The simple answer is yes. Life insurance options are available if you have been diagnosed with or have had cancer.
Although we do not have complete control over our health, there have been great strides in detecting, treating, and preventing cancer.
Canada Protection Plan is proud to offer life insurance for cancer patients and those with a history of cancer. With No medical exams, needles, or fluids, you can apply today and get protected with a life insurance plan that fits your needs.
Applying for life insurance is very easy, even if you have been diagnosed with cancer or have had cancer in the past.
Anyone living in Canada can apply, including temporary residents with a valid work or study permit
Whether you are 18 or 80, you can apply and may be approved for life insurance, regardless of your current or past cancer diagnosis
Even if you’ve been declined in the past – you can be covered with affordable, reliable life insurance coverage for cancer patients and survivors. Get your free, no-obligation quote today! Get your free, no-obligation quote today!
Permanent & Term Life Insurance Coverage for Cancer Patients
With Canada Protection Plan’s No Medical & Simplified Issue Life Insurance, you can choose between term or whole/permanent life insurance options to meet your family’s financial needs and your stage of life. These plans provide comprehensive coverage to people who are hard to insure, including those living with or at risk of cancer.
Permanent/whole life insurance plans are designed to help cover you for the duration of your life, covering costs like final expenses and outstanding medical debts. Term Life Insurance Plans, in contrast, are a great cost-effective solution, offering coverage for a defined period, to help cover costs like tuition or a mortgage, for example, in the event of a tragic death.
Learn more about our easily accessible No Medical & Simplified Issue Life Insurance and Critical Illness Insurance plans.
Additional information on Cancer
Controlling Cancer
How Much Control Do We Have Over Cancer?
Almost one in two Canadians will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, according to a recent report from the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). When it comes to cancer, a person’s “lifetime risk” is the likelihood of being diagnosed at least once. Canadian men face a lifetime risk of 49 percent, while Canadian women face a lifetime risk of 45 percent. Cancer will be the cause of death for about one in four Canadians.
Why are so many Canadians at risk? It’s partly because Canadians are living longer in general, and age is a major risk factor for cancer. The nation is also growing, causing the numbers to rise. Cancer is Canada’s leading cause of death and is responsible for 30% of all deaths.*
Not all cancers are the same.
Survival rates for cancers across the board have improved; today, 60 percent of Canadians survive their cancer diagnoses, compared with a survival rate of about 25 percent in the 1940s. But not all cancers offer patients the same outlook. Testicular and thyroid cancers have a survival rate of better than 90 percent. In contrast, pancreatic cancer, the third-leading cause of cancer death in Canada, has only an eight percent survival rate.
What sets different types of cancer apart is the risk factors and prevention strategies that work to fight them.
Controlling Cancer: A four-component strategy
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer control has four essential components: prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliative care. With careful attention to each area, you can avoid many cancers and cure those you can’t. In all cases, we can better manage cancer by providing palliative care to limit suffering.
*Source: Canadian Cancer Society
Prevention
Cancer Prevention
We now have the information and, in some cases, the technologies to prevent at least 40 percent of cancers. Experts believe a combination of improved screening and lifestyle changes would prevent 40 to 50 percent of cancer cases. Actions like getting more exercise, quitting smoking, practicing sun safety, and improving one’s diet may seem simple, but they are critical to cancer prevention.
There are more new cases of breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer every year than any other kind, and they are also often linked to lifestyle choices. Lung cancer, in particular, fits this description. It leads that list as the most diagnosed cancer in Canada, responsible for 14 percent of all diagnoses and the most cancer deaths in the nation. In the case of lung cancer, tobacco use causes more than 85 percent of diagnoses.
Colorectal and breast cancers are Canada’s second and third most common cancers. Both are strongly linked to lifestyle choices—which means that there is an excellent possibility that we can prevent them far more than we currently do.
Eating a variety of whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruits ensures you get enough fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants for a nutritious diet. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising are important lifestyle factors for preventing breast and colorectal cancer. Quitting smoking and either ceasing or limiting alcohol intake are the final lifestyle piece of this puzzle.
Early Detection
Early Cancer Detection
The highest potential for a cure comes with early detection; interventions for early detection and effective treatment exist for about one-third of cancers. There are two basic early detection strategies that WHO recommends: early diagnosis (which requires informed, proactive patients) and screening.
Early Cancer Diagnosis
Knowing what’s normal for you and your body is one of the key weapons in the fight against cancer because understanding what your “normal” looks and feels like makes early diagnosis more probable. It is easier to detect diseases, including some cancers, by knowing what feels normal and being very aware of your body and any new developments.
When you see changes in your body or start to feel different, don’t ignore that. Tell your doctor about these signs and symptoms because the sooner you do, the sooner you can collaborate with them to solve the problem. Cancer that is detected early is often easier to treat.
Regular checkups are critical to good health and crucial for cancer prevention and early detection. That’s because doctors and other healthcare professionals are experienced and trained to detect even very subtle early warning signs of cancer. Regardless of when your last checkup took place, if you see any of these kinds of changes, report them to your doctor immediately:
- new or strange swelling or lumps in the breast, testicles, or other body parts
- changes in the size, shape, or colour of a wart or mole
- sores or “scabs” that don’t heal
- difficulty swallowing
- a persistent cough
- a lasting hoarse voice
- unusual discharge or bleeding of any kind from the vagina or nipples
- blood in the phlegm, stool, or urine
- any lasting changes (more than a few weeks) in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation)
- changes in bladder habits, such as difficulty, extreme urgency, or pain
- unexplained fatigue, fever, or weight loss
- persistent indigestion
- unexplained aches and pains
- any new skin growths or areas of skin that itch, turn red, or bleed
Having these signs and symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Some other medical issues can cause the same symptoms, or they could be caused by another issue that isn’t serious. But since your doctor is the only one who can be sure, report them.
