Cancer cover is the grey area of private health insurance

With the number of successful cancer drugs in the UK having risen dramatically over the last 30 years, people are increasingly turning to private medical cover in order to take advantage of excellent new treatments that are not available on the NHS.

But insurance experts have warned that cancer cover can be a ‘grey area’ of private medical cover. Some health insurance customers are unaware that they not eligible for advanced cancer treatment like re-constructive surgery or stem cell therapy.

Richard Theo of ActiveQuote said: “There can sometimes be a lack of clarity when choosing cancer cover on a private medical insurance policy. Providers may put a limit on the maximum amount they will pay for a single medical condition, and on how long they will continue to cover it.”

Whilst the Association of British Insurers has provided guidelines on cancer cover for insurers, it is not compulsory to abide by them. Consequently, there can be a large disparity between policies and between providers.

ActiveQuote is the only website in the UK which instantly compares health insurance quotes from all leading insurers, and shows the full details of each private medical cover policy. Managing Director Richard Theo says: “We are aware that choosing cancer cover can be a complicated process.

Dr. Theo explains that only patients with comprehensive cancer cover will have access to certain treatments on their policy, like re-constructive surgery, stem cell transplantation, biological therapies and hormone therapies.

Patients with basic cancer cover may only be able to claim up to a certain annual limit, such as £30,000. Many people will not exceed this limit, with drugs like Herceptin costing around £20,000. However, basic cancer cover may not pay for more expensive treatment, like £80,000 skin cancer drug Yervoy.

As well as clarifying the details of your private medical cover, ActiveQuote will allow you to tailor your quotes online with instant updates to the price, adapting your cancer cover to your needs and budget.

As with all insurance policies, your premiums will directly affect your level of cover. Whilst cheap health insurance plans may save you money in the short term, you may not be eligible for certain cancer treatments in the future. By knowing exactly what you are covered for, you will have one less thing to worry about if you ever need to claim on your policy.