measures to manage this. There were found to be good training programmes and risk based monitoring.<br /><br />As is the case with prime mortgage payment products, customers have time to consider their options before they make the decision to purchase the cover.<br /><br />The results of the survey offer some reassurance that the needs of the customer are being protected and any changes to be implemented can only offer change for the better.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Critical Illness Safeguard are a specialist critical illness website.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-13726222640202188962008-10-05T07:36:00.000-07:002008-10-05T07:37:04.997-07:00You Think You Don't Need Critical Illness Insurance?by Rakesh Gaikwad<br /><br />If you ever contract a critical illness or condition such as cancer, heart attack or stroke and survive for thirty days or more, you will need critical illness insurance. With just a few exceptions, all that is required is that you survive for thirty days after the date of the diagnosis and a tax-free lump sum of money will be paid to you.<br />Critical illness affects many people all around the world. Critical illness insurance plays an important role in the lives of people today. Reports indicate that the amount of people applying for Critical illness insurance continues to increase, as does the rate of critical illness.<br /><br />Close to 1.5 million people in the United States will contract some form of cancer this year. One out of two Canadians under the age of 65 will have a heart attack. An estimated 850,000 people in the United Kingdom will suffer from some form of Dementia within the next two years.<br /><br />The upside is that there are 9.8 million cancer survivors in the United States. 95% of victims of heart attacks survive an initial attack. Leaps and bounds are being made in Alzheimer's disease research. Therefore, surviving for thirty days or longer after a diagnosis is definitely a strong possibility.<br /><br />However, even though more and more people are surviving a critical illness for months after their diagnosis, they may not be able to function to their full capacity for the entirety of their survival. The money that comes from Critical illness insurance would help in times when you cannot perform daily tasks and require care from a nurse, or if you cannot go back to your job. You may be confined to a wheelchair and require ramps to be built at your home. You may need a hospital bed, oxygen tanks, a heart monitor or some other type of medical equipment. If you seek treatment that requires you to leave the country, critical illness insurance can assist with these expenses as well.<br /><br />Some renowned critical illness insurance companies are Trustmark, Stonebridge and Assurity Life. Remember that not one company will be the best choice for every individual. Some companies offer coverage to particular clients like children, businesses, elderly, family or self-employed individuals. Discount rates are available from most companies for military personnel, multiple policyholders or clients with exceptional health.<br /><br />Do not make the mistake of just picking the first critical illness insurance company that comes along with a rate that you can afford. Take the extra time to shop around, it will prove to be worth your while. Do adequate research to in the beginning to save money for years to come instead of paying for an overpriced critical illness insurance policy.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance is not best in all cases. Several individuals would do better to purchase a simple life insurance policy. However, it does not matter if you seek life insurance or critical illness insurance; you should never pay more than you have to for coverage you want. Save money by closely comparing the quotes from several different insurance coverage providers.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Only Finance is one of the most recommended privately owned companies and a range of other insurance products like Critical illness insurance that enables you to live your life worry free.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-57889354674606203342008-09-04T07:13:00.000-07:002008-09-04T07:14:06.534-07:00Tips For Choosing The Best Critical Illness Insuranceby Chris Johns<br /><br />With up to 20% of men and 17% of women experiencing a critical illness before they reach 65 years of age, critical illness insurance is more important than it might seem at first glance. Many people believe that critical illness insurance is an unnecessary expense, but in fact, statistics like these show that it's more likely that the average person will suffer a critical illness before the age of 65 than they are to die.<br /><br />Comparing and Understanding Critical Illness Policies<br /><br />With more than 60 insurance providers offering two hundred different policies, choosing the one that's right for you can be difficult. More than anything else, getting good critical illness insurance requires very close inspection of your policy. All insurers issue what are called Key Features Documents, which allow you to compare policies fairly easily. Examine these documents closely to determine which provide the best definitions of illnesses covered and value for the money.<br /><br />Perhaps the most important aspect of this is making sure you're aware of exactly what your policy does and does not cover. This type of error is the number one reason that critical illness claims get rejected, so understanding the insurance policy options you have is vital when it comes to choosing the one that will suit your needs the best.