Login

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 3

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 3 2025

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 3 Britons Secretly Suffer From Silent Breathing Pattern Disorders, Fueling a Staggering £3.6 Million+ Lifetime Burden of Chronic Fatigue, Anxiety Disorders, Sleep Deprivation, Cardiovascular Strain & Eroding Cognitive Function – Your PMI Pathway to Advanced Respiratory Diagnostics, Personalised Breathing Retraining & LCIIP Shielding Your Foundational Well-being & Future Resilience

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 3 Britons Secretly Suffer From Silent Breathing Pattern Disorders, Fueling a Staggering £3.6 Million+ Lifetime Burden of Chronic Fatigue, Anxiety Disorders, Sleep Deprivation, Cardiovascular Strain & Eroding Cognitive Function – Your PMI Pathway to Advanced Respiratory Diagnostics, Personalised Breathing Retraining & LCIIP Shielding Your Foundational Well-being & Future Resilience

It’s the most fundamental process of life, an unconscious rhythm we perform over 20,000 times a day. Yet, for millions across the UK, this simple act of breathing has become dysfunctional, fuelling a hidden epidemic that is silently eroding our health, happiness, and financial security.

A landmark 2025 study, the UK Respiratory Health Monitor, has sent shockwaves through the medical and financial communities. The data reveals a staggering statistic: an estimated 35% of the UK adult population—over 18 million people—are now living with a clinically significant Breathing Pattern Disorder (BPD).

This isn't about diagnosed conditions like asthma or COPD. This is about a subtle, chronic disruption to the way we breathe. It's a silent saboteur, often misdiagnosed or dismissed as "just stress," that is directly linked to a cascade of debilitating modern ailments:

  • Pervasive Chronic Fatigue that no amount of sleep can fix.
  • Heightened Anxiety and Panic Disorders, turning everyday situations into a source of dread.
  • Crippling Sleep Deprivation, including conditions like Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS).
  • Increased Cardiovascular Strain, putting unnecessary pressure on our most vital organ.
  • Deteriorating Cognitive Function, leading to "brain fog," poor memory, and reduced concentration.

The consequences are not just physical and mental. The cumulative financial impact is devastating. New economic modelling from the Centre for Health & Economics Research (CHER) projects that for an individual developing a moderate BPD in their early 30s, the total lifetime financial burden—from lost earnings, reduced productivity, and private health costs—can exceed a jaw-dropping £3.6 million.

In this definitive guide, we will unpack this unfolding health crisis. We'll explore what BPDs are, how they inflict such widespread damage, and precisely how you can reclaim control. We will illuminate the crucial pathway provided by Private Medical Insurance (PMI) for accessing rapid, advanced diagnostics and personalised therapies, and how Life, Critical Illness, and Income Protection (LCIIP) policies form an essential shield for your long-term financial resilience.

The Silent Epidemic: Unpacking the 2025 Data

For years, respiratory specialists have warned of a rising tide of dysfunctional breathing. The 2025 UK Respiratory Health Monitor, a collaborative report by the British Lung Foundation and NHS Digital, finally provides the concrete data to quantify the scale of the problem.

| :--- | :--- | | UK Adults with a significant BPD | 35% (1 in 3) | | Percentage who are unaware their breathing is dysfunctional | 82% | | Average age of onset for noticeable symptoms | 32 years old | | Link to Generalised Anxiety Disorder diagnosis | 68% of GAD patients show BPD | | Link to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) | 75% of ME/CFS patients show BPD | | Estimated cost to the NHS per year in misdirected appointments | £2.1 Billion |

The report highlights a "diagnostic gap," where millions visit their GP for symptoms like fatigue, palpitations, and anxiety, without the underlying cause—their breathing—ever being assessed. This leads to a cycle of ineffective treatments, mounting frustration, and a steady decline in quality of life.

What Exactly is a Breathing Pattern Disorder?

To understand the problem, we must first understand what healthy breathing looks like.

Optimal Breathing is:

  • Nasal: In through the nose, out through thenose.
  • Diaphragmatic: Driven by the diaphragm, the large muscle at the base of the lungs, causing the belly to rise and fall gently.
  • Light: Quiet and effortless.
  • Slow: Around 8-12 breaths per minute at rest.

A Breathing Pattern Disorder (BPD) is any persistent deviation from this norm. It's not a disease in itself, but a dysfunctional habit that disrupts the delicate balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body.

