Critical illness cover

Cover for when you need it most

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Financial protection for the unexpected

Critical illness cover could help if illness or injury affects your income

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What is critical illness cover?

Critical illness cover is a type of life insurance that can pay out if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness or injury, such as cancer, a heart attack or stroke. The money can help cover costs including:

Mortgage payments
Household bills
Childcare costs
Changes to your lifestyle while you recover.

Most providers offer critical illness protection alongside life insurance, but you can buy it on its own too.

If you need to make a claim and your application is successful, you’ll usually receive a tax-free, one-off payment.

You have to be over 18 and a permanent UK resident to take out a critical illness policy. However, eligibility criteria can vary between providers.

You can’t compare standalone critical illness cover with Compare the Market. But you can add it on as an extra when you search for a life insurance policy.

Did you know?

Statutory sick pay (SSP) is £123.25 per week (or 80% of your average weekly earnings if you earn less than this) for the 2026-27 tax year. This is only paid this for up to 28 weeks.

The average household spent £676 a week in the financial year ending 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This means SSP alone doesn’t come close to covering a typical household’s outgoings.

Critical illness cover explained

If you’re not sure if you need critical illness cover, here’s what you need to know:

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Text transcript

Should I get critical illness cover?

What is critical illness cover?

Critical illness cover is a life insurance policy that covers you for serious illness or injury.

It can:

Cover lost income from being off work
Help pay off your mortgage, or
Finance changes you're forced to make to your home

Do I need critical illness cover?

While the government does offer statutory sick pay, this won’t normally be enough to replace your salary.

Ask yourself, “Would my loved ones and I be looked after, if I’m unable to work?”

If you don’t have the savings to cover an extended absence from work, critical illness cover can protect you and your family.

How does critical illness cover work?

You can claim on your critical illness cover if you’re diagnosed with an injury or illness that’s covered by your policy.

Once you’ve been diagnosed, you’ll receive a one-time, tax-free payout.

Some policies have a deferred period, which means you’ll have to wait for an agreed time, before you’ll receive your money.

You can use this money for whatever you like. It could be to cover your salary, pay for treatment or make necessary changes to your home.

What does critical illness cover include?

Which conditions you’re covered for will depend on your policy, but your policy could include:

Heart attacks
Strokes
Cancer
Serious physical injuries
Physical disabilities following an injury at work

And more…

Can I get critical illness cover?

If you’re over 18 and a UK resident, you should be eligible for critical illness cover.

We can add critical illness cover as an extra when you compare life insurance quotes with Compare the Market.

Just pop in a few details and we’ll get you a quote in minutes.

Simples

Video ends.

How does critical illness insurance work?

Critical illness protection pays a single tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with a condition listed in your policy and your claim is approved. You can spend it on whatever you wish.

Lump sum payout

You’ll receive a single lump-sum payment if you make a claim and it's approved. It usually only takes a few days for the money to reach your account.

There are no restrictions on how you can spend a critical illness payout. You can use it to:

Pay your mortgage
Cover lost earnings
Pay bills while you recuperate
Help you to pay for private medical treatment
Make necessary adjustments to your home
Ensure your dependants have the financial support they need.

As long as you keep up with your insurance payments, you’ll be covered.

Waiting period and survival requirement

Critical illness insurance won’t cover you if you die shortly after a diagnosis – say, within a week.

You’ll need to tell your insurance provider as soon as possible after you've had a diagnosis. It may contact your GP or consultant if it needs further medical evidence to support the claim.

Because of the need to gather and review medical evidence, it can take several weeks for insurance providers to process a claim.

Standalone vs combined cover

Some providers offer standalone critical illness cover, but most offer it as an add-on to life insurance. It can be more expensive on its own, though.

If you want both, it's worth pricing up a combined policy, as it could save you some money.

Unfortunately, you can’t compare standalone critical illness cover with Compare the Market. But you can add it on as an extra when you search for a life insurance policy.

Who could critical illness work for?

Critical illness cover tends to suit people whose household would quickly feel the loss of their income – especially if there’s little or no sick pay to fall back on. Here are some situations where it could help.

