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Cancer Life Insurance

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Cancer Life Insurance

The Insurance Surgery is one of the leading experts in securing critical illness cover for those with pre-existing medical conditions. With over 200 types of cancer, and an estimated 2.5 million people diagnosed with cancer in the UK, most people can relate to the condition. Cancer Life Insurance can provide financial security for you and your family.

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How Life Insurance for Cancer Patients & Survivors Works

There are a number of key areas that are taken into account when underwriting Cancer Life Insurance:
  • Type of Cancer
  • Area / Organs affected
  • Grade and Stage
  • Treatment (i.e. Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy etc.)
  • Date of diagnosis
  • Time in remission
The Insurance Surgery is a leading life insurance expert for pre-existing medical conditions such as Cancer and our team of experts has helped to protect thousands of families and individuals.
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Life Insurance for People with Cancer

Cancer life insurance premiums can vary dramatically from one insurance provider to another depending on how good they are with whichever type of Cancer you have or have had. Most insurance providers will view Cancer life insurance underwriting in a similar way in terms of when primary treatment had ended (usually must be 2 years) or any chemotherapy. Life insurance underwriters will usually require some key information about your Cancer, such as:

  • Grade
  • Stage
  • Type of Cancer
  • Location of Cancer
  • Treatment (e.g. Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, Mastectomy or Lumpectomy)
  • Time from end of treatment

There are currently reported to be more than 200 different types of Cancer so it is very difficult to provide accurate estimates for Cancer life insurance without knowing more details. Cancer is also the most common medical condition in the UK and the most common cause of death in the UK so a major issue as far as life insurance underwriting is concerned, especially now that more people are being cured and we are living longer as a population. Cancer life insurance premiums will also depend on whether any lymph nodes have been affected and how aggressive the Cancer is, which can potentially cause significant increases to premiums or loadings.

In general, applications for Cancer life insurance will see some sort of premium increase in the several years after primary treatment has ended which is where the risks are clearly higher. This type of loading is called a ‘per mille’ loading and will be directly linked to the level of Cancer life insurance cover that is being applied for.

Cancer life insurance cover may also be deferred or postponed for a number of years after treatment has ended to ensure that there is no re-occurrence which is common with certain types of Cancer. If you have had an application for Cancer life insurance declined or postponed in the past or if you have cover in place currently and have previously had Cancer then it is always worth reviewing your cover based on your current circumstances, especially if there have been no further issues.

In some more severe or serious cases for Cancer life insurance then there are a number of alternative options that we can recommend at The Insurance Surgery so contact one of our life insurance advisers to find out more. Anyone who has suffered from Cancer in the past will know how important it is to have the right level of life insurance cover in place so speak to the experts to see what we can do to protect you and your family.

Cancer Critical Illness Cover

There are cases where critical illness cover can be accepted with a history of Cancer, however it will depend on how long it has been since you had any treatment and how aggressive or severe your Cancer was. Cancer critical illness cover if accepted will generally be offered with a Cancer exclusion and a premium loading depending on the levels of risk involved. Our expert advisers have many years of insurance underwriting experience so we will identify which providers would be able to offer Cancer critical illness cover and on what basis (e.g. exclusions, premium loadings, postpone periods etc.).

In some cases for Cancer critical illness cover applications there may be a period where cover is postponed or even potentially declined where the Cancer has been more aggressive or treatment has been fairly recent. If you have applied for Cancer critical illness cover in the past and been accepted on special terms or been declined / postponed then it may be worth reviewing this based on your current circumstances if there has been a period of stability since then.

Can I get income protection if I have cancer?

People who have been diagnosed with Cancer looking for income protection can be covered in certain circumstances depending on type and severity of the Cancer. Almost all applications that we see for Cancer income protection will require some additional underwriting and evidence from your GP to support your application. There will also usually be a Cancer exclusions if income protection cover is accepted or there may be a longer period required from when treatment ended.

If you have previously applied for Cancer income protection and cover was declined or accepted with special terms imposed then it will generally be worth reviewing that cover, especially if there has been no further issues or complications.

