Financial guidance series

This booklet is part of a series of booklets about financial issues and cancer. The other titles in the series are:

• Financial planning • Housing costs

• Managing your money day to day • Pensions

• Sorting out your affairs.

To order any of these, visit be.macmillan.org.uk or call 0808 808 00 00.

About this booklet

Insurance protects your finances when something

unexpected happens. If you’re affected by cancer,

there are lots of reasons why thinking about

insurance could be important for you.

A cancer diagnosis can trigger a payout from health insurance policies (see page 23). It may be possible to take out money from a life insurance policy early (see pages 38–39).

But cancer can also make it difficult to get insurance that meets your needs (see pages 12–13).

Who is this booklet for?

This booklet can help you if:

• you want to buy insurance and you’re not sure how a cancer diagnosis will affect it

• you want to claim on a health or life insurance policy you have • you have travel or car insurance and you’re not sure if you need

2 Insurance

How to use this booklet

This booklet explains the main types of insurance that can be affected by cancer, how each type of insurance works, how to buy it and how to make a claim. We cover:

• health insurance • life insurance • travel insurance • car insurance.

Don’t feel that you need to read everything. Use the contents on page 5 to find the information that is most relevant to you. We’ve used the symbols below to help certain information stand out.

Differences across the UK

This symbol shows where there are important differences between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Jargon buster

We have explained some of the financial terms you might hear.

Warning

This symbol shows where there is very important information.

Next steps

We’ve tried to make the information in this booklet as

straightforward as possible. But please call us on 0808 808 00 00 if you have any questions. We know that financial information can often be complicated and confusing. Hopefully the jargon busters throughout the booklet will help you make sense of any technical terms, and you’ll understand more as you read through the booklet.

Throughout the booklet, you’ll find quotes from people affected by cancer who’ve shared their experiences of buying and

claiming insurance. There are also quotes from Macmillan’s financial guides. They are specialist guides who you can call or email. See the next page for more information.

We hope that with the right information, you’ll be able to get the help you need with your money worries.

This information doesn’t replace financial or other professional advice. For guidance about your own circumstances, please contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

4 Insurance

How Macmillan can help

Call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00.

Our financial guides are available Monday–Thursday, 9am–5pm, and 9am–4.30pm on Fridays. They can give you financial

guidance about personal finance options, such as insurance, pensions, housing costs and tax.

You can also speak to other helpline staff:

• Our welfare rights advisers can tell you about benefits and other financial support.

• We have energy advisers who can help you reduce your heating and electricity costs, and tell you about reduced-cost energy schemes.

• We can also give you information about Macmillan Grants (see page 64 for more details) and debt advice through our charity partner StepChange Debt Charity.

For general support and advice from our cancer support

specialists, the Macmillan Support Line is open Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm. If you’re hard of hearing, you can use textphone 0808 808 0121, or Text Relay. For non-English speakers, interpreters are available.

For help with personal finance issues, you can also email

[email protected] and use our interactive online financial guidance tool at finance.macmillan.org.uk

Contents

‘As a family we

knew this was

what he wanted

and we all agreed

to rally around to

help Joyce cope

with his care’

Buying

insurance

What is insurance? 8 How insurance works 9 How cancer can affect buying insurance 12 Unfair discrimination 15

8 Insurance

What is insurance?

Insurance helps you protect yourself against risks and financial loss. For example:

• Health insurance may pay you money if you become ill and are not able to work.

• Life insurance may provide your family or spouse with money if you die.

• Travel insurance may pay for medical treatment if you have an accident while on holiday.

• Car insurance may pay for repairs if you have an accident. There are many different types of each kind of insurance. These protect you against different things. It is very important to understand what you are covered for and how much money you will receive if you need to claim.

How insurance works

The amount of money you pay for insurance is called the premium. Insurers set their premiums so they will have a big enough pool of money to pay out all the claims they get from customers, cover their costs and earn a profit.

Insurers look at the information you give them. They use this to estimate how likely you are to claim. They also check how often other people in similar situations have claimed before. They then decide what premium to charge you. If the risk of you claiming on insurance looks higher than average, the insurer may do one of the following:

• They may charge you a higher premium than the standard rate. The insurance provider needs to make sure this increase is proportionate to the increased risk of you making a claim. • They may apply an excess. This is the first part of the claim

that is not covered by your insurance provider. You may need to pay a certain amount of money towards a claim or it may be deducted from the money you receive. If you choose a policy with a higher excess, the premium may be cheaper.

• They may apply exclusions. This is what isn’t covered by the insurance provider. If you choose a policy with exclusions based on your medical history, make sure you understand which claims will and won’t be paid.

10 Insurance

Here are some possible examples of where a higher premium is charged or exclusion is applied:

• Your car insurance may increase if you have an accident. • You may have to pay more for travel insurance if you want to

go skiing.

• If you already have a chronic illness, health insurance providers may exclude this condition from the cover.

See pages 12–13 for details on how cancer can affect buying insurance.

To assess the risk of you claiming, insurers will ask you questions. With health or life insurance, they may want to see your medical reports or ask you to have a medical examination. The insurer, not you, pays for medical reports and examinations.

If you don’t answer the questions fully and truthfully, the insurer may refuse to pay out if you make a claim later on.

You don’t have to agree to medical reports or examinations. But if the insurer doesn’t have enough information to assess your application, they may refuse to cover you.

The insurance market is competitive and premiums vary from one insurer to another. So it’s important to shop around, especially if you have a medical condition. Insurers call this having a pre-existing medical condition. An insurance broker can help you compare deals from different companies. To find an insurance broker, contact the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (see page 65).

JARGON BUSTER

Premium

What you pay for insurance. Excess

The first part of a claim that isn’t covered by your insurance provider. For example, if you have a successful claim for £750 and an excess of £500, the insurer will pay you £250. Exclusion

Something that’s specifically not covered by the insurance, so there’s no payout if it happens.

Pre-existing medical condition

A health condition you have at the time you take out an insurance policy or have had in recent years.

