Standard Life paid out £9.8m over 184 critical illness claims in the first half of 2006, with only 14% of claims being declined. The insurer said that of the number declined 6% did not meet policy definitions and 8% were declined due to non-disclosure. The top five causes for claims were: cancer (60%), heart attack (11%), multiple sclerosis (8%), stroke (4%) and benign brain tumour (3%). The average claim value was £53,546, with the largest at £300,000. The majority of people (60%) were aged between 40 and 59. Only 32% of claimants were aged between 0 and 39 and 8% were over 60. Of the claimants 58% were female and 42% were male.
