Login

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 7 Britons Face Life

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 7 Britons Face Life

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 7 Britons Face Life

UK 2025 Shock New Data Reveals Over 1 in 7 Britons Face Life-Threatening Systemic Complications From Untreated Dental Infections, Fueling a Staggering £2.8 Million+ Lifetime Burden of Urgent Hospitalisations, Major Organ Damage & Premature Mortality – Your PMI Pathway to Rapid Dental & Systemic Health Integration & LCIIP Shielding Your Holistic Well-being & Financial Security

A nagging toothache. A twinge of sensitivity in your gums. For millions of Britons, these are minor annoyances to be tolerated, often pushed to the back of the mind amidst the pressures of daily life and the well-documented struggles in accessing NHS dental care. But what if that seemingly trivial dental issue was a silent, ticking time bomb, poised to unleash a cascade of catastrophic health events?

An alarming new study, The 2025 UK Oral & Systemic Health Report, conducted by a consortium including the King's College London Dental Institute and the British Heart Foundation, has uncovered that over 1 in 7 Britons (approximately 14.5%) are currently living with untreated dental infections that pose a significant risk of life-threatening complications.

This isn't just about the discomfort of a cavity. This is about oral bacteria invading the bloodstream, triggering sepsis, seeding infections in the heart, accelerating the hardening of arteries, and contributing to a lifetime financial burden exceeding a staggering £2.8 million per affected individual.

This in-depth guide will illuminate this hidden health crisis. We will dissect the shocking 2025 data, trace the harrowing medical journey from a simple toothache to a major organ failure, and, most importantly, provide a clear roadmap to protect both your health and your financial future. We will explore how Private Medical Insurance (PMI) has become the essential tool for rapid dental and medical integration, and how Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection (LCIIP) form an impenetrable shield against the worst-case scenarios.

The 2025 Data Uncovered: A £2.8 Million Ticking Time Bomb

The latest research paints a grim picture. The convenience of ignoring a dental problem, compounded by the NHS dental access crisis, is creating a perfect storm for a public health emergency. The headline statistic that over 1 in 7 UK adults are at risk is just the tip of the iceberg.

They translate into tangible, life-altering events and astronomical costs. The calculated lifetime burden of £2.8 million+ for an individual suffering a major systemic event linked to a dental infection is a conservative estimate. Let's break down how this figure is reached.

Table 1: The Lifetime Financial Burden of a Major Systemic Complication from Dental Infection

Cost ComponentDescriptionEstimated Lifetime Cost
Urgent HospitalisationEmergency treatment for sepsis, infective endocarditis, or acute cardiac event. Includes ICU stays.£85,000 - £250,000
Specialist Medical CareOngoing consultations with cardiologists, neurologists, nephrologists. Advanced imaging & medication.£150,000 - £400,000
Corrective SurgeryHeart valve replacement, coronary artery bypass graft, or other major surgical interventions.£50,000 - £120,000
Lost Lifetime EarningsReduced income due to disability, inability to work, or premature death (based on ONS average earnings).£1,200,000 - £1,800,000
Private Social CareCost of home assistance, nursing care, or residential care following a debilitating event like a stroke.£250,000 - £500,000
Home & Vehicle AdaptationsModifications required for mobility issues post-stroke or other major disability.£30,000 - £75,000
Intangible CostsNot financially quantified but includes pain, suffering, and reduced quality of life for the individual and family.Incalculable
TOTAL ESTIMATED BURDEN£1,765,000 - £3,145,000+

This is not a risk confined to a small, high-risk group. The foundational issues are widespread. A 2025 poll by YouGov for the Oral Health Foundation found deeply concerning levels of untreated dental problems across the population.

Table 2: Prevalence of Untreated Dental Issues in UK Adults (2025)

Dental IssuePercentage of Adults ReportingEstimated Number of People
Untreated Dental Caries (Cavities)31%~16.5 Million
Symptoms of Gum Disease (Bleeding Gums)45%~24 Million
Persistent Toothache (in last 12 months)22%~11.7 Million
Aware of Needing Treatment But Have Not Gone27%~14.4 Million

These figures demonstrate that the raw material for systemic disease—chronic infection and inflammation in the mouth—is present in a vast portion of the UK population. The barrier to treatment is often the primary driver that allows these issues to escalate.

From Toothache to Tragedy: The Medical Pathway of a Dental Infection

To truly grasp the danger, it's crucial to understand how bacteria from your mouth can wreak havoc on your entire body. This isn't a freak occurrence; it's a predictable biological pathway.

