Total critical illness claims for cancer fell by 24 per cent in the first year of the pandemic, according to new claims data from Royal London.
This comes as many people postponed screenings because they didn’t want to burden the NHS; lockdown restrictions prevented them from leaving their homes, or those who were vulnerable refused to attend check-ups. All of these factors contributed to missed diagnoses and a decrease in the number of claims.
While total cancer claims decreased by 69 per cent between 2019 and 2020, lung cancer claims decreased by 69 per cent. Prostate cancer claims, the most common among men, fell 38 per cent, while breast cancer claims fell 17 per cent.
Royal London chief underwriter Craig Paterson says: “As we saw in the first waves of the pandemic, far fewer people were seeing their GP with many delaying or struggling to secure what could have been a life-changing check-up. As a result, many early signs of cancer were unfortunately missed which we saw reflected in our claims figures.
“We know that the early detection of conditions, especially cancer, ensures that treatment can start sooner, which in turn boosts the overall survival rates. The concern is that delays in diagnosis will mean more intensive treatment is required and, tragically, the likelihood of greater deaths.
“World Cancer Day marks an important time to remind ourselves the fight is not over, and we should all take the time to continually check ourselves for early signs of cancer and raise any health concerns with a GP.”