Quick answer · Updated August 2026
Critical illness cover quotes are set by six inputs: age, smoker status, cover amount, term, core vs comprehensive conditions, and combined-with-life vs standalone. Typical healthy non-smoker: £100k over 25 years costs ~£10–18/month at 30, ~£14–25 at 35, ~£25–45 at 45. Comprehensive cover usually adds only £1–3/month over core — take it.
Typical Quotes by Age (August 2026)
| Age | £100k CIC, 25yr (healthy non-smoker) | Combined life + CIC |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | ~£10–18/mo | ~£18–30/mo |
| 35 | ~£14–25/mo | ~£25–45/mo |
| 40 | ~£20–35/mo | ~£32–55/mo |
| 45 | ~£25–45/mo | ~£45–75/mo |
| 50 | ~£40–75/mo (15yr) | ~£60–100/mo |
Indicative panel pricing August 2026. Smokers: +70–120%. Pre-existing conditions: +25–200% or exclusions.
Why Two "£100k Quotes" Aren't Comparable
A core-conditions quote and a comprehensive quote can differ by £2/month and by dozens of payable events. Comprehensive policies pay partial sums on early-stage cancers (DCIS, low-grade prostate) — among the most commonly claimed events — that core policies exclude entirely. Always compare the conditions list, not just the price: our CIC comparison table shows all nine insurers' counts and wording styles.
Frequently Asked Questions
A healthy 35-year-old non-smoker typically pays £14–25/month for £100,000 over 25 years, or £25–45/month combined with life insurance. Combined is 25–35% cheaper than buying the two separately.
Because you are far more likely to survive a serious illness during a policy term than to die during it — insurers pay CIC claims more often, so the cover costs more per pound.
Comprehensive, almost always — it typically costs £1–3/month more and adds partial payouts for the early-stage conditions people actually claim for.