A Guide to Critical Illness Cover

12. How do I make a claim?

If you think you have suffered one of the critical illnesses covered, you (or someone acting for you) should tell your insurance company. They will send you a claim form to fill in. The form will ask you for details of your illness and the doctors who have treated you. The insurance company will then write to the doctors to collect information about your condition. If this information confirms that you have suffered a critical illness which is covered by your policy, your claim will be paid promptly.

You may be asked to provide other supporting medical evidence, such as the results of a new medical examination, to confirm that our claim is valid. Some conditions must be permanent for a claim to be paid. It can sometimes take time to show that the condition is not likely to improve.

For some critical illness policies, when you become critically ill you must live with the illness for a certain period before the claim is paid. This period varies between insurance companies, but is usually up to a month from the date your illness is diagnosed. This type of 'survival period' normally applies to plans without life cover.

This document is reproduced with the permission of ABI - The Association of British Insurers.