Will you need a medical if you apply for a critical illness policy?

In order to correctly assess the risk they are being asked to accept an insurance company may require further information from your GP or request that you undergo a medical. In most cases these medicals only take five or ten minutes.

STEP 1 of 2
Type of cover
Life Insurance       Mortgage Life Insurance
 
Cover Level (£)

Number of years
Do you want:  
Critical illness cover
Family income benefit
 

Hot Topics

Is there a waiting period to receive payment on a Critical Illness claim?
All Critical Illness policies require you to survive a specified number of days following diagnosis in order to have a valid claim. The typical survival period is 28 days but some insurance companies have reduced this to 14 days.
What is “Total and Permanent Disability”?
“Total and Permanent Disability” means that if you are diagnosed with any illness, or have an accident, that totally and permanently prevents you from working, you have a valid claim.
What information do you need to provide to apply for a Critical Illness policy?
The Application form will ask questions regarding your height, weight, age, sex, current state of health, occupation, hobbies etc.
What if you develop another critical illness or have a reoccurrence of a Critical Illness ?
After a successful claim the insured sum will be paid to you and that ends the policy. There can be no further claims.
Can you extend or increase your Critical Illness cover at a later date?
If you have a policy with a renewable option then yes, you can increase, or sometimes extend, your cover. If you do not have a renewable option then you cannot change your cover. These days only a few insurance companies offer policies with a renewable option.
You may be able to arrange for the medical to take place at your home otherwise you will have to go to the consulting rooms for the Doctor appointed by the insurance company. The insurance company will always try to arrange for their Doctor to see you locally.

An insurance company is most likely to ask for a medical where the sum insured is high or where there are existing health issues.

However, a request to have a medical does not necessarily mean they will increase your premium or that they are concerned about your health. In most cases it is just because you are applying for a level of cover higher than their medical limits.

Your insurance company will always meet the cost of the medical.

Frequently Asked Questions related to the above topic.
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