Making changes to your Critical Illness Cover policy

The information on this site relates to our current range of products and additional benefits. If you already have an existing Critical Illness Cover policy with us please refer to your original policy documents as they may differ from the following information depending on when you took your policy out.

We understand that your circumstances may change in the future. So that your policy can adapt with your needs - we offer some options that may help. Terms & Conditions apply. For more information please read the Policy Booklet PDF 513 KB.

Changing your policy

At certain key points of your life, you may need to increase the amount of cover you have.  For example, you become a new parent or decide to move to a bigger house. These types of events usually mean that you need more protection.

The good news is we let you increase your cover without the need for any further medical information on the occurrence of specified events – making the process as easy and hassle free as possible.

Things you need to know

You may be eligible to increase your cover within six months of one of the following events occurring:

• birth of a child or legal adoption of a child/legal guardianship
• you get married or enter into a registered civil partnership
• you divorce or dissolve a registered civil partnership
• your earnings increase due to a new job or promotion
• you increase your mortgage because you're moving home or undertaking major home improvements.

Your cover can be increased by up to 100% of the original amount on each occasion that the option is used, but this is limited to a maximum of £200,000 for personal protection.

If the option is being used due to a mortgage increase then it’s also limited to the amount of the increase to the mortgage.

If you’re using this option because of an increase in earnings, this is calculated as the percentage increase in earnings multiplied by the original amount of cover. 

The option can be used multiple times, but the total of all increases must not exceed the maximum total permitted of £200,000 for personal protection.

To do this you must take your plan out before your 55th birthday and we must not have applied a premium increase to your cover. If you do choose to exercise this option we won’t ask any more medical questions. This is subject to terms and conditions and the rates at the time of the increase will apply.

This option is not available, after your 55th birthday or if you have been diagnosed with or received treatment for our definition of a critical illness, carcinoma in situ of the breast treated by surgery or low grade prostate cancer requiring treatment. If you are having symptoms or tests for a condition covered by the policy, this option will not be available until your test results confirm you do not have a condition covered by the policy.  

Other changes

You may be able to make other changes to your policy. You can apply for a change to:

• extend or reduce the period of cover
• increase or decrease the amount of cover
• removing a life on a joint policy
• the way you pay your premiums (either monthly to annually, or vice versa).

We also offer the following:

• Joint life separation - this means a joint policy can be split into two single policies if a couple divorce, dissolve their registered civil partnership if either of you take over an existing mortgage in one name, or take out a new mortgage in one name. Change must be requested within 6 months of the event and is not available if either of the lives insured has had a valid claim for either carcinoma in situ or the breast or low grade prostate cancer. Please see the Policy Booklet for full terms & conditions. 

These changes could affect the premiums that you pay and we would have to assess any change request based on your circumstances at the time.