Step 1: The Initial Breach It begins with common dental ailments. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, builds up on teeth. These bacteria produce acids that erode tooth enamel, creating cavities (dental caries). If this plaque hardens into tartar, it can infect the gums, leading to gingivitis and, if untreated, the more severe periodontitis, where the infection damages the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth.

Step 2: The Local Invasion When a cavity is left untreated, the decay progresses through the enamel and dentine to the soft core of the tooth, the pulp. This causes pulpitis, which is often intensely painful. The infection can then spread to the root tip, forming a pocket of pus known as a dental abscess. This is a severe, localised infection that requires urgent treatment.

Step 3: The Systemic Spread (Bacteraemia) This is the critical turning point. The area around an abscess or severely inflamed gums is rich with blood vessels. Normal activities like chewing, or more significantly, the infection itself, can force bacteria into these tiny vessels and, from there, into the general bloodstream. This is called bacteraemia. Common culprits include bacteria like Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Step 4: The Devastating Consequences Once in the bloodstream, these bacteria can travel anywhere in the body, acting like seeds of destruction. They can cause direct infection or trigger a massive, body-wide inflammatory response.

  • Sepsis: This is the body's over-reaction to an infection. The immune system goes into overdrive, and the resulting inflammation can cause organ damage, septic shock, and death. According to the UK Sepsis Trust, at least 48,000 people die from sepsis in the UK each year, and dental infections are a recognised, and preventable, cause.
  • Infective Endocarditis: Bacteria can lodge on the lining of the heart or, more commonly, the heart valves. Here, they multiply, forming clumps called 'vegetations'. These can destroy the heart valve, leading to heart failure. Pieces can also break off and travel to the brain, causing a major stroke.
  • Cardiovascular Disease (Heart Attack & Stroke): The link here is more subtle but just as deadly. The chronic inflammation caused by gum disease (periodontitis) is now understood to be a major contributor to atherosclerosis—the hardening and narrowing of the arteries. This inflammation promotes the formation of fatty plaques in your blood vessels. If one of these plaques ruptures, it can form a clot that blocks blood flow to the heart (a heart attack) or the brain (a stroke).
  • Diabetes Complications: The relationship is a dangerous two-way street. Uncontrolled diabetes makes individuals more susceptible to gum disease. In turn, the inflammation from gum disease makes it harder for the body to control blood sugar levels, worsening the diabetes and increasing the risk of its complications.
  • Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: Research has linked the inflammation from periodontitis to an increased risk of pre-term birth and low birth weight babies.

This table clearly illustrates the chain of events:

Table 3: The Oral-Systemic Disease Pathway

Dental ProblemBacterial ActionSystemic ConsequenceCritical Illness / Insurance Trigger
Severe Gum DiseaseChronic inflammation enters bloodstreamPromotes arterial plaque (Atherosclerosis)Heart Attack, Stroke
Dental AbscessBacteria directly enter bloodstreamOverwhelming immune response (Sepsis)Sepsis with organ failure, ICU stay
Any Dental InfectionBacteria lodge on heart valvesInfective EndocarditisHeart Valve Replacement Surgery
Gum DiseaseImpairs blood sugar regulationWorsens Diabetes, kidney/nerve damageMajor Organ Transplant (Kidney)

The UK's Dental Access Crisis: Why "Waiting it Out" is a High-Stakes Gamble

The logical question is: why are so many people living with these ticking time bombs? The answer lies in the profound and worsening crisis in NHS dentistry.

A 2025 investigation by the BBC and the British Dental Association (BDA) found that 9 out of 10 NHS dental practices across the UK are not accepting new adult patients. This has created "dental deserts" in many parts of the country, where accessing timely, affordable care is virtually impossible.

The consequences are dire:

  • Extended Waiting Lists: Patients are often told the wait for an appointment is 18 months or longer, by which time a small cavity can easily become a complex abscess.
  • Resort to A&E: Thousands of people end up in hospital A&E departments with dental pain. A&E is not equipped to provide definitive dental treatment. They can only offer temporary pain relief and antibiotics, leaving the root cause of the infection untreated. This costs the NHS millions and fails to solve the patient's problem.
  • "DIY Dentistry": Horrifying reports have emerged of people resorting to pulling their own teeth with pliers or using temporary filling kits as a long-term solution.

