Critical Illness Cover News - protected.co.uk

The principles behind how critical illness cover works can seem harsh to people who cannot get cover, according to the The Patients Association.

A spokesperson for the group said critical illness cover is no different to other forms of cover and companies work to actuarial rules.

She said there were a number of things people who were struggling to get cover could do.

"We would advise shopping around between insurance companies, being willing to pay larger excesses et cetera and reading the small print," she stated.

Government statistics show life expectancy for those people who have reached the age of 65 in the UK is at its highest ever level.

Men aged 65 live on average a further 16.9 years while women can expect to survive another 19.7 years, providing mortality rates stay as they were between 2004 and 2006.

Overall life expectancy in the UK is 76.9 years for men and 81.3 years for women but tragedy can always happen so it's advisable to get life insurance cover to protect your loved ones.

Couples should consider getting critical illness cover so that it one of them falls ill, it is not left to their loved one to cope financially, Yorkshire Building Society claims.

This comes after research by the organisation found that gender stereotypes are still alive and kicking.

A survey by the building society found the three attributes men value most in their partners are their ability to take care of the home and their cooking and cleaning skills.

Meanwhile, women valued men who were good listeners, offered financial stability and made good fathers.

The survey also revealed that 61 per cent of people had not discussed with their partner how they would cope if either of them were unexpectedly unable to work.  A good bet would be to take out adequate life insurance cover.

Tanya Jackson, corporate affairs manager at Yorkshire Building Society, said: "People need to have measures in place in case a partner would be unable to perform … everyday jobs."

Critical illness cover provides a lump sum should a person fall ill and find they are no longer able to work.

When people are choosing critical illness cover they need to make sure they compare the full range of policies available, Bupa advises.

The health insurer claims 57 per cent Britons name cancer as their major health worry.

However, it warns not all forms of critical illness insurance will fund treatment for every stage of cancer and it advises people to choose cover carefully.

According to the group, some policies lay down time or monetary limits on funding for cancer drugs.

Commenting on the findings, Hilary Whittaker, chief executive at Beating Bowel Cancer, said: "It is important that people make sure they check their cancer cover, so that if they come to claim they are not let down."

One in three people in the UK are diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.

Elsewhere, Todd Martin writing for 3×24 has said life insurance is something that everyone needs to think about.

Life insurance and critical illness cover specialists Protected.co.uk can reveal how a cancer charity single featuring 15 female pop stars is due to be released next month to radio and will be available to buy exclusively from iTunes.

Just Stand Up will feature the likes of Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Natasha Bedingfield and Beyonce.

Produced by Antonio Reid and Kenny Edmonds, the song will be performed live by all 15 female divas on September 5th for a programme to be aired by a number of American broadcasters.

The money made from sales of the single will be donated to the Stand Up To Cancer charity.

Stand up to Cancer is part of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Set up in 2007, the charity asks people and organisations in the entertainment industry to help raise money for cancer.

Critical illness cover can provide financial peace of mind for people who are concerned about how they would manage to support themselves and their family if they were to be diagnosed with a serious illness. 

New research suggests people who are happy and optimistic could be at less risk of developing a critical illness, Science Daily reports.

A group of Israeli researchers questioned 255 women with breast cancer and 367 healthy volunteers.

They found those who had a higher number of unpleasant life experiences were more likely to develop the disease.

Ronit Peled, the lead researcher, said: "Young women who have been exposed to a number of negative life events should be considered an at-risk group for breast cancer and should be treated accordingly."

However, the women involved in the study were interviewed after being diagnosed with cancer which, the researchers accept, may have coloured their recall of their past emotional state negatively.

The authors of the study state further research into the connection between happiness and health needs to be conducted.

For people who worry about how they would manage financially if they were to be diagnosed with a serious disease, critical illness cover with life insurance could provide some peace of mind.

People need more advice about the early warning signs of a heart attack, according to the support group Huddersfield Heartline.

Speaking to the Huddersfield Examiner, chairman Peter Bower said: "People often just say they have a bit of indigestion and put it down to that, not realising they might have had a heart attack."

His comments come in the wake of a survey by the British Heart Foundation which revealed people are more concerned about heart attack symptoms in others than in themselves.

Some 47 per cent of those questioned said they would advise a friend to call an ambulance if they experienced unusual chest pain.

However, 65 per cent said they would not dial 999 if the same thing happened to them.

Approximately 250,000 people have heart attacks every year in the UK and a third die before reaching hospital.

People concerned about how their family would cope if the worst were to happen to them may find peace of mind by taking out life insurance with critical illness cover included,

If you are diagnosed with a serious disease, critical illness cover ensures your financial worries are taken care of.