12 Insurance

How cancer can affect

buying insurance

If you’ve had cancer or you’re living with cancer, you can sometimes face higher premiums, special conditions or refusal when buying life insurance and some types of health insurance. This includes policies that have a health insurance element, such as travel insurance.

Does cancer affect all forms of insurance?

You shouldn’t have problems getting insurance unrelated to health, for example, home insurance. If you do, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00 for information about making a complaint.

Family members

Your close relatives (children, brothers and sisters) may also find it hard to get life and health insurance on standard terms. This is because, in a small number of cases, people whose close relatives have had cancer may be at a higher than average risk of getting the same cancer.

It may also affect your close relatives’ travel insurance if you are receiving or waiting for hospital treatment or have a terminal condition. See page 43 for more information on how cancer can affect travel insurance.

Being prepared for questions

When talking to insurers, you may be asked some difficult or upsetting questions about your health, for example about the likely outcome of your cancer (prognosis). Unfortunately, not all insurers are sensitive to the needs of people affected by cancer. Depending on how you feel about talking about your cancer, you may want to contact only a couple of companies at a time. Alternatively, you could contact an insurance broker who will do the research for you.

Unfair discrimination

Cancer is classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 (England, Scotland and Wales) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Northern Ireland). These acts make it illegal to treat people less favourably because of a disability, but there is an exception for insurance.

An insurer can treat a person with a disability differently if the disability increases the risk of claiming, but only if:

• the assessment of your risk of claiming is based on relevant information

• the information is from a source that’s reasonable to rely on, such as statistical data or medical reports

• the way the insurer treats the person is reasonable, given the information available.

If challenged, the insurer will have to provide evidence to show that it has met these conditions.

NEXT STEPS

For information and help about unfair discrimination because of cancer, you can contact the Equality Advisory Support Service (England, Scotland and Wales) or the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland – see pages 66–67 for contact details.

‘You might be worried

about making a claim on

an insurance policy or

financial jargon around

insurance policies. If you

have any questions about

your insurance policies,

why not give us a call?’

HealtH

insurance

Types of health insurance 18 Buying health insurance 20 How cancer can affect buying health insurance 22 Claiming on health insurance 23

18 Insurance

Types of health insurance

There are different types of health insurance, including:

Mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI)

This pays your monthly mortgage payments (and sometimes a bit extra) if you’re unable to work. Depending on the policy, this type of insurance may cover you because of illness, an accident, unemployment or all three. It usually only pays out for a maximum of 1–2 years. You usually need to keep on paying the premiums for your cover while you are ill. See page 24 for information on making a claim.

Critical illness cover

This pays out a single lump sum if you’re diagnosed with a life-threatening health condition such as a heart attack, a stroke, some types of cancer or kidney failure. It also pays out if you become totally and permanently disabled. See page 25 for information on making a critical illness claim.

Income protection insurance

This pays out a monthly income if you can’t work because of illness or disability. Most policies pay out until you either recover or reach retirement age. Some pay out for a maximum term, for example, five years. See page 26 for information on making an income protection claim.

Payment protection insurance (PPI)

This pays out a sum of money to help cover your monthly repayments on loans, credit/store cards or catalogue shopping payments. See page 27 for information on making a claim.

Private medical insurance

This pays back the cost of private treatment for ‘acute’ medical conditions that start after your policy begins. An acute condition is one that’s likely to respond quickly to treatment or one that you’re likely to fully recover from. See page 28 for information on making a claim on private medical insurance.

Waiver of premium benefit

This is an option or a separate policy that you may have with a life insurance policy or a pension plan. The waiver pays your insurance premiums if you can’t work because of illness or disability. Depending on the policy, this may continue until you return to work, the end of the insurance policy term, a set age or a set date.

With all these types of insurance, the likelihood of making a claim tends to increase if you already have a pre-existing medical condition such as cancer. This could make it harder or more expensive to get cover if you don’t already have it.

20 Insurance

Buying health insurance

Insurers can arrange your insurance in two different ways:

Moratorium underwriting

This is a method some insurers use to help you get cover in the future for a health condition you’re recovering from. MPPI (see page 18), other loan protection insurance, short-term income protection and some private medical insurance typically use moratorium underwriting.

The policy excludes any claims related to health conditions you have or have had recently at the time you take out the policy. The exclusion lasts for the first year or two of the policy (the ‘moratorium period’).

If a claim is made after that time, the health condition is covered provided there are no further symptoms, medical advice or treatment during the moratorium period.

Full medical underwriting

This is a process an insurer uses to assess the likelihood of you making a claim against insurance you take out. Income protection insurance, critical illness cover and some private medical

insurance usually use full medical underwriting. The insurer may ask for information about your health, your lifestyle and the health of close relatives. They may do this through questions and medical reports. Based on the assessment, the insurer decides whether to offer you cover, what premium to charge you and any other special terms or restrictions to include.

Health conditions that develop after you’ve taken out a policy don’t usually affect your premium or cover, providing you don’t change policy. But they may affect the terms you’re offered if you wanted to switch to a different policy.

Some employers arrange health insurance for their employees on a group basis. This may be private medical insurance or income protection insurance. Cover is often provided up to a set amount for employees who have joined the scheme, regardless of any health conditions they may already have.

Contact your personnel or human resources (HR) department at work to find out whether your employer offers any group health insurance schemes that you can join.

22 Insurance

How cancer can affect buying

health insurance

If you’ve had cancer or are living with cancer, you usually can’t get any health insurance cover for claims related to the cancer. In some cases, you may be refused health insurance because of your cancer.

Insurers can also ask questions about the health of family members. This is because people whose close relatives (for example, parents, brothers and sisters) have had cancer may, in a small number of cases, be at a higher risk of getting the same cancer.

It’s possible to have genetic tests to check whether you’re at a high risk of getting some types of cancer. There are two types of test: • Diagnostic tests – These are carried out when you already

have symptoms

• Predictive tests – These aim to assess the likelihood of you developing a condition.

You’ll usually have to tell the insurer about any diagnostic tests that you’re having. Insurers can’t usually ask for or use the results of predictive tests.

