Brain Tumour Life Insurance
Life insurance is designed to pay out for medical conditions such as brain tumours, and it’s possible to get life insurance after you have been diagnosed with a brain tumour. If you need to protect your family with life cover, then there are some options available in most cases.
Who is this guide for?
This guide offers practical advice on getting life insurance after a brain tumour and how to find the right insurance company for you. Our experts regularly update this guide to provide the latest facts to help you protect your family or your mortgage.
Life insurance is the best way to protect your loved ones if something happens to you in the future. Here we’ll look at how life insurance can protect you and your family financially before or after diagnosis of a brain tumour.
According to Cancer Research UK, 1 in 69 men and 1 in 65 women are diagnosed with a brain tumour or other intracranial tumours. Over 11,000 people are diagnosed with primary brain tumours in the UK each year, and 50% of those are cancerous.
60 Second Summary – Brain Tumour Life Insurance
It can be possible to get life insurance after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, but you will need to speak to right life insurance companies. A specialist insurer may be a better fit for the cover that you need, depending on how long ago you were diagnosed and if there are any lasting symptoms.
- Life insurance and critical illness cover are designed to pay out a lump sum if you are diagnosed with a brain tumour and other medical conditions.
- If you have been recently diagnosed, policies like guaranteed life insurance can provide a level of cover for a time until standard life insurance is available again.
- The insurance company will ask questions about what type of brain tumour you had (or have) and how this has affected your general health and lifestyle.
- In most cases, you will be asked to provide a GP medical report, so the insurer can assess your medical history before deciding if they can offer cover and how much it should cost.
Does life insurance payout for brain tumours?
YES – If you die from a brain tumour then a standard life insurance policy will payout to your family. This payment can be used for a number of things including paying off your mortgage or to help your family within ongoing living expenses.
Most life insurance policies are taken on a term basis so will protect you and your family for a set period (usually between 5 and 40 years).
Does critical illness cover payout for brain tumours?
Benign brain tumour currently accounts for around 3% of critical illness and serious illness cover claims in the UK. Each insurance company will have its own critical illness definitions, so you should check with your insurer or adviser to make sure that you have the right level of cover.
Definition: A benign brain tumour is a non-malignant tumour or cyst on the brain, cranial nerves, or the meninges in the skull. Most policies will payout if you undergo at least 1 of the defined treatments (e.g. chemotherapy or radiotherapy) with some ongoing disability.
Critical illness cover can provide a one-off lump sum payment after you’ve been diagnosed with a serious illness or condition like a brain tumour.
Many people who have suffered from a brain tumour might recover to live a long and healthy life. Whereas some others might need support or care, depending on the severity of the diagnosis, and any long-lasting damage.
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Can I get life insurance after a brain tumour?
YES – There are some options for life insurance after suffering a brain tumour. You might also already have life cover in place from before your diagnosis, so it’s worth checking to make sure that the policy is still suitable for you.
You should be able to get cover after diagnosis of a benign brain tumour once you have completed your treatment. Treatments for brain tumours can include chemotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, or invasive surgery to remove parts/all of the tumour.
Options for life insurance after a brain tumour:
You should be able to get cover after a period of time from diagnosis on the following basis:
Guaranteed life insurance
Guaranteed life cover will usually start from just over £10 per month and can be a good option for people with medical conditions. You won’t need to answer questions about your medical history, but it’s important to be aware that your policy may not pay out in every scenario.
It’s a good idea to request information from the insurer or your adviser about any ‘policy exclusions’. This would be anything that your loved ones can’t claim for (e.g. death related to pre-existing conditions).
Note: Guaranteed life insurance is most commonly available for over 50s, but there may be some options for younger applicants. You should speak to an experienced insurance adviser if you’re not sure which insurance companies to look at.
Standard life insurance
Standard life insurance policies will usually become available from 2 years after the end of primary treatment with no recurrence of the cancer. However, it can be slightly more expensive based on your medical history, which is why it is important to shop around to find a fair price.
It’s often recommended to look at a guaranteed life insurance product after a brain tumour diagnosis, as this can provide temporary cover for your loved ones until standard options become available again.
Is a brain tumour a pre-existing medical condition for life insurance?
YES – you will be asked whether you’ve had ‘cancer, cancer-in-situ, leukaemia, Hodgkin’s disease, or any other tumour?’. This is a very common question on life insurance applications and is usually one of the first that is asked.
A brain tumour can then be disclosed as:
- Benign brain tumour
- Malignant brain tumour
- Brain tumour removed
- Brain tumour surgery
These will simply help underwriters to classify which type of brain tumour you had. Once you disclose this, you will often be asked to provide permission to view your medical records, which is normal for a life insurance application.
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Will I need a medical for life insurance after a brain tumour?
