CIExpert has revealed that Beagle Street, the online insurer that entered the market in July 2012 has 'kicked off this season's critical illness upgrade race.'
Alan Lakey, director of CIExpert said: "While it has further upgraded its critical illness plan the improvements have been carried out with little fanfare.
"As Beagle Street works the D2C route it may feel that waving its own flag is not of importance."
Lakey added: "They have improved the wordings to two major conditions - heart attack and stroke - and for the first time they have included additional partial payment conditions which ensures they do not fall too far behind the leading players.
"The additional payment conditions limit payment to the lower of £20,000 or 20% of the sum assured."
Unlike previous upgrades these improvements are not being backdated to cover existing plans.
Amended Condition Wordings
Heart Attack In line with leading plans Beagle Street has removed the requirement for a specific level or raised enzymes. Such removal ensures that claims that could
have been rejected for not meeting the specific requirements will now be paid.
Stroke The requirement for permanent neurological deficit has been removed with a
less onerous requirement of symptoms lasting at least 24 hours together with
definite evidence of death of brain tissue or haemorrhage.
New Additional Payment Conditions
Carcinoma in situ of the Breast -Cover extends to any form of surgery to remove the tumour but excludes lobular carcinoma in situ.
Coronary Angioplasty -Payment is dependent on two or more coronary arteries being blocked to the extent of 70% diameter. A claim will be agreed as long as one of the arteries is cleared using atherectomy, rotablation, laser treatment, balloon angioplasty
or the insertion of stents.
Early stage Prostate Cancer - Beagle Street covers the standard surgical treatments as well as cryotherapy and ultrasound, treatments that most insurers exclude.
Severe Crohn's Disease - This definition is quite restrictive in requiring stricture formation causing intestinal obstruction requiring admission to hospital; Fistula formation between loops of bowel or bowel to another organ and at least one resection of a segment of small bowel.
Ulcerative Colitis Payable if total colectomy (removal of the entire large bowel) is used to treat the condition.
Beagle Street have revealed the changes will be extended to existing customers not just new customers.