If you have a family history of cancer but have had a favourable genetic test result, you may want to tell the insurer about it. If you don’t have any other health issues, you could get cover on standard terms.

Claiming on health insurance

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or you’re off work because of it, you may be able to claim against any health insurance policies you already have.

You should claim as soon as possible because there will usually be a time limit (for example, six months). After this time, you won’t be able to claim.

Before paying out on a claim, the insurer will make careful checks to make sure the claim is valid. This is likely to include getting medical reports from your GP and cancer specialist.

You may be asked to have a medical examination with another doctor. Paying out on a claim will usually take several weeks. Income and lump-sum insurance payouts may also affect your entitlement to state benefits.

Check the policy documents for details of how to make a claim. If you used an insurance broker or financial adviser when you took out the policy, they should be able to help you claim.

24 Insurance

Mortgage payment protection insurance claims

If you’re diagnosed with cancer and have a mortgage, you may have mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI).

This should cover your mortgage payments if you’re signed off sick from work. You should make the claim as soon as possible, as the payout usually starts after a waiting period of around 30 days. With some policies, payments are backdated to the start of the period you’re off work. The payout should cover the whole mortgage payment and may provide a small amount of cash to help with bills as well.

MPPI provides useful temporary help but usually pays out for a maximum of 12 months. It’s important to keep up the mortgage payments after that time to avoid any risk of losing your home.

Some policies need you to keep paying the premiums while you are making a claim. You should check your policy documents.

If you’re struggling with money problems, you may find our booklet Managing your money day to day helpful.

People who have a low income and get certain benefits may also be eligible for support with paying mortgage interest. Visit gov.uk/support-for-mortgage-interest or nidirect.gov. uk/getting-help-to-make-your-mortgage-interest-payments if you live in Northern Ireland.

Critical illness cover claims

Critical illness cover pays out a tax-free lump sum. It may have been taken out as a stand-alone policy or combined with life insurance.

The payout can be used for any purpose – for example, to pay off your mortgage, to pay bills during a period off work, cover private treatment costs in the UK or abroad, or pay for a holiday.

A cancer diagnosis doesn’t necessarily trigger a payout.

Check the wording of a critical illness policy to see which cancers are covered. If the wording is unclear, contact the insurer.

‘I spoke to the insurance company today and was informed our critical illness cover will be paid in full in the next five days. I know money isn’t everything, but at least I know now my wife and children will have a house that is paid for and enough in the bank to live on if, God forbid, anything did happen for the worse. I’m so glad I spoke to people and claimed.’ Simon

26 Insurance

JARGON BUSTER

Waiting period

A delay between the start of an illness and the start of the payout from an insurance policy.

Acute condition

A health condition that is sudden and can be substantially relieved or cured through treatment.

Chronic condition

A health condition that continues over a long period or periodically comes back.

Income protection insurance claims

Income protection insurance pays out a monthly income if you’re unable to work because of illness or disability. You will have chosen the level of income at the time you started the insurance and hopefully it will be enough for you to pay your bills and carry on with a reasonable lifestyle. You’ll also have chosen a waiting period before the payments start, which may be from four weeks to up to two years.

The insurance usually carries on paying out until you either return to work or reach retirement age, whichever comes first. But some policies pay out only for a maximum term. This could be five years, for example, or less for short-term income protection policies.

While you are receiving payments, your claim will be regularly reviewed by the insurer for new medical evidence that may show a change in your situation. The payments may stop if you are considered able to return to work.

You should let the insurer know if you change your occupation or move home after buying income protection insurance. If you don’t, there’s a chance your claim will be refused.

Some policies also need you to keep paying the premiums while you are making a claim. You should check your policy documents.

Payment protection insurance claims

If you’re diagnosed with cancer and have a personal loan or credit card, you may have payment protection insurance (PPI). This should cover your loan or card repayments if you’re signed off sick from work.

You should make the claim as soon as possible. Usually, the payout only starts after a waiting period of around 30–60 days. With some policies, payments are backdated to the start of the period off work. PPI pays out for a maximum of 12 or 24 months. PPI has been widely mis-sold in the past. If your claim is turned down and you feel that it wasn’t made clear to you when you took out the insurance that claims like yours wouldn’t be covered, you should consider making a complaint as you may be eligible for compensation. Many people have used a claims management company to complain and seek compensation on their behalf. Be aware that these companies will take a percentage of any compensation you are awarded. For more information about making a complaint, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

28 Insurance

Private medical insurance claims

If you have private medical insurance (PMI) – either your own policy or cover through work – it may reimburse the cost of some or all private treatment for cancer. PMI is designed to cover acute medical conditions but not chronic ones. There can be confusion about when cancer counts as acute or chronic – see page 26. Macmillan Cancer Support worked with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to make sure PMI insurers have a separate section that explains the cover for cancer using agreed examples. You’ll need to check the wording of the policy and it may be helpful to discuss it with the insurer.

You must get the insurer’s approval for any course of treatment before it goes ahead, otherwise the insurer may refuse to pay.

There may be arrangements for the insurer to pay the bills directly. Alternatively, you’ll need to pay first, then collect receipts and claim refunds.

For income protection insurance or private medical insurance provided through work, contact your personnel or human resources (HR) department for guidance on making a claim.

NEXT STEPS

• For guidance about finding suitable health-related insurance, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

• Check with your HR department at work and your mortgage provider if you are covered by any form of health insurance.

• To find out more about genetic tests, visit the website of the Association of British Insurers (abi.org.uk) and search for genetic testing.

life insurance

Types of life insurance 32 Buying life insurance 35 How cancer can affect buying life insurance 37 Getting money early from life insurance 38

32 Insurance

Types of life insurance

There are four main types of life insurance:

• Level term insurance pays out a lump sum if you die within a set time period. This lump sum amount was agreed when you were setting up the policy, and it does not change.

• Decreasing term insurance is often taken out with repayment mortgages. The amount you are covered for decreases in line with the amount of mortgage you owe.

