With out-of-pocket health care costs rising, it makes sense to consider an insurance policy that could cover expenses not covered by your regular health insurance. One such policy is critical illness insurance.
These policies pay out a lump sum in the event you’re diagnosed with a serious illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke. They can help offset the cost of medical bills, mortgage payments and non-medical expenses like transportation and childcare.
The cost
As a supplemental insurance policy, critical illness coverage pays out a lump sum of money when you receive a diagnosis for one of the covered conditions. Those conditions can include heart attacks and strokes (which occur every 34 seconds, on average), cancer, and other life-threatening diseases or medical events.
While some critics have argued that this type of insurance does not provide true protection, others note that the cost is much less than disability insurance and can help you avoid financial stress and the need to dip into your savings. The cost of a critical illness policy is based on your age, gender, and health status, but is typically lower for people who are younger and healthier. The lump sum payments may be taxable, depending on your tax situation. You can purchase a standalone critical illness policy or add it to your life insurance policy as a rider. Many employers offer these policies as a voluntary benefit to offset the impact of high-deductible health plans.
The coverage
Unlike traditional medical insurance, critical illness plans offer a lump-sum payout that can be used as you wish. You could use it for out-of-pocket expenses, mortgage payments, transportation costs or even experimental treatments not covered by your current medical plan.
Dealing with a serious disease is hard enough, without having to worry about your finances. With a comprehensive critical illness policy, you can shift your focus to healing instead of paying your bills.
Critical illness insurance can be a great supplement to a high-deductible health plan, or for those with no medical coverage at all. It’s especially useful for people with a family history of certain illnesses or who don’t have much emergency savings. Plus, it doesn’t require extensive underwriting like other supplemental policies, such as life insurance. Instead, most people qualify with a few quick yes-or-no questions. This makes it an easy option for most families.
The flexibility
When you shop around for a critical illness insurance policy, there are many options to choose from. You can purchase a standalone policy or add it to your life insurance policy as a rider.
A critical illness policy can offer a range of benefits, including covering some of the out-of-pocket expenses associated with medical bills and lost income. It can help you avoid dipping into your savings kitty or delaying your retirement.
While the cost of this supplemental coverage may seem steep, it is worth considering if you’re worried about out-of-pocket expenses from an unexpected health event. While the hope is that you’ll never need to use it, a critical illness policy can give you a financial safety net in case of the unthinkable.
The peace of mind
Having critical illness insurance can provide peace of mind that you won’t be left with big medical bills or debt after an unexpected illness. It also helps you know that your family is financially protected and can focus on recovery.
Serious illnesses like heart attacks and stroke can be life-changing, and they can also be financially disruptive. Out of pocket costs and lost income can add up quickly, and it may take years for your savings to recover. With a critical illness policy, you’ll receive a lump sum payout that you can use however you want.
As the popularity of high deductible health plans has increased, so too has the demand for supplemental coverage to help cover the cost of big expenses. A critical illness plan is an affordable option to consider, and it’s a great way to ensure that you don’t end up in financial crisis after a major illness or injury.