Hello
I can’t find anything recent regarding critical illness policy. My neighbour asked if I had checked any policies I had, diagnosed in March and was unaware that my Scottish Widows critical illness covered breast cancer till I looked. Sole policy payed since 2004.
Was a bit slow in chasing up GP and Consultants report. Underwriter now has GP but is waiting on Consultants report which is on its way I’ve been told today.
My diagnosis uses all the right words invasive etc which has been talked about on here.
My question naively is my policy states a set amount to be payed out the same amount for critical illness and death, my mortgage has just over 2 years left on it. Will the policy pay the full amount as stated to do as I wish with or is it likely to deduct the amount owing on my mortgage from what’s stated on my policy and pay out what’s left. Or just what’s owing on my mortgage. Hope this makes sense.
I fully intend to pay the remainder of my mortgage and have every finger crossed that they pay out. Kicking my self for not being quicker off the mark. My car is dying and bills are creeping up. Ironic to think I’ve payed out £30 a month for over 20 years and to think if I hadn’t got this horrible disease I would never have claimed, like car insurance I know but still.
Many thanks any thoughts would be appreciated x
I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through. This is a very supportive place and I hope that someone is able to share their experience with you regarding life insurance.
I have invasive breast cancer in both breasts, one is ER+ HER+ grade 2, found first, the other is ER+ grade 1, diagnosed via MRI.
I had a policy for 25 years to finish 28 April this year. I found one of the tumours on 2 April and mammogram on 13 April, I mentioned my critical illness policy as we’d had the endowment maturity letter to the radiographer who said there was something there that needs looking into further as I mentioned I found the lump. They were very careful not to give a diagnosis but this really helped.
I phone the insurance company that afternoon and they informed it would only be valid from a positive diagnosis within the policy term only. This obvmade me very upset thinking it wouldn’t pay out after all these years. My policy matured and they paid out but I raised a complaint. I was told they I could write with diagnosis that there were mitigating circumstances due to Covid delays, mammogram screening delays and health care worker strikes. I didn’t get my diagnosis till 15 May, 17 days after maturity, delays with biopsy results as well.
Suffice to say they did agree there were mitigating circumstances and they paid out… but it did take 6/8 weeks from my complaint and then another 3/4 weeks for the money.
From my policy if there is a mortgage against the policy it pays that first and then pays you the remainder.
Fingers crossed you will get yours. Cancer is an expensive business. My husband travelled a total of 160 miles on the day of my surgery dropping off and then picking up. 70 mile round trip for oncologist and 12 weeks of chemotherapy with weekly blood tests and 3 weekly consultant appointments ahead of us. The 3 weekly Herceptin for the rest of the year, not to mention radiotherapy after chemotherapy finishes. It’s not going to be cheap. I live in Wales and in the south there limited cancer centres.
Thanks for that. I made my initial claim at the end of June. I had to chase both GP and Consultant reports up. I gave them the benefit of the doubt as secretaries said there was holidays and covering of other staff. I have had confirmation of GO report to underwriter and the other is on its way. They’ve said 15 working days to decision once they have report. In the grand scheme of things o don’t suppose it’s that long but when you’ve bills to pay it is.
Thank you x
Hi, keep fighting and chasing
I had 1 policy pay really quickly but then one attached to my mortgage took ages and I constantly chased them
They ended up contacting the first company and requesting the missing medical info from them!
I did get it in the end plus interest
Another point the mortgage protection is paying out but the company don’t cover me any more as they finished end of June, my diagnosis was May 3rd, I have paid in for 20 plus years tho so do keep fighting
Much love xx
check the policy information and the terms and conditions
Term assurance policies can have a fixed amount ( sometimes called a sum assured) or a decreasing amount
Whole of life policies, endowments and other types of life cover policies can have critical ilnness as a bolt on option
If you search the life companies website they will have some generic helpful informative but your plan will be specfic to you and if it was recommend by a financial planner, IFA or broker you should have a suitability letter from them explaining what it does and a document called a key features which again all the details, including making a claim
A website called money helper also has some easy to understand information for further understanding
I had a mortgage protection policy with critical illness cover. Only had my mortgage 2 years out of a 16 year mortgage. I was paid out the full amount of outstanding balance. It was then up to me to go to my mortgage provider to clear it. I must say it was such a relief to know I didn’t have to find the payment every month if I couldn’t work. It did take a couple of months to settle the claim.