<br /><br />Another related factor that's important to consider is simply the range of illnesses that the policy covers. Choosing the cheapest plan may look good on paper, but the least expensive plan is likely to offer limited cover that simply doesn't protect you against the illnesses you're most likely to face. However, choosing one that's too broad, one that covers exotic diseases you're unlikely to encounter is pointless for most people, and selecting a policy of this kind will simply mean you're paying premiums that are unnecessarily high.<br /><br />Guaranteed and Reviewable Premiums<br /><br />Buying a policy with a guaranteed rather than a reviewable premium can help keep your insurance costs down. A guaranteed policy means your insurance company promises that they'll never increase the size of your premium. A reviewable policy is just that-the insurance company can periodically review your policy, and increase your premiums. If your policy is a short term one, choosing a reviewable policy can save you some money. However, while the reviewable policy is cheaper in the short term, the premium cost will be increased over that of an equivalent guaranteed policy within seven to ten years and within another ten years, could be more than twice that of the guaranteed policy.<br /><br />Other Factors to Consider<br /><br />Choosing a good policy also means looking out for extra advantages such as automatic coverage for your children. Not all policies offer this, but with child-related critical illness the sixth most common claim, this is a very useful way of protecting your children as well as yourself.<br /><br />Finally, consider taking out life insurance and critical illness cover together, rather than simply getting one or the other. Purchasing the two together is always more cost-effective than buying separate policies, and it's also much better value to buy these types of insurance when you're young and healthy, and are eligible for less expensive premium rates.<br /><br />About the Author<br />For more information on Critical Illness Insurance policies and to compare quotes from leading UK insurers at discounted premium rates visit http://www.life-saver.co.uk.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-34759087870774779132008-08-14T03:03:00.000-07:002008-08-14T03:04:35.389-07:00Critical Illness Cover, Health And The Battle Of The Sexesby Victoria Selman<br /><br />Inequality between the sexes is rife, and not just confined to the workplace. This inequality has also spilled into their approach to critical illness insurance. In many cases the difference in male and female attitudes to critical illness cover is directly linked to the current and projected state of their health.<br /><br />Although statistics would imply that men should take better care of their health, many men do not go to a doctor if they are unwell. For many this is because they are concerned about taking time off work for doctors’ appointments because they are worried about the effect that this will have on their jobs. Similarly, they also are less likely than women to take time off work to recover from illnesses.<br /><br />Women on the other hand generally look after themselves better. They are more likely to take a day off work if they are sick and are more interested in eating healthily and exercising.<br /><br />Ironically, men are more likely than women to develop a critical illness before retirement age than women. 1 in 5 men aged between 20 and 40 die before reaching their 65th birthday whilst 1 in 4 men become critically ill before retirement age.<br /><br />Conversely, 1 in 5 women become critically ill before the age of 65. Moreover, men are more likely than women to suffer from a heart attack before retirement age.<br /><br />The take up of critical illness cover also differs between the sexes. Recent research into critical illness insurance purchasing habits demonstrates that men are more likely to buy policies than women. They also tend to claim more against critical illness insurance policies than women.<br /><br />As a result, a number of healthcare companies have started to offer screening as an additional policy option. This is because they are realising that men should be encouraged to take better care of themselves by employing preventative measures. This approach can reap substantial rewards. Detecting an illness early on can vastly improve recovery rates whilst the process itself can help identify unhealthy lifestyle habits which can be remedied.<br /><br />Men and women respond differently to health issues and the importance of critical illness cover. Men tend to take a more laid back approach to their health but do prepare for the possibility of becoming seriously ill by taking out critical illness insurance. Women on the other hand, take the issue of health and wellbeing more seriously but are less likely to take out critical illness cover.