Although most people do not like to consider the possibility that it will happen to them, the chances of developing a serious illness are high enough to make it important to do so.

After all, 20% of men and 17% of women in the UK develop a serious illness that prevents them from working, at some point in their lives.

Although Critical illness Insurance cannot alter the odds of becoming critically ill, it can help you to deal with the financial consequences of developing a long term illness which makes it impossible for you to work.

Around 12 million people in the UK are covered by Critical Illness Insurance and providers have paid out over £1.6billion in claims to people since it was first introduced.

If you have Critical Illness Insurance cover and you are diagnosed with a serious illness you will receive a tax free lump sum payment from your insurance company. This lump sum is normally in the region of £250,000.

The money that you receive from your Critical Illness Insurance policy can be used in any way that you like. For example, you can use the money to pay for medical care, pay off your mortgage or simply to cover daily living expenses that you could not otherwise meet as a result of being out of work.

So given the usefulness of Critical Illness Insurance and the likelihood of developing a serious illness at some time, why do so many people opt not to take out Critical Illness Insurance cover?

One of the main reasons for people not having Critical Illness Insurance cover is a failure to understand the probability of becoming seriously ill. However, given that the average age of people making claims on their Critical Illness Insurance policies is 47, and that around one in five adults in the UK develop serious illness at some time, this reluctance to acknowledge the facts is ultimately extremely dangerous.

Therefore, Critical Illness Insurance is necessary for two key reasons. First, it provides you with financial security in the event of serious illness. And secondly it is necessary because it gives you peace of mind that if the worst should happen, you and your family will be taken care of.