Critical illness cover explained
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness the policy lists. Here’s how it works and how it differs from income protection.
Critical illness cover is about the financial shock of a serious diagnosis — a lump sum that buys you room to focus on recovery rather than money. Here’s the accurate picture.
How it works
If you’re diagnosed with one of the specific illnesses your policy lists — commonly certain cancers, heart attack or stroke — and it meets the policy’s severity definition, it pays a tax-free lump sum. You can typically spend it however you need: clearing the mortgage, adapting your home, or covering lost income.
Critical illness vs income protection
| Critical illness | Income protection | |
|---|---|---|
| Pays | One tax-free lump sum | A regular replacement income |
| Triggered by | A listed serious illness | Being unable to work (any illness/injury) |
| Ends | On payout | When you recover, retire or the policy ends |
Some families hold both, because they cover different risks — a specific serious diagnosis versus simply being unable to work.
In short
Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness the policy specifically lists, at the defined severity. It’s different from income protection (a lump sum vs a regular income) — read the covered-conditions list carefully, because that, not the price, is what determines whether it pays.
Frequently asked questions
How does critical illness cover pay out?
As a single tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a listed condition meeting the policy’s definition. You can usually use the money however you like — clearing a mortgage, adapting your home, or replacing lost income while you recover.
How is it different from income protection?
Critical illness pays one lump sum for specific serious illnesses. Income protection pays a regular replacement income if you can’t work due to any illness or injury, until you recover or the policy ends. They solve different problems and some people hold both.
Why do claims sometimes get refused?
Usually because the condition isn’t on the policy’s list, or doesn’t meet the required severity definition, or a relevant medical history wasn’t declared. Read the list of covered conditions and definitions carefully before buying.
Sources & last checked
- Critical illness cover — MoneyHelper (Money & Pensions Service)
- Critical illness cover — Association of British Insurers (ABI)
Last checked against official sources: 9 July 2026.