<br /><br />About the Author<br />(http://www.critical-illness-cover-uk.co.uk) Critical Illness Cover UK is an impartial information and advice site which offers visitors the opportunity to have a free consultation with a Critical Illness Insurance expertrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-79414615708656592092008-07-28T05:36:00.001-07:002008-07-28T05:36:40.492-07:00Critical illness pays out if you get seriously illby Francisco Segura<br /><br />It is a sad fact that even if we live a healthy lifestyle, as we get older we are more prone to sickness; fortunately, the benefits of critical illness insurance are being experienced by many people who have seen this make a big difference just when they needed it. Providing financial peace of mind for your family by taking out protection for a mere few dollars each week, does not seem as important to most of us as having that luxury cup of coffee every day during lunch. Unfortunately, despite longer lives, we are not generally healthier and insurance providers now routinely offer cover in their policies as there is a reasonably high probability of contracting a serious condition.</P <br /><br />These studies make for somber reading when you consider around one in five men will contract one of these conditions before they reach retirement age. This figure reduces, but only slightly, for women with around 15 percent having a severe health condition before retirement. Lack of knowledge or belief in the chances of contracting an illness like this might be the main reason why so few adults take out critical illness insurance protection, according to insurance companies. Those that take out critical illness cover normally do so to help pay their mortgage repayments if they are no longer able, but this type of plan can now be added directly to mortgage repayments.<br /><br />Increasingly, the internet is being used to buy insurances online and this is now extending to illnesses that are long term or critical. Unfortunately, being a relatively new facility, there are new problems that occur as more companies start offering services over the Internet for the first time. This is because many insurance providers who offer this type of coverage wish to have the applicant take a medical examination by an independent physician to ensure there is nothing untoward right from the start. A common complaint of insurance companies is that they are often insensitive to the plight of their customers and this is not the attitude you want if you are contacting them about your critical illness insurance policy.<br /><br />Smokers are unfortunately treated as higher risk applicants; this includes anyone who has smoked within the previous year, and as a consequence they are placed in a high risk category. Smoking is a potential threat to your life therefore, premiums will increase although having said this, the insurance company will also consider your age, type of work you do, general health, and pastimes before it issues the cover. One of the biggest benefits of critical illness insurance is it will also cover the health and living expenses should a person be diagnosed with a terminal illness. Anyone that cares about their family and what could happen to them in the event of a serious medical condition arising should take out this type of insurance if for no other reason than peace of mind.<br /><br />About the Author<br />Francisco Segura operates and manages http://wheelchairschoice.com/wheelchair-tires.html Wheelchair Tiresrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-66605963548783800772008-07-14T06:38:00.000-07:002008-07-14T06:39:26.841-07:00Why It Pays To Check The Small Print Before Buying Critical Illness Coverby Chris Johns<br /><br />When it comes to critical illness insurance, reading the small print in your policy is absolutely crucial. Depending on the company, up to 25% of critical illness claims are rejected and most of these situations come down to the policy holder not understanding the finer points of their policy.<br /><br />The increasing amounts of negative publicity surrounding cases in which people with critical illnesses are unable to get their insurance company to pay out dissuade many people from getting insurance they might potentially benefit from. However, when you consider that 20% of men and 17% of women will suffer from a critical illness before they reach 65, insurance begins to sound like an attractive option.<br /><br />Heavily publicised cases of insurance companies refusing to pay for critical illness claims have led to a significant amount of consumer mistrust in this type of insurance. However, it's important to note that in most cases, one of three issues is in play; the policy holder did not disclose important medical information when they applied for the insurance, they did not follow company protocol when getting medical advice, or they simply thought they were covered for a certain illness when they weren't. By becoming intimately familiar with the terms and conditions of your policy, you can reduce the likelihood of any of these issues arising if you need to make a claim.<br /><br />Full Disclosure is Required<br /><br />Non-disclosure is the most common reason that insurance companies reject critical illness claims. This can mean failing to disclose information, or providing inaccurate information either deliberately or unknowingly. This may even include information that is not relevant to a critical illness you suffer from in the future, as well as information relating to your family's medical history.<br /><br />Read the small print and understand what your policy covers before you even commit to a critical illness policy, it's vital that you understand exactly what you are and are not covered for. Regardless of any extenuating circumstances, an insurance company simply will not pay out if you suffer from a critical illness that your policy does not cover. Most standard policies provide cover for a number of conditions, including kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, major organ transplant and coronary bypass surgery. However, if you want cover for additional critical illnesses you'll need to shop around and find a policy that has what you're looking for, and be particularly careful in reading the terms and conditions to make sure it has the cover you need.