BUPA Critical Illness cover
At BUPA Health Assurance we know from our experience that many people do not consider that a serious illness, assuming that they recover, could leave them with some form of disability or long term health impairment.
That is why our BUPA Critical Illness cover can help to take away some of the financial strain by paying you a one-off tax-free¹ cash lump sum, if you suffer from or undergo any one of 35 specified illnesses or operations. The lump sum can give you the means to help pay for home alterations or specialist equipment, cover day to day expenses, fund private treatment or provide an income.
Who can apply?
If you are aged between 18 and 59 and live in the UK you can apply for BUPA Critical Illness cover and your cover can last up until the age of 70. You don't even need to be in paid employment to apply.
Plus if you have any children under the age of 18² they can also be covered for specified illnesses and operations at no extra charge, although conditions they already have are excluded.
Level of cover available and how much it will cost
When you decide you would like the peace of mind offered by flexible financial protection you can apply for as little or as much cover as you need and can afford, within certain limits.
If you are a homemaker or not in paid employment the maximum benefit available to you is up to 2.5 times your partner's salary.
The level of your subscription depends on the amount of cover you request and the period over which you want the cover to last and other factors such as your medical history and occupation.
The minimum subscription available is £8 a month not including your plan fee which may apply.
Types of cover you can choose from
BUPA Critical Illness cover gives you the flexibility to take out various types of cover, according to your needs.
Level Term cover is a fixed lump sum benefit for a fixed period of time between five and 40 years.
Mortgage Protection Term cover also operates for a specified number of years to coincide with the period outstanding on your mortgage. It differs from Level Term cover as the benefit reduces in a way aimed to coincide with your outstanding mortgage amount that it is used to protect.
Renewable Term cover is fixed lump sum cover which is renewable every five or 10 years, and subject to our agreement.
What subscription options are available?
You can choose from a range of subscription options to suit your personal preferences and circumstances.
Guaranteed subscriptionsYour subscriptions are fixed until your membership ends, except for any increase due to a change in the law or taxation or if you increase your benefit under the agreed membership, or if a plan fee is applied.
Reviewable subscriptionsBUPA may increase or decrease your subscriptions on the fifth anniversary of the start date of your plan and at the end of every following five year period. BUPA may increase or decrease your subscriptions on each renewal date if renewal of your membership is agreed. This option is only available for renewable policies.
Additional features
You can increase your cover by 25 percent of the original amount or by £50,000 up to a maximum of 100 percent or £100,000 if you get married, have a child, increase your mortgage or are promoted at work.
Replacement optionReplacement cover is available on joint policies and the remaining member applies for identical cover within three months of a life cover benefit payment.
Additional options
Your cover can be further enhanced with a number of other optional features.
Fracture cover, ³ which gives you the reassurance that if the person covered suffers one of the 15 specified major fractures, you'll receive a benefit of up to £2,100.
Reinstatement cover* allows you to take out new membership to provide limited cover for the people covered following a claim.
Total Permanent Disability cover is optional, allowing the benefit to be paid if the person covered suffers from a total permanent disability as specified under the scheme.
Subscription Waiver option. This will mean that your subscriptions will be waived after three months if incapacity prevents the person covered from working or if you find yourself unable to carry out at least three of six key activities of daily living. This option is only available up to your 65th birthday
You can also choose for your lump sum benefit to increase each year if you decide to take out an indexation option.
Additional services
Because we are committed to giving you more than just flexible financial protection, BUPA Critical Illness cover offers you two valuable additional services.
BUPA HealthLine**A confidential health information and support service staffed by a dedicated team of specialist nurses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It offers support, guidance and reassurance to assist you in your decision making and to help you in finding your way through healthcare options.
Best Doctors** ™People who make claims under their BUPA Critical Illness cover will also have access to Best Doctors™ which is an independent service that can locate and contact specialists qualified to treat the condition for which the claim has been made.
