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5* Serious Illness Cover
We cover more conditions than any other insurer1
What is Serious Illness Cover?
Serious Illness Cover ensures you and your loved ones are protected if you fall ill, paying out a lump sum which can be used to cover expenses and monthly outgoings while you take the time you need to recover.
Our Serious Illness plan covers 178 conditions which is more than any critical illness cover on the market1.
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Get an online quote in minutes or call a VitalityLife adviser on 0808 252 3670
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Do I need Serious Illness Cover?
Critical illness can strike at any time. One in two people in the UK will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime2, every seven minutes someone will have a heart attack and every 12 minutes someone will have a stroke3.
Critical illness can severely impact the way you live your life, especially when you have to consider supporting your family while you are recovering.. A life insurance plan can help give you peace of mind that you and your loved ones will be protected.
This means that if a condition gets caught early on, we’ll pay you out a portion to alleviate the stress, but you’ll also have the rest of your cover should you need to claim again and again.
Have a look at the comprehensive list of conditions we cover including heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
Critical illness can severely impact the way you live your life, especially when you have to consider supporting your family while you are recovering.. A life insurance plan can help give you peace of mind that you and your loved ones will be protected.
How does Serious Illness Insurance work?
Unlike typical critical illness cover, we pay out for the less severe conditions as well as the more critical ones. So if you become seriously ill and need to claim, we’ll give you a percentage of your cover depending on how severe your condition is.This means that if a condition gets caught early on, we’ll pay you out a portion to alleviate the stress, but you’ll also have the rest of your cover should you need to claim again and again.
What illnesses are covered by our Serious Illness Cover?
You can choose between Comprehensive Serious Illness Cover that covers you for 178 conditions or Primary Serious Illness Cover which covers you for 145 conditions. The typical critical illness policy only covers you for around 77 conditions1.Have a look at the comprehensive list of conditions we cover including heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
How are we different?
Our comprehensive Serious Illness Cover offers you far more cover than a typical critical illness cover.
- You’re up to three times more likely to get a payout with us4
- 116% more likely to get a payout for cancer with us4
- 34% more likely to get a payout for a heart attack with us4
- 25% more likely to get a payout for a stroke with us4
- We cover nearly two times as many conditions1
- We cover all heart attacks and strokes5
- We cover more cancers than any other insurer5
- We payout based on how severe your condition is
- We cover the earlier stages of certain conditions
- You can claim more than once if you have cover left
Why choose us?
Benefit from award-winning Serious Illness Cover which rewards you for being healthy
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A brand you can trust
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In 2017 we paid out 99% of life insurance claims7
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Discounts and rewards
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Save up to £2,961 with our extensive range of reward partners8
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Free, no-obligation advice
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Our advisers are highly trained and offer free, expert advice
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Improve your health
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Reduced risk of becoming seriously ill in actively involved members9
Dementia and FrailCare Cover
Unlike any other provider, our Serious Illness Cover can help you with later life care needs.
Dementia and FrailCare Cover provide protection for conditions relevant to ageing, including dementia, Alzheimer's, stroke and frailty. It starts when your Serious Illness Cover term ends and is available with Vitality Optimiser or Wellness Optimiser at no initial additional cost, you just continue to pay your premium when Dementia and FrailCare Cover begins.
Dementia and FrailCare Cover is capped at £100,000 and applies to a minimum Serious Illness Cover term of 10 years and a maximum age of 60 at entry.
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Our Serious Illness Cover Booster offers you additional peace of mind that you would receive payments of up to 200% for long-term debilitating illnesses as well as payments from 100% for all the key conditions.
You’ll also receive cover for early stages and less severe illnesses as we recognise that these can still have a deep impact on your life.
Learn more
Dementia and FrailCare Cover provide protection for conditions relevant to ageing, including dementia, Alzheimer's, stroke and frailty. It starts when your Serious Illness Cover term ends and is available with Vitality Optimiser or Wellness Optimiser at no initial additional cost, you just continue to pay your premium when Dementia and FrailCare Cover begins.
Dementia and FrailCare Cover is capped at £100,000 and applies to a minimum Serious Illness Cover term of 10 years and a maximum age of 60 at entry.
Learn more
Serious Illness Cover Booster
You’ll also receive cover for early stages and less severe illnesses as we recognise that these can still have a deep impact on your life.
Frequently asked questions
Am I covered for heart attacks or stroke?
We define medical conditions in the same way as the medical profession. So, if your consultant or doctor diagnoses that you’ve had a heart attack or stroke, we pay out. The amount we pay depends on the severity of your condition, which means we can cover all types of heart attack and strokes.
Am I more likely to get a payout with Serious Illness Cover than Critical Illness Cover?
Whether you are more likely to get a payout for Serious Illness Cover over critical illness cover depends on your circumstances and on each individual provider.. Our Serious Illness Cover however covers more conditions than a typical critical illness cover meaning the likelihood you would receive a payout would be greater.
Can I add children to my Serious Illness Cover?
Yes, you can choose a cover amount of between £20,000 and £100,000 for your children. If your child is diagnosed with one of the illnesses we cover, we give you a cash lump sum.
How do severity-based payments work?
We pay out on the severity of your illness or disability meaning that you could receive a payout at an earlier stage or your illness, even if it’s not life threatening. There are seven levels of severity to determine how much money gets paid out when you need to make a claim.
Get a Quote
Call us on0161 2167 595
Speak to a VitalityLife adviser for tailored advice.
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8am - 7pm Friday
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Closed - Sunday
Important information
1 The average number of conditions that typical critical illness policies cover is 48. Source: Defaqto, 20172 Cancer Research UK, 2015
3 Heart UK, 2016
4 Hannover Re UK Life Branch February 2017
5 Defaqto verified Competitor Comparisons, Sep 2018
6 Defaqto verified, April 2018
7 The percentage of claims accepted for life and terminal illness cover in 2017 was 99% and the total amount paid was £21.4 million
8 If your premium is over £30 per month, you get to Platinum Vitality status and use all of our discounts and rewards
9 We found that our members on Silver status or higher were 54% less likely to suffer a serious illness compared to those on Bronze status (Vitality 2017 – Serious Illness Cover and Income Protection plans).