Testicular cancer life insurance

Often people don’t think about life insurance after cancer because they don’t think it’s available. Being diagnosed with testicular cancer doesn’t always mean that life cover isn’t available for you.

If you need life insurance to protect your family and you’ve had testicular cancer then here’s how it works.

According to Cancer Research UK, approximately 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer every year. This means that this is the 18^th most common type of cancer, accounting for around 1% of all cases in males in the UK.

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Getting life insurance after testicular cancer

Our team of experts regularly speaks to customers who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer and other types of cancer.

More about LIFE INSURANCE

More about CANCER LIFE INSURANCE

Can you get life insurance after testicular cancer?

YES – in the majority of cases, it is possible to get life insurance if you’ve had testicular cancer in the past. This is especially true if you have had the testicle removed with no further reoccurrences.

Generally with testicular cancer, there are some key dates to consider when thinking about life insurance.

1 year from the removal of the testicle with no treatment
2 years from any form of treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy
5 years in remission usually means that the risk of reoccurrence is lower

As you pass each of these milestones, it generally becomes easier, and often cheaper to get life insurance.

Sometimes if cancer has spread then there may be other things to consider which will depend on the grade and stage of cancer.

Does life insurance cover testicular cancer?

YES – if you’ve got life insurance in place already and your family needs to claim on your policy in the future, then you should be covered. If you took out life cover since you were diagnosed with testicular cancer then you should also be covered, as long as you disclosed it.

Most insurance providers in the UK payout on well over 95% of claims and 100% of any valid claim, so it’s not common for claims to be declined.

When will life insurance not payout for testicular cancer?

There are some instances that you need to be aware of where cover may not payout, or your payout may be reduced.

Guaranteed life insurance: some policies are not fully underwritten which is why they are cheaper and easier to buy. These policies will usually exclude any pre-existing medical conditions
Non-disclosure: if you fail to disclose something on your application that will impact your cover then your claim could be refused. If you fail to disclose something on purpose (e.g. cancer), then your cover will usually be invalid

Life insurance questions about testicular cancer

Here are some examples of the sort of questions that you could be asked when you apply for life cover with testicular cancer.

Have you ever been diagnosed with cancer?
What type of tumour did you have (e.g. Seminoma, Teratoma, or other)?
Has cancer ever spread outside of your testicle?
What was the grade and stage of your cancer?
Have you completed hospital treatment, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy?
When did your treatment end?
Are you in complete remission with no signs of recurrence?

When you answer these questions, your application will often then be passed to an underwriter for review.

Will I need a medical to get life insurance after testicular cancer?

In most cases, you will probably need to provide a GP report or medical records for your life insurance application. This is common if you disclose any type of cancer for life cover so it’s not unusual.

The process for getting a medical record or report from your GP is:

Sign, or agree verbally for your insurer to view your medical records
The insurance provider will apply to your GP or specialist
Report returned directly to your insurer (you can view your records before they go to the insurer)

You will not need to pay for your records to be provided as it is paid for by your insurer directly.

Generally, you won’t need a medical or to see a nurse as this will be done through a medical report.

Best life insurance for testicular cancer

There are several main types of life cover that you can get and all you need to do is decide which you want. Each different type of policy provides cover for a different situation so you’ll just need to figure out what’s important to you.

Term life insurance after testicular cancer (or family protection) is the most common type of life insurance and often the easiest to get. This cover will provide a cash lump sum to your family on death even if you’ve been diagnosed with testicular cancer in the past.

If you’ve been diagnosed with testicular cancer in the past then you’ll be covered for this so your family will be protected.

Mortgage life insurance testicular cancer (decreasing term) is specifically designed to pay out to cover your mortgage. The amount of cover will reduce at a similar rate to your mortgage to pay a cash lump sum on death.

Critical illness cover with testicular cancer is also available in some instances where the cancer was removed, or treatment ended several years ago. You’ll often find that cover will be offered with an exclusion for cancer as standard so this is normal.

Income protection after testicular cancer can be available through some insurers, also depending on when cancer occurred and treatment. Most offers of cover will have a cancer exclusion on them so you should check your policy wording carefully.

Is testicular cancer a pre-existing medical condition for life insurance?

You will be asked if you’ve ever had cancer when applying for life insurance as a standard question. You will need to disclose any information about your medical history when asked, especially something as serious as cancer.

Testicular cancer will have an impact on your life insurance application due to the nature of this condition. It doesn’t mean that life cover isn’t available, it just means that your application will be reviewed on this basis.

Can I get life insurance after testicular cancer?

YES – in most cases you should be able to get life insurance from 12 months after treatment for testicular cancer. You can also get a ‘guaranteed life insurance policy immediately after diagnosis that will exclude pre-existing medical conditions.

One of the most important things to consider when you’ve had testicular cancer and need life cover is time. You’ll be able to get this type of cover from most of the normal mainstream insurers after 12 months, and the choice will increase after 5 years usually.

Common questions about testicular cancer

Here are a few of the most common questions that people ask about testicular cancer.

What is the first sign of testicular cancer?	The most common first sign of testicular cancer is an enlarged testicle or a lump around the testicle. You should seek medical advice as soon as you feel any pain, discomfort, lump, or any hardness around the genitals.
Can testicular cancer kill you?	According to statistics from the American Cancer Society, 1 in every 250 men will develop testicular cancer at some stage of their lives. The risk of death from testicular cancer is usually low because it is often treated successfully, so the risk is 1 in 5,000.
Does testicular cancer spread quickly?	In some cases, testicular cancer develops gradually and can be undetected for several years. It is more common for testicular cancer to grow quickly and to require immediate treatment. As with any other type of cancer, if the tumour is left untreated then it will continue to grow and spread to other areas.