Critical illness cover with life insurance
Critical illness cover can be added for an extra cost when taking out term life insurance or decreasing life insurance. Cover is provided by L&G.
Do I need critical illness cover?
Critical illness cover is designed to help you financially if your life is impacted by a critical illness. If your regular income is affected, or you do not have any savings you can use, it can help you and your loved ones through difficult times.
If you are diagnosed with one of L&G's specified critical illnesses like cancer, a heart attack or a stroke, your normal income might stop, but your bills might not. Critical illness cover can give you a tax‑free lump sum to help you cope financially.
You might want to think about critical illness cover if you:
- have a mortgage, rent or household bills to pay
- have children or others who depend on you financially
- would struggle if your life or regular income was affected by a critical illness
Critical illness cover is optional. It costs extra and can only be added when you first buy a term or decreasing life insurance policy. You’ll be offered the chance to add it when getting your quote. You can choose the amount of cover you want, and how long you want it to last, and see how much it’ll cost. It cannot be added on after a policy has been purchased.
The policy summary and policy terms and conditions explain this in more detail.
Reasons to choose
Children's critical illness cover
This is included as part of your critical illness policy, at no extra cost. It’s there to help relieve financial and other pressures if your child has a specified critical illness.
Separate policies
Your critical illness cover will be separate from your life insurance policy, so both could be claimed on.
Build your policy to suit you
You can choose the level of life insurance that fits your needs and add critical illness cover if you want extra protection.
What is critical illness cover?
Critical illness cover gives you a lump sum of money if you’re diagnosed with something covered by the policy.
How the critical illness cover works
Take out a policy and pay a monthly cost
Choose how much cover you want. When you buy life insurance, you can add critical illness cover. You then pay a monthly amount to keep your policy running.
If you’re diagnosed with a covered critical illness, make a claim
You will need the policy number, name of the policyholder and contact details for your GP or medical consultant.
Once the claim is accepted, the money is paid to you
After your claim is approved, you receive a lump sum payout to use however you need. If it's a main policy holder claiming, the critical illness policy ends but their life policy continues. If it's a children's critical illness cover claim, the main critical illness cover and life policies continue. There can only be one children's critical illness cover claim per child, for up to 2 children.
What critical illness cover offers you
If you make a successful claim, you’ll receive a lump sum payment. This money can help you:
- keep up with your mortgage or rent
- cover household bills
- pay for childcare or extra support
- take time off work to recover
- make changes to your home or lifestyle if needed
What does it cover?
The policy covers a wide range of serious illnesses and medical procedures, including:
- cancer (excluding less advanced cases)
- heart attack
- kidney failure
- loss of sight, hearing, speech or limbs
- multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- stroke
The illness must meet the exact definition set out in the policy documents.
When does critical illness cover end?
The policy runs for an agreed number of years. Cover ends when the policy:
- pays out for main policyholder
- term ends
- is cancelled
Welcome gift worth £140 for members or £100 for non-members
Take out a new life insurance policy and receive a welcome gift worth £140. If you're not a member, you can join for just £1. Non-members will still receive a gift worth £100.
You can choose from one of the following:
- Amazon.co.uk Gift Card - restrictions apply
- Love2shop e-Gift card
- Cash paid by cheque
You will receive your gift after 6 months of regular payments. Offer ends 30 November. Terms and conditions apply.
Critical illness cover and pre-existing conditions
Critical illness cover does not usually cover medical conditions you already had before your policy started. When you apply, you’ll be asked health and lifestyle questions. It’s important to answer these honestly. If a condition started before your policy began, or shows symptoms before you’re covered a claim for that condition may not be paid.
In some cases, cover may still be offered with restrictions or different terms. Always check what is and is not covered before you buy.
Awards and ratings
Co-op Insurance won the Customer Experience Award at the 2025 British Insurance Awards. This event celebrates excellence in the insurance industry.
Defaqto is one of the most trusted sources of financial product intelligence. It has given this cover 5 Stars, which is the highest rating possible.
Moneyfacts award the best insurers in the UK. Consumers have chosen our partner, L&G, as the Life Insurance Provider of the Year (Direct) 9 times.
Children's critical illness cover
Children’s critical illness cover is included at no extra cost. It pays out if a child covered by your policy is diagnosed with a serious illness during the policy term.
Covers for up to 2 children with your policy, you can only make one claim per child.
Covers the same critical illnesses as adult cover
Pays up to 50% of your cover amount, capped at £25,000 per child
Your costs do not change after a children’s claim and your life insurance and critical illness cover continues unaffected
Your child is covered up to their 18th birthday, or their 21st if they are in full time education
Pays up to £5,000 if your child is hospitalised for 28 days or more after an accident.
Your child must be at least 30 days old and survive for 14 days after diagnosis. This cover can help with time off work, travel, childcare or other unexpected costs while your child is ill.
Key things you should know about critical illness cover
Critical illness cover has limits, so it’s important to understand what it does not cover.
You will not be able to claim if:
the critical illness does not meet the policy definition
symptoms started before the policy began
death occurs within 14 days of diagnosis
payments are not up to date
Only the first diagnosis of a critical illness will usually result in a payout. Once a full claim is paid, the policy ends but your life insurance will continue.
Existing customers
If you're an existing customer help is here for you.
Life Insurance from Co-op is offered through Co-op Insurance Services and is underwritten and administered by L&G (Legal & General Assurance Society Limited).
Calls are charged at local rates from landline and mobiles. If your phone has inclusive minutes these calls are normally included.
Applicants for insurance are subject to normal underwriting criteria.
Co-op Insurance Services Limited will receive a percentage commission from your insurance payments.