Critical Illness Insurance

Definition of "Critical illness insurance"

Rick Schweikert real estate agent

Written by

Rick Schweikertelite badge icon

Tropical Realty

Insurance policy that pays a face amount/ lump sum if the insured is diagnosed with a specified critical illness. This sum is paid directly to the insured regardless of any other sources of income (job-related and non-job-related), expenses incurred (medical and nonmedical), and any other factors. Generally, critical illnesses include stroke, heart attack, cancer that is life threatening, paralysis, deafness, organ transplant requirement, blindness, and kidney failure. Some policies pay a percentage of the face amount, for example 15 to 30%, if a less serious illness occurs or medical procedure such as a coronary bypass must be performed. The illness does not have to result in the disability of the insured (total or partial); the insured still receives the face amount payment. This type of insurance can be purchased as a separate policy or as a rider to a LIFE INSURANCE or DISABILITY INCOME policy. The face amount is not paid if the insured dies within 30 days of being diagnosed with the covered illness and there is usually a WAITING PERIOD before the coverage is in force. This coverage may be purchased on both a personal and business basis.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Direct payment to a new custodian for a retirement plan. This payment is not a taxable event since it is not a distribution. The payment must be between like plans; for example, one ...

Same as term Commutation Right: right of a beneficiary of a life insurance policy to exchange the future installments due that beneficiary for a lump sum distribution. ...

Type of flexible spending account. ...

Language in the insurance policy that can be considered unclear or subject to different interpretations. Under these circumstances, the courts have generally ruled in favor of insured ...

Publication stipulating underwriting rules applicable for a given line of insurance, classifications of exposures within that line of insurance, and premium rates per classification. For ...

Plan in which funds are currently allocated to purchase retirement benefits. An employee is thus assured of receiving retirement payments, even if the employer is no longer in business at ...

Sum total of all assets owned by the decedent to include personal property, real property, and trust property. ...

Bulletin issued June, 1993, with disclosure requirements that strongly suggest that insurance companies establish reserves or add to current reserves for asbestos and environmental risks to ...

Insurance company whose corporate charter and bylaws prevent assessment of its policyowners, regardless of how adverse its loss and expense experience may become. ...

Popular Insurance Questions