Critical Illness Cover for Diabetics with Zurich

Can a Diabetic get  Critical Illness Cover?

Well, if I had a penny for every time I’d been asked this I would be writing this guide from a brand new gold-plated I-Mac. On a beach. In Barbados.

I’m not however, but I am pleased to report that it looks like times are-a-changing in the protection market for Diabetics. Zurich are soon to launch their new underwriting philosophy which is set to include underwriting criteria to cover Diabetics for Critical Illness Cover.

This will cause a major stir in the market and demonstrates a real 21st Century approach to Diabetes as well as a genuine innovation within the insurance industry.

The key element to Zurich’s success with this is that it is to have no exclusions. This will step it far away from the BUPA/Friends Life CIC plan for Diabetics, which excluded every condition remotely linked to Diabetes, so that you were left with little more than an Accident and Cancer plan.

Zurich will aim to offer increased premiums to Diabetics rather than limiting cover. This will be for Type 2 Diabetes only and age restrictions will apply. The control of the Diabetes, duration and any complicating factors will dictate the likelihood of terms and whilst it may well start off on a strict basis, the door is officially open.

Surely now it will only be a matter of time before this is mimicked and probably bettered by other providers. Zurich should be commended for taking a stand against the typical market approach of continually trying to out-do competitors by adding further unpronounceable conditions to Critical Illness policies. They have instead opened Critical Illness Insurance out to a whole new market of customers.

One minor criticism – surely they could have launched this in time for National Diabetes week! Customers will have to wait until 24th June to take advantage of this new policy.

More Information

• If you would like more information on obtaining insurance when you have Type 2 Diabetes click here.