<br /><br />Note that critical illnesses as defined by insurance companies are very precise. If your illness does not match your insurance company's definition, they can still reject your claim even if you have met all other criteria of the policy.<br /><br />Follow Protocol When Seeking Medical Advice<br /><br />Following your insurance company's protocol when seeking medical advice will reduce the likelihood of them rejecting your claim. For example, if your doctor tells you that you have high cholesterol and gives you advice on dietary and lifestyle changes you must make an effort to reduce it, you must follow your doctor's instructions or risk invalidating any future claim you make. Your company's protocol is crucial information that you should find out before committing to a policy, you need to know how to proceed when seeking medical advice right from the beginning.<br /><br />About the Author<br />To discover the cheapest providers of UK critical illness insurance visit http://www.life-saver.co.uk to compare instant quotes from multiple big name insurers at discounted rates.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-77997893721140049802008-07-05T05:47:00.000-07:002008-07-14T06:37:35.119-07:00Choosing Critical Illness Cover Onlineby David Thomson<br /><br />With the advancements in the technology or today more and more people who suffer from a critical illness are now living longer. Critical illness cover can be taken out to protect against the possibility of you falling ill and a policy usually contains a long list of illnesses that are classed as being critical. The cover would pay out not only if you were seriously ill because of one of the illnesses, providing you have waited a certain length of time from contracting the illness, but would also pay if you become disabled as a result. <br /><br />A policy would usually take into account around 30 illnesses which could include cancer, heart attack, suffering a stroke and kidney failure or transplant. Of course you have to check out the terms and conditions of the policy before taking it on as they do differ. There are also many exclusions which have to be checked and these can apply to the various illnesses. For example while in the majority of cases critical illness cover would payout if you were diagnosed with cancer, not all forms of cancer would be covered. Skin cancers are usually exempt from the cover as is prostrate cancer unless it is advanced. There are also exclusions for such as a heart attack and different policies will have different exclusions in them. Therefore you should never skip over the small print however tempting it might be.<br /><br />When you are looking into choosing critical illness online you are able to take out a policy for any number of years. As long as you pay the premiums each month then the policy can continue running. There is always a period in which you cannot claim when taking on the cover and this would normally be around three months. While the advancement in technology means that you can live longer when being diagnosed with a critical illness it also means that insurance companies are putting up the cost of the insurance and as more advancements are made, premiums will continue to rise. <br /><br />There are many factors that you have to take into account when choosing critical illness and when you look around you will find that there are many different policies offered by insurance companies. Never just take the first policy you find without looking into what is covered and is not, while you might get the cover cheap it would probably not cover many illnesses. <br /><br />One thing to look for when deciding which critical illness cover to go for is whether or not the premiums will be fixed. If they are not fixed then you can expect the insurance company to raise them perhaps every other year. This could mean that what once was affordable cover now becomes a burden. A large number of policies will also provide cover for any children you have as standard. Sometimes the company will include children in the policy as standard while other providers could ask for a small premium. If you allow a broker to search around on your behalf for premiums then you can compare these easily for the best cover. All insurance found this way should come with what are called the key facts and these will tell you important information about what the policy entails.<br /><br />About the Author<br />David Thomson is Chief Executive of BestDealInsurance an independent specialist broker dedicated to providing their clients with the best deal on their life insurance, critical illness cover and home and motor insurance.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-52520638315680731792008-07-03T04:49:00.000-07:002008-07-03T04:50:11.958-07:00Factors Affecting Critical Illness Insuranceby Glen Parkin<br /><br />Have you ever thought about how sensible your health is? Many people do not get the time to think about it whereas others do. Surveys tell that someone is more apt to falling critically ill than to die before the age of 65. That is why critical illness insurance has been brought forward to put light to this issue. Critical illness insurance is a type of insurance which protects you in the event that you fall severely ill. Critical illness insurances classify the following illnesses as critical illness: cancer, heart disease, strokes and multiple sclerosis. So let us get an appropriate know-how of what critical illness insurance really is.