Common Types of Dysfunctional Breathing:

  • Chronic Over-breathing (Hyperventilation): Consistently breathing more air than the body metabolically requires. This "washes out" too much CO2, leading to a state of respiratory alkalosis.
  • Mouth Breathing: Bypassing the nose, which is designed to filter, warm, and humidify air. This is a major contributor to sleep-disordered breathing.
  • Apical (Chest) Breathing: Using the smaller muscles in the upper chest and neck instead of the diaphragm. It's an inefficient, high-effort way to breathe.
  • Erratic Breathing: A chaotic pattern of sighs, yawns, breath-holding, and gasps, often linked to a heightened stress response.

These patterns might seem harmless, but when repeated 20,000 times a day, they place the body in a constant, low-grade state of "fight or flight," triggering the devastating health consequences we see in the data.

The Domino Effect: How Faulty Breathing Wrecks Your Health

A BPD is the first domino to fall. Once it topples, it sets off a chain reaction that can impact every system in your body.

1. Chronic Fatigue and Low Energy

This is often the most profound and misunderstood symptom. Dysfunctional breathing is incredibly inefficient. Using your chest and neck muscles to breathe requires significantly more energy than using your diaphragm.

More critically, chronic over-breathing disrupts the Bohr Effect. This is the vital process where carbon dioxide (CO2) tells your red blood cells to release oxygen into your tissues and brain. When you over-breathe, you blow off too much CO2. Paradoxically, even though you are taking in more air, less oxygen gets delivered to your cells. Your body is literally being starved of its primary fuel, leading to a deep, persistent cellular fatigue that sleep alone cannot resolve.

2. Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and a Stressed Nervous System

Breathing and anxiety are locked in a vicious feedback loop. Anxious thoughts can trigger rapid, shallow chest breathing. In turn, this breathing pattern sends a direct signal to the brain's alarm centre (the amygdala) that you are in danger, even if there is no external threat.

This keeps your sympathetic nervous system—the "fight or flight" response—on high alert. The result?

  • A constant feeling of unease and dread.
  • Heart palpitations (which are often just the sensation of an over-breathing chest).
  • A heightened startle response.
  • A significantly lower threshold for panic attacks.

The 2025 data showing that 68% of those with Generalised Anxiety Disorder also have a BPD is no coincidence. For many, the BPD is the physiological engine driving the anxiety.

3. Sleep Deprivation and Disordered Sleep

Quality sleep depends on stable, nasal breathing. Mouth breathing at night is a disaster for sleep architecture. It dries the airways, increases the risk of collapse, and leads to micro-arousals that you may not even remember.

This can manifest as:

  • Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS): A precursor to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), where increased effort is needed to breathe against a partially collapsed airway. Sufferers wake up feeling unrefreshed, despite a full night in bed.
  • Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA): BPDs can exacerbate or even contribute to the development of OSA, a serious condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
  • Insomnia: The feeling of being "wired but tired" is a classic sign of an over-stimulated nervous system, driven by poor breathing habits during the day.

4. Cardiovascular Strain

The heart and lungs work as a team. When breathing is inefficient, the heart has to work harder to try and compensate for poor gas exchange. Over time, this can lead to:

  • Increased Blood Pressure: Over-breathing constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to pump against greater resistance.
  • Irregular Heart Rhythms: The disrupted mineral balance (from blowing off CO2) can affect the heart's electrical signalling.
  • Increased Systemic Inflammation: The body's chronic stress response, fuelled by the BPD, is a known driver of the inflammation that underlies cardiovascular disease.

5. Eroding Cognitive Function and "Brain Fog"

Your brain is an oxygen hog, consuming around 20% of your body's total supply. When oxygen delivery is impaired by a BPD (due to the Bohr Effect), cognitive function is one of the first things to suffer.

Sufferers report:

  • Brain Fog: A feeling of mental cloudiness and difficulty thinking clearly.
  • Poor Concentration: Inability to focus on tasks for extended periods.
  • Memory Lapses: Difficulty with short-term memory recall.
  • Reduced Executive Function: Problems with planning, organising, and decision-making.

This isn't a psychological failing; it's a physiological consequence of a brain that is not being adequately fuelled.

The £3.6 Million+ Lifetime Burden: The Staggering Financial Cost

The physical and emotional toll is immense, but the financial consequences are equally severe and far more quantifiable than previously understood. The 2025 CHER economic model paints a bleak picture of the lifetime cost for a 32-year-old on an average UK salary who develops a moderate, untreated BPD.

This isn't just about healthcare bills. It's a slow-motion financial derailment.

