Critical Illness Cover in the UAE: Benefits, Features, and Top Plans
Critical illness coverage is essential in the UAE, where the high cost of healthcare can quickly overwhelm you if you're diagnosed with a serious medical condition. With this type of insurance, however, you can get financial protection through a lump sum payout when diagnosed with major illnesses ...read more
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Qualified Policybazaar expert will assist you Given the increasing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases and the need for advanced medical care, critical illness cover ensures that you can manage the cost of treatment, recovery, and daily expenses without financial strain.
What is Critical Illness Cover?
A critical illness protection plan is a financial safety net that covers you if you are diagnosed with a major critical illness — this can be cancer, renal failure, stroke, etc.
On the detection of any such critical illness, this plan provides a lump sum. You can use the amount to cover your medical treatment, daily expenses, loans or liabilities (if any), and more. This safeguards both your health and your family's financial well-being, allowing you to focus on recovery rather than worrying about the economic burden of serious illnesses.
What are the Benefits of Critical Illness Cover?
Discussed in detail below are critical illness cover’s benefits —
- Financial Protection for Life-threatening Diseases - A critical illness protection plan offers a financial safety net in case you (the life assured) get diagnosed with any of the critical illnesses mentioned in the plan.
- A Lump Sum Amount for Treatment - When you are diagnosed with a critical illness, the insurance provider pays out a lump sum amount. This amount can be used to cover the treatment costs as you deem fit.
- Shorter Waiting Periods - Unlike regular term plans, critical illness insurance plans have shorter waiting times. This helps you get the necessary financial assistance without any delays.
- Funding for Expensive Treatments - The lump sum amount you get can help in covering even expensive treatments. In fact, considering the high sum of critical illness plans, you can get financial assistance for all kinds of treatments be it experimental treatments, alternative medicine, or specialist pharmaceuticals.
What are the Features of Critical Illness Cover?
Discussed below are the key features of critical illness coverage —
- Critical Illness Coverage - Critical illness insurance covers major medical conditions like cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and organ failure. These plans provide financial security by covering the costs of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from severe health issues.
- Lump-sum Payment - If diagnosed with a covered critical illness, you get a lump sum payment. Unlike other insurance types, this amount is fixed, regardless of actual treatment costs.
This means how you use the lump sum totally depends on you. The amount, for instance, can be used for medical expenses, alternative treatments, household expenses, or lifestyle adjustments during recovery. - Affordable Premiums - Critical illness insurance offers coverage at a lower premium compared to other insurance types, like disability or comprehensive health insurance. Its affordability makes it easier for people to protect themselves from high medical costs.
- Easy Claim Process - The leading insurance companies streamline the claim process for critical illness coverage, ensuring minimal paperwork and quick access to funds. This simplified approach helps policyholders during tough times.
- Waiting Period - Critical illness plans usually have a waiting period before you can file a claim. While this duration is usually shorter than that of other plans, it’s still advisable to look for a plan with a shorter waiting period.
- Loss of Income - In case of a critical illness diagnosis, the lump sum payout can be used for treatment and to compensate for income loss during recovery.
Top Critical Illness Protection Plans
Here are the top critical illness protection plans in the UAE —
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Zurich Critical Illness Protection
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Sukoon DigiCI (Critical Illness) Cover for critical illnesses including —
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Arabia Female Cancer Cover Cover for diseases including -
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Arabia Critical Illness Basic Cover for diseases like -
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Arabia Critical Illness Plus Listed below are the diseases covered under this plan —
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Arabia Critical Illness Premium The diseases covered under this plan include —
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What are the Major Critical Illnesses Covered under This Plan?
Listed below are the major critical illnesses usually covered under this type of insurance —
- Major Cancers
- Heart Attack (of a Certain Degree)
- Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
- Aplastic Anaemia
- End-stage Liver Failure
- Deafness
- Loss of Speech
- Major Organ/Bone Marrow Transplantation
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Aorta Surgery
- Fulminant Hepatitis
- Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
- Benign Brain Tumour
- Bacterial Meningitis
- Blindness
- Paralysis
- Progressive Scleroderma
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Lupus Nephritis
- Loss of Independent Existence
- Stroke
- Kidney Failure
- End-stage Lung Disease
- Coma
- Heart Valve Surgery
- Major Burns
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s Disease/Severe Dementia
- Motor Neuron Disease
- HIV due to Blood Transfusion and Occupationally-acquired HIV
- Viral Encephalitis
- Angioplasty and Other Invasive Treatment for Coronary Artery
- Major Head Trauma
- Terminal Illness
- Apallic Syndrome
- Poliomyelitis
| You may also like this - How is Terminal Illness different from Critical illness ? |
Who Can Buy a Critical Illness Protection Plan?