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance is an effective cover policy which awards you a tax free lump sum when you fall critically ill. There are various factors affecting critical illness insurance. The moment you are suffering from a critical illness, the financial problems at home could be avoided. The cash could be used to even pay your mortgage instalments or educational fees. The money could also be used to cover medical charges for your own treatment or even pay for a vehicle you’ve just bought. With critical illness insurance at least you have the peace of mind that your family is looked after.<br /><br />Similar to life insurance or income protection insurance, a premium has to be paid for critical illness insurance. The low cost of critical illness insurance makes it relatively popular. You can also decide if the critical illness insurance policy can be included with your life insurance policy. You can also prefer to take a critical illness policy tailored in your own way. That is, you can choose how long the policy will last and how much cover you need. Let’s say if you have 10 years remaining to complete your mortgage payment, then you could choose a critical illness cover for this amount of time. With such advantage anyone who is not yet a critical illness insurance policy holder should consider to have one. Remember that critical illness insurance’s low cost vary from company to company.<br /><br />Because many people claim for illnesses that are not classified, a solution has been designed for them. Many critical illness insurance companies cover only for 35 main illnesses. But gradually, policies are being unveiled that cover up to 140 cases. The premium payments will normally be higher. So will be the benefits. Critical illness insurance has showed that it cared for people by revealing this new policy. It would not be fair if you contributed so much and at the crucial moment you find out that you are not eligible for a claim.<br /><br />In the recent years, there has been considerable improvement in the medical sector. Diseases are being able to be detected much before they strike. Claim demands have considerably decreased and survival rates increased. Thus critical illness insurance companies can be concerned.<br /><br />Why not put some money apart for a critical illness insurance policy. This could be a long time investment, fruitful enough to ensure the protection of you and your family.<br /><br />About the Author<br />For more information feel free to visit http://www.unbeatablelifeandcriticalinsurance.co.ukrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-33797517833227980652008-06-30T03:54:00.001-07:002008-06-30T03:54:38.024-07:00It’s Not Just Individuals Who Should Be Considering Critical Illness Insuranceby Elizabeth Harfleet<br /><br />Have you ever wondered what you would do if you or a loved one became critically ill? With 20% of all adults in the UK becoming seriously ill before reaching retirement age, now is the time to start planning for such an eventuality.<br /><br />Critical Illness Cover enables people to protect themselves financially in the event that they or a dependent becomes seriously ill. It does this by paying out a tax free lump sum if a policy holder becomes seriously ill whilst they have cover.<br /><br />This can provide much needed financial security in the event of serious illness. For instance, if a breadwinner has critically ill and cannot work he or she can use their policy payout to support themselves and their family.<br /><br />Furthermore, critical illness insurance helps you to pay for expensive medical care which might otherwise cost more than you could afford.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance does not just benefit individuals. It can benefit businesses too by offering financial aid if a key employee becomes incapacitated. Key employees include company directors; anyone responsible for the smooth running of the business.<br /><br />However, despite the benefits of critical illness cover, only 10% of small businesses have policies in place for their key employees.<br /><br />As a result many companies could be opening themselves up to financial risk. This is because if a key employee is prevented from working because of illness and is not covered by critical illness insurance the business is likely to suffer.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance is something that statistics dictate that we all think about. Whilst the benefits offered by having a critical illness insurance policy in place can be significant in the event of serious illness. But critical illness insurance is not just beneficial to individuals- it also benefits businesses. Companies who do not have critical illness cover for their key employees should consider whether saving money on premiums will actually save them money in the long run.