Canada Life has launched a new report, examining the challenges of dealing with cancer in the workplace.
The insurer points out that it is the most common cause of group insurance claims, once claims under group income protection, group critical illness and group life insurance are combined.
In total the insurance industry paid out £45m in claims under group critical illness policies in 2015; it was also the biggest single cause of life insurance payouts. A total of one in two people will be diagnosed at some point in their life.
The report points out that the workplace can contribute to cancer risks through a variety of behaviours and factors.
It also looks at the role insurers can play in support employees and employers. This includes not only financial assistances, but additional add-on services, such as second medical opinion and personal nurse.
The report also cover the complex issues of cancer diagnosis and mental health.
Canada Life managing director Tim Stoves says: “We deal with an average of six claims caused by cancer every single working day. The scale of the problem is staggering – it feels like more people are being diagnosed than ever before. However, survival rates have been steadily improving for decades thanks to advances in medicine and better awareness of how we can minimise our risks.
“We at Canada Life and other protection providers do what we can to help in our own way. We hope this report will be a part of that, informing more people about cancer and how our industry supports people who have it, often beyond the simply financial.”
The full 26-page report is available for free via a dedicated page on the Canada Life website.