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Frequently Asked Questions

We answer your most frequently asked questions.

Usually, there is a period of 2 years after primary treatment (i.e. Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy etc.) that is required before most insurance providers will consider offering cover. There are some exceptions that allow us to look at cover sooner (12 months) for certain types of cancers and for certain treatment. It is worth submitting an enquiry to The Insurance Surgery even if you are not sure as we will be able to assess your condition / application and advise you of your options.

The most important factors are the severity of cancer (i.e. Grade and Stage) and the time since the end of primary treatment to determine the level of risk for underwriters. Life Insurance premiums for cancer have dropped over the past several years and continue to do so due to medical advances and increases in mortality levels. It is important to know which insurance underwriters will offer the best terms / premiums for you and your condition which is where The Insurance Surgery’s expertise and experience counts.

A large number of our clients have previously been declined by other insurance companies but this is generally due to their lack of experience in dealing with pre-existing medical conditions or not having access to the right providers. The Insurance Surgery prides itself on the fact that we will work harder than anyone else on your behalf to find cover for you and the fact that we are a leading expert for pre-existing conditions.

It depends on when you took out the cover and what the cover is for as to whether it would be worth us looking at this again for you… but we can assure you that we will be 100% honest with you! If your existing cover is better tan anything we can find for you then we will tell you and we do not charge for any advice so this service is FREE.

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Facts about Cancer

Cancer is an extremely complicated condition which has around 200 variations (or types) that affect different areas of the body and that can require different types of treatment.

The cause of Angina is where the blood supply the heart is restricted which is also called Coronary Heart Disease.

Cancer Statistics (UK):

  • Every two minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer
  • Breast, Prostate, Lung and Bowel Cancers together account for more than half (535) of all new cancers in the UK.
  • Survival rate in the UK is roughly 50%
  • 38% of Cancer cases are preventable
  • 367,000 new Cancer cases
  • 164,000 Deaths from Cancer

Cancer groups

Cancers are divided into groups and there are 5 main groups which are determined by the type of cell where they originate, these include:

  • Carcinoma
  • Lymphoma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Leukaemia
  • Sarcoma

Grade and Stage

These are some of the main factors that underwriters consider when assessing an application for Cancer life insurance as these determine the size of the tumour and how quickly it grows.

  • Stage: This means how big the area affected is and whether it has spread
  • Grade: Means how abnormal the Cancer cells are

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The Insurance Surgery has been helping families and individuals with pre-existing conditions including all types of Cancer to obtain life insurance since 1999.
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A leading Insurance specialist in obtaining cover for people who have cancer

The Insurance Surgery have over a decade of experience in helping people with a history of Cancer obtain life insurance, travel insurance and any other financial products they may require.

We have extensive knowledge of medical underwriting that will help us find the right cover at the best price possible to meet your needs.

The cost of the cover will depend on various factors including the type of Cancer, the grade and staging, the area affected and the length of time since your Cancer was diagnosed and treated.

The products available are based on individual circumstances and will be dependent on your situation.

Below is a selection of products and a brief summary of how Cancer may affect your insurance needs.

Life insurance after cancer

If you have suffered from Cancer in the past it may still be possible to obtain Life Insurance dependent on various factors, such as the type of Cancer, the severity and site of the Cancer, the length of time since you were last treated and also the type of treatment you required.

All life insurance cover is based on individual circumstances, so we recommend providing as much accurate information as possible.

Cancer and Critical Illness Insurance

Critical Illness Insurance is a difficult product to find for client’s with a history of cancer but this does not mean it is not available. It may still be possible to obtain some cover with exclusions being applied.

Income Protection after cancer

Income Protection Insurance is difficult to obtain if you have a history of Cancer. It may be possible to secure cover if you have been clear from the Cancer for a number of years or if you are happy to have certain exclusions on the policy.

Private medical insurance after cancer

Private Medical insurance may be possible to obtain for clients with a history of Cancer but will most likely have exclusions attached to the policy. If you have been completely symptom and treatment free for a number of years it may be possible to obtain full cover even after declaring your Cancer.