Copyright (c) 2010 Steve Wentworth

Introduction
This article is to highlight the most common conditions of critical illness affecting individuals in the UK. This highlights why critical illness cover for doctors or other health aware individuals can prove a significant benefit should you be diagnosed with such a serious condition.

Claims by condition
Based on facts and statistics provided by Aviva Insurance on their claims received in 2009. Cancer is by far the highest effecting illness in both men and women with 54% of claims form men and a huge 79% of claims for Women relating to cancer. Further a 20% claim rate for heart attack in men (2% in women) this is also a significantly high percentage. Multiple Sclerosis forms then next highest condition claims have been made for surprisingly above Stroke.
Illness Male Female
Cancer 54% 79%
Heart Attack 20% 2%
Multiple Sclerosis 6% 9%
Stroke 8% 5%
Heart surgery 6% 1%
Benign brain tumour 3% 3%
Other 3% 1%

When critical illness cover was first introduced insurers had to include cover for cancer, heart attack and stroke to be able to call their policies 'Critical illness Cover' however these policies have moved on now and include many more types of cover for the more serious life threatening conditions.

Claims by age
Continuing with data from Aviva Insurance 2009 claims, it is surprising to note that the highest level of claims are received from the age group 40-49, and even women age group 30-39 is significantly high.
Age group Male Female
Less than 30 2% 4%
30-39 27% 35%
40-49 45% 43%
50-59 24% 17%
60+ 2% 1%

The above research is only based on claims made but take into consideration that cancer is the highest of these and then looking at information from Cancer Research UK where it is stated that there are 298,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed every year in the UK alone (12.7 million cases worldwide). Every two minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed as having cancer in the UK. With Breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancers accounting for more than 50% of new cancers each year. Cancer can develop at any age.

Cancer UK Stats Male Female
No. new cases 2007 149,356 148,635
No. deaths 2008 81,712 75,011
5 yr survival rate 56% 43%

Adding further information from British Heart Foundation. Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer. With over a third of UK deaths caused by Cardiovascular disease, that's over 193,000 in 2007. CHD (Coronary heart disease) the main form of CVD (Cardiovascular disease) responsible for over 90,000 deaths in the UK ina single year. Heart failure is associated with severe disabling Morbidity around one third of people having heart failure, dyspnoea severely limits physical activity, with common day-today tasks such as washing, dressing or walking from room to room the effects breathlessness occur. Of the people who have had a heart attach more than 50% die within twenty eight days, three quarters of these die within the first 24 hours from having the heart attack. So therefore the longer survival post heart attack the best chances of maintaining life. Over three quarters of men aged between forty and sixty who have survived the twenty eight day period are still alive after 5 years.

Doctors and health professionals are seeking critical illness cover for protection as they are constantly faced with this information and are wisely protecting themselves and their families.