Cancer is the single biggest driver of large PMI claims and the area clients ask the most pointed questions about. "Full cancer cover" is a common phrase in UK PMI marketing — and it is not a standardised term. This guide explains what to actually check.
What every UK insurer covers
- Diagnosis (imaging, biopsies, consultant fees).
- Surgery (oncological procedures, reconstructive surgery where clinically required).
- Chemotherapy (licensed drugs on the NICE pathway).
- Radiotherapy (standard pathways including some advanced techniques).
- Follow-up monitoring for the duration of the cover.
Where insurers diverge
The differences live in four places:
- Licensed-but-not-NICE-approved drugs.
- Unlicensed/off-label drug use under consultant recommendation.
- Biological and targeted therapies (e.g. immunotherapy, CAR-T where applicable).
- End-of-life palliative and hospice cover limits.
Insurer-by-insurer summary
- Bupa: most permissive on unlicensed and off-label drugs where clinically appropriate. Often the right choice for clients with family cancer history.
- AXA Health: full cover including biological and targeted therapies on most plans.
- Aviva: comprehensive, but some biologicals route through NICE-approval pathways — confirm at quote.
- Vitality: standard cancer cover with an Advanced Cancer Cover paid module for fuller protection.
- WPA: configurable module with shortfall protection on consultant fees.
The questions to put on the table
- Does "full cancer cover" include unlicensed drugs?
- Is end-of-life palliative care covered, and to what limit?
- Does the cancer benefit reset on renewal, or is there a lifetime cap?
- What's the policy on second medical opinion for cancer diagnoses?
If you can answer those four in writing for the client, you have done the job. HealthCareCompare returns cited answers to those questions across all five insurers in under a minute.