The CII market has been under tremendous pressure over the last few years as claims have soared, survival rates have increased, and great strides in medical science have made serious conditions detectable much earlier. Moreover, serious questions are being raised as to the long-term viability of CII, especially guaranteed products. This report examines the CII market, its drivers and its future.

• This report draws on ABI market size and distribution statistics, Swiss Re information, secondary sources and primary interviews with leading players
• Market size and drivers of CII from 2000 to 2004, split by product: stand alone, term with rider, endowment with rider and whole life with rider
• Forecasts of premiums up to 2009, split by product and analyzing the key drivers of potential growth
• Analysis of the top competitors, their market share and CII strategies, plus an examination of the distribution landscape, trends and future outlook

Sales across the Critical Illness market as a whole are set to decline at a compound rate of 6.5% between 2004 and 2009f. This will mainly be driven by the bottoming out of prices limiting opportunities for re-broking and decline in products such as term assurance, which Critical Illness is sold as a rider to.

The providers that find the greatest success in the Critical Illness market will be those who can move away from Critical Illness as a rider and design free-standing products that are not reliant on the fortunes of term assurance and other rider products.

• Market forecast: Identify the future of the market, its potential, the key drivers and opportunities for developing winning products
• Market data: Understand market and distribution trends and drivers in the total life market and its individual product areas
• Competitor intelligence: Appreciate the key market competitors, their strengths and weaknesses to build successful strategies and boost business