Life insurance claim

Hello Suebe

Thanks for getting in touch. I am sorry to hear about your husband’s diagnosis, sounds like there is a lot going on for you both just now.

Some life assurance policies include a ‘Terminal Illness’ benefit and it sounds like this is what your husband is looking to make a claim on. Terminal illness benefit means that if doctors expect an individual to have a prognosis of less than 12 months, the policy may pay out early.

Usually when a claim is started, the insurer will normally send a claim form for completion and return. The information the insurer asks for will normally relate to the cancer diagnosis, such as the date of diagnosis, prognosis, and cancer type. They will also ask for GP and Oncologist details.

Once this is sent back to the insurance company, the claims team will usually contact the treating specialists for details of the exact diagnosis and treatment plans and for confirmation of your husband’s life expectancy. They may also write out to his GP.

If your husband has any medical letters that already show prognosis, it can sometimes speed up the claim if you submit these back with the claim form. If you haven’t been provided with anything that shows this, usually the insurer would be the ones to request this information.

Generally, the pay-out can be kept even if your husband lives longer than 12 months. It’s worth noting that some policies don’t allow a terminal illness to claim in the last 12-18 months of the policy term. On some occasions the terminal illness claim may pay out slightly less in comparison to a payment on death, so it can be worth checking this before proceeding with the claim further.

It may be better to discuss exactly what has happened up to this point over the phone so we can better support your husband’s claim moving forward. There could also be other additional features to look out for on the policy. It may also be beneficial to chat to us about your wider circumstances such as mortgages, pensions or any other insurances. You can speak with a Financial Guide on the telephone number below or via webchat.

We also have a Welfare Rights team who can chat to you about any benefits you and your husband might be entitled to. They can also explain how an insurance pay-out might affect any means tested benefits. They can be contacted via webchat or over the phone on the number below. Our Information & Support team are also available should you need any emotional support or if you have any non-financial questions to ask. They can be contacted via webchat.

To get through to all the above services over the phone, our Supportline telephone number is 0808 808 0000, please just select the service you need.

Kind regards,

Chris H

Financial Guide