Life Insurance and Cancer

If you have cancer, have previously had cancer or are concerned you could get it due to your family history, you may have wondered how it could affect your chances of getting life insurance.

Many people might worry that because they’ve had the disease or are at a high risk of getting it, an insurance company might not agree to cover them. In many situations, that’s not the case.

If you want to find out more about life insurance during or after cancer in the UK, we’ve written this article to help.

Read on for a comprehensive overview, or jump ahead to the information you’re looking for:

To make sure you secure the right life insurance as a cancer survivor or sufferer, it can help to speak with an expert. Life insurance brokers can answer all your questions and help you find the cover you need even when you feel like you’ve come up against a brick wall.

Call us on 0808 189 0463 or make an enquiry and we’ll connect you with one of the experts we work with who can discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have.

Can I get life insurance as a cancer patient?

If you’re a cancer patient who is undergoing treatment or has recently been diagnosed with a form of cancer then, in many cases, you can get life insurance. However, whilst life cover is available for cancer sufferers, many providers will, naturally, want as much information as possible about your diagnosis.

Insurers do this so they can fully understand the risks associated with your life insurance policy, and apply the correct premium amount to any new cover.

To help them do this, they will ask a series of questions, including:

• What type of cancer you have
• The stage of cancer you’re at
• What type of treatment you’ve had and may have in the future
• Your age and other health-related factors
• What job you did or currently do

What you can typically expect is the insurer to either not offer terms until investigations and treatments have been completed. Or, to offer cover with an exclusion, to not pay if death occurs as a result of the condition.

How to get life insurance with cancer

In many cases, if you speak with your existing insurance provider or bank, they may have additional cancer cover available for a life insurance policy. But it may come at a cost. Which is why it can be a good idea to speak with a life insurance expert, like those we work with.

They have access to the whole of the market, including specialist life insurance providers who focus on cancer patients or families with a history of cancer. They can also help you prepare the information you will need to provide.

Is life insurance available for sufferers of specific cancers?

Some providers will offer life insurance that covers a broad range of cancers but if you have, or have suffered from, a specific type of cancer, you might need a specialist policy that will cover you if things don’t improve.

Common types of cancer that you may be able to get life insurance for are:

Where can I get cancer life insurance for children or seniors?

If you have a child who is suffering from cancer or an elderly relative who is a cancer patient, it’s important to find life insurance cover that you’re comfortable with.

You need to be certain that whether you opt for whole-of-life or term insurance, that it is suitable for the situation your children or elderly relative(s) are in.

Specifically, finding the right whole-of-life insurance for children who have cancer or have had it, might not always be straightforward. Equally, securing life cover or even finding an acceptable insurance quote for seniors with terminal cancer in the UK could also prove to be difficult without expert assistance.

This is where we can help. The advisors we work with can provide a wealth of industry experience and help you identify different types of life cover available for anyone who is currently or has previously been treated for cancer, at the best possible premium.

Give us a call on 0808 189 0463 or make an enquiry and we will arrange for an expert to get in touch.

Can I get life insurance after surviving cancer?

Yes, in many cases it is possible to get life insurance after you’ve had cancer treatment and are in remission. However, you should be aware that in some cases a lot of providers may refuse to insure you in the first couple of years after being given the all-clear.

Following that, as an ex-cancer patient, the first year after you’ve recovered from the disease, you can get the life cover you’re looking for, either term or whole-of-life insurance, however, your premiums may increase and/or you may find special terms imposed. Then, as time goes on and you remain in remission while still keeping your cover, the premiums could begin to come down.

Of course, there are some providers who won’t agree to give you life insurance as a cancer survivor but, with the right advice from an expert, you should be able to find a policy you’re happy with.

Life insurance for family history of cancer

It is possible to inherit what is known as a ‘genetic predisposition’ which may make you more vulnerable to receive a diagnosis for cancer if a previous generation has suffered from this condition.

This is why a life insurance provider asks pertinent questions relating to your family’s medical history as part of the application process. However, this should, by no means, result in your request for life cover being declined.

Depending on how close the relative was, when they were diagnosed with the cancer, if they died from it and other factors will impact whether or the insurer will offer you cover. The type of cancer is also important i.e. if you’re female and your father had testicular cancer than you may be offered standard terms.

There are a number of specialist life insurance companies who offer cover for people in such circumstances. If you get in touch, we can arrange for one of the experts we work with to contact you and discuss further. They will be happy to answer your questions and use their knowledge and experience to find the best life cover to suit your needs.

Speak with a life insurance expert

For the best advice relating to all cancer-related life insurance queries, speak with an expert. The brokers we work with can answer all of your questions relating to life cover and because they have access to the whole of market, they will be able to help you find an appropriate policy that covers your needs.

Call us on 0808 189 0463 or make an enquiry to get started.