Who is the payment made to for Critical Illness Cover under a split trust?

In the context of a split trust arrangement for Critical Illness Cover, the payment is made to the policy owner. This is because the split trust structure is designed to separate the ownership of the policy from the benefits it provides. When a critical illness occurs, the trustee, who holds the policy on behalf of the beneficiaries, would facilitate the payment to the policy owner.

It’s important to understand that a split trust is established to ensure greater control over the policy's benefits and potentially provide tax efficiency. The policy owner is typically responsible for managing the policy and will receive the payment upon a valid claim. This ensures that the funds are distributed according to the intended arrangements outlined in the trust, while also allowing flexibility in usage by the policy owner.

In this scenario, while beneficiaries may ultimately benefit from the cover, they do not receive payments directly. The trustee's role is to administer and manage the trust, but the payment itself is directed to the policy owner who holds the rights to it.