Incidence Rates Concerning A Critical Illness Such As Stroke

Critical illness insurance had been designed to provide a tax free lump sum to the insured in the event of a critical illness. However, the critical illness should be appropriately met by the insurance’s policy definitions. Many critical illness policies contain seven critical illness conditions pointed out as: Cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, multiple sclerosis, coronary artery bypass and major organ transplant. Gradually insurance companies have increased the number of illnesses they cover. Nowadays, many critical illness policies may offer cover to around 30 critical illnesses. Therefore, this may have led to many critical illness policy sales during the past few years.

Furthermore, among the likes of cancer and heart attack, stroke may be considered the third factor for most critical illness claims in the UK. Let’s have a look.

Moreover, as per the Stroke Association 2002, approximately 10 percent of stroke suffering victims may be of the retirement age. Also, around 33.3 percent of people suffering from this critical illness may end up being disabled. Disability can change someone’s life. Had it not been for critical illness insurance, changing needs according to a different lifestyle may not have been a possibility. For example, buying a car conceived for disabled persons, accommodating the house for a wheelchair and even starting up new training for a different work. Further reports may show that around 33 percent of people may also die due to this critical illness after 1 year of diagnosis and attempt of treatment. Others may still make a good recovery.

Additionally, according to the Office for National Statistics 2005, during the year 2004, about 0.8 percent of men suffering from a critical illness such as stroke may have been recorded. The critical illness may have also affected other age groups of people. This can be demonstrated as follows: 0.1 percent of men aged 16-44, 0.8 percent aged between 45-64, 1.1 percent aged between 65-74 and 5.4 percent aged 75 or more all suffered from a critical illness like stroke. As for women, the results may have been somewhat different. In the year 2004, 0.6 percent of women may have been victims of stroke. In addition to, statistics showed that this critical illness may have also affected 0.7 percent of women of all ages, 0.2 percent aged between 16-44, 1.5 percent aged between 65-74 and 1.9 percent aged 75 or more.

According to the Stroke Association 1999, around 100,000 people may suffer from stroke each year in the UK. Thanks to the improvements made in the medical field, about 70 percent of patients may be more likely to survive this critical illness for one year. Stroke can be a dangerous critical illness as disability may often succeed after treatment. Researches may show that stroke can be largest responsible cause for disability in the UK, solely making 300,000 victims at any one time.

Looking at all the statistics, one may at once point out that the rate of incidence of stroke may be alarming. If looked at the figures closely one may also find out that a critical illness such as stroke may affect most men that women. One possible explanation may be that men may not have enough time to have a proper exercise and also visit the doctor for a health check up. Thus, the critical illness may as a matter of fact prove to be more lethal to men than women. As a solution, critical illness cover may be taken out to reduce the risks of a financial avalanche as well as secure a certain medical treatment cost in case stroke should occur in the future.