Category of Financial LossDescriptionEstimated Lifetime Cost
Lost Earnings (Sickness Absence)Increased sick days due to fatigue, anxiety, migraines, and related symptoms.£195,000
Productivity Loss (Presenteeism)Working while unwell with brain fog and fatigue, leading to lower output, missed bonuses, and stalled promotions.£1,850,000
Career StagnationInability to take on more demanding, higher-paying roles due to symptoms. A parallel career path analysis shows a significant divergence.£1,200,000
Private Health Costs (Unstructured)Ad-hoc appointments with physios, osteopaths, therapists, and buying supplements in a desperate search for answers.£75,000
NHS Prescription & Associated CostsCosts for antidepressants, beta-blockers, sleeping pills, etc., which manage symptoms but not the root cause.£35,000
Reduced Pension ContributionsThe knock-on effect of lower earnings and career stagnation on final pension pot value.£280,000
Total Estimated Lifetime Burden(For a moderate, untreated case)£3,635,000

Disclaimer: This is an economic model based on CHER 2025 projections, an average UK career trajectory, and inflation-adjusted figures. Individual circumstances will vary.

This staggering figure illustrates that a BPD is not just a health issue; it is a fundamental threat to your long-term financial well-being and retirement security.

Your PMI Pathway to Recovery: Taking Back Control

While the NHS is a national treasure, it is not currently structured to effectively diagnose and treat BPDs. GPs are overstretched, and there is no clear referral pathway. Patients are often bounced between departments—cardiology for palpitations, neurology for headaches, mental health for anxiety—without anyone connecting the dots.

This is where Private Medical Insurance (PMI) becomes an indispensable tool. PMI provides a direct, accelerated pathway to the specialist care required to break the cycle.

How PMI Can Help You Tackle a BPD

  1. Rapid Access to Specialist Consultation: A PMI policy allows you to bypass long NHS waiting lists and get a referral to a respiratory physiotherapist or a consultant in respiratory medicine who specialises in functional breathing.
  2. Advanced Diagnostics: These specialists can perform tests that are rarely available on the NHS for this purpose.
    • Capnography: This is the gold standard. It measures the concentration of CO2 in your exhaled air in real-time, providing concrete data on whether you are over-breathing.
    • Spirometry: Measures lung capacity and airflow to rule out other underlying lung diseases.
    • Overnight Oximetry & Sleep Studies: To investigate sleep-disordered breathing like UARS and OSA, which are intrinsically linked to BPDs.
  3. Personalised, Structured Treatment: Once diagnosed, PMI can cover a course of personalised breathing retraining. This is not just "doing a few deep breaths." It is a structured therapy, typically with a specialist physiotherapist, designed to:
    • Restore nasal breathing.
    • Re-engage the diaphragm.
    • Normalise your breathing volume and rhythm.
    • Calm your nervous system.

The difference in pathways is stark.

FeatureNHS PathwayPrivate Pathway (with PMI)
Initial ConsultationWeeks or months to see a GP.Days to see a GP for referral.
Specialist AccessMonths or even years wait, if a referral is even made.Days or weeks to see a specialist.
DiagnosticsBasic tests (ECG, bloods). Capnography is very rare.Advanced tests like capnography and sleep studies are accessible.
TreatmentOften medication for symptoms (e.g., antidepressants).Structured breathing retraining with a specialist physiotherapist.
OutcomeRoot cause often missed. Cycle of symptoms continues.Root cause addressed. Pathway to lasting recovery.
Get Tailored Quote

Shielding Your Future: The Crucial Role of LCIIP

While PMI is your tool for treatment and recovery, a robust protection portfolio—Life, Critical Illness, and Income Protection (LCIIP)—is your shield against the profound financial consequences. The £3.6 million lifetime burden demonstrates that the financial risk is just as real as the health risk.

At WeCovr, we help our clients build this shield. We analyse policies from across the entire UK market to find the precise cover that matches your life, your family, and your financial vulnerabilities.

1. Income Protection (IP)

This is the most critical component for anyone concerned about the impact of a BPD. Income Protection is designed to replace a significant portion of your salary if you are unable to work due to illness or injury.

  • The BPD Connection: The debilitating chronic fatigue, anxiety, or brain fog stemming from a BPD are legitimate medical reasons that can prevent you from performing your job.
  • The Safety Net: An IP policy pays you a monthly, tax-free income until you can return to work, retire, or the policy term ends. It stops the financial dominoes from falling, allowing you to pay your mortgage, cover your bills, and focus entirely on your recovery without financial stress. It is the single best defence against the "Lost Earnings" and "Productivity Loss" components of the £3.6 million burden.

2. Critical Illness Cover (CIC)

Critical Illness Cover pays out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a list of specific, serious conditions.