If this sounds like you…	Why critical illness cover could help
Your bills depend on you working	If your wages stopped tomorrow, could you keep up with the mortgage or rent, plus everyday outgoings? A tax-free lump sum could take the pressure off while you recover.
Your household runs on one wage	If you’re the main earner, a serious diagnosis could hit the whole family’s finances at once. A payout could help keep things ticking over.
You’ve no other cover in place	No income protection, no employer sick pay scheme and no savings cushion? Critical illness cover could act as your financial safety net.
You’d rather have a lump sum than a monthly payment	Critical illness cover pays a single tax-free amount you can spend however you like. If you’d prefer a regular monthly income instead, income protection might suit you better.
You work for yourself	Statutory sick pay is paid by employers to their employees, so sole traders and partners aren’t eligible at all. That usually leaves savings or state benefits. In this instance, a lump sum could fill a much bigger gap. You could also consider getting self-employed income protection.
You’d stop work to care for a seriously ill child	There’s no automatic right to paid time off if your child is diagnosed with a serious condition. Children’s critical illness cover can pay out without ending your own policy – check the policy wording, as itis standard with some providers and optional with others.

What are the different types of critical illness insurance?

There are two main types of critical illness cover: level cover, where the payout stays the same for the whole policy term, and decreasing cover, where the payout gradually reduces.

Level cover

You choose how much the lump sum payout will be
Your monthly payments remain the same throughout the term of your policy
You know exactly how much you and your family could get to cover living expenses if you need to claim
Tends to be more expensive than a decreasing cover policy
Inflation could affect the real value of your payout over time

Decreasing cover

Tends to be a cheaper option than level cover
Can be a good option if you only need the payout to cover a repayment mortgage, or other debts or loans that you’re gradually paying off
It doesn’t account for other financial protection you and your family may need if you fall seriously ill, such as help with paying bills or living costs
Although the potential payout goes down over time, the amount you’re paying each month often does not.

Quick tip

Some providers allow you to choose cover that increases in line with inflation.

This option is typically more expensive than level-term or decreasing policies.

What other types of critical illness cover are there?

Alongside critical illness protection for yourself, you can also choose to cover a partner or your children.

Joint critical illness cover

Cover for you and your partner. You can only claim once between you. If someone makes a claim, the other will no longer be covered.

Dual cover

Continues to cover the other person after one of you makes a claim and, therefore, could pay out twice.

Cover for children

Covers children up to a set age, including child-specific illnesses. Some providers may include children’s cover as standard.

What conditions does critical illness insurance cover?

The illnesses covered will depend on the provider and your policy. The severity of the condition can also affect whether you’re covered. Always check the terms and conditions of your policy to be sure, but here's what critical illness usually covers:

Typically covered

Heart attack
Stroke
Non-terminal cancer
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson's disease
Organ transplants
Traumatic brain injuries
Physical disabilities, such as loss of limbs or post-injury paralysis

Not typically covered

Pre-existing conditions and hereditary illnesses
Illnesses or injuries caused by alcohol or drug abuse
Injuries caused by hazardous sports and pastimes
Injuries resulting from illegal and criminal acts
If you're diagnosed with a critical illness once your policy ends
If you die shortly after a diagnosis
Unreasonable failure to follow medical advice

Bear in mind

Women may want to check if they’re covered for serious pregnancy-related conditions.

Also, each condition must meet your provider's own definition of severity – for example, the persisting symptoms of stroke must typically last at least 24 hours. Always check the policy wording.

How much does critical illness cover cost?

How much you’ll pay for critical illness cover depends on your personal situation and the type of policy you choose.

To give you an idea, here’s what non-smokers tend to pay per month for life insurance with and without critical illness cover. These figures are based on £175,000 worth of level cover over 10 years.

Age group	Life insurance²	Life insurance with critical illness²
18-29	£4.11	£12
30-39	£4.09	£21
40-49	£6.33	£34
50-59	£13	£65
60-69	£31	£112

What can affect your premium

As you can see, the cost of your policy can vary widely. The key factors that impact what you pay are:

The amount and length of cover you need
Your age and gender
Your health, lifestyle and medical history
Cover type (level or decreasing term)

How to save money on critical illness cover

There are various ways to save money on critical illness cover, from living a healthy lifestyle to simply comparing quotes.