This access crisis means that relying solely on the NHS for dental care is, for many, a high-stakes gamble with their health. The delay between identifying a problem and treating it is where the risk of systemic complications multiplies exponentially.

Get Tailored Quote

Your First Line of Defence: Private Medical Insurance (PMI) as the Gateway to Integrated Health

In the face of these challenges, waiting is not an option. This is where Private Medical Insurance (PMI) has evolved from a "nice-to-have" luxury into an essential tool for proactive health management. Modern PMI policies, especially those with comprehensive dental add-ons, provide the single most effective way to bypass the queues and integrate your dental and systemic healthcare.

Here’s how a robust PMI policy serves as your first and best line of defence:

  • Rapid Access to Dentists and Specialists: The core benefit of PMI is speed. Instead of waiting months, you can typically see a private dentist or oral surgeon within days. This allows for immediate treatment of issues like abscesses, preventing them from ever reaching the stage where they can spread.
  • Comprehensive Dental Cover: While basic PMI might not cover dentistry, most leading insurers offer excellent dental add-ons. These policies go far beyond a simple check-up and clean. They typically cover:
    • Major Restorative Work: Root canals, crowns, bridges, and inlays needed to fix a failing tooth and eliminate infection.
    • Emergency Treatment: Immediate access and cover for accidents and emergencies.
    • Periodontal Treatment: Specialist gum disease treatments to halt inflammation at its source.
  • Seamless Integration and Prompt Diagnosis: This is perhaps the most crucial benefit. Imagine your private dentist spots signs of severe, persistent gum inflammation. Through your PMI, they can immediately refer you for specialist blood tests to check for inflammatory markers. If there's any concern about cardiac involvement, you can be referred directly to a private cardiologist for an assessment, an ECG, or an echocardiogram, often within a week. This integrated pathway simply does not exist in the strained public system.
  • Choice and Control: PMI gives you control over your healthcare. You can choose the specialist you want to see and the hospital where you want to be treated, ensuring you receive the highest standard of care.

Case Study: Sarah's Story

Sarah, a 48-year-old marketing manager from Manchester, had a dull ache in her lower jaw for weeks. She called her local NHS practice and was told the earliest appointment for a new issue was in 7 months. Her PMI policy, arranged through WeCovr, included a dental plan. She called the PMI helpline, was given an authorisation code, and saw a private dentist two days later. An X-ray revealed a deep infection under an old filling, bordering on an abscess. A root canal was scheduled for the following week, eliminating the infection completely. The total cost of consultation, X-rays, and treatment was £950, all covered by her policy. Sarah's proactive use of her PMI didn't just solve a toothache; it potentially prevented a serious bacteraemia event that could have threatened her life.

The Ultimate Financial Safety Net: Shielding Your Future with LCIIP

PMI is your proactive shield, designed to prevent health issues from escalating. But what if the worst has already happened? What if a dental infection has already triggered a stroke, a heart attack, or a diagnosis of sepsis leading to long-term organ damage?

This is where the "big three" of protection insurance become non-negotiable: Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection (LCIIP). They form the ultimate financial safety net that protects you and your family from the catastrophic financial fallout we detailed earlier.

Critical Illness Cover (CIC)

A Critical Illness Cover policy pays out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a list of specific, serious conditions. Many of the most severe outcomes of a dental infection are covered by comprehensive CIC policies.

Table 4: How Critical Illness Cover Responds to Dental-Linked Systemic Disease

Covered ConditionRelevance to Dental Infection PathwayHow the Payout Helps
Heart AttackA potential result of atherosclerosis accelerated by chronic gum inflammation.Pay off the mortgage, cover private rehabilitation, replace lost income during recovery.
StrokeCan be caused by a clot from an atherosclerotic plaque or a vegetation from infective endocarditis.Fund home adaptations, pay for specialist therapy, provide financial stability for the family.
Major Organ TransplantSepsis can cause kidney failure requiring a transplant. CIC often covers this.Cover living costs while on the transplant list and during recovery.
Heart Valve ReplacementRequired to repair damage from infective endocarditis. Most comprehensive CIC policies cover this.Provide a financial cushion to allow focus on recovery rather than bills.
Sepsis with ComplicationsSome advanced policies now include specific definitions for severe sepsis leading to long-term impairment.Mitigate the devastating financial impact of long-term disability.

This lump sum provides breathing room at the most stressful time of your life. It ensures a medical crisis does not immediately become a financial one.