• Endowment insurance pays out a lump sum if you die within a set time period. If you do not die within the term, it pays out at the end of the term. So this type of life insurance builds up an investment value. You will have taken out this type of insurance in the past if you’ve had an endowment mortgage (where you only pay the interest to the mortgage lender and the rest is invested in a life insurance policy). Some endowment policies will pay if you are diagnosed with a critical illness.

• Whole life insurance builds up in value and pays out on death. It can be used as an investment, for protection, or both.

‘I sadly didn’t have life or critical illness insurance, which I now regret as I was entitled to nothing. If I had had it, my mortgage would have been paid during treatment.’

Death-in-service benefit

Many employers also offer life cover to employees. Cover is usually available to every employee up to a set limit, whatever their state of health. Speak to your HR department at work to find out more. Many employers offer a type of life insurance called ‘death-in-service benefit’. Death in service benefit guarantees a lump-sum payout if you die while working for that employer. You can usually choose who you would want this payment to go to (your beneficiaries). However, sometimes death-in-service payouts go into a discretionary trust, which means you cannot choose exactly who will benefit.

If you consider giving up your work due to ill health, check with your employer what would happen to any life insurance cover they provide.

Over-50s plans

Over-50s plans are designed to pay a lump sum of money into your estate when you die. They’re mainly intended for anyone aged 50–85 who doesn’t already have a life insurance policy. People with life insurance can still buy over-50s plans and may choose to if they are saving for a particular purpose (such as paying for a funeral) and want to keep this separate from their life insurance.

Over-50s plans don’t require medical underwriting. This means your health won’t be taken into account when you are applying for the policy. The payout also isn’t affected if you are in poor health when you take out the policy. For these reasons, over-50s plans can be suitable for people with existing health problems.

34 Insurance

The monthly payments are usually an affordable amount, but the final payout is generally modest. If you live for many years after you take out the plan, you may end up paying in much more money than is paid out when you die.

If you die within two years of starting an over-50s plan, there may not necessarily be a full pay-out. But there may be a refund of the money that had been paid into the plan.

Some people prefer to pay for their own funeral using a pre-paid funeral plan. These may be better value for money, but you need to make sure you ask:

• Does the plan cover all the costs of the funeral?

• What happens if the funeral home goes out of business? • What happens if you die while overseas?

JARGON BUSTER

Underwriting

The process where insurance companies look at your details to decide whether or not to insure you, and what the terms of that insurance should be.

Buying life insurance

The two main reasons people may buy life insurance are to: • Pay off large debts, such as a mortgage to protect your house

for your spouse or family.

• Provide an income to your spouse or family after you die. You will normally pay monthly payments called premiums.

The premiums are set at the time you start the policy and take into account your state of health at that time. If there is a change in health after the policy has started, it doesn’t affect the premiums for an existing policy. However, it will affect the premiums for any new policy.

If you’re paying regular premiums for the policy (each month, for example), the insurance continues for as long as you keep paying the premiums.

If you stop paying, the cover stops unless you have a waiver of premium benefit (see page 19).

Mortgage providers often try to sell life cover when mortgages are taken out. You don’t need to buy life insurance from them, so you can shop around to find the best insurance for you. It’s always a good idea to contact your mortgage provider to check whether you have any life insurance included in your mortgage repayments.

36 Insurance

Many employers offer life cover to employees on a group basis. Usually, cover is available to every employee up to a set limit, regardless of their state of health. Contact your personnel or human resources (HR) department at work to find out whether your employer offers a group life insurance scheme that you can join.

Putting a policy in trust

When you die, there may be inheritance tax to pay on your estate. Your estate is everything you own at the time of death, minus anything you owe. Normally, everything you own would include any payout from a life insurance policy, but you can arrange to have most life policies written in trust. This means that instead of the payout forming part of your estate, it goes directly to whoever you nominate – for example, your partner or children.

As well as possibly reducing tax, writing a policy in trust ensures your survivors get the payout quickly instead of having to wait until your estate is sorted out, which could take months or even years. Ask the insurer about putting a life policy in trust. Usually, there is no extra charge for doing this.

How cancer can affect buying

life insurance

If you’ve had cancer or you’re living with cancer, you will usually be offered an above-average premium or be refused cover altogether. Cover with an exclusion for cancer-related claims would be very unusual.

Whether or not you can get life cover, and on what terms,

will depend on the type of cancer you have and the stage it is at. The insurer will want a medical report and may ask you to have a medical examination.

Some brokers specialise in arranging life cover if you have

existing health problems. However, it’s difficult to predict whether a company will provide cover, because the decision will depend on your personal situation.

38 Insurance

Getting money early from

life insurance

Cashing in an investment policy

Some types of life insurance are investments and can be cashed in early. But the cash-in value may be low, especially in the early years of a policy.

Selling a life insurance policy

An alternative to cashing in a life insurance policy is to sell it through a specialist firm to someone else in return for cash immediately. The buyer takes over paying the premiums and receives the eventual payout from the policy. For tips about these options, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

‘We can help with the claims process. We can also help to identify policies you may have through work, for example, or help you if you want to buy insurance but are finding it difficult because you have cancer.’

Cashing in a protection policy

Some life insurance policies include an extra benefit called ‘terminal illness benefit’. This means the insurer will pay out the full amount of the insurance cover immediately if you’re expected to live for less than 12 months. You keep the payout even if you live for longer. The money can be used for any purpose. You can check the life insurance policy to see whether terminal illness benefit is included.

If you cash in or sell your life insurance policy, it won’t pay out to your beneficiaries when you die. You may want to think about how they would manage financially before making a decision.

NEXT STEPS

• For guidance about finding suitable life insurance, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

• Contact your HR department to check whether you are included in a life insurance policy or if you can join one. • Contact your mortgage provider to check whether you

Travel

insurance

What does travel insurance cover? 42 How cancer can affect buying travel insurance 43 Buying travel insurance 44 European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) 49 Travel insurance recommendations 50 If you have an insurance policy when diagnosed 51

42 Insurance

What does travel

insurance cover?

