In the UK there are around 1,900 new cases of cancer in children between the ages of 0-14 years old every year.
Children’s cancer incidence rate has increased by 8% since the early 2000s in the UK.
Childhood cancers can have a devastating blow to the children themselves as well as their family and friends around them. At a time when children should be carefree - concentrating on playing and learning in school - they are forced to focus on hospitals, medication and operations.
Parents face difficulties, including watching their child suffer, the stress of the decisions they are faced with over medication and treatment and the difficulty of trying to explain to youngsters what is happening to them.
Children’s cancer survival rates are good however, and with the right treatment and medication, many children go on to recover.
The UK Health Security Agency report eight in 10 young people with cancer survive at least five years and many of these are cured.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness, support and funding for childhood cancers.
Health Insurance can offer peace of mind that children and childhood cancers would be covered, with care in a private facility and fast access to treatment if the unimaginable happened.
We’re exploring options with health insurance for cancer cover, explaining exactly how it works and how you can alleviate worries and promote peace of mind.
Luekimas are the most common cancer group is children. They account for approximately one in three cases every year.
Brain and CNS tumours make up approximately a quarter of childhood cancers.
Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer is the third most common cancer in children, accounting for around 1 in 10 cases each year in the UK.
Whilst childhood cancer isn't necessarily increasing there are some risk factors to be aware of. Some of the most common include: age, genetics and exposure to risk factors.
It's thought that childhood cancers are relatively rare, with it making up just 1% of all cancer cases.
Child Health Insurance is an insurance policy which covers the cost of private medical care, should your child ever require it.
It provides the peace of mind that potentially expensive private treatments and care would be covered by the insurance policy. Private medical treatment means access to the very best treatments, hospitals and consultants, with the minimal waiting times and in superior comfort.
Health Insurance works hand in hand with the NHS to complement it and maximise the treatments available.
As a nation we are lucky to benefit from a publicly funded health service, giving everyone access to treatment at little to no cost. However, the NHS is under increasing pressure and many people now face long waiting lists, with the NHS waiting list currently standing at 7.3 million.
Patients using the NHS for treatments may also find battles with delayed or cancelled treatments, causing increased stress and prolonged waits to get back to good health.
Access to private medical care means you can avoid the long waiting lists for treatment. Health Insurance offers your child access to a choice of hospitals and treatment times that suit you, with overnight stays normally in a private, en-suite room.
Some policies will provide allowance for parents to stay in nearby accommodation as well if necessary.
You can either take out an individual policy for your child, or you can add them to your own policy as a dependent.
Often it is a better value option to add your child to your own policy, but this varies with the individual’s own requirements and you should always compare the options.
Using a free comparison service like Usay Compare can help you to talk through your requirements with an expert adviser to find the best policy and options for you, with the best price guaranteed.
Cancer cover is usually included within the core cover of all health insurance policies.
It is one of the most valuable benefits of a policy. Cancer Research UK report nearly 1 in 2 people born in the UK in 1961 expected to be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.
Health Insurance allows you the peace of mind that should one of your family be affected by the disease you can have access to breakthrough cancer treatments and superior comfort and choice throughout treatment.
It is important to compare cancer cover between policies as what is included within the core cover can vary.
However, most policies will include the following within the core cover:
Cancer isn’t the only condition covered by a child health Insurance policy. All health insurance policies intend to return the policyholder to the same state of health as when they took out the policy.
They are intended to cover things that are treatable and can be recovered from, such as leukaemia or appendicitis. Usually most policies will include the following within their core cover though:
There are some other benefits specific to child health insurance policies also, these may vary slightly between providers, but can include:
Newborn Cash Benefit - Some insurers will pay a one-off cash benefit on the birth (or adoption) of a child. Usually you would need to be covered for a limited period before the baby is born to receive the benefit.
Parent Accommodation - Some policies will cover the cost of accommodation for you to stay near your child whilst they are receiving eligible inpatient treatment in a hospital included in your plan.
Corrective Ear Surgery - Most insurers will offer procedures to correct prominent ears up to a certain age.
Laser Treatment - Most insurers will cover procedures to remove or improve the appearance of birthmarks such as ‘port wine stain’ on the child’s face.
Speech Therapy - A set number of sessions are usually available with a speech therapist, when there is a delay in the child’s development.
For more information about Private Medical Insurance and a policy to suit your family or child, our expert advisers can help with free, impartial advice.
Fill out the short form below, or give us a call on 01285 864670.