Three types of skin cancer
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), sometimes called a rodent ulcer, grows slowly and very rarely spreads. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is also usually treated successfully, though it can occasionally spread if left alone. Melanoma starts in the cells that give skin its colour and is the type insurers look at most closely.
Because the three behave so differently, insurers ask for the exact name. Your pathology report or the letter from your dermatology team will give it, along with the date the lesion was removed.
What insurers ask about melanoma
For melanoma, the insurer wants the Breslow thickness, which measures how deep the cancer reached in millimetres, along with the stage and whether it had spread to the lymph nodes. They also ask whether you needed a wider excision, a sentinel node biopsy or further treatment.
Time matters too. A thin melanoma removed with clear margins a few years ago is viewed far more favourably than a thick one, one that spread, or one removed in the last few months. Any new melanoma since will also be asked about.
If you go to regular skin checks after a melanoma, say how often and when the last one was. Ongoing follow-up with no new problems is reassuring to an underwriter. Many insurers improve their terms as more years pass without a recurrence, so a later review can be worthwhile.
- Type of skin cancer
- Breslow thickness and stage for melanoma
- Lymph node involvement
- Date of removal and any further treatment
- Any recurrence or new skin cancers
The terms you might see
A BCC that was fully removed often leads to standard terms, even if you have had more than one. SCC usually leads to standard terms or a small loading once it is fully treated. Melanoma ranges from standard terms, for a thin one removed some years ago, to a loading or postponement for a thicker or more recent one.
Critical illness cover may exclude skin cancer or melanoma after a diagnosis. Many policies do not pay for minor skin cancers such as BCC in the first place, so check the definitions with your adviser.
Mention removed moles and sun damage
If you have had moles removed that showed abnormal cells, declare them if the question covers biopsies or abnormal results. Insurers may also ask about pre-cancerous patches such as actinic keratosis or Bowen's disease.
If you work outdoors, regular skin checks are good for your health and give you clear dates to quote on an application. Roofers, gardeners, farmers and others with years of sun exposure are assessed on their own history, not on their job alone.
How Hi Tomorrow helps after skin cancer
We ask for the details from your pathology report so we know exactly what type of skin cancer you had. For melanoma, we approach insurers on our panel that tend to take a fair view of your thickness and stage.
For a removed BCC, the application is often quick, and we make sure the details are recorded correctly so they cannot be questioned later. Whatever the type, we explain how each offer treats the skin cancer before you choose.