Remember to always give the insurance company all of your medical history information they need when you're setting up your policy because if they find even a slight irregularity then your whole policy could be void - and you might not find out until you need to claim on your policy.
If for any reason you're unsure about something it's better to mention it up front. You never know what the insurance company might decide is relevant and again any sort of misinformation could mean your policy not paying out when you really need it to.
If you're concerned about giving out medical information then most policy providers will let you send information directly to their Medical Officer. This means you don't have to discuss personal or sensitive information with your adviser - it's always worth asking about this.
It's important to remember that the premium a salesperson or website quotes you is only an estimate. The premium you have to pay to provide the cover you require will be confirmed later, after taking into account your medical history. If there is any change in the premium quoted due to a medical or occupation loading, the provider will normally confirm that you are happy to pay the extra amount prior to putting the plan in force.
Always check the documents you're given at point of sale to check you are being quoted for what you need.
And you can never be too careful. It's boring but going back over the details of type of cover, conditions, extent of cover, exemptions and illness lists will help to ensure that you know exactly where you stand with your policy.
Finally think about why you want the cover. Remember if it's exclusively to cover a lost income or pay of the remainder of your mortgage there may be more suitable types of insurance specifically designed for these purposes.
To research your critical illness position further you can use our exclusive interactive research tool, the critical illness finance navigator.