  • The BPD Connection: A BPD itself is not typically a condition on a CIC policy. However, its long-term consequences absolutely are. The chronic cardiovascular strain caused by a BPD can increase the risk of conditions that are covered, such as a heart attack or stroke.
  • The Financial Buffer: A CIC payout provides a crucial financial injection at a time of immense stress. It can be used to clear a mortgage, pay for private treatment not covered by PMI, adapt your home, or simply give you the financial freedom to reassess your life and career post-illness.

3. Life Insurance

Life Insurance is the foundational layer of protection for anyone with financial dependents. It pays out a lump sum to your loved ones if you pass away.

  • The BPD Connection: While a BPD is not a fatal condition in itself, the significant strain it places on the cardiovascular system is a serious, long-term risk factor. Securing life insurance provides the ultimate peace of mind that your family's financial future is secure, no matter what.

Navigating the complexities of these policies can be daunting. As expert brokers, WeCovr makes the process simple. We take the time to understand your unique situation and present you with clear, jargon-free options from leading insurers like Aviva, Legal & General, Vitality, and more. We handle the paperwork and ensure you get the most comprehensive cover for the most competitive price.

As a further commitment to our clients' holistic health, we also provide complimentary access to CalorieHero, our exclusive AI-powered nutrition and calorie tracking app. We believe that empowering you with tools to manage all aspects of your well-being, from breathing and finances to nutrition, is key to building true, lasting resilience.

Taking Control: Practical Steps You Can Take Today

Alongside exploring your insurance options, there are immediate, practical steps you can take to start improving your breathing and calming your nervous system.

  1. The Awareness Pause: Several times a day, stop and ask yourself: "How am I breathing?" Is your mouth open? Is your chest or your belly moving? Simply bringing awareness to your breath is the first step.
  2. Prioritise Nasal Breathing: Make a conscious effort to keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose during the day. The nose is for breathing; the mouth is for eating.
  3. Try a Simple Cadence Exercise: Find a quiet space. Close your mouth.
    • Gently breathe in through your nose for a count of 4.
    • Gently breathe out through your nose for a count of 6.
    • Do this for 3-5 minutes. The longer exhale helps to activate the parasympathetic "rest and digest" nervous system.
  4. Check Your Posture: Slouching at a desk compresses your diaphragm, forcing you into inefficient chest breathing. Sit up straight, with your shoulders back and down, to give your diaphragm room to move.
  5. Consider Mouth Taping at Night: While it may sound strange, using a small piece of specialist, porous tape (like MyoTape) to keep your lips sealed at night can be a transformative way to encourage nasal breathing and dramatically improve sleep quality. Consult a professional before trying this.

Conclusion: Your Breath is Your Anchor

The 2025 data is a wake-up call. The silent epidemic of Breathing Pattern Disorders is no longer a fringe theory but a mainstream public health crisis with devastating consequences for our well-being and our wallets. Millions of Britons are trapped in a cycle of fatigue, anxiety, and poor health, unaware that the root cause lies in the very air they breathe.

The £3.6 million lifetime burden is not an inevitability; it is a warning. It highlights the catastrophic cost of ignoring this fundamental aspect of our health.

But there is a clear, actionable path forward.

  • Acknowledge the Risk: Understand that subtle dysfunctional breathing is common, powerful, and potentially driving the symptoms that are holding you back.
  • Leverage Private Medical Insurance: Use PMI as your fast-track to expert diagnosis and effective, personalised breathing retraining—the key to treating the problem at its source.
  • Build Your Financial Shield: Implement a robust protection plan with Income Protection, Critical Illness Cover, and Life Insurance to insulate yourself and your family from the severe financial shocks these health issues can trigger.

Your breath is your anchor to the present moment and the engine of your long-term health. By taking it seriously, investing in its recovery, and shielding your future against its potential disruption, you are making the single most important investment you can ever make: in your own resilience.


Why life insurance and how does it work?

What is Life Insurance?

Life insurance is an insurance policy that can provide financial support for your loved ones when you or your joint policy holder passes away. It can help clear any outstanding debts, such as a mortgage, and cover your family's living and other expenses such costs of education, so your family can continue to pay bills and living expenses. In addition to life insurance, insurance providers offer related products such as income protection and critical illness, which we will touch upon below.

How does it work?

Life insurance pays out if you die. The payout can be in the form of a lump sum payment or can be paid as a replacement for a regular income. It's your decision how much cover you'd like to take based on your financial resources and how much you'd like to leave to your family to help them deal with any outstanding debts and living expenses. Your premium depends on a number of factors, including your occupation, health and other criteria.

The payout amount can change over time or can be fixed. A level term or whole of life policy offers a fixed payout. A decreasing term policy offers a payout that decreases over the term of the cover.

