Submitted by: Sheila Challiner

Critical Illness Cover (CIC) pays you the lump sum insured, which is tax-free, if you are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness which renders you incapable of working.

People are living longer with conditions which might have been a death sentence a decade ago, thanks to advances in medicine and treatment.

Insurers are finding that while life assurance claims are dropping, they are having to honour more and more claims on CIC policies. The result of this is that the cost of CIC is becoming a lot more expensive than life cover. If the number of CIC claims fall then inevitably the cost of premiums will fall too.

The cost of Swiss Life and Legal & General s CIC has risen by around 20 and 25 per cent respectively. But the likes of Norwich Union and Scottish Equitable far outstrip them in the price rise race with increases of up to 60 per cent. Other providers are looking to charge more for CIC as well as the market speculates over the definition of life-threatening illness and medical science makes giant strides in the management and control of certain conditions.

The Association of British Insurers has looked at cover for prostate cancer and heart problems, for example. If these illnesses are discovered early on they are no longer deemed to be life-threatening , at least for some sufferers. Another example is diabetes. Currently BUPA is the only insurance provider which still allows this condition on its list of critical illnesses covered.

Kevin Carr at broker LifeSearch explains, “Although this type of insurance was originally known as ‘dread disease’, many of the conditions currently covered by critical illness policies are becoming quicker and easier to detect and treat. Hence insurers have recently found themselves paying out on claims where the condition was not life threatening, which isn’t the purpose of the policy.”

A CIC policy usually runs for an agreed term, for example tied in with the length of time on a mortgage, and there is no change in the premiums. The premiums are expensive for this cover. Insurers are now looking to offer reviewable policies where both the illnesses covered and the premiums paid are revisited every five years, which should cost a good bit less.

Rye Mills, group director of the independent financial adviser division of Liverpool Victoria, reckons that more people will choose the reviewable policies as they become considerably cheaper than the guaranteed cover.

As he says, “At the end of the day there’s a price to be paid for the peace of mind a guaranteed policy gives.”

Legal & General still offers a guaranteed CIC but has put its premiums up for that. It has launched a reviewable policy as an alternative. Scottish Widows and Skandia no longer provide guaranteed CICs.

Ronnie Martin, protection director at Legal & General, explains, “The reviewable price will be typically [around] 15 per cent lower than the guaranteed cover.”

An existing guaranteed CIC policy cannot be altered to redefine any illnesses which are currently classed as life-threatening but which may not be in that category in the future. So if you have one of these already and are happy to pay the premiums you don t have to worry.

If you are planning to take out a CIC policy expect to pay less for a reviewable policy. But if you want the extra peace of mind a guaranteed policy offers, get it quickly while there are still some around, and remember you ll have to pay the extra price.

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Camper Hire Plans

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John DouglasGenerally known as camper vans or dormobiles in the UK, recreational vehicles are one great solution for an unforgettable holiday; especially designed to solve both transport and accommodation issues, they give tourists a feeling of independence and the opportunity to explore at will. In a nutshell, a camper van is a home on wheels, and by “home” we actually imply all the equipment that makes life comfortable in a regular house. Let’s have a look at a regular camper van and the facilities it offers, so that you know what to look for when you decide to hire one.

First of all, camper vans have a small kitchen-like compartment with a refrigerator and a gas hob with two or even three burners. You can get a quick meal ready in no time. So far so good, but for those of you who wonder about lighting at night, there’s no need to worry. Camper vans have a dual battery system; besides the car battery there is another one that supplies you with the necessary power, which is also called the leisure battery. Moreover, most campsites have a hook-up cable for you to attach to their electrical supply system.

Many of the more established camping sites in the UK offer cable television and wireless internet access in the UK. As the demand for camp site services is growing you’ll find more and more campsites offering the extras that we enjoy at home. There is though the other side to hiring a motorhome and that’s the ability to get away from it all. Some though, prefer to just have the basic facilities in return for a more remote and secluded location. You may even prefer to try both a dedicated campsite and a remote location during the same trip. That’s the beauty of using a camper, you can do what you want.

The history of camper vans began with Volkswagen Company, an international leader on the recreational vehicle market, however in UK, you’ll find other well-represented companies such as Ford, Fiat or Bedford that were among the first to appeal to the public. Every year, Volkswagen organizes the Vanfest, held in Malvern. Most of the participants offer fine examples of four-wheeled accommodation standards. If you’ve got a van and need to buy something for it, then this is the place to go.

When hiring a camper, deciding which one is right for you depends on whether it is going to be a family trip or not. The childrens ages can also play a big part in the choice as a van that has to accommodate teenagers will definitely need to be bigger than one for toddlers. Most vans have one double bed and then a number of additional single and sometimes even double beds. These details should be worked out and discussed with the rental company before hand so that your needs are met. When taking toddlers on a camper trip make sure that you use dedicated child seats and that they are used at all times when moving.

A truck camper is designed to be able to reach more isolated places off the beaten track. This type of camper is ideal for those looking to venture out into more remote areas of the lanscape. The design of this “off road” style camper is often space limited as the extra suspension ride height, takes up some cabin space. A few rental companies offer this type of van, but it does cost more than using a traditional camper.

Want to rent a camper van, discover a comprehensive range of British based

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