The financial safety net that critical illness coverage provides to an individual and their family can be invaluable for almost everyone. Nevertheless, for your reference, here’s a list of categories of individuals who can buy a critical illness protection plan —
- Individuals with a Family History of Critical Illness – If your family has a critical illness history related to Cancer, Kidney issues, Stroke, and so on, you should consider opting for this plan. In case you get diagnosed with a critical illness, the plan can help you in smart financial planning for the treatment.
- Sole Earners – If you are your family's main breadwinner, you handle all the financial responsibilities. Investing in critical illness insurance can help prevent a financial crisis if you or a family member faces a serious health issue.
- Individuals with Demanding Jobs – Stress can lead to serious health issues like Heart Attacks, Cancer, and more. If you have a demanding job, consider getting a critical care plan to protect yourself from future financial strain.
- Individuals 40 years and above – After turning 40, the risk of serious health issues increases.
To avoid being unprepared, it’s wise to invest in a healthcare plan with critical illness coverage in your 30s. At this age, your finances are typically stable but you are still considered young from insurers’ perspective, making it easier to get affordable premiums.
Things to Consider When Buying a Critical Illness Protection Plan
To ensure comprehensive financial protection, keep in mind a few things when buying a critical illness protection plan —
| Things | Description |
|---|---|
| Sum Assured | The sum assured is crucial in critical insurance plans. If you're diagnosed with a covered critical illness, you receive a lump sum payment, regardless of medical costs. This amount is determined when you buy the policy, so it’s essential to choose the right sum assured. |
| Standalone Policy vs. Insurance Rider | Choosing between a standalone critical illness policy or a critical illness insurance rider depends on your coverage needs. A standalone policy offers better coverage but comes with a higher premium. In contrast, coverage from a rider is limited to the base plan’s sum assured. For instance, if your base plan is AED 1 million, the rider’s coverage may also be capped at AED 1 million. A standalone plan is generally recommended for more comprehensive coverage. |
| Sub-limits | Critical illness insurance policies often set sub-limits for tests and surgeries based on the illness, affecting your out-of-pocket expenses. Coverage may be limited by these sub-limits, so understanding this aspect is vital to avoid unexpected costs during claims. |
| Inclusions and Exclusions | Inclusions and Exclusions |
| Age | Your age significantly impacts the coverage available under critical illness insurance. Older adults face higher risks for critical illnesses like heart disease and may incur higher premiums compared to younger adults. Choose a plan based on your age group. |
| Maximum Renewal Age | When buying a plan, consider the maximum renewal age for critical illness coverage. Some policies only offer coverage up to a certain age, while others allow lifelong renewal. Ideally, choose a plan with the highest renewal age. |
| Waiting Period | Critical illness insurance plans have a waiting period that varies as per the policy, specific conditions, and more. During this time, you cannot file a claim. Select a plan with a shorter waiting period for better benefits. |
| You may also like this - 5 Reasons Why Your Term Plan Needs a Critical Illness Benefits |
Where to Buy the Best Critical Illness Covers in the UAE?
You can easily compare and buy the best critical illness protection plan on Policybazaar.ae. This is a third-party aggregator where you can find and buy the best-suited plan for yourself and your family. It has an easy-to-use interface that makes it possible to get the best critical illness cover in just a few clicks.
When you use Policybazaar.ae, you get the flexibility to select the best plan at an economical rate. Some other benefits include —
- Flexibility to compare and select the best plan
- Access to free credit score
- Assistance from industry experts
- 24/7 customer care service
Frequently Asked Questions
Serious medical conditions like Strokes, Cancer, Organ Failure, major surgeries, and more are covered under this insurance type.
You need to provide documents like identity proof, address proof, medical records, and other documents requested by the provider to buy a critical illness protection plan.
The factors affecting critical illness cover premiums include your health condition, age, the insurance provider you choose, coverage quantity, and more.
This depends on the underwriting of the plan that you opt for. Read the policy document carefully before making a purchase.
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