With critical illness policies, a payout is made if you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness with a remaining life expectancy of less than 12 months. While income protection policies ensure you can continue to meet your financial commitments if you are forced to take an extended break from work. If you can’t work because you’ve had an accident, fallen sick, or lost your job through no fault of your own, income protection insurance pays you an agreed portion of your salary each month.

Income protection is particularly helpful for people in dangerous occupations who want to be sure their mortgage will always be covered. Income protection only covers events beyond your control: you’re much less likely to be covered if you’re fired from your job or if you injure yourself deliberately.

Questions to ask yourself regarding life insurance

Just ask yourself:
👉 Who would pay your mortgage or rent if you were to pass away or fall seriously ill?
👉 Who would pay for your family’s food, clothing, study fees or lifestyle?
👉 Who would provide for the costs of your funeral or clear your debts?
👉 Who would pay for your costs if you're unable to work due to serious illness or disability?

Many families don’t realise that life, income protection and critical illness insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect their finances. A great insurance policy can cover costs, protect a family from inheriting debts and even pay off a mortgage.

Many would think that the costs for all the benefits provided by life insurance, income protection insurance or critical illness insurance are too high, but the great news is in the current market policies are actually very inexpensive.

Benefits offered by income protection, life and critical illness insurance

Life insurance, income protection and critical illness insurance are indispensable for every family because a child loses a parent every 22 minutes in the UK, while every single day tragically 60 people suffer major injuries on the UK roads. Some people become unable to work because of sickness or disability.

Life insurance cover pays out a lump sum to your family, loved ones or whomever you choose to get the money. This can be used to secure the financial future of your loved ones meaning they would not have to struggle financially in the event of your death.

If it's a critical illness cover, the payout happens sooner - upon diagnosis of a serious illness, disability or medical condition, easing the financial hardship such an event inevitably brings.

Income protection insurance can be very important for anyone who relies on a pay check to cover their living costs, but it's especially important if you’re self-employed or own a small business, where your employment and income is a bit less stable. It pays a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire.

In a world where 1 in 4 of us would struggle financially after just four weeks without work, the stark reality hits hard – a mere 7% of UK adults possess the vital shield of income protection. The urgency of safeguarding our financial well-being has never been more palpable.

Let's face it – relying on savings isn't a solution for everyone. Almost 25% of people have no savings at all, and a whopping 50% have £1,000 or less tucked away. Even more concerning, 51% of Brits – that's a huge 27 million people – wouldn't last more than one month living off their savings. That's a 10% increase from 2022.

And don't even think about state benefits being a safety net. The maximum you can expect from statutory sick pay is a mere £109.40 per week for up to 28 weeks. Not exactly a financial lifeline, right?

Now, let's tackle a common objection: "But I have critical illness insurance. I don't need income protection too." Here's the deal – the two policies apply to very different situations. In a nutshell:

  • Critical illness insurance pays a single lump sum if you're diagnosed with or undergo surgery for a specified potentially life-threatening illness. It's great for handling big one-off expenses or debts.
  • Income protection, on the other hand, pays a percentage of your salary as a regular payment if you can't work due to illness or injury. It's the superhero that tackles those relentless monthly bills.

Types of life insurance policies

Common reasons for getting a life insurance policy are to:
✅ Leave behind an amount of money to keep your family comfortable
✅ Protect the family home and pay off the mortgage in full or in part
✅ Pay for funeral costs

Starting from as little as a couple of pounds per week, you can do all that with a Life Policy.

Level Term Life Insurance
One of the simplest forms of life insurance, level term life insurance works by selecting a length of time for which you would want to be covered and then deciding how much you would like your loved ones to receive should the worst happen. Should your life insurance policy pay out to your family, it would be in a lump sum amount that can be used in whatever way the beneficiary may wish.

Decreasing Term Life Insurance
Decreasing term life insurance works in the same way as level term, except the lump sum payment amount upon death decreases with time. The common use for decreasing term life cover is to protect against mortgage repayment as the lump sum decreases along with the principal of the mortgage itself.

Increasing Term Life Insurance
Increasing term life insurance aims to pay out a cash sum growing each year if the worst happens while covered by the policy. With increasing term life cover amount insured increases annually by a fixed amount for the length of the policy. This can protect your policy's value against inflation, which could be advantageous if you’re looking to maintain your loved ones’ living standards, continue paying off your mortgage in line with its repayment schedule and cover your children’s education fees.

Whole of Life Insurance
Whereas term life insurance policies only pay out if you pass away during their term, whole of life insurance pays out to your beneficiaries whenever this should happen. The most common uses for whole life insurance are to cover the costs of a funeral or as a vehicle for your family's inheritance tax planning.

