A good medical aid does not reduce the need for dread disease cover and vice versa. Each type of cover addresses a very different need.

The purpose of medical aid is to cover actual medical costs associated with illness, including a dread disease. Your medical aid should foot the bill or at least part thereof for hospitalization, medical procedures, medication and doctors consultations.

Dread disease cover will compliment your medical aid by providing a lump sum which can be used to cover any additional costs associated with your change of lifestyle as a result of suffering from a dread disease. On average as little as 30% of costs associated with suffering from a dread disease will be medical bills. The remainder of the costs typically includes modifications to your car and home, hiring a caregiver, alternative treatments and medications not covered by your medical aid and rehabilitation therapy. Dread disease cover can help in this regard.

For example, hospital treatment for a heart attack may be covered by medical aid, but after surviving the heart attack, one may not be able to climb the stairs in a multi-story home and so the installation of a mechanical lift may be required – this could be covered by your dread disease cover.