Critical Conditions vs Critical Illness
Critical Conditions vs Critical Illness
In November 2024, Pinnacle Life introduced a new Trauma product, Critical Conditions, which replaced Critical Illness.
The differences between the 2 products are outlined below:
Critical Conditions covers 38 illnesses and conditions, and Critical Illness covers 24.
Some of the definitions for the conditions covered by Critical Illness were also updated. If you have Critical Illness the updated definitions will automatically apply to your policy.
If you need to make a claim, we’ll compare the new definitions against your original policy, and use the one that has the best outcome for you.
For full details, please refer to the Policy Definitions documents. We've highlighted the conditions with updated definitions in the table below.
Please note: if you have Critical Illness Cover you are not covered for the Critical Conditions listed in the table below. If you'd like Critical Conditions cover please apply.
Here’s how the Critical Illness product compares to the new Critical Conditions product.
| Critical Conditions | Critical Illness | Definition Updated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| accidental HIV infection | Y | ||
| advanced diabetes | Y | ||
| alzhiemer’s disease | Y | Y | Y - was advanced dementia |
| aplastic anaemia | Y | Y | |
| benign tumor of the brain or spinal cord | Y | Y | Y |
| blindness | Y | Y | |
| cancer | Y | Y | Y |
| cardiomyopathy | Y | Y | Y |
| chronic kidney failure | Y | Y | Y |
| chronic liver disease | Y | Y | Y |
| chronic lung failure | Y | Y | Y |
| coronary artery bypass graft surgery | Y | Y | Y - was bypass survey |
| dementia with significant cognitive impairment | Y | ||
| encephalitis | Y | ||
| heart attack | Y | Y | Y |
| heart valve survey | Y | Y | |
| idiopathic Parkinson's disease | Y | Y | |
| invasive meningococcal disease | Y | ||
| intensive care treatment | Y | Y | Y - was coma |
| loss of hearing in both ears | Y | Y | Y - was deafness |
| loss of independent existence | Y | Covered in Critical Conditions through severe systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, and paralysis, but no longer listed as a standalone condition. | |
| loss of limbs | Y | ||
| major burns | Y | Y | |
| major head trauma | Y | ||
| major organ transplant surgery | Y | Y | |
| motor neurone disease | Y | Y | |
| multiple sclerosis | Y | Y | |
| muscular dystrophy | Y | Y | |
| out of hospital cardiac arrest | Y | ||
| paralysis – total and permanent | Y | ||
| pneumonectomy | Y | ||
| pulmonary hypertension | Y | ||
| severe rheumatoid arthritis | Y | ||
| severe systemic sclerosis | Y | ||
| stroke systemic | Y | Y | |
| systemic lupus erythematous | Y | ||
| thoracic or abdominal aorta | Y | Y | Y - was aortic survey |
| triple vessel angioplasty | Y | Y | Y - was angioplasty |
| total and permanent loss of speech | Y |