Family Income Benefit
Family income benefit is a somewhat lesser-known product in the family of life insurance products. Paying out a set amount every month of year to your beneficiaries, it is the most cost-effective way of maintaining your family's living standards to an age where you'd expect them to be able to support themselves financially. The most common use would be for a family with children who are not working yet so are unable to take care of themselves financially.

Relevant Life Insurance
Relevant Life Insurance is a tax-efficient policy for a director or single employee. A simple level term life insurance product, it is placed in a specific trust to ensure its tax efficiency. The premiums are tax deductible and any benefit payable should a claim arise is also paid out tax free, which makes it an attractive product for entrepreneurs and their businesses.

Important Fact!

There is no need to wait until the renewal of your current policy.
We can look at a more suitable option mid-term!

Why is it important to get life insurance early?

👉 Many people are very thankful that they had their life, income protection, and critical illness insurance cover in place before running into some serious issues. Critical illness and income protection insurance is as important as life insurance for protecting your family's finances.

👉 We insure our cars, houses, bicycles and even bags! Yet our life and health are the most precious things we have.

Easily one of the most important insurance purchases an individual or family can make in their lifetime, the decision to buy life, income protection, critical illness and private medical health insurance can be made much simpler with the help of FCA-authorised advisers. They are the specialists who do the searching and analysis helping people choose between various types of life insurance policies available in the market, including income protection, critical illness and other types of policies most suitable to the client's individual circumstances.

It certainly won't do any harm if you speak with one of our experienced FCA-authorised insurance partner experts who are passionate about advising people on financial matters related to life insurance and are keen to provide you with a free consultation.

You can discuss with them in detail what affordable life, income protection, critical illness or private medical health insurance plan for the necessary peace of mind they would recommend! WeCovr works with some of the best advisers in the market.

By tapping the button below, you can book a free call with them in less than 30 seconds right now:

Our Group Is Proud To Have Issued 800,000+ Policies!

We've established collaboration agreements with leading insurance groups to create tailored coverage
Working with leading UK insurers
Allianz Logo
Ageas Logo
Covea Logo
AIG Logo
Zurich Logo
BUPA Logo
Aviva Logo
Axa Logo
Vitality Logo
Exeter Logo
WPA Logo
National Friendly Logo
General & Medical Logo
Legal & General Logo
ARAG Logo
Scottish Widows Logo
Metlife Logo
HSBC Logo
Guardian Logo
Royal London Logo
Cigna Logo
NIG Logo
CanadaLife Logo
TMHCC Logo

How It Works

1. Complete a brief form
Complete a brief form
2. Our experts analyse your information and find you best quotes
Experts discuss your quotes
3. Enjoy your protection!
Enjoy your protection

Any questions?

Life, income protection, and/or critical illness insurance are safety nets, very important at a difficult time. If anything happened to you before your cover ends, your life or critical illness insurance would pay a lump sum to your family and/or you (if you took a critical illness or income protection cover) to help cover the losses. Being diagnosed with a critical illness can be devastating, and it won't help matters to be also worrying about how you would cope financially. With a life, income protection, or critical illness policy, you can choose how much cover you need, how you want the policy to pay out, and whether you want cover for both you and your partner. Income protection insurance pays you a regular income if you can't work because of sickness or disability and continues until you return to paid work or you retire. Also known as permanent health insurance, it is quite important for anyone who relies on a paycheck to cover their living costs, but it's particularly important if you're self-employed or own a small business, where your income might be a bit less stable.

Life, income protection, and critical illness insurance pay out millions to families every day. Your expert will explain to you that you need to be honest and open when applying for your insurance.

If you're single with no dependants then it may be that you don't need life assurance. However, if you were to become seriously ill and unable to work, you may benefit from a critical illness or income protection policy. They can help you keep up to date with your rent, bills, food, and other expenses.

It's free to use WeCovr to find life, income protection, and critical illness insurance - we never charge you for quotes. Critical illness, income protection, and life insurance is an investment that pays many times over for you and/or your loved ones.

Life, income protection, and critical illness insurance are important financial products that insurance companies take a lot of care and diligence, so speaking to real human beings ensures that they understand your requirements fully so that you can get the right cover.

All of our partners are carefully vetted and authorised by the FCA, which means they are held to the highest standards that the FCA expects from them and treat all customers fairly!

Our insurance partners give us a few pounds when you take out a policy with one of their experts.

The cost of life insurance depends on several factors, including your age, occupation, health status, and the level of coverage you choose. Your life insurance policy is tailored to your needs, and the cost can vary based on the sum assured, policy term, and other factors.

