Males with cancer accounted for half of critical illness claims submitted to Scottish Widows in 2021, followed by heart attack and stroke, according to new data.
Men’s critical illness claims accounted for 15 per cent of all claims, with prostate cancer accounting for a comparable percentage which was 14 per cent. In 2021, malignant melanoma accounted for 7 per cent of all cancers, whereas Hodgkin’s lymphoma accounted for 6 per cent.
In 2021, Scottish Widows paid out over £74m in total critical illness payouts, with male claims accounting for £38m, £1.4m higher than female claims.
Furthermore, in 2021, a quarter of life insurance claims were filed by men who had been diagnosed with cancer.
Scottish Widows head of protection underwriting and claims strategy Scott Cadger says: “It is crucial to listen to your body and seek medical help if something feels wrong. Ignoring these bodily alarms and not getting things checked out can sometimes lead to missed opportunities for early detection – where less invasive and preventative solutions are available.
“When diagnosed with an illness such as cancer, the priority should always be on health and recovery, but unfortunately money concerns can become a heavy burden for many – especially as living costs increase. Our partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support looks to help address these issues in a very real way, to help our customers to get the support they need so they are able to prioritise their health during what can be an extremely difficult period.”
