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Dear colleague,
We are pleased to tell you about our Critical Illness scheme from Unum, which is an important part of
your benefits package.
Critical illness cover provides you with a tax-free lump sum payment if you[, your spouse] or your
children suffer a covered critical illness and survive 14 days following the event. Most of us will not be
asked for personal information to receive full cover. If you do need to answer any questions we will get
in touch.
Who is covered?
 You are protected whilst you continue to work for [insert company name]
 All of your children are automatically covered for the same conditions as you. This includes step
children and legally adopted children, aged between 30 days and 18 years. If they are in full-time
education or vocational training they are covered up to 21
 [If applicable: Your spouse is also covered for the same conditions as you. This includes a legal
spouse or civil partner]
How much is the lump sum payment?
 For you: [£X - £X in £X increments]
 For your children: 25% of your benefit up to a maximum of £25,000
 For your spouse: [£X - £X in £X increments]up to a maximum of £150,000
Which illnesses are covered?
We have selected ‘Extra’ cover which includes the conditions listed on the next page. The name of each
critical illness should only be used as a guide. For a full definition of what is and isn’t covered please ask
[insert contact name] for a copy of the relevant section of our policy document.
As with all insurance policies there are certain things that you are not covered for. Where you have
previously experienced or have been undergoing medical investigations for a critical illness or related
condition, you may be excluded from claiming under some critical illness events.
You also have access to the Unum LifeWorks Employee Assistance Programme which includes access to
a 24/7 confidential helpline providing support on everyday issues covering family, money, health and
wellness, telephone and valuable online information.
For further information about your Critical Illness cover, please contact [insert contact name].
[Employer’s signatory]
Someone has a heart
attack every two
minutes1.
The risk of developing cancer
up to the age of 50 is 1 in 35 for
men and 1 in 20 for women2.
Every year an estimated 150,000
people in the UK have a stroke.
That’s one person every 5 minutes3.
1 Bhf.org.uk; Coronary Heart Disease Statistics report (2012); 2 Cancerresearchuk.org; Cancer stats, Lifetime risk (2010); 3 Stroke.org.uk; Stroke statistics (2013)
Covered illnesses
Cancer
Heart and
circulatory
diseases
Organ failure
Diseases of the
brain and central
nervous system
Respiratory
diseases
Accidents
Terminal illness
Disability
- Cancer - excluding less advanced cases
- Aorta graft surgery
- Cardiac arrest - with insertion of a defibrillator
- Cardiomyopathy - of specified severity
- Coronary angioplasty - to 2 or more coronary arteries
- Coronary artery bypass grafts
- Heart attack
- Heart transplant - from another donor
- Heart valve replacement or repair
- Primary pulmonary arterial hypertension - of specified severity
- Pulmonary artery surgery - for disease
- Stroke
- Structural heart surgery - with surgery to divide the breastbone
- Aplastic anaemia - of specified severity
- Kidney failure - requiring permanent dialysis
- Liver failure - of specified severity
- Major organ transplant - from another donor
- Bacterial meningitis - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Benign brain tumour - with permanent symptoms or specified treatments
- Benign spinal cord tumour - with permanent symptoms or specified treatments
- Coma – with associated permanent symptoms
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Dementia including Alzheimer’s disease – resulting in permanent symptoms
- Encephalitis - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Motor neurone disease - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Multiple sclerosis - with persisting symptoms
- Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson plus syndromes - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Lung transplant - from another donor
- Respiratory failure - of specified severity
- HIV infection - caught within specified geographic limits from a blood transfusion,
physical assault or at work
- Third degree burns - covering 20% of the body or face
- Traumatic brain injury - resulting in permanent symptoms
- Terminal illness - where death is expected within 12 months
- Blindness - permanent and irreversible
- Deafness – permanent and irreversible
- Loss of hand or foot - permanent physical severance
- Loss of speech - total, permanent and irreversible
- Paralysis of limb - total and irreversible
- Rheumatoid arthritis - of specified severity
- Total permanent disability - of specified severity
A message to our customers
A good benefits package, communicated well, can help to manage - and reduce - bottom
line costs, and help to build a loyal and more productive workforce. Unum has created a
number of examples, like the one featured above, to help you communicate your benefits
to your employees.
However, please be aware that these examples just provide a framework, rather than
starting with a blank sheet. You will have your own view on the level of detail suitable for
your employees and will want the communication to reflect your corporate style.
Please also note that there are a number of sections in the leaflet which need to
be "tailored" to fit and describe your scheme basis. Red square brackets ([ ]),
highlight that you need to input information.
Please Note: Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this leaflet the
Scheme's legal documents prevail in the case of any dispute.