28.
Schedule of Categories – brain and nerves category
Key term
Stroke means the diagnosis of a stroke that meets all of the following:
cerebrovascular incident producing neurological deficits lasting more than 24 hours; and evidenced by acute onset of new objective neurological signs and symptoms; and evidenced by neuro-imaging changes consistent with the signs and symptoms; and confirmed by a registered medical specialist .
Includes where there is infarction of brain tissue, intracranial or subarachnoid haemorrhage or embolization from extracranial source. Transient ischaemic attacks, migraine, vascular disease affecting the eye, optic nerve or vestibular functions, and incidental imaging findings (CT or MRI brain scan without clearly related clinical symptoms (silent stroke)), or as a result of hypoxia and trauma are excluded.
Permanent neurological deficit with persisting clinical symptoms means symptoms of dysfunction in the nervous system that are present on clinical examination and expected to last throughout the life assured’s life.
Symptoms that are covered include:
numbness
difficulty in walking
hyperaesthesia (increased sensitivity)
lack of coordination
paralysis
tremor
localised weakness
seizures
dysarthria (difficulty with speech)
lethargy
aphasia (inability to speak)
dementia
dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing)
delirium
visual impairment
coma.
However, the following symptoms are not covered:
An abnormality seen on brain or other scans without definite related clinical symptoms.
Neurological signs occurring without symptomatic abnormality e.g. brisk reflexes without other symptoms
Symptoms of psychological or psychiatric origin.
Severity Level
Conditions
Stroke resulting in the life assured :
– at least six months after the stroke is suffering at least 25% permanent whole person impairment as defined in the American Medical Association ‘Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment’, 5th edition, or an equivalent guide to impairment approved by AIA ; or – at least three months after the stroke has been an ‘admitted patient’ for a continuous period of at least three months and undergoing optimal therapy for the entire three months; and
– is confirmed by a registered medical specialist who is a consultant neurologist.
‘Admitted patient’ is a patient who undergoes a hospital’s admission process to receive treatment and/or care. This treatment and/or care is provided over a period of time and can occur in hospital and/or in the person’s home. Multiple sclerosis with severity means the unequivocal diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a disease characterised by demyelination in the brain and/or spinal cord. There must be more than one episode of well-defined neurological deficit with persisting neurological abnormalities. Neurological investigations such as lumbar puncture, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) evidence of lesions in the central nervous system, evoked visual responses, and evoked auditory responses are required to confirm diagnosis. Parkinson’s disease with severity means the unequivocal diagnosis of Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease where the condition cannot be controlled by medication and shows signs of progressive impairment.
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1106 AL-PC version 7 Effective 12 May 2026
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