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Home / Critical illness cover / - Alzheimer's Disease
Background information
There are now over 700,000 people with Dementia.
By the year 2010, if the current rate of growth continues, this figure will rise to 850,000.
(Alzheimer's Society, 2002)
Definition
Alzheimer’s disease having progressed to the extent that continual supervision and the assistance of another person is required. The diagnosis must be supported by evidence of progressive loss of ability to:
- remember;
- reason; and
- perceive, understand, express and give effect to ideas.
The condition must be irreversible with no reasonable prospect of there ever being any improvement.
What does this mean?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and degenerative disease. The nerve cells in the brain deteriorate and the brain shrinks. The symptoms can include a severe loss of memory and concentration but there is an overall decline in all mental faculties.
NEWS
Brits raise need for life cover
12 September 2007 14:19:35
Poor awareness of the dangers of hypertension is placing thousands of families at risk, it has been suggested.
According to the Blood Pressure Association, a third of UK adults are unaware that they suffer from the condition, with the resultant increased risk of heart attack and stroke making life insurance and critical illness cover more important than ever.
The association suggests that at 21,000 lives could be saved annually if those with undiagnosed hypertension were detected and treated.
The Health Survey for England reveals that the treatment of all undiagnosed patients could reduce the amount of heart attacks by 30 per cent and lower stroke fatalities by 40 per cent.
Blood Pressure Association chairman, Graham MacGregor, commented: "Raised blood pressure is the biggest cause of death in the UK through the strokes, heart attacks and heart failure it causes.
"We need to find these missing millions as high blood pressure can easily be treated with lifestyle changes and - if necessary - tablets prescribed by a GP."
He added that every British adult should be tested for the condition.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, and critical illnesslife insurance policies online.
Diabetes cases doubled in past ten years
01 February 2008 16:10:22
A new health survey for England has revealed that the amount of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has doubled over the past ten years.
The survey has also revealed that almost a third of men and 28 per cent of women suffer from high blood pressure but the condition is much more common in people over the age of 65.
"People with lower incomes also have worse health, with more people reporting heart disease or stroke, and having diabetes or untreated high blood pressure," said Dr Jennifer Mindell of University College London.
According to the survey, one in seven adults have some form of cardiovascular disease. Death rates from cardiovascular disease have been falling despite the amount of people over 75 with heart related illnesses increasing.
In related news, a separate study has revealed that women with a large bra size or more likely to develop diabetes than women with a smaller bra size.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, and critical illnesslife insurance policies online
L&G aims to reduce non-disclosure
16 July 2007 11:40:15
Top UK life insurance firm Legal & General (L&G) has argued that they are always on the lookout for ways to help customers avoid having their critical illness claims rejected for non-disclosure.
The provider declined 12.2 per cent of critical illness insurance claims last year for non-disclosure, and welcomed the new guidelines for critical illness definitions introduced by the Association of British Insurers.
An L&G spokesman said that keeping customers informed was crucial for the entire insurance industry.
"We welcome any move by a life insurer to improve customer confidence in critical illness cover," he commented.
"However, what many people may not realise is that, under certain circumstances, the industry already pays claims where there is non-disclosure that had no effect on the application terms."
He continued: "We are constantly looking at ways of reducing non-disclosure and there are clear, unequivocal warnings on our application forms."
L&G paid out on 83.3 per cent of critical illness claims made in 2006, awarding a total of £92 million.
12 September 2007 14:19:35
Poor awareness of the dangers of hypertension is placing thousands of families at risk, it has been suggested.
According to the Blood Pressure Association, a third of UK adults are unaware that they suffer from the condition, with the resultant increased risk of heart attack and stroke making life insurance and critical illness cover more important than ever.
The association suggests that at 21,000 lives could be saved annually if those with undiagnosed hypertension were detected and treated.
The Health Survey for England reveals that the treatment of all undiagnosed patients could reduce the amount of heart attacks by 30 per cent and lower stroke fatalities by 40 per cent.
Blood Pressure Association chairman, Graham MacGregor, commented: "Raised blood pressure is the biggest cause of death in the UK through the strokes, heart attacks and heart failure it causes.
"We need to find these missing millions as high blood pressure can easily be treated with lifestyle changes and - if necessary - tablets prescribed by a GP."
He added that every British adult should be tested for the condition.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, and critical illnesslife insurance policies online.
01 February 2008 16:10:22
A new health survey for England has revealed that the amount of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has doubled over the past ten years.
The survey has also revealed that almost a third of men and 28 per cent of women suffer from high blood pressure but the condition is much more common in people over the age of 65.
"People with lower incomes also have worse health, with more people reporting heart disease or stroke, and having diabetes or untreated high blood pressure," said Dr Jennifer Mindell of University College London.
According to the survey, one in seven adults have some form of cardiovascular disease. Death rates from cardiovascular disease have been falling despite the amount of people over 75 with heart related illnesses increasing.
In related news, a separate study has revealed that women with a large bra size or more likely to develop diabetes than women with a smaller bra size.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, and critical illnesslife insurance policies online
16 July 2007 11:40:15
Top UK life insurance firm Legal & General (L&G) has argued that they are always on the lookout for ways to help customers avoid having their critical illness claims rejected for non-disclosure.
The provider declined 12.2 per cent of critical illness insurance claims last year for non-disclosure, and welcomed the new guidelines for critical illness definitions introduced by the Association of British Insurers.
An L&G spokesman said that keeping customers informed was crucial for the entire insurance industry.
"We welcome any move by a life insurer to improve customer confidence in critical illness cover," he commented.
"However, what many people may not realise is that, under certain circumstances, the industry already pays claims where there is non-disclosure that had no effect on the application terms."
He continued: "We are constantly looking at ways of reducing non-disclosure and there are clear, unequivocal warnings on our application forms."
L&G paid out on 83.3 per cent of critical illness claims made in 2006, awarding a total of £92 million.