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• Few cancer-related claims on travel insurance, yet excessive premiums are charged to people now free of cancer
• People are travelling with no insurance at all
• Doctors’ declarations that people are fit to travel ignored
• Companies use blanket bans on covering cancer and individual situations are overlooked
• Clear and consistent guidelines across the travel insurance industry are urgently needed.

People with a history of cancer feel forced to cancel their holidays because they are unable to purchase travel insurance. Research released today in the report ‘Travel and cancer uncovered’ by Cancerbackup, reveals that people who have been free from cancer for many years are faced with “blanket bans on cancer” by insurance companies, resulting in some people putting themselves at great personal risk by travelling without any insurance at all.

Nearly 90% of people affected by cancer that responded to a survey by Cancerbackup, found it difficult or impossible to get travel insurance that included cover for cancer. Sales staff were insensitive and 70% of people found the experience of trying to obtain travel insurance distressing. Cancerbackup, the leading information and support charity, also ‘mystery shopped’ a number of travel insurance providers, which revealed that most companies do not provide cover for cancer because individual situations are not taken into account, so people are automatically classed as high risk.

“Travelling without cover for cancer can be a huge personal risk”, says Joanne Rule, Cancerbackup Chief Executive. “We know anecdotally that if you need to claim for any illness at all, there is a presumption by insurance companies that is it related to your cancer, and you will need to prove that it is not.

“The insurance industry must act now and start listening to people with a history of cancer and the assurances of their doctors. By taking people's individual circumstances into account when assessing risk, travel insurance companies could open themselves up to a huge growing market of potential customers.”

Only 1.6% of people surveyed said that they had made a cancer-related claim on travel insurance in the past and the majority of people (70%) were told they were fit to travel by their doctors. However the survey exposed that people are being quoted unaffordable premiums that run into thousands of pounds. More than one in ten of those surveyed were forced to cancel their trip and worryingly, one in twenty people travelled with no insurance at all, leaving them at risk of not being covered for any type of emergency.

The travel insurance industry needs clear and consistent guidelines and a comprehensive risk assessment process that is able to record individual circumstances. Type, stage of cancer and prognosis is the most important information to someone diagnosed with cancer, but by ignoring these and treating people insensitively, companies are risking their reputations and profits.

-Ends-

Note to editors

Download the full report 'Travel and cancer uncovered' from our campaign page.

Please note case studies are available.

Ring 0808 800 1234 for a free guide and factsheet on travelling with cancer or to talk to a specialist nurse.

For more information during office hours please contact John Cox 0207 920 7218 or jcox@cancerbackup.org or Michelle Rowley on 0207 920 7219 or mrowley@cancerbackup.org

For press enquiries outside office hours please call 07973 308 346.

1. Cancerbackup is the only national charity that specialises in providing information on all types of cancer.
2. All Cancerbackup services are free to cancer patients, their relatives and friends.
3. Cancerbackup Freephone Information Service: 0808 800 1234 (Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm).  Cancerbackup Centres can be found in St Bartholomew's Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, the London Clinic, The Christie Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, Nottingham City Hospital, Walsgrave Hospital and the Torbay Hospital Annexe. The charity's interactive website can be found at www.cancerbackup.org.uk
4. Cancerbackup commissioned the consumer testing exercise from ConsumerHealth Consulting