Critical Illness Cover

You need Critical Illness Cover to help protect your finances if you are diagnosed with a serious, life-threatening illness. It can help pay for expensive treatment, support you financially if you’re unable to work, and cover the gap between the cost of private medical care and what your medical aid pays.

Call Me Back Call Me Back

Leave your details and we'll call you back

Compare Life Insurance Quotes

Critical Illness Cover

Compare trusted life insurance brands.

Compare these leading brands side by side

All our life insurance partners are licenced Insurers and FSP’s.
We are always trying to add more brands for our customers. If you don’t see a brand, that’s their decision.

Understanding Critical Illness Cover

Did you know that diabetes, heart disease, and strokes are among the top ten leading health risks globally? According to World Health Organization, these diseases, along with lower respiratory infections and lung cancer, have claimed the most lives over the past 15 years.

 

While risk can depend on lifestyle and genetic factors, anyone can develop these conditions. Thanks to advances in medical equipment and treatment, survival rates have improved. However, these illnesses are expensive to treat and even with Medical Aid, you may not be adequately covered. In many cases, patients are also unable to work consistently, which can result in a loss of income.

 

This is where Critical Illness Cover can help. Also known as Severe Illness or Dread Disease Cover, this policy provides financial protection against specific illnesses listed in the plan. Whether you’re diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, suffer a heart attack, or develop pneumonia, Critical Illness Cover can be used to pay for private medical care, supplement Medical Aid shortfalls, or cover household expenses while you recover.

 

Monthly premiums for Critical Illness Insurance are calculated based on your age and medical history. Depending on the severity of the illness, the payout may be a percentage of the insured amount or the full lump sum.

 

Compare Life Insurance Quotes

SA’s Leading Life Cover Comparison Site

Once you go Hippo, you don’t go back. Just ask these customers:

4,5 /5

Independent Service Rating

based on 20 704 service ratings.

Get a Life Insurance Quote Get Started

Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers to help you understand Critical Illness Cover and how it protects you financially during serious illness.

Critical Illness Cover, also known as Severe Illness or Dread Disease Cover, provides a lump sum payout if you are diagnosed with a serious illness listed in your policy. The payout is designed to help cover treatment costs and financial pressures during recovery.

Medical Aid often does not cover the full cost of private treatment, specialist care, or extended recovery expenses. Critical Illness Cover helps reduce the shortfall between what Medical Aid pays and the actual cost of treatment, allowing you to access better care if needed.

The payout can be used for private medical care, medication, specialist consultations, household bills, debt repayments, or everyday living expenses if you are unable to work while undergoing treatment or recovery.

Covered conditions depend on the insurer and policy, but commonly include illnesses such as heart attack, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other serious life-threatening conditions listed in the policy document.

Monthly premiums are usually calculated based on your age, medical history, and overall health risk. Younger and healthier individuals generally pay lower premiums than those with higher medical risk factors.

The payout depends on the severity of the illness and the terms of your policy. Some claims pay a percentage of the insured amount, while more severe diagnoses may qualify for the full lump sum payout.

Compare Critical Illness Cover Options

Compare Critical Illness Cover quotes and find protection that helps you manage medical and financial risks.

Choose cover that supports your recovery, income, and long-term financial stability.

Expert Tools, Tips and Guides

Explore our Life Insurance guides, from basic policy explanations to specialised cover like Mortgage Life Insurance, joint cover and high-risk options.

Our Guides

Our Guides

Our Tips

Our Tips

  • Joint Life Insurance See how one policy can cover you and your partner under shared terms, and when a joint policy makes financial sense.

  • Traditional Whole Life Insurance Learn about lifelong cover (often up to age 95), fixed premiums and guaranteed payouts to your beneficiaries.

  • Term Life Insurance Understand fixed-term cover, how it works for temporary needs, and what happens when the term comes to an end.

  • Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Find out how existing health conditions affect your Life Insurance application, waiting periods and exclusions.

  • Mortgage Life Insurance See how this type of cover protects your bond by paying off the outstanding home loan if you pass away.

  • Critical Illness Cover Learn how Critical Illness Cover works, what conditions may be covered, and how payouts can help with treatment and recovery costs.

  • Universal Life Insurance Explore flexible life cover that can adjust over time, and learn how premiums and benefits may change based on your needs.