Welcome, how can we help?
Policy Types
Getting Technical
Home / Critical illness cover / - Deafness
Background information
In total, over 8 million people are deaf or hard of hearing.
Of these, 673,000 are severely or profoundly deaf, relying on lipreading and requiring a textphone or video phone.
(RNID, 2002)
Definition
Total permanent and irreversible loss of all hearing in both ears.
What does this mean?
Loss of hearing may be caused by illness, for example a stroke, or by a serious accident. The loss must be total, permanent and irreversible. Therefore a claim would not be paid if the loss was only partial or was a temporary condition.
NEWS
Critical illness customers must read the small print
03 December 2007 13:20:18
People looking for critical illness cover have been reminded to explore all their options before settling on a policy.
Independent financial experts IFA Brokers highlighted that critical illness insurance policies and the conditions they cover vary widely, while anyone seeking a premium should do it sooner rather than later.
"Critical illness insurance pays benefits on the diagnosis of certain specified critical illnesses; the range of diseases covered has increased to more than 30, though contracts differ from one company to another," observed a spokesperson for the organisation.
"Policies should cover seven core conditions: cancer, coronary artery bypass, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant, multiple sclerosis and stroke. They will also pay out if a policyholder becomes permanently disabled as a result of injury or illness," the representative continued.
With serious illness affecting one in four women and one in five men before they reach retirement age, critical illness insurance is designed to ease financial pressures by paying a tax-free lump sum if an individual becomes seriously ill or disabled.
IFA Brokers noted that rises in claims and the cost of advances in medical technology have led many insurers to cut back on the conditions they cover, or to impose restrictions on what counts as a critical illness.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
Stub out and save £3,150 on life insurance
20 June 2007 14:37:23
Quitting smoking could save you more than £3,000 on life insurance premiums, a new study has shown.
The findings, from comparison site Moneysupermarket.com, revealed that a 25-year, £100,000 life insurance policy for a 35-year old smoker would cost £17.90 per month with Norwich Union.
This monthly charge is 79 per cent higher than that for a non-smoker, with the non-smoker making a saving of £2,370 over the 25-year course of the policy.
Policyholders with LV= were hit even harder for smoking, paying more than twice as much as non-smokers; quitting would save £3,150 over the policy term.
Emma Walker, head of life insurance at Moneysupermarket commented on the findings:
"The premium difference between a smoker and a non-smoker is vast and there are considerable savings to be made simply by shopping around for the cheapest deal to suit your circumstances."
"The upcoming smoking ban has inspired 1.2 million smokers to say they intend to quit by July 1st, so if you're keen to give up, you should find plenty of support from others in the same position."
However, she confirmed that providers would only lower the premiums if a former smoker had been truly successful in kicking the habit:
"In order to be classed as a non-smoker and qualify for life-insurance premium savings, insurers insist on smokers having packed it in for a full year."
"Once smokers have given up for 12 months, they should go back to their insurer and ask for non-smoker rates, subject to tests to prove they have quit."
Caffeine linked to blood sugar levels
28 January 2008 14:26:11
It may be of interest to those considering life insurance that people with diabetes may be able to improve their health by reducing the amount of caffeine they consume, according to a new study.
Researchers from the Duke University Medical Centre found that people with type two diabetes can increase their blood sugar levels with daily consumption of caffeine.
Ten people with type two diabetes were studied during the research, with those consuming caffeine found to have higher daily sugar levels.
Dr James Lane, lead researcher, said that it remained unclear why caffeine had such an impact upon sugar levels.
"It could be that caffeine interferes with the process that moves glucose from the blood and into muscle and other cells in the body where it is used for fuel," he explained.
Type two diabetes is treated by making lifestyle changes, such as having a healthier diet, losing weight and increasing physical activity, Diabetes UK reports.
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
03 December 2007 13:20:18
People looking for critical illness cover have been reminded to explore all their options before settling on a policy.
Independent financial experts IFA Brokers highlighted that critical illness insurance policies and the conditions they cover vary widely, while anyone seeking a premium should do it sooner rather than later.
"Critical illness insurance pays benefits on the diagnosis of certain specified critical illnesses; the range of diseases covered has increased to more than 30, though contracts differ from one company to another," observed a spokesperson for the organisation.
"Policies should cover seven core conditions: cancer, coronary artery bypass, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant, multiple sclerosis and stroke. They will also pay out if a policyholder becomes permanently disabled as a result of injury or illness," the representative continued.
With serious illness affecting one in four women and one in five men before they reach retirement age, critical illness insurance is designed to ease financial pressures by paying a tax-free lump sum if an individual becomes seriously ill or disabled.
IFA Brokers noted that rises in claims and the cost of advances in medical technology have led many insurers to cut back on the conditions they cover, or to impose restrictions on what counts as a critical illness.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
20 June 2007 14:37:23
Quitting smoking could save you more than £3,000 on life insurance premiums, a new study has shown.
The findings, from comparison site Moneysupermarket.com, revealed that a 25-year, £100,000 life insurance policy for a 35-year old smoker would cost £17.90 per month with Norwich Union.
This monthly charge is 79 per cent higher than that for a non-smoker, with the non-smoker making a saving of £2,370 over the 25-year course of the policy.
Policyholders with LV= were hit even harder for smoking, paying more than twice as much as non-smokers; quitting would save £3,150 over the policy term.
Emma Walker, head of life insurance at Moneysupermarket commented on the findings:
"The premium difference between a smoker and a non-smoker is vast and there are considerable savings to be made simply by shopping around for the cheapest deal to suit your circumstances."
"The upcoming smoking ban has inspired 1.2 million smokers to say they intend to quit by July 1st, so if you're keen to give up, you should find plenty of support from others in the same position."
However, she confirmed that providers would only lower the premiums if a former smoker had been truly successful in kicking the habit:
"In order to be classed as a non-smoker and qualify for life-insurance premium savings, insurers insist on smokers having packed it in for a full year."
"Once smokers have given up for 12 months, they should go back to their insurer and ask for non-smoker rates, subject to tests to prove they have quit."
28 January 2008 14:26:11
It may be of interest to those considering life insurance that people with diabetes may be able to improve their health by reducing the amount of caffeine they consume, according to a new study.
Researchers from the Duke University Medical Centre found that people with type two diabetes can increase their blood sugar levels with daily consumption of caffeine.
Ten people with type two diabetes were studied during the research, with those consuming caffeine found to have higher daily sugar levels.
Dr James Lane, lead researcher, said that it remained unclear why caffeine had such an impact upon sugar levels.
"It could be that caffeine interferes with the process that moves glucose from the blood and into muscle and other cells in the body where it is used for fuel," he explained.
Type two diabetes is treated by making lifestyle changes, such as having a healthier diet, losing weight and increasing physical activity, Diabetes UK reports.
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