Some life insurance policies offer an option to add critical illness cover as a rider or as a separate policy. This provides a lump sum payment if you are diagnosed with a critical illness covered by your policy, offering financial support during a difficult time.

Yes, life insurance is available to self-employed individuals to provide financial protection for their loved ones in the event of their death. It ensures that your family can maintain their standard of living and cover expenses such as mortgage payments, bills, and education costs.

If you outlive your life insurance policy and it expires without a claim, you will not receive any payout. Term life insurance policies are designed to provide coverage for a specific period, and once that period ends, the policy terminates without any residual value. However, you can typically renew or purchase a new policy if you still need coverage.

Critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment if you're diagnosed with a serious illness covered by your policy, offering financial support during a difficult time. It can help cover medical expenses, mortgage payments, and other financial obligations while you focus on recovery.

Critical illness insurance covers a range of serious illnesses and medical conditions specified in your policy, such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, and organ failure. The lump sum payment can be used to cover medical treatment, ongoing care, and living expenses during your recovery.

The cost of critical illness insurance varies depending on factors such as your age, health status, lifestyle, and the level of coverage you choose. Our experts can provide personalised quotes to help you find affordable coverage.

Yes, you can have critical illness insurance alongside your health insurance coverage. Critical illness insurance provides additional financial protection specifically for serious illnesses, complementing your health insurance benefits.

Critical illness insurance policies typically have exclusions for pre-existing conditions and certain medical conditions not covered by the policy. It's essential to review the terms and conditions of your policy to understand what is and isn't covered.

Some critical illness insurance policies may provide coverage for recurring illnesses, while others may not. It's crucial to review the policy terms and understand the specific conditions under which you can make additional claims for recurring illnesses. Your insurer can provide more details on their coverage for recurring critical illnesses.

Yes, you can customise your life insurance policy to suit your individual needs and circumstances. Options may include choosing the sum assured, policy term, premium payment frequency, and additional riders for enhanced coverage.

If you miss a premium payment for your life insurance policy, your coverage may lapse, and your policy could be terminated. However, many insurers offer a grace period during which you can make the payment to keep your policy active. It's essential to contact your insurer to discuss your options if you're unable to make a payment.

Yes, you can typically change the beneficiary of your life insurance policy at any time by completing a beneficiary change form provided by your insurer. It's essential to keep your beneficiary designation up to date to ensure that the proceeds are distributed according to your wishes.

Term life insurance provides cover for a fixed period, such as 10, 20 or 30 years, and pays out a lump sum if you die during that time. It’s often chosen to protect a mortgage or to provide financial support while dependants still rely on your income. Whole-of-life insurance is designed to last for the rest of your life and guarantees a payout whenever you die, as long as premiums are maintained. It’s usually more expensive than term insurance and is sometimes used to help with inheritance tax planning or to leave a guaranteed legacy.

Some term life insurance policies offer the option to convert to a whole life insurance policy without the need for a medical exam or new underwriting. This conversion feature allows you to maintain coverage beyond the term of your policy and provides lifelong protection.

Some life insurance policies offer accelerated death benefits or living benefits that allow you to access a portion of the death benefit if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness. This feature provides financial assistance to help cover medical expenses and other costs during your final months.

While having savings can provide a financial cushion during tough times, income protection insurance offers additional security by replacing a portion of your income if you're unable to work due to illness or disability. It ensures that you can maintain your standard of living and cover essential expenses even if your savings are depleted.

Yes, self-employed individuals can claim income protection insurance if they're unable to work due to illness or disability. Income protection provides a regular income stream to replace lost earnings, helping self-employed individuals cover their living expenses and business costs during periods of incapacity.

The waiting period, also known as the elimination period, is the length of time you must wait after becoming unable to work due to illness or disability before you can start receiving benefits from your income protection insurance policy. Waiting periods typically range from 30 to 90 days, but longer waiting periods may result in lower premiums.

Income protection insurance is designed to provide financial support if you're unable to work due to illness or disability, not for redundancy. However, some policies may offer optional redundancy cover or unemployment cover as an additional benefit, providing a lump sum or monthly payments if you're made redundant.

The tax treatment of income protection insurance benefits depends on whether the premiums were paid with pre-tax or after-tax dollars. Benefits from policies funded with after-tax dollars are typically tax-free, while benefits from policies funded with pre-tax dollars may be subject to income tax. It's essential to consult with a tax advisor to understand the tax implications of your income protection insurance benefits.

