Critical answers

Q. Why did the review take place? The first Statement of Best Practice was produced in 1999 when it introduced standard definitions and wording to the market. It was decided at this time that the Statement should be fully reviewed every three years to ensure that it remained up to date. This year is the second full review of the Statement and it is the most crucial so far. Since the last full review in 2002, fears about advancing medical science have caused premiums for guaranteed plans to rise by around 60% and there are even questions about whether critical illness (CI) in its current f...