Guide
Life insurance and inheritance tax
Why writing a policy in trust can keep the payout outside your estate.
Read guideCompare critical illness cover
Compare UK critical illness policies that pay a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of a serious condition such as cancer, heart attack or stroke.
Compare critical illness quotesReady to compare critical illness cover?
Run a full market comparison before you commit. It takes about five minutes and there's no obligation to apply.
How critical illness cover works
Critical illness cover pays out a tax-free lump sum if you're diagnosed with one of a defined list of serious conditions during the policy term, most commonly cancer, heart attack, stroke and multiple sclerosis.
It's often taken out alongside life insurance, either as a standalone policy or combined, and the lump sum can be used however you choose, from clearing debt to funding treatment or adapting your home.
Cover levels, the list of conditions and how comprehensively each one is defined vary significantly between insurers, which is why comparing the small print matters as much as comparing price.
What affects the cost of critical illness cover
- Your age, health and family medical history
- Number of conditions covered
- Whether it's standalone or combined with life cover
- Cover amount and policy term
- Severity-based vs full payment definitions
Why compare critical illness cover with us
Tax-free lump sum
A single payment on diagnosis, to use however you need it.
Wide condition lists
Leading insurers cover 40+ conditions including partial payments for less severe cases.
Combine with life cover
Many people bundle it with life insurance for broader family protection.
Children's cover included
Most policies include cover for your children at no extra cost.
Typical monthly premiums by age
Indicative UK pricing for a non-smoker taking out £100,000 of standalone critical illness cover over 20 years.
| Age | £100,000 cover | £150,000 cover | £250,000 cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | £14 - £20 | £20 - £29 | £32 - £46 |
| 35 | £20 - £30 | £29 - £43 | £46 - £68 |
| 45 | £42 - £62 | £61 - £90 | £98 - £145 |
| 55 | £85 - £125 | £125 - £180 | £200 - £290 |
Cost by policy structure
Typical monthly cost for a 40-year-old non-smoker, £150,000 sum assured, 20-year term.
| Policy structure | What's covered | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone critical illness | Diagnosis only | £55 - £85 |
| Combined life and CIC | Death or earlier diagnosis | £60 - £95 |
| Additional CIC (life plus CIC) | Death and diagnosis, both paid | £95 - £150 |
| Children's CIC add-on | Child's serious illness | £3 - £8 |
Expert advice
Our team reviews UK life and health insurers, underwriting approaches and policy wording throughout the year.
“Read the definitions, not the condition count. An insurer covering 60 conditions with strict wording can be worse than one covering 40 clearly.”
critical illness cover: pros and cons
Pros
- Tax-free lump sum you can use for anything
- Wide list of covered conditions with leading insurers
- Children usually covered at no extra cost
- Can be combined with life cover for broader protection
Cons
- Only pays out for conditions specifically listed and defined in the policy
- More expensive than life insurance alone at the same cover level
- Partial or severity-based payments can be lower than the full sum assured
How to choose critical illness cover
The cheapest premium is not always the best policy. Check these points before you apply.
- 1
Check the condition list
Compare how many conditions are covered and how each one is defined, not just the headline number.
- 2
Consider combining with life cover
A combined policy is usually cheaper than two separate ones if you only need one payout.
- 3
Match the term to your mortgage
Many people set the term to run alongside their mortgage or until children are financially independent.
- 4
Look at partial payments
Better policies pay a proportion for less severe conditions such as early-stage cancer.
Compare critical illness cover
See what's available for your business today. It takes just minutes.
How to compare critical illness cover
It takes a few minutes and comparing will not affect your credit score.
1. Tell us a bit about you
Your age, health, smoker status and roughly how much cover you need.
2. See matched quotes
We shortlist UK insurers who price your circumstances competitively.
3. Compare the full policy
Cover level, exclusions and claims record — not just the monthly premium.
4. Apply directly with the insurer
You complete underwriting and set your start date, usually within a few days.
Things to watch out for
Cover only pays out for conditions listed and defined in the policy wording.
Reviewable premiums can rise sharply over time — guaranteed premiums cost more initially but are predictable.
Pre-existing conditions are usually excluded, so buying earlier generally means broader cover.
Our critical illness cover service
We compare critical illness cover from established UK insurers so you can see premiums, cover levels and exclusions side by side.
Comparing is free, and we will say plainly if a policy you already hold looks competitive.
Getting started
1
Gather your health history
Insurers ask about medical history, family history and lifestyle — accuracy matters at claim time.
2
Work out how much cover you need
Think about your mortgage, dependants and how long you'd need an income replaced for.
3
Answer underwriting questions honestly
Non-disclosure is the most common reason genuine claims are later declined.
Why choose Grow Your Business?
Wide choice of providers
We compare a broad range of UK providers so you can find the option that actually fits how your business operates.
Exclusive offers
We work hard to bring you exclusive deals, switching incentives and cashback where they're available.
Simple and fast
It takes just a few minutes to compare with us — and the deal you find could be well below what you pay today.
Types of critical illness cover
The right structure depends on your circumstances, budget and what you're protecting.
Standalone critical illness
Pays out only on diagnosis of a covered condition, with no life cover attached.
Combined life and critical illness
One policy that pays out on death or earlier diagnosis of a critical illness, whichever happens first.
Additional critical illness
Pays out on both a critical illness diagnosis and, separately, on death — at extra cost.
Children's critical illness
Standalone or add-on cover specifically for a child's serious illness diagnosis.
Providers we compare
Logos are shown for identification. We are not affiliated with every insurer listed and do not compare the whole market.
Legal & General
Aviva
Vitality
Bupa
AXA Health
Royal London
Zurich
LV=Comparing with us is a no-brainer
“The lump sum meant I could take six months off work during treatment without worrying about the mortgage.”
Sarah, Leeds
critical illness cover guides
Guide
Do you need private health cover?
How NHS waiting times are changing the way people think about self-pay and private cover.
Read guide
Guide
Income protection vs critical illness
The difference between insuring your income and insuring against a diagnosis.
Read guidecritical illness cover FAQs
What conditions are covered?
Most policies cover cancer, heart attack and stroke as core conditions, with leading insurers covering 40 or more in total.
Is critical illness cover worth it?
It depends on your savings, sick pay and dependants. If a serious diagnosis would create an immediate financial gap, it is worth comparing.
Can I have it with life insurance?
Yes. Combined policies pay out on death or earlier critical illness diagnosis, and are usually cheaper than two standalone policies.
Are children covered?
Most insurers include children's critical illness cover as standard, typically paying a smaller fixed sum.
Written by the Grow Your Business editorial team · Updated 26 July 2026