Stay healthy

Regular exercise, and a healthy diet and lifestyle, could help reduce your risk of non-communicable diseases and lower your premium. For example, if you're a non-smoker, you could pay £11 less a month than someone who smokes².

Bear in mind that if you currently smoke, giving up won't automatically lower your quote. That's because insurance providers consider your health history over the past 2-5 years.

Consider a combined policy

Combining critical illness cover with life insurance could work out cheaper than two separate policies, assuming you want both.

Compare decreasing cover

If you want a standalone critical illness policy, decreasing cover could work out £14 cheaper per month than a level term policy². It might not sound like much, but that’s a saving of over £140 over the course of a year.

Choose a lower payout

Critical illness for up to £9,999 typically costs £16 a month compared to £194 for £250,000 or more worth of cover². So, choosing a lower payout could cost you less.

Just remember that while less cover could reduce your premiums, you should make sure you could manage financially if you were to make a claim.

Compare policies

Comparing your options is one of the best ways to find the best price for your policy.

At Compare the Market, we make this simples. We'll show you a range of quotes from our panel of trusted life insurance providers, so you can easily find the cover you need at a price you're happy with.

How to make a critical illness insurance claim

Tell your provider

If you or someone named on the policy are diagnosed with a critical illness, you’ll need to tell your insurance provider as soon as possible. You can usually make a claim by phone or online.

Your claim is reviewed

Your provider will review your claim. It may contact your GP or consultant if it needs any further medical evidence to support the diagnosis.

Receive your payout

If your claim is successful, you’ll receive a single lump-sum payment. From this point, it usually only takes a matter of days to get the money into your account.

Did you know?

The average individual critical illness claim payout was £67,000 in 2025, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), with cancer the most common cause. Overall, the total value of critical illness claims in 2025 was £1.25 billion.

Is critical illness insurance worth it?

Critical illness cover could be worth it if a serious diagnosis would leave you struggling to pay your mortgage, bills and everyday living costs.

It may matter less if you have generous sick pay from your employer or enough savings to fall back on.

According to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), more than 2.7 million people were economically inactive because of long-term illness between April and June 2026.

And it’s not just older people who can’t work through ill health. Over one in five people are out of work due to health problems, according to the Government’s Keep Britain Working Report, published in March 2026.

Critical illness insurance usually covers long-term, serious conditions. As the following figures show, the possibility of developing one of those conditions can be high:

More than 8 million people in the UK are living with a cardiovascular disease as of December 2025, says the British Heart Foundation
There are 1.4 million stroke survivors in the UK, according to the Stroke Association
Around 3.5 million people are living with cancer in the UK as of 2025, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Prefer to talk to someone?

Critical illness protection can be a complex subject, so you may prefer to talk it through with an expert.

Compare the Market life insurance comparison and telephone service is provided by LifeSearch. They can help make life insurance feel less complicated. Give them a call free of charge on 0800 072 1147.

Lines are open:

Monday to Friday: 8am-8pm

Saturday: 9am-2pm

Sunday: 10am-3.30pm

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How much critical illness cover do I need?

When working out how much critical illness cover you need, consider factors such as your income and spending:

How much you earn every month
How much financial support your dependants would need if you no longer had an income
How much is left on your mortgage and any other outstanding loans
How much you’d need to spend on monthly essentials and bills
How your costs might increase if you were diagnosed with a serious illness or disability. You’ll also need to take into account any additional childcare or transport costs, or home adaptations you might need.
If you have savings set aside that mean you might not need as much cover, or another insurance policy in place that could help protect your family’s financial future
How much you can afford to pay for cover.

Example

Say your monthly living expenses are around £2,000 and you have mortgage and other debt payments of around £1,500 a month.

If you wanted protection for a period of two years, a lump sum of £100,000 could cover these outgoings and give your loved ones a financial buffer of £16,000.

What do I need to get a critical illness cover quote?

When comparing with us, you'll need to look for life insurance and add critical illness as an extra. Here's what to expect:

1. Tell us about yourself

We'll need to know a bit about you and your health, including whether you smoke or use nicotine substitutes.

Getting a joint policy? They'll need to provide this information too.

2. Choose your cover

Pick the type of policy, cover amount and how long you want protection for.

You'll be able to add critical illness to your life insurance search at this point.

3. Compare your options

You'll see your quotes in a matter of minutes.

