Critical illness cover size.

Critical illness cover pays a tax-free lump sum on diagnosis of listed conditions (cancer, heart attack, stroke typically top the list). This calculator sizes cover need: monthly essential expenses × recovery period (typically 24 months for most illnesses) + mortgage payoff + other debts. The idea is one-time payout replaces income and clears fixed obligations during recovery.

3,500 monthly expenses × 24 months = 84,000 income replacement. 250,000 mortgage + 10,000 other debts = 344,000 total cover. Costs a non-smoker 35-year-old approximately 25-50/month for 25-year level term policy. Cost rises sharply with age: 55-year-olds pay 4-6x premium for same cover.

Critical illness vs income protection. Critical illness: lump sum, specific conditions only, pays once. Income protection: monthly payments for any illness keeping you from work, pays until return to work. Most people benefit from both - critical illness for mortgage clearance on major diagnoses, income protection for income replacement on any illness.

Quick example

With monthly essential expenses of 3,500 and recovery period of 24 months (plus mortgage balance of 250,000 and other debts of 10,000), the result is 344,000.00. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.

Which inputs matter most

You enter Monthly Essential Expenses, Recovery Period (months), Mortgage Balance, and Other Debts. Not every input has equal weight. Flip one at a time toward extreme values to feel which ones move the needle most for your situation.

What's happening under the hood

Income replacement = expenses × months. Total cover = income + mortgage + other debts. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.

What the score tells you

Headline financial numbers — income, savings, debt — each tell part of the story. This calculation stitches several together into a single read you can track over time. The value is in the direction, not the absolute number.

What this doesn't capture

The score is a composite of the inputs you provide. Life context — job security, family obligations, health, housing — doesn't appear in the math but shapes the real picture. Use the number as a prompt, not a verdict.