<br /><br />About the Author<br />(http://www.critical-illness-insurance-uk.org.uk/)Critical Illness Insurance UK is an impartial information and advice site which offers visitors the opportunity to have a free consultation with a Critical Illness Insurance expertrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-38336431789602409062008-06-27T03:39:00.000-07:002008-06-27T03:52:40.077-07:00Planning for Critical Illness: An Intelligent Moveby Francisco Segura<br /><br />Most of us enjoy our health, often this is taken for granted but we cannot guarantee this will be the situation for the rest of our lives; fortunately, the benefits of critical illness insurance are being experienced by many people who have seen this make a big difference just when they needed it. Providing financial peace of mind for your family by taking out protection for a mere few dollars each week, does not seem as important to most of us as having that luxury cup of coffee every day during lunch. Insurance providers, acting on the statistical information they receive from research institutes now offer this type of protection to every one of their customers.</P <br /><br />These studies make for somber reading when you consider around one in five men will contract one of these conditions before they reach retirement age. This figure reduces, but only slightly, for women with around 15 percent having a severe health condition before retirement. Lack of knowledge or belief in the chances of contracting an illness like this might be the main reason why so few adults take out critical illness insurance protection, according to insurance companies. Those that take out critical illness cover normally do so to help pay their mortgage repayments if they are no longer able, but this type of plan can now be added directly to mortgage repayments.<br /><br />Since the advent of the Internet as a marketing and sales tool, insurance companies have promoted their products online and in recent years there has been an increase in online insurance applications. For obvious reasons there will be certain things that require physical evidence so these plans are not always smooth sailing to organize. The main reason for this is the requirement by insurance providers to have the applicant take a medical examination before they issue cover. Claimants also need to know that if they do make contact to their critical illness insurance provider that they will be listened to with a sympathetic ear.<br /><br />Smokers are unfortunately treated as higher risk applicants; this includes anyone who has smoked within the previous year, and as a consequence they are placed in a high risk category. Insurance companies place smoking at the top of their list but other areas of your life can affect how much you pay for your premium like your age, physical health, activities you may participate in and the type of work you do. The benefits of critical illness insurance should not be underestimated as you may require surgery for a serious, life threatening condition; cannot work owing to it or are diagnosed with a terminal illness. For people that have families, there shouldn't even be a discussion about whether this type of plan should be arranged, should there?<br /><br />About the Author<br />Francisco Segura manages http://wheelchairschoice.com/wheelchair-rental.html Wheelchair Rentalrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-58346389663413047702008-04-24T08:40:00.000-07:002008-04-24T08:41:23.429-07:00Discover The Various Aspects Of Critical Illness CoverCritical illness insurance is not just a measure of precaution for the future. It can also be considered as a means to save you money. The idea of having a critical illness insurance is fine. But it can be rather tricky when choosing a critical illness policy. You could even end up having different quotes and contracts in hand that it becomes a headache to unlock your best deal. There are a lot of companies which offer many different versions of critical illness insurance. <br /><br />Most people choose a critical illness insurance because they are worried about the well being of their family. Such cases reveal that many of these people are the sole revenue maker at home. Therefore if the income happens to be lost by one way or the other but in rule with the critical illness policy, a lump sum can ease financial crisis. There are no rules of how to use the lump sum. The way you use the money is completely up to you. You could use it to pay your mortgage or otherwise cover any debts. That way, if you are in a critical state, you are freed from many expenses. In other words, a critical illness insurance can be your support.<br /><br />In case you are diagnosed with a range of disease, you will receive benefits from your critical illness insurance. The range of diseases covered is at least 30, but now tends to increase as policies differ from one company to the other. Critical illness insurance covers seven major diseases. All conditions are not covered. The most common exclusions are: drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, etc. New rules have been set by the Association of British insurers that have more strictness towards the payment of lump sum. For example there must be full evidence of heart attack, which is chest pain, before the critical illness insurance pays out. <br /><br />To take a critical illness cover, you will be required to fill a form. Your insurer will ask you if members of your family have followed treatment of any kind. If you have a positive answer, the procedure may become lengthy. The critical illness insurance may insist that you undergo a medical test before they finalise the policy. In this course, the critical illness insurance may decide to give you limited cover or make you pay higher premiums.