CRITICAL ILLNESS
Critical Illness insurance is still in its infancy in the United States, but it is gaining ground. A physician, Marius Barnard invented Critical Illness Insurance in South Africa, circa 1985. Barnard first verbalized the obvious: for almost all his patients, a catastrophic health event such as diagnosis of cancer, heart attack, or stoke was a life transforming event, leading, in the vast majority of cases, to personal financial ruin due to massive non-reimbursable expenses. While Critical Illness pays
out on diagnosis of very serious maladies, it has almost none of the features of health insurance and most of the features of life insurance. The major Critical Illness claim diagnosis events (cancer, heart attack, stoke) are also the major “killers” of human beings. Overall, nearly 75% of all deaths are caused by these three diseases. Critical Illness Insurance is purchased for the insured’s own sake, while life insurance is purchased for beneficiaries.
The odds of surviving a life altering critical condition are better than ever due to advances in medical treatments, early detection and prevention. Surviving such an illness can bring serious emotional and financial hardship especially those illness that may lead a person needing services at a facility for recuperating. A Critical Illness policy is a type of insurance that can help cover the many expenses traditional medical or disability insurance doesn’t address.
Upon diagnosis, rather than waiting for the need, this type of policy pays a cash benefits by various means that can be used towards things like home renovations, domestic help, travel expenses for long-distance treatment options. Since this policy pays in cash as opposed to reimbursement, the money is yours free and clear to use however you wish. Premiums for this policy can be paid in various frequencies to fit your budget so as to provide an opportunity for this type of protection.