Am I eligible to take out critical illness cover?

To add critical illness cover to your life insurance policy, you must be a UK resident aged 18 to 63 on your next birthday. The policy must end before your 65th birthday. To add critical illness cover to a mortgage decreasing term policy, you must be aged 18 to 60 on your next birthday, because the minimum term is 5 years. You can apply for a policy that covers just you, or you plus another person. If two people are covered by the policy, it will only pay out once. This is because cover ends once a valid claim has been made and the full cash lump has been paid.

What critical illnesses are covered under this policy?

With Sainsbury's critical illness cover you will be covered for up to 39 illnesses that could affect your life and work – that's 16 more than the Association of British Insurers guidelines. Cancer, heart attack and stroke are a few of the illnesses covered. However, because of medical advances, not all types will have a severe impact on your lifestyle and not all will be covered by your policy. For example, a cancer needs to have spread or reached a specified severity to be covered under the policy. Similarly heart attacks that cause tissue damage are covered, but minor heart attacks that cause little tissue damage aren’t. In addition angina, which is a different type of illness, isn’t covered. Also, a stroke that results in permanent symptoms is covered, but if you only suffer temporary symptoms that disappear in a few days (sometimes called a mini-stroke) that isn’t covered.

Will my premiums stay the same?

You can choose between guaranteed or reviewable premiums. Guaranteed premiums stay the same throughout your policy unless you change your cover, you'll always know what your monthly payment will be. Reviewable premiums are reviewed every 5 years during the term of your policy. After your review, your monthly payment could go up, down or remain the same. Reviewable premiums may be cheaper than guaranteed premiums when a policy starts.

How long can I take a policy out for?

Your critical illness policy can cover you for a duration of 2 to 40 years, up to the age of 65. If your adding critical illness cover to a mortgage decreasing term policy, the duration is 5 to 40 years, up to the age of 65.

Do my children also receive some critical illness cover?

Yes, critical illness cover for your children is included at no extra cost. All your children, step-children and legally adopted children aged from 30 days to 18 years old are included. Your policy also covers any children born or legally adopted during the term of the policy. The maximum individual claim is £25,000 or 50% of your chosen amount of cover, whichever is lower. A maximum of two claims can be paid under children's critical illness cover, after this the benefit will end. However, your policy will not be impacted by children's critical illness claims and would continue to provide cover. There are some term and conditions and you should make sure you've read them, please see the Key Features Document.

How does accidental death benefit help me during my application process?

'Sometimes, when you submit your life insurance application Legal & General may not be able to give you an immediate decision and may request more information. During this time they provide you with free accidental death benefit so that you still have protection in place. There is no cost for this cover and no underwriting required – giving you added peace of mind that you have cover in place in the event of an accident. Some terms and conditions apply, please see the Key Features Document.

As my policy includes life and critical illness cover, does that mean it could pay out twice, once when I get a critical illness and then again if I die?

No your policy will only pay out once, either on diagnosis of a covered critical illness or on death. Your policy ends once a valid claim has been made and a cash lump sum paid out. However, if your claim is for mastectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ or a children's critical illness claim, the policy will continue as normal.

What if I need to make a change to my policy?

We understand that your protection needs may change during the term of your policy and you may need to change your level of cover. Our policies are flexible allowing you to change your cover in line with your new circumstances. Flexibility options include:

• Changing the duration of your policy
• Increasing or decreasing the amount of cover
• Removing a person from a joint policy where cover is no longer required

What's the difference between using my guaranteed insurability option and using one of the flexibility options?

The guaranteed insurability option allows you to increase the amount of cover when specific life changes occur. No further medical evidence or health assessments are required. If you want to increase the amount of cover using one of our flexibility options it’s likely that an additional medical assessment will have to take place, this can be done at any time during your policy. If your cover changes, your premium will change.

What happens to my policy if I claim under the mastectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ definition?

An additional benefit is payable if you claim under the mastectomy for ductal carcinoma in situ definition. The benefit is 25% of the sum assured or £25,000, whichever is lower. This benefit is in addition to your main sum assured so your cover will not end after this payment is made. Your cover and monthly premium will continue as normal.

What's the difference between terminal illness cover and critical illness cover?

Terminal illness cover is included at no extra charge on all of Legal & General's life insurance polices with a duration of 2 years or more. It’s also one of the 39 specified illnesses under critical illness cover. If you don’t add on critical illness cover to your life insurance policy, you can claim under the terminal illness cover definition if you’re diagnosed as ‘suffering from an advanced or rapidly progressing incurable illness where, in the opinion of the Chief Medical Officer of Legal & General, your life expectancy is less than 12 months’. Our critical illness cover includes terminal illness as one of the specified illnesses, it offers a wider range of protection.

Can I put a life insurance policy that includes critical illness cover, in trust?

Trusts, provided by Legal & General are suitable for life insurance policies that include critical illness cover, because they’re classed as ‘split trusts’. This means if you claim for a critical illness, the cash lump sum is paid to the policy owner. In the event of a death claim, the benefit is paid in accordance with the trust.

I want to apply for a policy that includes critical illness cover but am currently pregnant. How do I answer the weight question?

As your weight during pregnancy is not a true reflection of your normal weight. When asked, please state what your weight was immediately before falling pregnant.

If I claim under the children's critical illness cover, or the mastectomy definition, what happens to my policy?

These benefits are paid in addition to your main policy so your cover will not end after you receive your pay out. Your cover and monthly premium will continue as normal.

I'm not sure how to answer the smoker and alcohol consumption questions. Can I have some help please?

Have you used any tobacco products within the past 12 months?

If you’ve have smoked ANY tobacco products in the last year you must declare it, even if you have now given up smoking.

What is your average weekly consumption of alcohol?

Answer this question based on your current level of alcohol consumption, even if this has changed recently. Later in the application you will be asked if your level of alcohol consumption has changed over the previous 5 years and whether you've been medically advised to reduce your level of alcohol consumption.

If I need to make a critical illness claim, what should I do?

If you or your representatives need to make a claim, please write to us at:

Claims Department
Legal & General Assurance Society Limited
City Park
The Droveway
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 7PY

When we receive notification of a claim, we'll send you or your representative a claim form to complete and return to us. We may ask you to provide us with certificates or other evidence that we need.

We may ask you to have a medical examination. To make a valid critical illness claim, all diagnosis and medical opinions must be from a medical specialist: 

• who holds an appointment as a consultant at a UK hospital:
• whose specialism is appropriate to the cause of the claim: and
• who is accepted by our Chief Medical Officer.

To make a valid terminal illness claim your life expectancy, both in the opinion of an attending consultant and our Chief Medical Officer, is less than 12 months.