Only some critical illness policies pay for arthritis, because a policy pays only for the conditions it names. Aviva's optional upgraded cover and Vitality's Serious Illness Cover name rheumatoid arthritis, each with its own severity test, while Legal & General says arthritis is not a listed condition on its cover and Vitality's terms exclude osteoarthritis.

Arthritis in your history? An FCA-authorised broker can say how insurers tend to view it; to get that call, which is free, use the form on this page.

Which insurers name rheumatoid arthritis?

No single list decides this. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) sets model wordings in its minimum-standards guide, and rheumatoid arthritis is not among them. Beyond cancer, heart attack and stroke, the guide leaves each insurer free to add conditions, including ones it has no model wording for. An insurer that adds rheumatoid arthritis therefore writes its own definition, which is why two policies can test it very differently.

InsurerWhere it appearsHow the test works
AvivaLife Insurance+ Policy Conditions (AL50002 02/2026), under the upgraded critical illness benefit"Rheumatoid arthritis – of specified severity", paid in full; joint damage and loss of everyday tasks
VitalityPersonal Protection Plan Provisions (VLTD174857WF_J3779_02/2025), connective tissue diseases categoryA definite diagnosis by a consultant rheumatologist; the share of cover paid depends on how many functional tests you cannot do
Legal & GeneralIts consumer page on arthritis (9 February 2026)Says arthritis is not a listed condition on its Critical Illness Cover

Vitality's provisions are its customer terms, hosted on its adviser website, so check the terms sent with any quote. Which conditions policies name overall is in the guide to conditions critical illness cover names, and the ABI wordings are at ABI minimum standards.

What does Aviva's rheumatoid arthritis wording require?

Aviva places the condition in its upgraded critical illness benefit, an option you choose for an extra premium, and pays the full amount when the definition is met. The definition reads:

Severe chronic rheumatoid arthritis evidenced by widespread joint destruction and deformity of at least three major joint groups, resulting in the inability to do three of the following:

  • bend or kneel to pick up an object from the floor
  • use hands or fingers to pick up or manipulate small objects such as cutlery or a pen
  • lift or carry an everyday object such as a kettle
  • walk a distance of 200m on flat ground with or without the use of a walking stick and without experiencing severe discomfort.

Three things have to be true together: the disease is severe and chronic, the damage reaches at least three major joint groups, and you cannot do three of the four tasks. The wording describes damage and its effect on daily life, not a diagnosis on its own.

How does Vitality grade rheumatoid arthritis?

Vitality's definition is shorter: "The definite diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis by a Consultant Rheumatologist on the basis of the American College of Rheumatology Criteria for Classification of Rheumatic Diseases." The amount paid then depends on how severe it is, on a scale from A to G where a level pays a share of the Serious Illness Cover amount:

  • Levels A to D: rheumatoid arthritis causing the permanent inability to perform at least four, three, two or one of six functional activity tests, paying 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%.
  • Level F: a definite diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, which pays 10%, but only on Serious Illness Cover 3X; the 1X option covers levels A to D and 2X covers A to E.

One rule matters for anyone who already has the condition: "The inability to perform FATs has to be a new failure brought about by a condition that started after the start of the plan." Grading in general is covered in the guide to severity-based critical illness cover.

Whether either design fits your own joints is a point the broker can pick up when they phone you at no cost.

Is osteoarthritis or psoriatic arthritis covered?

Legal & General's consumer page says: "Arthritis, whether it’s osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, is not listed as a specified critical illness on our Critical Illness Cover policy, so a diagnosis for arthritis would not lead to a valid claim." It adds that "in some circumstances, someone with arthritis can still make a critical illness claim when other critical health conditions materialise unless an exclusion was applied when you took out your policy." So an unlisted condition does not stop a claim for a different, listed one.

Vitality's terms go further for the types they do not name: "For the purposes of this plan other diseases which are not specifically named such as sero-negative arthritis, sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or osteoarthritis are not covered by this plan, but complications of these diseases may be paid out should criteria be met under any of the other categories of illnesses." Its rheumatoid arthritis section also lists "Osteoarthritis, wear and tear or any other subjective, non-diagnosed condition" as a specific exclusion.

Those are two insurers' terms, not a rule for every policy. The life cover side is in life insurance with rheumatoid arthritis.

Can you claim critical illness for fibromyalgia?

Not under Vitality's or Zurich's terms. Vitality names fibromyalgia and its synonyms as specific exclusions under connective tissue diseases, and Zurich lists it among what is not covered under neurodegenerative disorders not already covered. Each exclusion sits inside one definition, so read the full list in any policy you are offered. The page on fibromyalgia and life insurance quotes both and covers applying.

How does having arthritis affect an application?

Legal & General's pre-existing conditions page (16 March 2026) says: "Some pre-existing conditions would mean we would be unable to offer Critical Illness, where others may mean we charge an extra premium or exclude the specific condition from the cover." Its arthritis page adds that someone with arthritis could still be offered a critical illness policy, and the pre-existing conditions page says every applicant is assessed individually.

An exclusion decides what can be claimed later. Vitality's provisions say: "We must have agreed to cover you for the condition you claim for. Your plan schedule shows whether we have excluded any conditions from your cover. If we have, we will not pay a claim for that condition." Nor will it pay where it is not satisfied that the serious illness arose during the cover or was told to it on your application.

That ties in with the law on honest answers. Under section 2 of the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, you must take reasonable care not to give the insurer a false answer, and section 5 counts a misrepresentation that is neither deliberate nor reckless as careless. The disclosure rules explain what follows from each, and critical illness cover with pre-existing conditions the wider picture. If an insurer turns an application down, see what to do after a decline.

To have a broker go through your diagnosis and which insurers might consider it, send a name, age range and phone number on the form here. The medical detail waits for the call, which costs nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Does critical illness cover rheumatoid arthritis?

Only where the policy names it. Aviva does in its optional upgraded benefit and Vitality in its Serious Illness Cover, each with its own severity test; Legal & General says its cover does not list it. Read the definition in the policy terms you are sent.

Does having arthritis stop you getting critical illness cover?

Not necessarily. Legal & General says someone with arthritis could still be offered a critical illness policy. For pre-existing conditions in general, it says the result can be an extra premium, an exclusion of that condition, or no offer of critical illness cover.

What if arthritis stops you working?

Critical illness cover is built on listed conditions, not on being unable to work. Our page on disability and critical illness cover deals with that.

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