Travel insurance is designed to cover unexpected events that may happen before or while you’re on a holiday or other type of trip. These are the main areas covered by a travel insurance policy: • Medical expenses – This covers the cost of emergency

treatment while abroad, including ambulances and getting you back home (with a medical escort, if necessary).

• Cancellation – This refunds you if you have to cancel or cut your trip short due to illness, for example.

• Personal liability – This covers compensation you have to pay if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property. • Baggage – This pays out if your belongings are lost or stolen.

You don’t have to take out travel insurance, but if you go abroad without it, you risk having to pay medical costs if you become ill, which could be thousands of pounds. If you injure someone, this could cost millions of pounds.

You can take out a new policy each time you travel, called ‘single trip’ insurance, or you can take out an annual policy to cover all of the trips you make during a year.

Alan

‘I notified my travel insurance company that I had cancer and they put an exemption clause in the policy.

My insurance still covers me for skiing and backpacking travel – all the normal accident scenarios. But not anything related to my disease.’

How cancer can affect buying

travel insurance

When you already have a health problem before buying travel insurance, travel insurance companies call this a pre-existing condition.

When buying travel insurance, you need to check whether the policy will cover claims arising from any pre-existing medical conditions. Some insurance companies will simply choose to exclude all cover for any pre-existing medical conditions, while some may exclude any medical claims arising from certain pre-existing conditions.

44 Insurance

‘The cost of travel insurance was high immediately after I finished my treatment but three years on I found that the premium was only slightly higher than with no pre-existing medical condition.’ Christine

Buying travel insurance

If you’re living with cancer, you should check with your doctor or other healthcare professional that you’re fit to travel. However, this doesn’t guarantee you’ll get insurance to cover your cancer. If you have or have had cancer, you’ll need to tell the insurer about it if the policy requires you to declare pre-existing medical conditions.

There are lots of travel insurance policies available that cover claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions, as long as those conditions have been declared to the insurance company and have been accepted by the company in writing.

You will usually have to pay extra to cover claims arising from the cancer. This is because the likelihood of you claiming for medical expenses or cancellation is increased.

Alternatively, claims related to the cancer may be excluded. The insurer may also insist on other conditions, such as putting you and your travelling companions all on the same policy. They may also specify a minimum gap – for example, four weeks – between the end of cancer treatment and the start of a trip.

Be prepared for questions

Always make sure you know what you need to tell the insurer, and what is and isn’t covered before you take out insurance so you’re sure the policy will meet your needs. If you’re not sure, ask your insurance company or broker.

If you’re advised to declare any pre-existing medical conditions, you must answer any question you’re asked as fully and as accurately as you can, to the best of your knowledge and belief. If you don’t, your insurer may refuse to pay your claim and could cancel your policy.

There may be situations where your health or prescribed

medication changes between the time you take out the policy and the time you book or depart on any trip. Most insurers require you to tell them any new information about your health or tests being carried out during this time.

If you’re affected by cancer, you may feel that medical cover isn’t important because you would wait until you got back home before seeking medical advice or treatment. But insurance is about covering the unexpected. In particular, it covers emergency treatment and getting you fit enough to travel back to the UK. It also covers the extra costs of flying you home if you have to travel by air ambulance, on a stretcher or with medical equipment.

46 Insurance

JARGON BUSTER

Pre-existing condition

A health problem you already have when you come to buy travel insurance.

Premium

The amount of money you need to pay for the travel insurance policy.

Excess

The amount you will need to pay towards any successful claim you make on a travel insurance policy. It may be deducted from the payout you receive or you may need to pay it directly to the company before the claim is approved.

Family members

You also need to tell the insurer about the health of someone close to you if it may affect your trip. For example, if a close relative (such as your partner, parent, child, brother or sister) or a business partner has cancer, there’s a risk your trip may have to be cancelled or cut short because of their health.

Often, there are no specific questions on the

application form about close relatives’ health, but you normally have to indicate that you’ve read the policy terms and conditions. These may state that claims will not be covered if you ‘or any person whose condition may give rise to a claim’ are receiving or waiting for hospital treatment or have a terminal condition.

You must tell the insurer of any change in your own condition, or that of a close relative, between taking out the insurance and travelling, if you’re required to.

European Health Insurance

Card (EHIC)

The EHIC is available to all people who are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK. This is someone who normally lives in the UK, apart from temporary or occasional absences. You don’t need to have a British nationality to be ordinarily resident in the UK.

The EHIC entitles you to access emergency healthcare in some countries either free of charge or at a reduced cost. It covers the European Economic Area (the countries of the European Union and Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) and Switzerland. It’s a reciprocal arrangement between governments, not a commercial policy with an insurer. You can only access state-provided healthcare. There are no exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions.

Some travel insurers insist you carry an EHIC so that your insurance builds on the emergency cover the EHIC provides. The EHIC isn’t a substitute for travel insurance. The EHIC doesn’t cover the cost of medical treatment in private clinics or hospitals. It also doesn’t cover ambulances, getting you back to the UK or non-medical things such as personal liability and cancellation cover. Also, few European Union countries will pay the full cost of medical treatment.

It’s therefore important to have both an EHIC and appropriate travel insurance before you travel. EHICs last for up to five years at a time, so don’t forget to renew your card in time for any trips. An EHIC is free. You can apply online at ehic.org.uk or call 0300 330 1350. Be careful not to apply through unofficial websites, as these usually charge you to order an EHIC.

50 Insurance

Travel insurance

recommendations

Travel insurance is one of the most widely discussed topics on the Macmillan online community. By reading the conversations happening there, you can find out which providers people are recommending. You do not have to join the community to read what people are saying.

We have set up a conversation on the online community at tinyurl.com/travelrecommendations This is where we encourage you to share your experiences of getting travel insurance and to recommend companies.

We also have a booklet called Getting travel insurance,

which we can send you for free. It has general information about getting travel insurance and includes tips about finding travel insurance providers that may be able to cover you. It does not include details of particular travel insurance providers.

If you have problems buying or claiming on travel insurance, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00 for information and support.

