Will Critical Illne...
 

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[Closed] Will Critical Illness cover pay out for an amputated thumb?

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One of my student's husband was working on his motorbike...

They have Critical Illness cover but the insurers are saying he's had an accident, which is not the same thing. A quick bit of googling suggests some conditions (e.g. blindness) might be covered.

Any thoughts?


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 11:56 am
 m0rk
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IANA'dodgy insurance broker'

But I'd ask what condition caused it, and check with the policy documents.

Suspect "cackhandedness" may not be on the list of conditions though.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 11:59 am
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Even if it just dropped off of it's own accord I still wouldn't think it's covered. Not quite life changing in the way blindness is


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:01 pm
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I'd guess all policies would be different but illness isn't the same as accident. Critical Illness cover is fairly widespread, whereas accident cover seems to be a bit specialist and sold to people who like dangerous hobbies and stuff.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:03 pm
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"Stumpy" Stoner to the forum, please......


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:03 pm
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Is the loss of a thumb classed as a critical illness? If the person can answer that question then they may have the answer to the wider question.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:06 pm
 IHN
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The only correct answer is RTFT&Cs


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:10 pm
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"Stumpy" Stoner to the forum, please......

He's desperately trying to type a response using a pencil held in his teeth..


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:12 pm
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but the insurers are saying he's had an accident, which is not the same thing.
There's no distinction between illness & accident in any policies I've seen, e.g. if you lose a leg you lose a leg, doesn't matter how it happened. A thumb sounds too trivial to pay out for though, never seen it specifically mentioned, unless you were a concert pianist or something and had it written into your cover.

As above though, depends on the specific wording so

RTFT&Cs


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:20 pm
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He's gone blind as a result of losing his thumb? 😯

Slightly more serious answer....

What critical illness does he now have?


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:26 pm
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Yep, they generally spell out what is covered under these, but I'd have thought loss of a thumb wouldn't be covered. Doing a brief google you'd need to lose an arm at least unfortunately. FWIW IAADodgy insurance broker - but this isn't my area.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 12:30 pm
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Where did the OP mention a thumb?


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:11 pm
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Where did the OP mention a thumb?

Have you considered making a claim for impaired vision? 😉


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:14 pm
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The critical illness cover I have would only kick in if you lost a whole hand or foot. "Check the T&Cs" is the best advice.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:17 pm
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Ah, bugger it. Viewing on mobile so the thread title is truncated....


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:18 pm
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He's gone blind as a result of losing his thumb?

If it's his right thumb, there might be something he can't do and not doing that might save him from going blind?


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:19 pm
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Critical Illness means an illness that will end in your death doesn't it?
So unless you have a Critical illness AND accidental injury policy it is unlikely to cover a thumb.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:21 pm
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The critical illness cover I have would only kick in if you lost a whole hand or foot

...or not, as the case may be.

Might be worth looking under personal accident type covers.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:22 pm
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The only correct answer is RTFT&Cs

^

however, loss of a thumb while inconvenient and traumatic, is neither an illness, nor critical. I'd be surprised if covered...


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:32 pm
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Critical Illness means an illness that will end in your death doesn't it?
So unless you have a Critical illness AND accidental injury policy it is unlikely to cover a thumb.

Nope...probably more like an illness that [i]could[/i] end in your death.

L&G paid out following my wife's stroke. Simple operation to tie up hole in heart, discharged...

There are some qualifying criteria though, id be absolutely amazed if a policy paid out for losing a thumb - that's never gonna kill you (unless it's bitten off by a shark, who then eats the rest of you)


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 1:44 pm
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After I got caught out tickling my motorbike, I did have a rifle through all our health insurance (life, critical illness etc) policies to see if I might wing a new bike or something.

Unfortunately it turned out I needed to have lost both hands simultaneously in some gruesome bloody mess to even register on the financial sympathy scale.

Unless his thumb is specially insured because he's a pro-hitch-hiker or something, I doubt he's in for much luck.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:12 pm
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[i]...or not, as the case may be. [/i]

Well I laughed.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:18 pm
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Unfortunately it turned out I needed to have lost both hands simultaneously in some gruesome bloody mess to even register on the financial sympathy scale.

Easily done, just need to use a defib on an alien infected artic scientist...


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:24 pm
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Topic starter
 

Thanks all, will ask them to bring in the paperwork and RTFT&Cs.

He's a chef (10 years plus), now thinking of retraining as a driver. Accident cover would clearly have been the one to have, which raises a larger question: how many of you have what kinds of insurance?


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:27 pm
 TP
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My Hiscox insurance covered a minimal amount for a month while I recovered from removing a ligament from my thumb. Couldn't drive so couldn't attend sites which was the bulk of my work.


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:33 pm
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which raises a larger question: how many of you have what kinds of insurance?

I have accident cover up to £400K. Just looked at loss of a thumb and I would get £80K


 
Posted : 06/06/2017 2:38 pm

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