<br /><br />Premium payments towards a critical illness insurance have tended to rise. This is due to the progress made in the medical industry. Using this factor, critical illness insurance companies have started to revise their rules hence redefining what falls out to be critical illness or not. Nearly all critical illness insurances allow you to take cover if you fall between the ages of 18 to 70 years old. You can normally take a cover as long as you want. You can easily judge it on how much mortgage you have to pay, for example. Remember that almost any critical illness insurance will require you to wait for a period of three months before paying out.<br /><br />Therefore, as seen, choosing the best critical illness insurance is not always an easy task. You may be attracted by cheap policies. Cheap policies often provide a limited cover. There are also policies that cover a lot of diseases. But is that a form of camouflage that just calls you and suddenly engulfs you with high rates of premiums? So be careful when you buy a critical illness insurance.<br /><br />About the Author<br />For more information feel free to visit http://www.unbeatablelifeandcriticalinsurance.co.ukrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-47637841679621164792008-03-28T09:29:00.001-07:002008-03-28T09:29:54.260-07:00Critical Illness Cover- Some Factsby Glen Parkin<br /><br />Critical illness cover is a very popular type of insurance. Surveys show that many people suffer from a critical illness before they reach the age of 65. If you do not have a critical illness cover, you should consider getting one. Critical illness cover can help you step out of possible problems in the future.<br /><br />Having a critical illness insurance is a good protection for the future. Your family can start to feel the security from now on, should you happen to fall critically ill in the future. Critical illness insurance usually pays a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a specific illness accepted by your critical illness insurance company. To be on the safe side, when you obtain a critical illness policy, you should reveal your entire medical history to your insurers.<br /><br />Your critical illness insurers should know your medical past completely. Once you make a claim, you could be sure that they will make some research about your medical history before they award you the lump sum. That is why most critical illness insurance companies take about three months before making the payout. The money is completely tax free and there is no restriction on how you could use it. On the other hand critical illness insurance can also refuse you a payout.<br /><br />Critical illness insurance normally refuses you a payout if you suffer from an illness found in its exclusion list. Most common forms of exclusions are: HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, self inflicted injury among others. Most critical illness insurance companies include these exclusions on their policy. Therefore you should read the policy attentively before you sign. If you suffer from such an illness then you could be entitled not to receive a critical illness cover.<br /><br />Fortunately the association of British insurers has come with a brilliant idea. They have elevated the critical illness they cover from 35 to 140. By doing this, people may have gained more confidence on critical illness insurance. Clearly critical illness insurance companies have taken note of the many rejected claims and adjusted their critical illness policies. You should know that for this type of critical illness cover, the premiums are higher.<br /><br />Moreover, before you take a critical illness cover, the insurers will ask you important questions. They can ask you if members of your family suffer from a specific illness. If your answer is positive they could refuse you critical illness cover or even make you undergo medical tests. It is only after having a close look at the results that they would decide to give you cover or not. They could even raise the premium payment amount. Thus if you accept to take critical illness cover from that insurance company you should ensure that all conditions are mentioned on paper.<br /><br />Furthermore, critical illness insurance normally makes the payout 28 days after a claim, provided you are still alive. If before the lump sum is awarded, you die, most critical illness insurance companies give the money to the inheritor, for example your wife or children. Money will not replace someone but can surely alleviate financial breakdowns that may occur after your going.<br /><br />Choosing a critical illness cover might sometimes be difficult. Take your time. If you shop well you could find a critical illness cover that suits your needs.<br /><br />About the Author:<br />For more information feel free to visit http://www.unbeatablelifeandcriticalinsurance.co.ukrvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-32457613317220464362008-02-16T05:01:00.000-08:002008-02-16T05:02:54.149-08:00Do I Need Critical Illness Insurance?by David Thomson <br /> <br />Critical illness insurance is taken out to cover you either for life or for a set period of time against certain critical illnesses, diseases and medical conditions. It differs from life insurance in that life insurance pays out should you die. Critical illness insurance pays if you become physically or mentally impaired through illness or disease.