Skip to main content

Children’s critical illness cover

There in case your child gets sick with a condition to ease the financial strain

Get advice & quotes Call 0800 316 3166

Children’s critical illness cover can be added to an adult’s policy. If your child gets sick and it pays a lump-sum to help your finances should your world get turned upside down.

What is children's critical illness cover?

If your child is diagnosed critically ill with a condition specified if your policy, then your insurer will pay a tax-free lump-sum to help you manage financially.

Policies vary, but usually you can cover a child from a few days after birth right up to adulthood. And for even longer if your child plans further education and will remain financially dependent on you.

What does a children’s critical illness policy cover?

Children’s critical illness cover is similar to an adult critical illness policy in that it’ll cover many types of cancers, heart conditions and other critical issues children may face.

The conditions insurers cover may differ, provider to provider, so if you’ve something specific you want to talk about, a LifeSearch expert adviser can advise what’s possible.

What doesn’t it cover?

Children’s critical illness policies don’t cover every possible condition or injury. For a sense of scale, one insurer we work with covers over 50 conditions or possibilities. Another covers over 65 conditions or possibilities.

If you have something specific you wish to cover, or want to check what conditions are covered in an existing policy, please just pick up that phone and speak with a LifeSearch expert adviser.

How does money help?

Money isn’t magic. It doesn’t make an awful situation disappear, but it helps at a practical level. There are extra and sometimes hidden costs when anyone gets critically ill, especially children:

What happens when you claim on a children’s critical illness policy?

LFS logo
LifeSearch From our Adviser Team

If your child suffers from an event or illness specified in your policy you can claim. In that instance, let LifeSearch know. We have an in-house claims team who can support you through the claims process. That’s one less thing for you to worry about on your own while there’s important stuff going on at home.

There may be questions and some back-and-forth with doctors but LifeSearch can stay on top of that as we liaise with the insurer and other relevant parties to ensure the swiftest, best resolution possible.

How the claim unfolds, and what happens after, depends on what was agreed when you bought your policy. Where children’s critical illness cover is a bolt-on to an adult’s cover, some insurers pay a percentage of the adult’s total pay-out amount.

How much does critical illness cover cost?

The average cost of a Life + Critical Illness policy, over the term of 25 years

Starting Age Cost to cover payout of £75,000
25
£19.14
30
£25.01
35
£31.66
40
£46.31
45 £66.70
50
£99.91
55
£154.62

 

*Pricing information obtained 08/06/2023. This data is based on a non-smoker with no medical history.

These prices do not necessarily include children's critical illness cover, as it's dependent on each insurer. Speak to LifeSearch Adviser for more information.

Critical illness cover can be a standalone product but more often than not it is bought alongside life insurance - to cover all bases and because it’s usually more affordable to bundle.

How much you pay for critical illness cover depends on where you’re at now (age, health, circumstances), and how much cover you want – i.e. how much you want your lump sum payout to be.

Critical illness cover cost and cover calculator

Our simple calculator can help you to work out what insurance you need and give you estimated costs for different types of life cover. You can then speak to an adviser or buy online.

Get costs & cover ideas

Frequently asked questions and tips on children's critical illness cover

Easy guides to help you get started

See all our advice & guides

LifeSearch are recommended by

LifeSearch Limited is an Appointed Representative of LifeSearch Partners Limited, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Calls may be monitored/recorded.