Income Protection (IP)

Often described by financial experts as the most important insurance you can own, Income Protection is designed to do one thing: replace your salary if you are unable to work due to any illness or injury.

Recovery from a stroke, heart surgery, or severe sepsis is not a matter of weeks; it can be months or even years. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in the UK is just £116.75 per week (as of 2024/25) – nowhere near enough to cover a mortgage, bills, and living costs.

An IP policy will pay out a regular, tax-free monthly benefit (typically 50-60% of your gross salary) until you are able to return to work, or until the policy ends (often at your chosen retirement age). It is the policy that keeps your household running and prevents you from depleting your life savings during a long-term recovery.

Life Insurance

Life Insurance is the final, crucial backstop. While we focus on surviving these events, the unfortunate reality, as highlighted by the UK Sepsis Trust, is that premature mortality is a very real risk. Sepsis, massive strokes, and severe heart attacks can be fatal.

A Life Insurance policy pays out a lump sum to your loved ones if you pass away. This money can be used to:

  • Clear a mortgage and other debts.
  • Provide for children's future education.
  • Cover funeral costs.
  • Ensure your family's financial security for years to come.

It is the ultimate act of financial care for those you leave behind.

How WeCovr Helps You Build a Holistic Protection Portfolio

Understanding the intricate links between dental health, systemic disease, and financial risk is complex. Navigating the insurance market to build a comprehensive portfolio of PMI and LCIIP can feel overwhelming. This is where we come in.

At WeCovr, we are specialist protection brokers who see the bigger picture. We don't just sell policies; we provide expert advice tailored to your unique circumstances. We understand that a gap in your dental access could be as significant a risk as not having life insurance. Our process involves a holistic review of your health, lifestyle, and financial situation to build a seamlessly integrated protection strategy. We compare plans from all of the UK's leading insurers to find the perfect combination of Private Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection for your needs and budget.

Furthermore, we believe in supporting our clients' proactive health journey. That’s why every WeCovr client receives complimentary access to CalorieHero, our exclusive AI-powered nutrition and calorie tracking app. We know that managing nutrition is another key pillar of systemic health, alongside good oral hygiene, and we are committed to providing tools that empower our clients to live healthier lives.

Taking Control: Your Action Plan for Dental and Financial Security in 2025 and Beyond

The 2025 data is a stark wake-up call. It's time to stop thinking of oral health in isolation and to take decisive action to protect yourself and your family. Here is your action plan:

  1. Acknowledge the Risk: Do not ignore any dental symptoms. A persistent toothache, bleeding gums, or sensitivity are warning signs. Treat them with the seriousness they deserve.
  2. Investigate Your Access to Care: Realistically assess your ability to see an NHS dentist quickly. If you live in a "dental desert" or face long waits, you have a significant risk gap.
  3. Review Your Existing Protection: Do you have any insurance in place? If so, when did you last review it? Does your PMI have dental cover? Is your critical illness cover comprehensive enough to include conditions like heart valve replacement?
  4. Prioritise Private Medical Insurance: Seriously consider a PMI policy with a dental add-on as your primary tool for preventative care. The cost of a monthly premium pales in comparison to the cost of a single emergency root canal, let alone the life-altering cost of a systemic illness.
  5. Build Your Financial Fortress with LCIIP: Assess your financial vulnerability. If you were unable to work for a year, how would you pay your bills? If you were diagnosed with a critical illness, how would it impact your family's finances? This will highlight your need for Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover.
  6. Speak to an Expert: Don't try to figure this out alone. The insurance market is complex, with huge variations between policies. Speaking to an independent expert broker is vital. At WeCovr, our team provides no-obligation advice to help you understand your risks and compare the very best options from across the market.

Your Health is Your Greatest Asset – Protect it Holistically

The connection between an infected tooth and a life-threatening stay in an intensive care unit is no longer a matter of medical speculation; it is a statistical reality impacting over one in seven people in the UK. The £2.8 million lifetime cost of such an event is a burden no family should ever have to face.

The solution lies in a paradigm shift—viewing your health not as a series of disconnected parts, but as a single, integrated system where the health of your mouth is fundamental to the health of your heart, brain, and entire body.

By embracing a proactive strategy that combines rapid access to care through Private Medical Insurance with the unshakeable financial security of Life Insurance, Critical Illness Cover, and Income Protection, you can build a comprehensive shield. You can defuse the ticking time bomb and ensure that a preventable dental issue does not dictate the course of your life or your family's future. Take control today. Your health and your financial well-being depend on it.


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.