Caner Screening
Screening for colorectal cancer should start at age 50 for those with normal levels of risk, and there are multiple options available that your doctor can tell you about. If you have a family history of colon cancer or have otherwise been identified at higher risk, you’ll probably need to be screened earlier and more often. Some doctors also prescribe medications for very high-risk patients.
Breast cancer screenings are essential to early detection, affecting survival rates. Self-exams are important, and anyone can get into the habit of doing breast self-exams at home. Starting at age 40, women at average risk should get mammograms to screen for breast cancer, and where available, your doctor might offer 3D mammography in some cases.
Women at high risk for breast cancer should consult their doctor about when to screen, how often, and what kind of screening will be most effective. Since the advent of genetic testing, particularly for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations that cause breast cancer, many women have been seeking genetic screening. The government might cover testing for women with family histories of breast or ovarian cancers.
Treatment
Cancer Treatment
Never before in history has cancer treatment been so effective. There are many cancer treatment options, and new therapies are developing.
Surgery
Many cancers are surgically removed. Surgery is beneficial when cancer is detected early enough to be isolated in a single spot.
Radiation
Radiation therapy kills cancer cells by either damaging their DNA so they can’t reproduce or by creating charged particles called free radicals inside cancer cells that damage their DNA, with the same end goal in mind. Radiation is carefully targeted, so it doesn’t harm other healthy cells.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy refers to using any number of drugs to treat a range of diseases, but in cancer, it simply means using drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is a valuable counterpart to radiation and surgery, which either kill, remove, or damage cancer cells, but only in certain areas. Chemotherapy can work throughout the body to kill cancer cells, even those that have spread or metastasized to other body parts.
The downside to chemotherapy is that it is such a potent killer of cells throughout the body that it typically makes the patient feel sick and weak. That’s because, in its current form, it kills healthy cells, too. Since the priority is getting rid of cancer, killing some healthy cells has been considered an acceptable loss until recently. Now, researchers are working on using nanotechnologies to deliver chemotherapy drugs to target cancer cells in a tailored way and leave healthy cells alone.
New Cancer Treatment Technologies
There are a host of new cancer treatment technologies on the horizon. One example is various gene therapies; these treatments add new, healthy genes to a patient’s cells to replace gene malfunctioning due to cancer. Researchers are now also working to alter patients’ immune systems to sensitize them to cancer cells using their bone marrow or other material. This way, the immune system, on heightened alert, immediately detects and kills cancer cells before they have a chance to spread.
Cancer vaccines are a next-generation gene therapy that is about to become prominent. Although current vaccines have only worked well enough to be considered complementary therapies for use after chemotherapy or surgery to eliminate remaining cancer cells, this is changing quickly. Other gene therapy cancer vaccines are undergoing clinical trials.
Pallative Care
Palliative Care
Palliative care is any treatment that focuses on improving quality of life, reducing symptoms, and providing support to patients and their loved ones. This kind of care comes into play when cancer is terminal or treatable but not curable. Regardless of whether the cancer is terminal or incurable, one can ask for and receive palliative care.
Creating a palliative care plan with loved ones and healthcare providers is a wise idea for people at higher risk for cancer. Knowing where you stand with pain management and other palliative treatments before makedecisions is essential and saves stress at a difficult time if you ever need to face those choices.
The Bottom Line
At first glance, the rate of cancer among Canadians might seem overwhelming. How can cancer rates be so high now? Yet, it is understandable in an aging, changing population. Actively engaging in a four-component cancer strategy that includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliative care is the best way to improve our odds and bring these numbers down over time.
We are not totally in control of cancer. But we have more control now over our cancer outcomes than ever before. We should do everything within our power to live better, fuller lives.
We hope the information provided here has been helpful. If you have questions about cancer, seek out the advice of a healthcare provider.
If you have questions about getting life insurance, know there are options. We can provide you coverage regardless of health conditions, such as cancer.
Can you Get Life Insurance?
Can You Get Life Insurance if you have cancer or after cancer?
Finding out that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer is difficult. There are many challenges to navigate and overcome, like the pain and discomfort cancer brings and the inability to participate in the activities you enjoy. Due to your illness, you may also have trouble being approved for life insurance or finding a policy at an affordable rate. Thankfully, there are options out there that will give you the peace of mind you deserve.
What factors affect life insurance if you have been diagnosed with or have had cancer?
If you have been diagnosed with cancer at some point during your life, several factors may affect the type of life insurance you can apply for and how much you will pay in premiums, including:
- How long ago were you diagnosed – The more time that has passed since your cancer diagnosis and treatment, the less you will generally pay in life insurance premiums. You may even be able to apply for traditional life insurance if you have been remission for several years.
- Whether you are in remission or have had relapses – If you apply for Simplified Issue Life Insurance, part of the questionnaire will include whether you have relapses, whether you are in remission, and if so, for how long. The time you have been in remission will affect your insurance premiums.
- Whether cancer runs in your family – Your risk of developing cancer or having a relapse is greater if it runs in your family.
Who should consider No Medical and Simplified Issue Life Insurance?
No Medical and Simplified Issue life insurance can be beneficial for a wide variety of applicants. In general, you should consider no medical or simplified issue life insurance if:
- You’re a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or have a valid work or study permit
- You have health issues
- You’re hard to insure due to your health condition
- You have a dangerous job or participate in high-risk sports
- Fear of needles or dislike of medical exams
- Your time is valuable, and you simply want the process to be fast
You can be approved for life insurance regardless of health conditions, such as cancer. No Medical life insurance can be an excellent solution for your needs.
Reliable, trusted and affordable life insurance, no matter your health condition. Apply today.
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