If you have an insurance

policy when diagnosed

You should tell the insurance provider if there are any health changes between taking out the insurance and travelling. If you have an annual travel insurance policy and you are diagnosed with cancer during the period of your cover, you should tell your insurer.

This also applies to your family members if there is a risk they may have to cancel a holiday due to your health.

If you give all this information to your insurance provider in advance, you should normally be covered if you decide to cancel the trip. Or they may increase the premium to cover you for the cancer diagnosis. This depends on the provider and the policy. Ask the provider as early as possible about this.

NEXT STEPS

• Visit Macmillan’s online community at tinyurl.com/ travelrecommendations to see travel insurance recommendations from people affected by cancer. • For guidance about finding suitable travel insurance,

Car insurance

How cancer can affect buying car insurance 54 Do I need to contact the DVLA or DVA? 55 Car insurance policies 57

54 Insurance

How cancer can affect buying

car insurance

DIFFERENCES ACROSS THE UK

Driving licences are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in England, Scotland and Wales, and the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland.

Your car insurance should only be affected if the cancer makes it more difficult or risky for you to drive. If the DVLA or DVA has provided you with a driving licence, you should normally be offered car insurance on standard terms.

If the cancer may affect your ability to drive, the DVLA or DVA may decide to restrict your driving licence so that you can only drive certain vehicles.

You may need to adapt your vehicle to meet your needs. You should tell your insurance provider of any adaptations you make to your car straight away. If you don’t, you may not be covered if you need to make a claim. Adaptations to your car could make it more expensive for the insurance company to repair your car. If this is the case, the cost of your car insurance may increase.

Do I need to contact the

DVLA or DVA?

The DVLA

The DVLA says that you only need to tell them you have cancer if: • you have, or develop, any problems with your brain or

nervous system

• your doctor is concerned about your ability to drive safely

• you’re restricted to certain types of vehicles or vehicles that have been adapted for you

• your medication causes side effects that are likely to affect safe driving.

Visit gov.uk/cancer-and-driving to find out more. To tell the DVLA about a health condition, call 0300 790 6806. You can also send an email from the website at gov.uk/contact-the-dvla

You can be fined up to £1,000 if you don’t tell the DVLA about a condition that affects your driving.

The DVA

The DVA says you only need to tell them you have had cancer if you have had treatment in the past five years for any of these: • lung cancer

• melanoma

56 Insurance

You can tell the DVA about a medical condition by calling 0845 4024 000 or emailing [email protected]

If you have or develop any problems that may affect your driving, you will need to tell the DVLA or DVA. They will decide whether you are medically fit to drive.

For information about adapted vehicles, motorised scooters and powered wheelchairs, contact the Forum of Mobility Centres at mobility-centres.org.uk or call 0800 559 3636.

Car insurance policies

It is a good idea to check your car insurance policy as some insurers may request you tell them if you are diagnosed with cancer. If you don't, you may have trouble making a claim later.

NEXT STEPS

• Ask your doctor if you are fit to drive.

• Check your car insurance policy to see whether you need to tell them about a diagnosis.

• For guidance about finding suitable travel insurance or advice about contacting the DVLA, contact our financial guides on 0808 808 00 00.

FurTher

information

About our information 60 Other ways we can help you 62 Other useful organisations 65

60 Insurance

About our information

We provide expert, up-to-date information

about cancer. And all our information is free

for everyone.

Order what you need You may want to order more leaflets or booklets like this one. Visit be.macmillan.org.uk or call us on 0808 808 00 00. We have booklets on different cancer types, treatments and side effects. We also have information about work, financial issues, diet, life after cancer and information for carers, family and friends. All of our information is also available online at macmillan. org.uk/cancerinformation There you’ll also find videos featuring real-life stories from people affected by cancer, and information from health and social care professionals.

Other formats

We also provide information in different languages and formats, including:

• audiobooks • Braille

• British Sign Language • Easy Read booklets • ebooks

• large print • translations.

Find out more at macmillan. org.uk/otherformats If you’d like us to produce information in a different format for you, email us at cancerinformationteam@ macmillan.org.uk or call us on 0808 808 00 00.

Help us improve our information

We know that the people who use our information are the real experts. That’s why we always involve them in our work. If you’ve been affected by cancer, you can help us improve our

information.

We give you the chance to comment on a variety of

information including booklets, leaflets and fact sheets.

If you’d like to hear more about becoming a reviewer, email reviewing@macmillan. org.uk You can get involved from home whenever you like, and we don’t ask for any special skills – just an interest in our cancer information.

62 Insurance

Other ways we can help you

At Macmillan, we know how a cancer

diagnosis can affect everything, and we’re

here to support you. No one should face

cancer alone.

Talk to us

If you or someone you know is affected by cancer, talking about how you feel and sharing your concerns can really help.

Macmillan Support Line

Our free, confidential phone line is open Monday–Friday, 9am–8pm. Our cancer support specialists can:

• help with any medical questions you have about your cancer or treatment • help you access benefits and

give you financial advice • be there to listen if you need

someone to talk to

• tell you about services that can help you in your area.

Call us on 0808 808 00 00 or email us via our website, macmillan.org.uk/talktous

Information centres

Our information and support centres are based in hospitals, libraries and mobile centres. There, you can speak with someone face to face.

Visit one to get the information you need, or if you’d like a private chat, most centres have a room where you can speak with someone alone and in confidence.

Find your nearest centre at macmillan.org.uk/ informationcentres or call us on 0808 808 00 00.

Talk to others

No one knows more about the impact cancer can have on your life than those who have been through it themselves. That’s why we help to bring people together in their communities and online.

Support groups

Whether you are someone living with cancer or a carer, we can help you find support in your local area, so you can speak face to face with people who understand. Find out about support groups in your area by calling us or by visiting macmillan.org.uk/ selfhelpandsupport

Online community

Thousands of people use our online community to make friends, blog about their experiences and join groups to meet other people going through the same things. You can access it any time of day or night. Share your experiences, ask questions, or just read through people’s posts at macmillan.org.uk/ community

The Macmillan healthcare team Our nurses, doctors and other health and social care professionals give expert care and support to individuals and their families. Call us or ask your GP, consultant, district nurse or hospital ward sister if there are any Macmillan professionals near you.