Often, you’ll simply be asked to sign an ‘Access to Medical Records Agreement (AMRA)’. This is very normal for any life insurance application after all types of cancer, and it allows the insurer to request your medical records directly from your GP or specialist.
Once you accept the request to provide your medical records, the insurance provider will approach your GP to request the report. You won’t need to do anything at this stage or need to pay for anything as this is all done via the insurance company or your insurance adviser.
What is the best life insurance with a brain tumour?
There are several main types of life insurance which are all designed to provide you and your family with different types of financial protection.
Some of the main types of life insurance to consider after a brain tumour include:
Family life insurance
Term life insurance after a brain tumour (family protection) is the most common and best-known type of life insurance. This will be the easiest type of life insurance to get after a brain tumour once you’ve completed your treatment.
Mortgage life insurance
Mortgage life insurance after a brain tumour (mortgage protection) will be the same in terms of underwriting and availability to family protection. You’ll find that this type of cover will usually be approximately 20% cheaper than the level term because the cover reduces your mortgage balance.
Note: This type of cover is specifically designed to protect a repayment or capital and interest mortgage.
Critical illness cover
Critical illness cover after a brain tumour is generally going to be slightly more difficult to get unless the cancer was low-grade and removed. If you are accepted for critical illness cover then you’ll need to make sure that the offer includes what you need.
Income protection insurance
Income protection after a brain tumour might also be available depending on the severity of the tumour and the success of the treatment.
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How much is life insurance after a brain tumour?
It’s difficult to say exactly how much you will pay for life insurance without understanding your situation properly.
Most of us expect to pay more for life cover than it costs in reality, but it really does depend on what you need. Your premiums will depend on things like:
- How much cover do you want?
- What is the cover for (e.g. mortgage, family, funeral expenses etc.)?
- How long do you want the cover for?
- Do you smoke?
- Your health and your lifestyle
Once we understand this then we can look at building something for you to protect your family if anything happens to you.
What are the best life insurance companies with a brain tumour?
You will probably recognise some of the big insurance brands such as Legal & General, Aviva, AIG, and Royal London. There are several other major insurance companies and all have their strengths when it comes to underwriting medical conditions.
The best insurance company for you will also be based on your age, the amount of cover, and your lifestyle. An expert in dealing with life insurance applications with brain tumours will be able to quickly identify what cover will be available and which insurance companies can offer affordable cover.
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Common questions about brain tumours
Here are some of the most common questions that people ask about brain tumours and what happens after the diagnosis.
Which medical conditions are linked to brain tumours?
Several conditions and risk factors are known to increase the chances of developing brain tumours, such as:
- Obesity (meningiomas)
- Family history of brain tumours
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1
- Neurofibromatosis Type 2
- Turner Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis (TSC)
- Exposure to radiation
Having a brain tumour can also lead to other condition such as mental health issues (e.g. depression and anxiety).
What’s the difference between a benign brain tumour and a malignant brain tumour?
When it comes to life insurance, there is a difference in options between benign and malignant brain tumours.
Benign brain tumours are where the tumour has not spread outside of the brain and therefore are easier for life cover.
Malignant brain tumours are where the tumour has spread to surrounding tissue and therefore can be slightly more complicated.
How long will you live after a brain tumour?
According to Cancer Research UK, approximately 15 out of every 100 people diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour will survive more than 10 years.
Survival rates vary depending on the grade and stage of the tumour.
What were the first signs of a brain tumour?
There are several main symptoms that you might experience at the early stages of a brain tumour. These can include:
- Headaches
- Seizures (similar to epilepsy)
- Personality differences
- Forgetfulness
- Vomiting or nausea
- Tiredness
- Insomnia
You can also find more information about this at Cancer.net
How common are brain tumours by age?
Most people develop brain tumours over the age of 20 (93%), and the highest levels occur over 85. The current average age of someone to be diagnosed is 57.
Click here or call 0800 009 6559 for expert advice about finding the right life insurance policy after a brain tumour.
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Useful resources
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the biggest and most well known cancer charities within the UK. They provide services for people living with cancer at every stage of their cancer experience including emotional, practical, physical, and financial support.
They publish award-winning information about living with cancer and train Macmillan nurses, GPs and support workers to help support people in local communities.
Contact details
Telephone - 0808 808 00 00 (Macmillan Support Line, offers support 8.00am - 8.00pm 7 days a week)
Online support - Macmillan Chat Online Service
Follow Macmillan Cancer Support
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Marie Curie
Marie Curie is the UK's leading end of life charity, providing hospice care and online support. Marie Curie provides free information and support about dying, death and bereavement, online, in print, and over the phone.
This includes helping to answer questions following a terminal diagnosis and providing information about how to access support services and guidance on planning for death.
Contact details
Telephone - 0800 090 2309 (8.00am - 6.00pm Monday to Friday | 11.00am - 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday)
Email - support@mariecurie.org.uk