<br /><br />A policy to cover you for critical illness will pay out a tax free lump sum if you should fall victim to one of the illnesses defined within the policy. All that is needed to make a claim is the diagnosis by your Doctor of one of the illnesses or conditions defined in the policy; there is usually no requirement for you to prove loss of earnings or for you to need any special medical treatment.<br /><br />Points to consider when thinking of taking out this form of insurance is that the sum and terms are decided at the outset when you take out your policy. <br /><br />In order for the policy to pay out then you must survive for at least 28 days after the condition or illness has been diagnosed. <br /><br />Once the set time of the policy has passed and you haven’t been diagnosed as having a serious illness or condition then there is no payout and the policy simply ceases.<br /><br />Before deciding on whether or not to take out critical illness insurance you should take several factors into consideration. The most important thing to decide is how much money you would need if you were to become critically ill and then decide how long you would need the cover for.<br /><br />You will also have to take into account the various illnesses that are covered as these can vary from company to company. Another thing to take into account is that different companies have different exclusions within the policies so it is important that you read all the small print.<br /><br />About the Author:<br />David Thomson is Chief Executive of BestDealInsurance an independent specialist broker dedicated to providing their clients with the best deal on their life insurance, critical illness cover and home and motor insurance.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6352460371872251939.post-67008120759417987002008-02-02T05:21:00.000-08:002008-02-02T05:22:32.742-08:00Statistics That Can Help You More Understand The Rate Of Incidence Of Certain Critical Illness Conditionsby Mike Armstrong<br /><br />Critical illness insurance may have been designed long ago as a means to cope with the lack of health care systems in some countries. Since then, the development of critical illness cover has been considerable. More and more people may be seeking for critical illness cover as the product may have become widely known across the UK and worldwide. Insurance companies may nowadays provide cover for up to 30 critical illness conditions while others may restrict themselves to only seven. Competition over the insurance market may have pushed insurers towards the addition of many critical illnesses in certain policies. However the occurrence of critical illness still prevails.<br /><br />Here are some facts and statistics about some critical illnesses during the past few years.<br /><br />Cancer As per to the Breast Cancer Campaign 2002, it can be said that 1 of every 9 women may contract a critical illness such as breast cancer. Furthermore, in the year 1997, around 38,000 women may have been diagnosed with this life threatening critical illness. Further analysis of the current situation may suggest that this rate could increase every passing year. Fortunately, improving medical techniques and treatments may have made it possible for around 60 percent of women to stay alive 5 years after an intervention for this critical illness.<br /><br />The Office of National Statistics stated that in the year 2000, about 150,000 people may have passed away due to cancer. More precisely speaking, every 3 and a half minutes one person may die. This may then make of cancer one of the most lethal critical illness in the UK. Also, in the year 2000, the death of around 20,600 men and 13,000 women may have been caused by lung cancer than any other form of cancer.<br /><br />Deafness According to RNID 2002, a total amount of around 8 million people may be deaf or hard of hearing. This result may show a critical illness in ascent. Out of these, approximately 673,000 people may be severely or profoundly deaf relying on lip-reading and requiring a text phone or video phone to communicate.<br /><br />Kidney failure As per the UK Renal Registry 1998, at the end of the year 1998, around 31,000 people may have been more likely to suffer from a critical illness such as end-stage renal failure. As a result, about half of the patients could have been treated by transplant surgery while the remaining may have been treated with dialysis.<br /><br />Multiple Sclerosis According to Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2002, this critical illness may have made around 85,000 patients in the UK. Furthermore, figures may show that each year about 2,500 new cases of multiple sclerosis are diagnosed. Additionally, it may be a saddening fact to find out that multiple sclerosis may be the most common neurological disorder among young adults. This critical illness may prevail among people usually aged between 20 to 40.<br /><br />The rates at which these critical illnesses occur may be of much concern. You could imagine the possible financial catastrophe people could undergo should critical illness cover not exist. Thanks to critical illness cover payout, some income may be injected so that the person’s family may continue their usual trend of life. <br /><br /><br /><br />About the Author<br />Critical illness insurance protects yourself or your family. For more information about critical illness insurance please visit www.unbeatablelifeandcriticalinsurance.co.uk.rvdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12646648610454358082noreply@blogger.com0