Are you or a family member struggling to find insurance since having cancer? Insurers take many different stances when it comes to underwriting applications for people who have had cancer. It is therefore important to source the most appropriate insurance provider for your individual situation.

What is Cancer?

Almost everyone knows of someone who has been affected by cancer at some point in their lives. It can often be a life changing illness and can affect any part of the body.

Cancer is caused when cells in a part of the body grow uncontrollably. The cancerous cells then invade and destroy healthy tissue in other parts of the body such as the organs.

“1 in 2 UK people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime”*

Can I get Life Insurance? 

It is usually possible to arrange life insurance for someone who has had cancer, providing that all treatment has concluded and the applicant has been free of cancer for a certain period of time.

Can I get Critical illness and income protection? 

Whilst it is possible in some circumstances, critical illness and income protection policies can be difficult to source for someone with a history of cancer. If cover is possible, you can expect the price to be higher than the quoted premium or exclusions to be made to any claims relating to future cancers.

*Cancer Research UK 2019

  • I have a family history of cancer, will this cause problems?

    A family history of cancer should not be a cause for concern when arranging life insurance.

    When making an application, insurers will usually ask whether any of your natural parents, brothers or sisters have had cancer before a certain age. If your family member has had certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer before a certain age, or you have had multiple family members suffer from cancer, then some insurers may increase your monthly premium. If you are applying for critical illness or income protection policies, the premium may be increased due to the increased likelihood of the condition being suffered by the applicant.

    The cancers which insurers usually ask about are breast and ovarian (females only) as well as bowel or colon cancer.

    A 40 year old female who is applying for critical illness cover and discloses that her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer aged 49 years can expect be offered a policy with an additional 50% added on to the quoted premium.

Application Declined? Alternative options are available.

Should your application be declined, postponed or the premium be loaded to an unaffordable amount, then there are other options available.

If you are aged 50 or over then you can obtain a policy which doesn’t take your medical history into account. These policies are usually good if you want to leave a sum to your family to pay for funeral costs or to leave a gift behind when you pass away.

Applicants under 50 years old or in need of a policy which runs for a certain number of years may be able to arrange cover through specialist insurance providers.  Our expert advisers can provide impartial advice to you on all these options.

How much will it cost?

As there are so many types of cancer and levels of severity, it is very difficult to provide an accurate price indication without more information. Life insurance can however, in some circumstances, be accepted on standard terms for less advanced cancers, such a basal-cell carcinoma. This would not be the case for someone who has had cancer which spread to the lymph nodes or another part of the body. In this instance we would expect premium loadings, and in some circumstances, a decline of cover.

If the cancer or last treatment was quite recent then insurers may postpone offering the cover for a certain number of years.

Some Insurance Providers will add an increase to the premium for a set time, often 3 to 5 years, but the increase then drops off.

What information do insurers need?

When applying for life insurance, critical illness and income protection policies, insurance providers will usually request a report from your doctor in order to fully assess your application.

Before you make an application it is worth speaking to an adviser who will be able to find out whether cover is possible and if so, at what premium. In order to gain an indication, the adviser would need as much information as possible but most importantly:

1)Type, Stage and Grade of the cancer.

2)Date of diagnosis and date of the last treatment.

3)What treatment was given?

4)Was there any spread or re-occurrence?

Why not call us now for expert advice?

Call 0800 644 4468Mobiles call01737 336 990