Many policies will not cover the costs of some sought-after treatments, the private healthcare firm warned today.
People concerned about whether or not they will be able to pay for new cancer drugs should "check the small print" of their medical insurance policies, Bupa warned today.
According to the private healthcare specialists, many insurers include time or monetary limits on how much they fund these treatments, and levels of cover vary across the board.
The company issued the comments following recent controversy over the availability of cancer drugs for free on the NHS. In particular, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence - the body which decides what drugs should be made available through the health service - has caused concern by rejecting Sunitinib, which has been shown to reduce the size of some patients' tumours.
Bupa also released new survey results today, showing that 57 percent of Britons see cancer as their "major health worry".
Dr Rebecca Small, assistant clinical director at Bupa, commented: "It's about the right cancer treatment, at the right time, in the right place and is ultimately about giving patients the best possible chance."
Hilary Whittaker, chief executive at Beating Bowel Cancer, added: "It is important that people make sure they check their cancer cover, so that if they come to claim, they are not let down at what will already be a difficult time. If you are not sure what level of cover you have, call your insurance company directly or speak with your financial adviser."