‘ Everyone is so supportive on the online community, they know exactly what you’re going through. It can be fun too. It’s not all just chats about cancer.’

64 Insurance

Help with money worries Having cancer can bring extra costs such as hospital parking, travel fares and higher heating bills. If you’ve been affected in this way, we can help.

Financial advice

Our financial guidance team can give you advice on mortgages, pensions, insurance, borrowing and savings.

Help accessing benefits Our benefits advisers can offer advice and information on benefits, tax credits, grants and loans. They can help you work out what financial help you could be entitled to. They can also help you complete your forms and apply for benefits.

Macmillan Grants

Macmillan offers one-off payments to people with cancer. A grant can be for anything from heating bills or extra clothing to a much-needed break.

Call us on 0808 808 00 00 to speak to a financial guide or benefits adviser, or to find out more about Macmillan Grants. We can also tell you about benefits advisers in your area. Visit macmillan.org.uk/ financialsupport to find out more about how we can help you with your finances.

Help with work and cancer Whether you’re an employee, a carer, an employer or are self-employed, we can provide support and information to help you manage cancer at work. Visit macmillan.org.uk/work

Macmillan’s My Organiser app This free mobile app can help you manage your treatment, from appointment times and contact details, to reminders for when to take your medication. Search ‘My Organiser’ on the Apple App Store or Google Play on your phone.

Other useful organisations

There are lots of other organisations that

can give you information or support.

Information and advice about insurance

Association of British Insurers

Tel 020 7600 3333 www.abi.org.uk

Represents the UK’s insurance industry and provides

information to the public.

British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA)

Tel 0870 950 1790

Email [email protected] www.biba.org.uk

Represents the interests of insurance brokers and customers. Its consumer helpline can offer advice on finding an appropriate BIBA-registered insurance broker. BIBA brokers are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

NHS Business Services Authority, EHIC Applications, Bridge House,

152 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6SN

Tel 0300 330 1350 www.ehic.org.uk

The free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives free or reduced-cost state healthcare while travelling in certain European countries. Financial or legal advice and information Advice NI 1 Rushfield Avenue, Belfast BT7 3FP Tel 028 9064 5919 Email [email protected] www.adviceni.net Offers advice and information about rights and entitlements.

66 Insurance Advice UK WB1, PO Box 70716, London EC1P 1GQ Tel 0300 777 0107 Email [email protected] www.adviceuk.org.uk Helps people to solve legal and welfare problems.

Cancer Recovery

Tel 0207 470 8755 Email enquiries@ cancerrecovery.org.uk

www.cancerrecovery.org.uk Provides practical and

financial support (including grants) to help people recover from cancer.

Citizens Advice

Provides advice on a variety of issues including financial, legal, housing and employment issues. Find details for your local office in the phone book or on the following websites:

England and Wales

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Scotland

www.cas.org.uk

Northern Ireland

www.citizensadvice.co.uk

You can also find advice online in a range of languages at adviceguide.org.uk

Civil Legal Advice

(England and Wales only)

Tel 0345 345 4345

Textphone 0345 609 6677 www.gov.uk/

civil-legal-advice

Provides free initial advice on benefits and tax credits, debt, education, housing and employment in England and Wales.

Equality Advisory Support Service

Freepost, Equality Advisory Support Service FPN4431 Tel 0808 800 0082

Textphone 0808 800 0084 www.

equalityadvisoryservice.com Provides information, advice and support on discrimination and human rights issues, including the Equality Act 2010.

Equality Commission for Northern Ireland Equality House, 7–9 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast BT2 7DP Tel 028 90 500 600 Textphone 028 90 500 589 Email [email protected] www.equalityni.org Aims to increase equality,

promote equality of opportunity, encourage good relations and challenge discrimination through promotion, advice and enforcement. Institute of Financial Planning 1 Redcliff Street, Bristol BS1 6NP Tel 0117 945 2470 www.financialplanning.org. uk/wayfinder

A not-for-profit group that authorises financial planners, and keeps a check on their professional activities. You can enter your postcode on the website to find a financial planner near you.

Law Centres Network

www.lawcentres.org.uk Local Law Centres provide advice and legal assistance. They specialise in social welfare issues including disability and discrimination.

The Law Society of England and Wales

113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL Tel 020 7242 1222 Email [email protected] www.lawsociety.org.uk Represents solicitors in England and Wales. Can provide details of local solicitors.

Law Society of Scotland

26 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7YR

Tel 0131 226 7411 Email [email protected] www.lawscot.org.uk Law Society of Northern Ireland 96 Victoria Street, Belfast BT1 3GN Tel 028 9023 1614 Email [email protected] www.lawsoc-ni.org

68 Insurance

NI Direct

www.nidirect.gov.uk

Responsible for social security benefits in Northern Ireland. The website has information and practical advice about public services. You can apply for a benefit or ask questions about the application process using the numbers listed on the website.

Personal Finance Society –‘Find an Adviser’ service

42–48 High Road, South Woodford, London E18 2JP Tel 020 8530 0852 Email [email protected] www.thepfs.org/yourmoney/ find-an-adviser

The UK’s largest professional body for independent financial advisers. Use the ‘Find an Adviser’ tool to find qualified financial advisers in your area.

Turn2us

Hythe House,

200 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7NL

Email [email protected] www.turn2us.org.uk A charity that offers an online service to help the millions of people in financial need in the UK.

Unbiased Ltd

Email [email protected] www.unbiased.co.uk

You can search for details of local, independent financial advisers on the website. General cancer organisations

Cancer Black Care

79 Acton Lane, London NW10 8UT Tel 020 8961 4151 Email [email protected] www.cancerblackcare.org.uk Offers information and support for people with cancer from ethnic communities, their carers, families and friends.

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland 40–44 Eglantine Avenue, Belfast BT9 6DX Tel 028 9066 3281 (Mon–Fri, 9am–1pm) Email [email protected] www.cancerfocusni.org Offers a variety of services to people affected by cancer, including a free helpline, counselling and links to local support groups.

