If you've searched Google for health insurance that covers vulval cancer then you are probably for looking for established UK based health insurance providers that can cover your vulval cancer.
Our advice when shopping around for private medical insurance that covers vulval cancer is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complicated and if you want complete certainty that vulval cancer is covered you should consult with a medical insurance broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will exclude it.
There are many advantages to using a insurance broker but the biggest by far is that you're using their insurance training at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than by you so it costs you no extra to use their brokering services.
- Do you reside in many different postcodes? Some will give you a lower policy premium than offers. A insurance broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your insurance policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different policies?
- You've lean't you're at risk of developing a certain condition and want to know which insurer 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 health insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover vulval 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 medical insurance broker which will know which policy providers on the market cover vulval cancer and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Vulval Cancer Information
Cancer of the vulva is a rare type of cancer that affects women. Around 1,200 new cases are diagnosed each year in the UK.
The vulva is a woman's external genitals. It includes the lips surrounding the vagina (labia minora and labia majora), the clitoris (sexual organ that helps women reach sexual climax), and the Bartholin's glands (2 small glands each side of the vagina).
Most of those affected by vulval cancer are older women over the age of 65. The condition is rare in women under 50 who have not yet gone through the menopause.
Symptoms of vulval cancer can include:
See your GP if you notice any changes in the usual appearance of your vulva. While it's highly unlikely to be the result of cancer, these changes should be investigated.
Read more about diagnosing vulval cancer.
The exact cause of vulval cancer is unclear, but your risk of developing the condition is increased by the following factors:
You may be able to reduce your risk of vulval cancer by stopping smoking and taking steps to reduce the chances of picking up an HPV infection.
Read more about the causes of vulval cancer.
The main treatment for vulval cancer is surgery to remove the cancerous tissue from the vulva and any lymph nodes containing cancerous cells.
Some people may also have radiotherapy (where radiation is used to destroy cancer cells) or chemotherapy (where medication is used to kill cancer cells), or both.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be used without surgery if you're not well enough to have an operation, or if the cancer has spread and it isn't possible to remove it all.
Read more about treating vulval cancer.
The outlook for vulval cancer depends on things such as how far the cancer has spread, your age, and your general health. Generally, the earlier the cancer is detected and the younger you are, the better the chances of treatment being successful.
Overall, around 6 in every 10 women diagnosed with vulval cancer will survive at least 5 years. However, even after successful treatment, the cancer comes back in up to 1 in every 3 cases. You'll need regular follow-up appointments so your doctor can check if this is happening.