The American Cancer Society estimates doctors will diagnose over 1.4 million new cases of cancer in the U.S. in 2007, with more than 559,650 cancer-related deaths. If you are among the majority of cancer patients and survive for at least five years following your diagnosis, you may face another fight: buying life insurance.

Buying life insurance for cancer patients is challenging, but not necessarily impossible. Your chances for securing a policy depend greatly on the type, stage and grade of the cancer, and even on the treatment plan. There is a relationship between the rate you’ll receive and the curability of your cancer. Certain types of skin cancer, for example, are considered very low risk by life insurance companies and a skin cancer history may not even impact premiums.

Applicants with common and treatable forms of breast and prostate cancer may be able to get a “standard” rating under ideal circumstances. But patients with a history of leukemia or colon cancer may fall into a “substandard” or “high substandard” rating at best, or receive declines. Anyone with cancer that has metastasized likely won’t be able to obtain a policy.

Dr. Charles Levy, senior vice president and chief medical director of AIG American General Domestic Life Insurance Cos., says, “We’re better and better able to differentiate the risks of individual cancers.” Life insurers like AIG American General have sophisticated tables to determine premiums, where they can factor in cancer types and treatments. The end result is better premiums because applicants aren’t lumped together as an “average.”

Most insurers will not offer a policy to someone who is still undergoing treatment for cancer. Depending on your type of cancer, the life insurer may also want to add a surcharge, also called a temporary flat extra. For example, AIG American General sometimes charges temporary flat extras for two to five years, depending on the applicant’s cancer and treatment. The good news is that although these extra premiums can be expensive, they will automatically disappear after a set period of time.

Cancer insurance risk specialists

While a dedicated life insurance agent will search cancer insurance companies to find insurers that will sell you a life insurance policy, in some cases you may be better off seeking out a broker who specializes in finding life insurance for people who have a history of cancer.

These brokers will know the specific questions underwriters will want answered when considering your application. Many brokers have developed relationships with several insurers, so they know which companies offer the best-priced life insurance policies for cancer survivors. Some brokers have experts who specialize in gathering your medical records and organizing them.

By directing your application to life insurers that will view your application most favorably, these brokers will help you find the most accurate price quotes and the lowest premiums for life insurance. Always check the financial strength of the insurer before you buy any policy and be sure that the agent or broker you choose is licensed in your state.

Life insurance strategies for cancer survivors

If you are a healthy cancer survivor, life insurance is even more feasible. There are things you can do to ensure you’re getting the best premium offers possible for your situation.

1. Gather all possible medical records before you apply, from the first pathology report to medical records to treatment records. That ensures medical underwriters have the most complete picture of you, your health, and your cancer history. Having all those records before you apply for cancer insurance will reduce delays in your application process, because your life insurer is going to request them and will wait for them. The information you provide can garner you better premiums in the end: The less life insurer underwriters knows about you, the more likely they are to have to assume you are the highest risk and offer you high premiums accordingly. According to Levy, “If it’s fuzzy, we’re more likely to err on the side of conservatism.”

2. Make sure you have complied with your doctor’s treatment plans. For example, says Levy, if your doctor asked to see you back in one year and you haven’t been back in four years, get to your doctor for your check-up before you apply for life insurance. Your life insurer is not going to offer you a policy without before seeing the results of that check-up. Similarly, if you’ve had breast cancer and you’re due for a mammogram in December and you apply for cancer insurance in October, your life insurer will likely wait for the results of your next mammogram.

3. Get prices from several companies. Policy costs can vary a great deal among companies.

4. See if you can get group life insurance through a professional, fraternal, membership, or political organization to which you belong.

5. Consider a “graded” policy (one with limited benefits) if you cannot get full death benefits. In the first few years of a graded policy, the company pays only the premiums and part of the face value if the insured person dies of a condition, such as cancer, that existed before the policy took effect. If the insured person dies after the specified grading-in period, the company will pay the full face amount of the policy.

