If you've searched the web for private medical insurance that covers cervical cancer then you are probably for looking for established UK based health insurance companies that can cover your cervical cancer.
Our advice when shopping around for private medical cover that covers cervical cancer is to speak to a health insurance broker. Health insurance is very complicated and if you want complete certainty that cervical cancer is covered you should talk with a medical insurance broker who can explain which policy providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a broker but the largest by far is that you're using their industry experience at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you live in many different postcodes? Some will give you a cheaper premium than offers. A broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this vital information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've developed a certain medical condition and want to know which policy provider offers the biggest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you huge amounts of time and effort.
You can call around every medical insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover cervical cancer, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its far far quicker to speak to one health insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover cervical cancer and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Cervical Cancer Information
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that develops in a woman's cervix (the entrance to the womb from the vagina).
Cancer of the cervix often has no symptoms in its early stages. If you do have symptoms, the most common is unusual vaginal bleeding, which can occur after sex, in between periods or after the menopause.
Abnormal bleeding doesn't mean that you definitely have cervical cancer, but it should be investigated by your GP as soon as possible. If your GP thinks you might have cervical cancer, you should be referred to see a specialist within two weeks.
Read more about the symptoms of cervical cancer and diagnosing cervical cancer
Cervical screening (also known as a smear test) is routinely offered to anyone with a cervix in Scotland, between the ages of 25 and 64, every five years. You may be recalled more often depending on your test results.
Those on non-routine screening (where screening results have shown changes that need further investigation or follow up) will be invited up to 70 years of age.
If you have unusual discharge, or bleeding after sex, between periods or after the menopause, contact your GP practice. These symptoms are not usually caused my cancer but it's important to have them checked.
You will be sent a letter confirming when your screening appointment is due. Contact your GP if you think you may be overdue for a screening appointment.
Read more about cervical screening
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a very common virus that can be passed on through any type of sexual contact with a man or a woman.
There are more than 100 different types of HPV, many of which are harmless. However, some types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells of the cervix, which can eventually lead to cervical cancer.
Two strains of the HPV virus (HPV 16 and HPV 18) are known to be responsible for 70% of all cases of cervical cancer. These types of HPV infection don't have any symptoms, so many women won't realise they have the infection.
However, it's important to be aware that these infections are relatively common and most women who have them don't develop cervical cancer.
Using condoms during sex offers some protection against HPV, but it can't always prevent infection, because the virus is also spread through skin-to-skin contact of the wider genital area.
Since 2008, a HPV vaccine has been routinely offered to girls aged 12 and 13.