Securing Critical Illness Cover with Arthritis

Arthritis encompasses a group of conditions affecting the joints, causing inflammation, pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Securing Critical Illness Cover for individuals with arthritis can be challenging due to the varied nature of the condition. This article aims to guide you through the process, covering different types of arthritis, associated symptoms, medications and exploring the possibility of obtaining Critical Illness Cover in the UK.

Understanding Different Types of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Symptoms: Joint pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, and sometimes swelling. It commonly affects weight-bearing joints like knees, hips, and hands.
Description: OA occurs due to wear and tear on joints over time, causing the protective cartilage to break down.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Symptoms: Joint pain, swelling, stiffness, fatigue, and sometimes fever. It often affects multiple joints simultaneously, including small joints in the hands and feet.
Description: RA is an autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own joints.

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

Symptoms: Joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and skin changes such as psoriasis. It can affect any joint and may cause eye and nail problems.
Description: PsA is a type of arthritis that occurs in some people with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition.

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

Symptoms: Back pain, stiffness, reduced spinal mobility, and fatigue. It predominantly affects the spine but can also involve other joints.
Description: AS is a type of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints.

Securing Critical Illness Cover with Arthritis

Disclosure

When applying for Critical Illness Cover, full disclosure of your Arthritis diagnosis, treatments, and its impact on daily life is crucial. Insurance companies need to know the impact the condition currently has on your life, and the severity will have a direct impact on the price you pay. People with milder forms of Arthritis may see no change at all to premiums, whereas individuals with severe and life limiting Arthritis may struggle to secure policies altogether.

Medications and Treatment

Various medications are used to manage Arthritis:

Pain Relievers: Over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can alleviate pain and reduce inflammation.
Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs): These medications aim to slow down the progression of certain types of arthritis like RA.
Biologic Response Modifiers: These are a type of DMARD often used when other treatments fail to control RA or other autoimmune forms of arthritis.

Insurance companies in the UK also use the medication you take as a severity indicator, for example; someone taking over the counter pain medication or anti-inflammatories may be seen to have a less severe condition that someone taking DMARDs or Biologic Therapies. Some insurance companies may refuse Critical Illness Cover if you take certain medications, even if the symptoms experienced are mild.

Which Provider?

Every Insurance Company in the UK has slightly different underwriting rules for medical conditions and each case will be assessed individually. This is why we make sure to speak with every available underwriter to ensure we identify the most competitive option for each and every client we speak with. A persons age, smoking status, diagnosis date, medication, affected joints and associated complications will all be factored in when selecting a provider to make sure you get the best available policy on the market.

Exclusions and Policy Terms

It’s not uncommon that Insurers willing to offer Critical Illness Cover exclude any claims related to Arthritis, but we will assess every option and make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions of the policy before purchasing.