Jade Goody arrived back in the UK last night after being diagnosed with the cervical cancer.

The reality TV star was told she had the disease while appearing in the Indian version of Big Brother.

As she was escorted through Heathrow Airport, Ms Goody was heard to say "I don't want any more. I can't do this".

Her plane touched down at approximately 20:30 BST after a seven hour flight from Mumbai. Earlier in the day her publicist confirmed she had cancer and dismissed rumours it had been a publicity stunt.

Ms Goody is expected to undergo further tests and treatment now she is back in Britain.

People who are concerned about how they would manage financially if they were to be diagnosed with a serious disease may find critical illness cover provides some peace of mind.

Critical illness cover can be added to a life insurance policy and ensures if the worst happens a tax-free lump sum is paid out so that patients do not have the added strain of money worries to contend with.

A new technique has been developed to identify aggressive forms of the critical illness bowel cancer.

The Metro reports a recent study found patients who had a protein called Lamin A were more likely to develop a deadlier form of the disease.

Scientists from Durham University claim if this stem cell marker is found early, chemotherapy and surgery may improve survival rates.

Currently 360,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in Britain each year, making it the third most common form of the illness.

Critical illness cover can be added to a life insurance policy and can provide peace of mind for people who are concerned how they would manage financially if they were diagnosed with a serious disease.

In other news, earlier this week WalesOnline reported the Conservative MP Jonathan Morgan had called for Wales to appoint a cancer tsar after it was revealed rates of the disease in the country are 22 per cent higher than in other parts of the UK.

A Conservative MP has called for Wales to appoint a cancer tsar after it was revealed rates of the disease in the country are 22 per cent higher than in other parts of the UK, WalesOnline has reported.

Shadow health minister Jonathan Morgan has criticised the Welsh Assembly's record on treating the critical illness.

He said: "It is a disgrace that Wales has no formal policy plan on tackling cancer. We cannot afford to let ourselves fall further behind the rest of the UK."

Wales has the highest death rates for cervical, breast and prostate cancer in the UK, according to figures from Health Statistics Wales.

Each year, approximately 16,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the country.

However, a spokesperson from the Welsh Assembly dismissed claims that leaders in the country were not taking the issue seriously as "nonsense".

Critical illness cover provides a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with a serious illness, so that you do not have to worry about financial matters should the worst happen.

Legal & General, one of the UK’s leading pension and life insurance companies, has advised UK citizens to consider critical illness cover, warning people that without this policy, there pension funds could be in danger of falling short of funding a comfortable retirement.

Bonnie Burns, L&G’s head of protection warned consumers that if they suffer an illness, critical illness cover could represent their only way of continuing to put aside money for retirement.

“It's well documented that many people do not save enough for their retirement. However, if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a critical illness then you may never get your pension plan back on track,” he said.

Adding, “Critical illness cover should be an important consideration for anyone looking to protect their lifestyle and their ability to continue to save. The earlier in your career you take out a policy, the cheaper it is and you can protect your most important years in terms of savings capacity.”

A report by Yorkshire Building Society has highlighted the need for people without critical illness cover to consider taking out this form of life insurance.

Entitled “How the UK is Living on the Edge”, the report found that only 17% of adults in the UK had any form of critical illness cover.

A spokesperson for LifeSearch commented, “Life cover is important but there is far more chance that you will suffer a serious illness or disability during your working life than death.

“Policies like income protection, critical illness and real life cover should be at the top of most people's protection shopping list.”

He also said that people should consider how, in the absence of meaningful state assistance, critical illness cover could make the difference between struggle and security, “It is also important to remember most people drastically overestimate the amount of state benefits they will receive. If you want to ensure you can pay your debts and maintain your lifestyle if you are too ill to work, it is crucial to look into taking out financial protection.”

The future of Scottish Widows, which offers critical illness cover to people in the UK, remains unclear after its parent company, Lloyds TSB, failed to confirm its long-term interest in the group.

After being questioned by The Herald whether it intended to eventually sell the critical illness cover and life insurance company, Lloyds only “emphasised the benefits of selling insurance products via its bank”, according to the newspaper.

However, Eric Daniels, the Lloyds TSB’s chief executive, also said, “There is a need for pension products and life insurance products and Scottish Widows helps to sell those products. It is a great partnership.”

Speculations have mounted about the future of Scottish Widows, one the UK’s largest critical illness cover companies, after rumours started circulating that Lloyds TSB were planning to use it as part of swap deal to obtain Dresdner Bank.

Despite all the uncertainty and talk of a UK economic slowdown, Scottish Widows continues to post positive financial results.