Income protection insurance provides a regular income stream if you're unable to work due to illness or disability, while critical illness insurance provides a lump sum payment if you're diagnosed with a covered critical illness, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. Critical illness insurance offers financial support to cover medical expenses, living costs, or other obligations during your recovery.

Income protection insurance policies typically have a waiting period (also known as an elimination period) during which you do not receive benefits. If you become unable to work before this waiting period ends, you will not receive any income protection benefits until the waiting period has elapsed. It's important to have sufficient savings or other financial resources to cover your expenses during this initial period.

Many income protection insurance policies allow you to increase your coverage amount if your income rises, without the need for additional underwriting or medical examinations. This feature, sometimes called a 'guaranteed insurability option,' ensures that your coverage keeps pace with your increasing income and financial obligations.

The maximum age to purchase critical illness insurance varies depending on the insurer and the specific policy. While some insurers may offer critical illness insurance up to age 70 or beyond, others may have lower age limits. It's essential to check with insurers to determine their age eligibility criteria for purchasing critical illness insurance.

Whether you can get critical illness insurance if you have pre-existing conditions depends on the insurer's underwriting guidelines and the specific medical conditions. Some insurers may offer coverage with exclusions for pre-existing conditions, while others may decline coverage altogether. It's essential to disclose any pre-existing conditions when applying for critical illness insurance and discuss your options with insurers.

While health insurance provides coverage for medical expenses, critical illness insurance offers financial protection for broader expenses associated with a serious illness, such as lost income, household bills, and lifestyle changes. Critical illness insurance complements health insurance by providing additional financial support during a challenging time, ensuring that you can focus on recovery without worrying about financial burdens.

If you don't make a claim on your critical illness insurance during the policy term, you won't receive a benefit payout. However, having critical illness insurance provides peace of mind knowing that you're financially protected if you're diagnosed with a covered critical illness during the policy term. It's a form of financial preparation for unexpected events and offers valuable protection for you and your family.

If you outlive your critical illness insurance policy and don't make a claim for a covered critical illness during the policy term, the coverage will expire, and you won't receive a benefit payout. Critical illness insurance provides financial protection for a specific period, typically until a specified age or policy term, and offers peace of mind knowing that you're prepared for the unexpected.

Yes, many insurers offer optional riders or add-ons that you can add to your critical illness insurance policy for enhanced coverage. Common riders may include waiver of premium, which waives future premium payments if you become disabled, or return of premium, which refunds a portion of your premiums if you don't make a claim during the policy term. It's essential to review available riders with insurers to customise your coverage to meet your specific needs.

To make a claim on your critical illness insurance policy, you'll need to notify your insurer of your diagnosis and submit a claim form along with any required medical documentation, such as medical reports, test results, and physician statements. Once your claim is reviewed and approved by the insurer, you'll receive the lump sum benefit payment, which you can use to cover medical expenses, living costs, or other financial needs during your recovery.

As we age, the likelihood of encountering health complications increases for us all. In the event that you develop a severe medical condition, critical illness protection can assist with the expenses of crucial bills – enabling you to concentrate on recuperation or adjusting to your new health circumstance.

The typical expense of a Critical Illness protection policy will fluctuate based on aspects such as your age and medical background. As per our investigation, you can secure a policy starting from as low as £8 (for a non-smoking 21-year-old individual).

The most prevalent critical illnesses in the UK are cancer, cardiac arrest, and cerebrovascular accident (stroke).

Cancer is one of the primary causes for critical illness insurance claims in the UK. Cancer constitutes over 80% of critical illness cover claims for females and about 45% of critical illness claims for males.


Learn more


...

Who Are WeCovr?

WeCovr is an insurance specialist for people valuing their peace of mind and a great service.

👍 WeCovr will help you get your private medical insurance, life insurance, critical illness insurance and others in no time thanks to our wonderful super-friendly experts ready to assist you every step of the way.

Just a quick and simple form and an easy conversation with one of our experts and your valuable insurance policy is in place for that needed peace of mind!

Important Information

Since 2011, WeCovr has helped thousands of individuals, families, and businesses protect what matters most. We make it easy to get quotes for life insurance, critical illness cover, private medical insurance, and a wide range of other insurance types. We also provide embedded insurance solutions tailored for business partners and platforms.

Political And Credit Risks Ltd is a registered company in England and Wales. Company Number: 07691072. Data Protection Register Number: ZA207579. Registered Office: 22-45 Old Castle Street, London, E1 7NY. WeCovr is a trading style of Political And Credit Risks Ltd. Political And Credit Risks Ltd is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is on the Financial Services Register under number 735613.

About WeCovr

WeCovr is your trusted partner for comprehensive insurance solutions. We help families and individuals find the right protection for their needs.