Cancer Support Scotland

Calman Cancer Support Centre, 75 Shelley Road, Glasgow G12 0ZE Tel 0800 652 4531 Email info@ cancersupportscotland.org www. cancersupportscotland.org Runs cancer support groups throughout Scotland. Also offers free complementary therapies and counselling to anyone affected by cancer.

Irish Cancer Society

43–45 Northumberland Road, Dublin 4, Ireland Tel 1800 200 700 (Mon–Thu, 9am–7pm, Fri, 9am–5pm) Email [email protected] www.cancer.ie

Offers information, support and care to people affected by cancer. Has a helpline staffed by specialist cancer nurses. You can also chat to a nurse online and use the site’s message board.

Tenovus Head Office, Gleider House, Ty Glas Road, Cardiff CF14 5BD Tel 0808 808 1010 (Mon–Sun, 8am–8pm) Email [email protected] www.tenovus.org.uk

Funds research and provides support such as mobile cancer support units, a free helpline, an ‘Ask the nurse’ service and benefits advice.

You can search for more organisations on our website at macmillan.org.uk/organisations, or call us on 0808 808 00 00.

70 Insurance

Disclaimer

We make every effort to ensure that the information we provide is accurate and up to date, but it should not be relied upon as a substitute for specialist professional advice tailored to your situation. So far as is permitted by law, Macmillan does not accept liability in relation to the use of any information contained in this publication, or third-party information or websites referred to in it.

Thanks

This booklet has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been approved by Neal Southwick, Macmillan Financial Support Programme Lead.

With thanks to: Joseph Ahern, Policy Assistant, Association of British Insurers (ABI); Brian Brown, Head of Consulting, Principal Consultant, Banking & General Insurance, Defaqto; Jonquil Lowe, Financial Researcher, Journalist and Author; Mike Powell, Insight Analyst; General Insurance, Defaqto; Andrew Woolgar, Policy Adviser, General Insurance, Association of British Insurers; Robert Watkins, Technical Lead, Macmillan’s Financial Guidance team. Thanks also to the people affected by cancer who reviewed this booklet, and those who shared their stories.

Sources

We’ve listed a sample of the sources used in the publication below. If you’d like further information about the sources we use, please contact us at

[email protected]

Citizens Advice website. www.adviceguide.org.uk (accessed March 2015). GOV.UK website. www.gov.uk (accessed March 2015).

The Money Advice Service. www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk (accessed March 2015). NHS Choices. EHIC – European Health Insurance Card. www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/ Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx (accessed March 2015). NI Direct website. www.nidirect.gov.uk (accessed March 2015).

The Personal Finance Society. www.thepfs.org (accessed March 2015). Which? website. www.which.co.uk (accessed March 2015).

5 ways

you can

hElP

with

_cancer

Support people living with cancer by telling your story, online, in the media or face to face.

Campaign for change

We need your help to make sure everyone gets the right support. Take an action, big or small, for better cancer care.

Help someone in your community

A lift to an appointment. Help with the shopping.

Or just a cup of tea and a chat. Could you lend a hand? Raise money

Whatever you like doing you can raise money to help. Take part in one of our events or create your own. Give money

Big or small, every penny helps. To make a one-off donation see over.

Call us to find out more

0300 1000 200

macmillan.org.uk/getinvolved

many publications that are available free to anyone affected by cancer. They’re produced by our cancer information specialists who, along with our nurses, benefits advisers, campaigners and volunteers, are part of the Macmillan team. When people are facing the toughest fight of their lives, we’re there to support them every step of the way.

We want to make sure no one has to go through cancer alone, so we need more people to help us. When the time is right for you, here are some ways in which you can become a part of our team.

Please fill in your personal details Mr/Mrs/Miss/Other Name Surname Address Postcode Phone Email

Please accept my gift of £

(Please delete as appropriate)

I enclose a cheque / postal order / Charity Voucher made payable to Macmillan Cancer Support OR debit my:

Visa / MasterCard / CAF Charity Card / Switch / Maestro

Card number

Valid from Expiry date Issue no Security number

Signature

Date / /

Don’t let the taxman keep your money

Do you pay tax? If so, your gift will be worth 25% more to us – at no extra cost to you. All you have to do is tick the box below, and the tax office will give 25p for every pound you give.

I am a UK taxpayer and I would like Macmillan Cancer Support to treat all donations I have made for the four years prior to this year, and all donations I make in the future, as Gift Aid donations, until I notify you otherwise.

I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax in each tax year, that is at least equal to the tax that Charities & CASCs I donate to will reclaim on my gifts. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify and that Macmillan Cancer Support will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

Macmillan Cancer Support and our trading companies would like to hold your details in order to contact you about our fundraising, campaigning and services for people affected by cancer. If you would prefer us not to use your details in this way please tick this box.

In order to carry out our work we may need to pass your details to agents or partners who act on our behalf.

Please cut out this form and return it in an envelope (no stamp required) to: Supporter Donations, Macmillan Cancer Support, FREEPOST LON15851, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7UQ

If you’d rather donate online go to macmillan.org.uk/donate

#

ever face. And the feelings of isolation and

loneliness that so many people experience

make it even harder. But you don’t have to

go through it alone. The Macmillan team

is with you every step of the way.

We are the nurses and therapists helping you through treatment. The experts on the end of the phone. The advisers telling you which benefits you’re entitled to. The volunteers giving you a hand with the everyday things. The campaigners improving cancer care. The community there for you online, any time. The supporters who make it all possible.

Together, we are all Macmillan Cancer Support.

For cancer support every step of the way, call Macmillan on 0808 808 00 00

(Mon–Fri, 9am–8pm) or visit macmillan.org.uk Hard of hearing? Use textphone

0808 808 0121, or Text Relay.

Non-English speaker? Interpreters available. Braille and large print versions on request.

© Macmillan Cancer Support, April2015. 3rd _{edition. MAC14285.}

Next planned review2016. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Printed using sustainable material. Please recycle.