If your cancer has been successfully treated, and you are otherwise in good health, you can likely obtain a cancer life insurance policy. If you can show that you are healthy and your treatments have gone well, several insurers may compete for your business.

Specialist policies for older travellers can be tempting, says Harriet Meyer, but it’s always worth looking around

Autumn is a prime holiday time for older people, with plenty of bargain breaks available once children have gone back to school. But while travel costs might be lower, finding reasonably priced travel insurance that provides the cover you need when you are in your 50s or older can prove a challenge.

The older you get, the more care you should take when picking policies, as the launch of a new product this month from Staysure.co.uk, aimed at the over-50s, demonstrates.

This claims to be up to five times cheaper than its rivals and to cover 220 medical conditions at no extra charge – with prices starting at about £14 for a 50-year-old couple on a seven-day trip to Europe. It will provide cover for those aged up to 85 on single policies, and 81 for annual cover.

“The claim that they cover so many pre-existing medical conditions might look impressive, but on closer inspection it comes across as more of a marketing tactic than a true differentiator, as most of the conditions are minor ailments that wouldn’t trouble the average travel insurance underwriter,” says Lee Griffin, business development director at the comparison site Gocompare.com.

“Among the conditions covered are toothache, stomach bug and the common cold; there is no mention of conditions that are of greater concern to the over-50s, such as heart complaints, stroke or cancer – these will be charged an additional premium, just like many other policies.”

However, Ryan Howsam, chief executive at Staysure.co.uk, defends the policy: “As well as including protection for 220 medical ailments including blindness, broken bones, hernias and hip replacements as standard, the policy can be tailored for travellers with more serious conditions including diabetes, stroke, heart conditions and cancer following a simple medical screening process.”

The company will require further information on conditions that have occurred in the past two years.

According to Gocompare.com, a 50-year-old couple travelling to Spain for two weeks on a single-trip policy would pay £19.05 with Staysure.co.uk, with an additional £5.72 for cancellation cover.

“The same couple could find a standard single-trip policy from £16.96, which includes cancellation cover from a standard insurer,” says Griffin. “Of course, in some situations this provider will be cheaper – but it does not always offer the best deal, so it’s vital to compare policies.”

Travel insurance for the over-50s is a growing product area as the UK population gets older, according to Steven Williams, the head of travel insurance at the comparison website Confused.com. Even so, he adds, people who are over 50 are still likely to pay higher premiums than their younger counterparts, and that situation is not likely to change any time soon.

It is worth scanning the whole market when picking a policy rather than sticking to a specialist – many standard providers, such as Marks & Spencer, offer competitive products – although Saga, Rias and Age Concern are some that cater for the older traveller.

Joe Young, from Age Concern Insurance Services, says: “Our cover is tailored for the needs of older travellers, so there are no upper age limits and we aim to cover pre-existing medical conditions if possible.”

The cost of travel insurance rises sharply once you are over 65, with typical annual premiums often exceeding £100 – yet it is crucial to avoid focusing simply on the price and to check the medical, baggage and cancellation cover as well, as many policies contain exclusions and caveats.

Mark’s & Spencer’s travel policy is a good example: a 70-year-old in good health would pay £148 for worldwide cover including the USA, Canada and Caribbean, quite a high premium.

But Williams says the extra cost is worth paying because the policy offers a good level of cover, although it does require additional screening for serious health conditions, such as cancer, suffered by the policy applicant in the past 12 months. This can be done online or over the telephone.

He adds: “The amount of cover is more than on a standard policy: you get up to £6,000 of cancellation cover – with the average being between £2,000 and £3,000 – baggage cover at £2,500 and £10m medical cover.”

Holidaymakers should also remember that if they want to travel for more than 45 days on any one trip or have pre-existing medical conditions, they must always check with their insurer before assuming they are covered. While it might require an additional “top-up” payment, failing to deal with these issues in advance can lead to claims being refused.