L&G has launched a new online body tool to help consumers understand critical illness (CI) definitions alongside its latest changes to definitions.
AnatoME will help advisers explain critical illness cover and to help consumers understand what they will be covered for. It explains the conditions covered and the definitions of those conditions as used by the insurer.
The changes announced to their critical illness definitions include the four most commonly claimed for critical illnesses: cancer; stroke; heart attack and multiple sclerosis.
Definitions have also been updated for blindness, deafness and carcinoma in situ of the breast.
The changes are all in excess of the ABI's statement of best practice for critical illness cover, the new classification for blindness is that used by the Royal National Institute of Blind People. The new definition of deafness is that used by Action on Hearing Loss, formerly the Royal National Institute of Deaf People.
Russell Whitworth, underwriting and claims director at Legal & General Assurance Society said: "Choosing the right critical illness policy can be a real challenge for customers. There are now so many different policies on the market, with differing terms, definitions and levels of cover, that consumers may be confused or put off from taking out cover altogether - even with the help of a broker or adviser.
"Legal & General's new broader cover and user-friendly interactive body tool ‘AnatoME', will help make critical illness cover easier to understand and by enhancing the definitions for the top four reasons people claim, this will help make life better for the greatest number of our customers."