You can shop by price, provider or any other details that are most important to you.

What to consider before taking out critical illness cover

Before you buy, check what cover you already have, whether it’s the right fit, and what's included.

Check your existing cover

Is critical illness cover right for you?

Know what's covered

Get a hand if you need it

Alternatives to critical illness insurance

Looking for other types of protection? You might find these more useful:

Income protection insurance

Income protection replaces some or all of your income if you’re unable to work due to a serious illness or injury. It can provide longer-term protection than critical illness, but it’s often more expensive.

Mortgage payment protection insurance

Mortgage payment protection insurance could cover your mortgage payments if you lose your job through no fault of your own, or you’re unable to work due to serious illness or injury.

ASU insurance

Accident, sickness and unemployment (ASU) insurance could cover your income in the short term if you’re unable to work for medical reasons, or you lose your job through no fault of your own.

What our expert says...

“Critical illness cover can provide much-needed financial support if you’re diagnosed with a serious condition. But the definition of what a critical illness is can vary among insurance providers. So always check the Ts&Cs carefully before committing to a policy.”

Tim Knighton, Life, health and income protection insurance expert

Critical illness cover guides

Learn more about critical illness cover, including which conditions may be included and how a policy could support you financially

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FAQs

What’s the difference between critical illness cover and life insurance?

Critical illness cover offers financial support if you’re diagnosed with a critical illness or injury listed in your policy. It can allow you and your family to benefit from the payout while you’re alive.

Life insurance is a tax-free lump sum paid to your beneficiaries after your death.

What’s the difference between critical illness cover and terminal illness cover?

Critical illness cover pays out if you suffer a serious ailment that’s specified in your policy.
With an illness described as terminal, your clinician would expect it to lead to death within the next 12 months. In these cases, people can often claim on a life insurance policy rather than critical illness cover.

Most life insurance policies include terminal illness cover, which could include illness or injury resulting in total and permanent disability (TPD).

Can I adjust the level of cover I have with critical illness insurance?

Most critical illness insurance providers will let you make changes to the level of cover in your policy. This could be as simple as extending the term or adding an increased level of cover.

You should always check if you can adjust your policy before taking out cover.

Can I get cover for pre-existing medical conditions?

Some insurance providers will offer critical illness cover if you have a pre-existing medical condition, but others won’t.

A pre-existing condition:

Is an illness, disease or injury that you’ve received medical treatment for
Can also be an ongoing condition such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s.

Providers will look at you and your family’s medical history to work out if they’re willing to offer you cover.

If they do, it:

May be more expensive
Have more exclusions than a standard policy.

If you have a pre-existing condition, you should always be honest about it or your provider might reject any claims you make.

Does critical illness cover cancer?

Most critical illness policies do cover cancer but there may be conditions attached. For instance, whether a cancer is covered may depend on factors such as where the cancer originated and how it has spread.

If you’re diagnosed with advanced cancer, this is likely to be covered, but
Slow-growing or early-stage cancers may not be as clear-cut.

Always check the terms of any policy carefully to understand exactly what’s covered in case of a cancer diagnosis.

Can you get critical illness cover without life insurance?

Yes, you can buy critical illness cover as a standalone policy, without life insurance attached to it.

You’ll be covered if you’re diagnosed with a critical illness listed in your policy, but
Your beneficiaries won’t receive a payout if you die.

You can’t buy critical illness cover as a standalone policy through Compare the Market. But you can add it as an optional extra when comparing life insurance quotes with us.

What are the disadvantages of critical illness insurance?

While a critical illness insurance policy can offer you peace of mind and a financial safety net during a difficult time, it can have some drawbacks:

It can be expensive, depending on your lifestyle and age
You can usually only claim once
Your policy might not cover every illness or condition
If you never make a claim, you won’t get your money back
Policies can be complex, and you might need expert advice.

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Reviewed 28 Sept 2026 byTim KnightonLife, health and income protection insurance expert

Tim Knighton is an expert in building and managing relationships with big brands for the benefit of customers, with more than 20 years of experience. He seeks out the right products that look after you and those you love most during the toughest times.

Methodology

¹Based on Trustpilot ratings (October 2026).

²Based on 51% of customers who compared quotes for this type of policy in June 2026.