You will not be able to claim if you get diagnosed with a condition caused by alcohol or drug abuse.
Get diagnosed
If you get diagnosed with a condition covered in your critical illness policy, contact your insurer immediately.
You will need to have been diagnosed by a general practitioner (GP), or a physician.
If you attempt to make a fraudulent claim, or a claim based on a self diagnosis, your policy will get cancelled.
No, critical illness cover only pays out when you are alive and have been diagnosed with a condition listed in your policy document.
If you need a policy that pays out when you die, look for a life insurance policy or a combined critical illness and life insurance policy.
Contact your insurer
Contact your insurer as soon as possible after getting your diagnosis. They will tell you what next steps to take for your claim to be successful.
You can find your insurers contact details in your critical illness policy document, or by visiting their website and clicking on their contact page.
Your insurer will then confirm if your condition:
Is covered, then you can start your claim
Is not covered, then you will not be able to make a claim
Even if your policy does not cover your condition, you should tell your insurer so they can update your details. If you do not tell your insurer, then your policy may become invalid.
If your insurer rejects your claim but your policy states that your diagnosed condition is covered, contact the Financial Ombudsman Service for further support.
Start a claim
When you speak to your insurer it is important to give honest responses to any questions they ask. If you do not, you could invalidate your policy and lose your chance to claim.
You will need to give your insurer access to your medical records, so they have evidence of your condition and how severe it is.
Your insurer will send paperwork for you to confirm the details of your claim. You have to send this back to them with your signature before they can process your claim.
Get your pay out
You will get your pay out money after your insurer has verified your documents and checked your medical records.
You will have the chance to choose which account your pay out goes to when you complete the paperwork for your claim.
Your critical illness policy ends after you make one successful claim.
