What insurers want to know
Cancer covers many different illnesses, so the insurer needs detail. They will ask what type of cancer you had, where in the body it started, its stage (how far it had spread) and its grade (how fast the cells were growing). They will also want the date of diagnosis.
Treatment questions follow: surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or something else, and the date your last active treatment finished. They will ask whether you are in remission, whether the cancer has come back, and how often you see your specialist. Your discharge letters and clinic reports usually hold all of this.
- Type of cancer and where it started
- Stage and grade at diagnosis
- Treatment you had and when it finished
- Whether you are in remission or under follow-up
- Any recurrence or spread
Why the time since treatment matters
For most cancers, the risk of it returning is highest in the first few years after treatment. Insurers reflect that by looking closely at how long ago your treatment ended. Someone a few years clear of an early-stage cancer usually gets a better result than someone who finished treatment last month.
Some insurers have specialist underwriting for certain cancers and may offer terms sooner than others. If you are still having treatment or waiting for scan results, most insurers will postpone until things are clearer. That is a delay rather than a final answer, and you can apply again later.
Outcomes after a cancer diagnosis
Possible results include standard terms, a premium loading for a set number of years or for the life of the policy, a postponement, or a decline. Some small, fully removed skin cancers, such as a basal cell carcinoma, often have little effect, though you still need to declare them if asked.
Critical illness cover is harder after cancer. Insurers often exclude cancer from the cover, or exclude the type you had, while still covering other illnesses. Life cover is usually easier to arrange because the insurer handles the risk through the price rather than an exclusion.
Disclose the full history
If the application asks about cancer, include every diagnosis that falls within the question, even one treated many years ago or one you consider minor. Insurers will see your medical records if your family ever makes a claim, and a missing diagnosis gives them grounds to reduce or refuse it.
This includes pre-cancerous changes if the question covers them, such as abnormal cells found during screening. If you are unsure what counts, ask your adviser before you submit.
Getting your records together
Cancer applications move faster when the insurer has the facts in one place. If you have a treatment summary or discharge letter from your hospital team, keep it to hand. It will usually show the type of cancer, the stage and grade, the treatment and the dates.
If you do not have these letters, your GP surgery or hospital can help, and the insurer may write to your doctors directly with your consent. That can take a few weeks, so it helps to start early. Your adviser can tell you which details the insurer is likely to ask for.
Cover you already hold is a separate matter. A policy taken out before your diagnosis stays in force on its original terms as long as you keep paying, and you do not need to tell the insurer about the diagnosis unless you are making a claim. If that policy includes critical illness cover, check whether you could claim on it.
How Hi Tomorrow helps after cancer
Insurers vary widely in how they treat a cancer history. One may postpone for several years while another offers terms now. We know which insurers on our panel tend to be more open about particular cancers and when, so we can approach the right ones first.
We help you gather the details the insurer will need, such as dates and treatment summaries, so the application moves smoothly. If you are not able to get cover yet, we can tell you when it might be worth trying again and keep in touch.