Best Serious Illness Cover in Ireland | A Sneak Peek

What you’re going to read could get me in trouble…

You see, Zurich aren’t launching the “best serious illness cover in Ireland” until Friday.

So it’s all very hush-hush.

But just for you… I broke into their offices, contorted my body like an Olympic gymnast to beat their laser beam security system, hacked into the mainframe and stole borrowed some files.

So here goes, a sneak peek at what is now, without doubt the best serious illness cover in Ireland.

But first, a little background:

Didn’t Zurich already have the best serious illness cover in Ireland?

Arguably yes but it was a close run thing with Royal London.

Do you know that 87% of all serious illness claims are for cancer, heart attack and stroke?

Two years ago Zurich Life improved their heart attack and stroke definition. This made it easier for you to make a successful claim.

Royal London soon copied them and added some extra illnesses.

So they both made it easier to get a payout for heart attack and strokes….but what about cancer?

What stage of cancer leads to a serious illness payout?

Cancer is the single largest cause of death and serious illness claims at Zurich Life.

But there are many lower levels of cancer that will not result in a payout.

I know, it sounds crazy, as if cancer isn’t a serious illness.

This can be heartbreaking for people who bought serious illness cover on the promise they were covered for cancer.

It also makes it harder for me to stand behind serious illness cover as a product.

But now thankfully, Zurich are shaking things up and making it easier to claim:

Once you receive surgery for cancer treatment, you will receive a payout of up to 50% of the serious illness or cancer cover benefit, up to a maximum of €15,000.

Which insurer covers the most serious illnesses?

Zurich have also added some new serious illnesses to their policy including:

• Spinal stroke
• Kennedy’s disease
• Necrotosing fascitis : “flesh eating bug”

Is this just window dressing?

Maybe.

The likelihood of contracting one of these illnesses is slim.

I would prefer to see Zurich continue to improve the definitions of the illnesses they already cover instead of adding new illnesses.

But maybe that’s in their plans – I didn’t have time to hack those files.

Zurich’s new serious illness cover (in full)

Zurich Life have launched 11 new product changes today, in summary:

• There are 3 new full payments that have been added to their full Specified Illness Listing.
• There are 6 new partial payments that have been added to their partial Specified Illness listing.
• There has been an enhancement to the loss of limb illness definition. This is no longer a partial payment and is now a full payment.
• They have removed Rheumatoid Arthritis from their Specified Illness offering.

Zurich Life have added the below new definitions to their Partial Payment Illnesses listing, these new Partial Payments pay 50% of your serious illness amount up to a maximum of €15,000

1. Carcinoma in situ – treated by surgery to remove the tumour
2. Central Retinal Artery Occlusion or Central Retinal Vein Occlusion resulting in Permanent Visual Impairment
3. Cystectomy Complete Removal of the Urinary Bladder
4. Neuroendocrine Tumour of Low Malignant Potential with Surgery
5. Ovarian Tumour of Borderline Malignancy / Low Malignant Potential with Surgical Removal of an Ovary
6. Permanent Pacemaker Insertion

Zurich Life have also introduced a new guaranteed insurability option for their stand-alone specified illness cover offering:

The insurability option lets you increase benefits without further medical evidence, following certain life events such as the birth of a child or marriage, etc.

However you are normally restricted to increasing their existing benefits only

(i.e if you have life cover, you can increase life cover, if you have serious illness cover, you can increase the serious illness cover)

Zurich Life have now expanded these to take account of your changing needs as you go through different life stages:

For example, should you decide to take out a standalone specified illness cover policy, then in future experience a life event, you can then add life cover to your policy without answering medical questions.

So even if your health has suffered since you took out the serious illness cover, Zurich cannot take this into account.

Pretty nifty eh?

Over to you…

If you’re considering serious illness cover, Zurich are now the only show in town.

If you bought serious illness cover recently, compare what you have to what Zurich offer.

It may make sense to switch to Zurich Life if you want to be sure you have the best serious illness cover in Ireland.

As ever if you need some help, complete the short form below.

Critical illness cover is a minefield that we’ll guide you through…without blowing you up.

Nick McGowan
lion.ie | making life insurance easier