Hope you don’t wait to much longer x
P.s my mortgage provider also removed the early repayment
fees
Thanks very much, I’ve had 3 surgeries and have yet to travel for radiotherapy, just 5 days thankfully but petrol is still to pay for plus numerous trips back and forth to hospital as my scar from lymph nodes refused to heal. Months ago when I spoke to consultant about he said I would qualify but he was then off work so delay in form filling which is on its way to under writers I was told yesterday.
Thank you, I’ve read and reread small print. Halifax sent me the booklet too. I’ve just two years left and I am aware if they pay out my policy will lapse but at least I’ll be a bit better off a month no DD to pay.
Thank you x
I had actually forgotten about my policy because I had taken it out so long ago and I was actually on the very last year of being able to claim - so very slow off the mark.
I have to say it took quite some time for the Oncologist and Breast Surgeon to complete the required paperwork which they needed despite me sending copies of every letter and appointment.
However , the hardest thing was proving that my mortgage had been paid off ( I paid it off slightly early due to having taken a phased retirement )as I had thrown away the letter . Eventually I managed to contact an agent via the mortgage company web chat who sent me a letter to confirm this. If the mortgage had not been paid off it would have been the mortgage company who got the majority of the money . This was a policy I took out when I took my mortgage out though so was obviously tied to my mortgage .
Wishing you luck with your claim.
Hi
Thank you, I’ve just over 2 years left of my mortgage with the Halifax and wasn’t aware Scottish Widows were the under writer till I put a claim, grateful that a friend had enquired if I had any policies. I think there was 6 months to claim and I was on month 3.
I’ve been braver to chase getting reports back after reading what others had done on here. The consultant said I would qualify and the man from Scottish Widows asked if I had claimed before, no and was I the sole name, yes. Then asked if I would be interested in having a portion up front if the claim was accepted. Fingers crossed that they are happy with everything.
If you think the policy terms covers your situation & they do refuse to pay out, make sure you ask them to send details of their complaints procedure. If you follow that and they still refuse, then say you want to raise an official complaint. They should give you a reference number. I used to work for an insurance company & they really don’t want official complaints as they are counted by the Ombudsman (or whoever is the governing body at the time). If they get too many the Ombudsman will fine them and they don’t want the adverse publicity it generates.
Yes I had to do a formal complaint as I was so near to the end of my policy. If they reject your claim then you can go to the ombudsman but no guarantee the6 will side with you. It would heartless not to if your policy was valid when you had cancer not necessarily the final diagnosis. My final diagnosis took 4 months!
Hello, only just joined the forum so you may already have the answer.
The claim monies will be paid direct to you and you decide whether to repay some/all of the mortgage with them.
Please ask if you have any other questions as I’m a mortgage and protection broker and have 3 critical illness policies myself. I’ve just initiated the claims process on them all and will repay 10% of the mortgage balance (max allowed the the lender without early repayment charges) and put the rest in savings, but draw on them to pay the mortgage to free up more of my income.
Hope your claim goes through smoothly.
Thank you this is helpful. Still waiting but have received a phone call to say they had received GP report and a letter to say consultants had been forwarded to underwriters on the 23/08. Was told 15 working days so expecting to hear any time now.
My question, naive on the subject, I have 2 years and 3 months left and hope to pay mortgage off, to reduce monthly out goings like you. I can’t and don’t want a second job anymore for those extra luxuries. So would it be likely that I face charges on paying off a small amount. Is there a cut off point that mortgage lenders charge or would I be better continuing to pay mortgage off using the money like have suggested.
Any suggestions appreciated, don’t get me started on pensions! X
If you approach your mortgage company directly they will tell you how much it will cost for you to pay it off early . You don’t have to tell them why you’re considering doing that if you don’t want to. I paid mine off 3 and a bit years early and before I was diagnosed with BC. It was about the same amount as 2 monthly mortgage payments and personally I think it was worth it.
my experience of Scottish Widows payment of another policy type that my mother took out years ago was very bad. I would document everything as Scottish Widows is now owned by another company and their customer service is terrible. I would advise referring them to the financial ombudsman service if they are awkward provided of course you qualify for it as a critical illness covered by the policy. Good luck. She got paid out after about three or four months but I had to write as well as ring up Seagulls
Just to say thanks to everyone who have offered advice I’ve just checked my bank account and found the amount stated on my policy has been paid into my account.
Shock and relief to say the least!!!
No phone call or letter to confirm just there. I started this at the end of June with a GP and Consultant report confirming diagnosis.
Thanks to everyone again onwards and upwards for radiotherapy treatment next x
I’m glad you got the money In the end - takes some of the pressure off doesn’t it ? Wishing you all the best for your upcoming radiotherapy and continued recovery.