Written by Nikki Cannon, Head of Clinical Operations at Reframe Cancer
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when pink ribbons fill our newsfeeds and offices, and we’re reminded that awareness saves lives. But the message that deserves to be louder is this: early detection changes everything.
Breast cancer remains the UK’s most common cancer, responsible for around 15% of all new diagnoses. Thanks to screening, around 85% of cases are caught at stage 1 or 2, when survival rates are high. Almost every woman diagnosed at stage 1 will live for five years or more. By stage 4, that number drops to just one in four.
Between those statistics are human stories — of lives interrupted, of families juggling treatment, work, and uncertainty. The gap between a stage 1 and a stage 4 outcome is, in many cases, the difference that timely screening can make. Yet access to screening remains uneven and, for many people, far too slow.
Mind the screening gap
The UK currently has three national screening programmes for breast, bowel, and cervical cancer access to each is defined by age. In some regions, Lung Health Checks are also available.
It’s a strong foundation, but it leaves significant gaps. Younger women aren’t eligible for breast screening. Men have no equivalent programme at all. And many people fall between the cracks because they are considered “too young,” “too low risk,” or “not eligible.”
Cancer doesn’t respect age brackets or postcode boundaries. The reality is that cancers caught early are cheaper to treat, less disruptive to lives, and far more survivable. The challenge isn’t only clinical, it’s systemic. We need to bring people to the screening point faster and make early detection more accessible.
The insurance link: prevention pays
Cancer remains the leading cause of claims across group risk products:
- 68% of Group Critical Illness claims
- 39% of Group Life Assurance claims
- 27% of Group Income Protection claims
Those figures tell a consistent story. Cancer is not only a health crisis; it’s a financial one, for individuals, employers, and insurers alike.
The good news is that earlier detection changes that story too. Detecting cancer sooner shortens treatment times, reduces absence, and saves lives all while easing pressure on employers, insurers, and the NHS.
With public cancer services under strain to meet faster diagnosis and treatment targets, there’s a growing opportunity for the insurance sector to step in. This isn’t about duplication; it’s about complementing the NHS by helping people access screening earlier, navigate care faster, and recover better.
For group risk and protection providers, that translates to shorter claim durations, improved return-to-work rates, and healthier, more loyal customer bases. For employers, it means reduced disruption and greater confidence in supporting staff through what is often one of the most complex periods of their lives.
Cancer-related absence already costs UK businesses over £1.6 billion every year. Every early diagnosis reduces that burden – not just in monetary terms, but in morale, retention, and human impact.
Beyond the diagnosis: supporting the long road back
Cancer treatment doesn’t end when chemotherapy stops or when the insurance cheque clears. For many people, it’s the beginning of a different kind of challenge, rebuilding health, confidence, and working life after cancer.
Those aged 25–49 are seeing the steepest rise in cancer incidence, and many are in the middle of careers, mortgages, and family life. Increasingly, they want, or need to, stay connected to work through treatment, or to return as soon as they are able.
But long-term effects such as fatigue, neuropathy, or cognitive change affect around six in ten people after treatment. That’s a significant barrier to employment and wellbeing.
This is where insurers can make a meaningful difference. Access to cancer nurse specialists, psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and vocational rehabilitation isn’t just compassionate. It’s practical. It shortens recovery times, improves return-to-work rates, and supports sustainable wellbeing.
By extending value beyond the payout, insurers can become active partners in recovery, helping people live well, not just survive.
A broader responsibility
Almost one million UK employees are living with cancer, and more than a million others are caring for someone who is. As incidence continues to rise, particularly among younger adults, the question for insurers and employers is no longer whether to act, but how soon.
We’re entering an era where prevention and navigation are becoming just as important as protection. The future of group risk and health insurance lies in anticipating risk, reducing its impact, and supporting people to live well after serious illness.
For the insurance industry, that means reframing its role, from one that reacts when something goes wrong, to one that actively helps keep people well.
That shift doesn’t just reduce claims. It builds trust, loyalty, and long-term value for policyholders, employers, and insurers alike.
Changing the story
The story of cancer is changing. Survival rates are improving, but the system around them must evolve too. Earlier detection, faster access to treatment, and better long-term support can rewrite what a cancer journey looks like.
Insurers are in a powerful position to help make that happen.
Because when we move the focus from payout to prevention, from claims to care, we don’t just change statistics.
We change lives.
