Patients to face longer waits for GP appointments, survey suggests

70% of family doctors say waiting times will increase More than seven in ten family doctors think patients will face longer waiting times to see them over the next two years, according to a major survey of Britain’s GPs. Over 70% of GPs surveyed for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said they think their patients will have to wait for an appointment, and almost a half (47%) say that they have cut back on the range of services they provide. The survey shows that more than 80% of family doctors say that they now have insufficient resources to provide high quality patient care. As well as the reduction in patient services, 39% of respondents to the ComRes poll also said they had cut practice staff and over half had experienced difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs. Four in five GPs said they were concerned that it will become increasingly difficult to deliver continuity of care to vulnerable elderly people, while almost three quaretrs (72%) say that the amount of time they are able to spend on frontline patient care has been reduced as a result of the new clinical commissioning responsibilities they have been given. The RCGP said it is now calling on all four Governments across the UK for an emergency package of additional investment for general practice before there are disastrous consequences for patients. RCGP chair Dr Clare Gerada said the survey results “paint a bleak picture” for patients, the profession and the future of general practice. She said: “GPs are grappling with a ‘double whammy’ of spiralling workloads and dwindling resources, and big cracks are now starting to appear in the care and services that we can deliver for our patients.” Read more about Private Medical Insurance

Two in five older unemployed blame illness for being out of work

More than two in five older workers who are out of work cite disability or illness for their inability to find a job, research from MetLife shows. Its nationwide study of 1,000 people found that of those aged between 50 and 60 who are out of work, 43% say illness or disability stops them finding a job. That compares to 26% who say they are unemployed because they are unable to find work. The research, carried out by Harris Interactive, also found that 20% of 50 to 60 year olds surveyed said they have a condition or disability which limits their daily activities. Women are more likely than men to say they have a condition that limit their lives, with 25% saying so compared with 16% of men. But men who are out of work are more likely to cite illness as the reason for their lack of employment, at 52% compared to 40% of women. Stephanie Baillie, employee benefits director at MetLife UK, said that with such a high proportion of older people reporting conditions which impact on their daily lives, it is “clear that people need to consider protection products to help replace income if they are no longer able to work”. The research is being published as part of MetLife’s campaign to raise awareness of the need for protection for those in what in terms the ‘critical decade’ before retirement. For free advice on Income Protection please click

Jump in number of insurers offering HIV life cover

But bancassurers less keen to do so, survey suggests

There has been a marked increase in the number of mainstream insurers offering some form of HIV life assurance, although a far smaller number of bancassurers are doing so.
A survey published today suggests that 66.6% of mainstream life offices are providing the cover, up from 50% last year.
But just 40%, or eight out of 20, of bancassurers offer HIV life cover – and “very few” of their offers of insurance are taken up, according to the survey, carried out by specialist medical financial adviser Unusual Risks.
Chris Morgan, marketing manager of Unusual Risks, said many bancassurers do not offer any indication of terms prior to a client making an application. As a result, people living with HIV are being asked to complete applications, submit to medicals and blood tests before any accurate indication of cost is offered, he said.
Morgan also said that of the eight bancassurers surveyed, Unusual Risks found that seven were in fact offering the same insurance companies’ products.

For free life insurance quote

Diabetes cases 'to soar by a fifth by 2020'

Number of people with the condition to rise by 700,000

The number of people with diabetes in Britain is expected to rise by 700,000 by the end of the decade, according to data analysis out this week.
The analysis, published by Diabetes UK and based on data from the Yorkshire & Humber Public Health Observatory, predicts there will be 4.4 million people in England, Scotland and Wales with the condition by 2020, an increase of almost a fifth compared to now.
Diabetes UK says the vast majority of the extra 700,000 cases would be Type 2 diabetes, which can often be prevented by making lifestyle changes such as losing weight.
It says that such a significant increase in the number of people with the condition would put great financial pressure on the NHS, which it notes is already spending 10% of its overall budget on treating diabetes.
Barbara Young, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said the healthcare system is “already at breaking point” in terms of its ability to care for people with diabetes.
She said: “The result is that many people are developing health complications that could have been avoided, and are dying early as a result.
"Because of this, I have grave fears about the potential impact of an extra 700,000 people with diabetes.”
Young called on the Government to fund a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes to help identify and provide support to those at high risk.

For free quotations for Critical Illness insurance.

28 is ‘optimum age’ to start financial planning

Survey reveals when consumers begin to plan long term

The average age at which consumers begin to plan financially for the long term is 28, according to research published today by life office Bright Grey.

The provider’s Financial Safety Net report – which polled almost 1,500 British adults aged 35 and over – shows that 28 was the average age at which respondents began to think about long-term financial provisions such as taking out a pension or saving in order to purchase property.

However, 5% of those surveyed said they did not believe they needed to plan financially for the long term at all.

Roger Edwards, managing director at Bright Grey, said that 28 is around the age that many people take key lifestyle choices such as buying a first property, getting married or having a child.

He said: "With these changes can come responsibility, and this means waking up to the very real need to have finances in order.”

The research follows July’s Protection Review conference, where one of the issues under discussion was how protection advisers could place more emphasis on family as a reason for consumers to proactively buy protection products rather than being 'sold' them.

For free advice please contact us

Lung cancer rates continue to rise in women as male incidence falls fast

Cancer Research UK figures signal warning for females


Rates of lung cancer in women are continuing to rise, according to figures released by Cancer Research UK.

The charity said today that more than 18,000 UK women were diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Rates of the disease have risen to 39.3 for every 100,000 UK women from 22.2 for every 100,000 in 1975 when there were fewer than 8,000 cases.

Although lung cancer is still more common in men with more than 23,000 cases in 2009, rates in men have been falling “fast”, the charity said. Male lung cancer incidence is now 58.8 per 100,000 UK men compared with 110 in 1975.

Cancer Research UK said that cases of lung cancer mirror smoking rates around two to three decades earlier as more than 80% of cases are caused by tobacco.

The new figures also reveal that the total number of UK lung cancer deaths stands at almost 35,000. 19,410 men and 15,449 women died from the disease in 2010.

Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK’s information director, said lung cancer continues to claim “far too many” lives.

She said: “More than four in five cases of the disease are caused directly by smoking. But this means nearly one in five cases is not. It's really important that anyone with a cough that lasts for three weeks or a worsening or a change in a long-standing cough get this checked out.”

Until the late 1990s, lung cancer was the most common cancer in the UK. In 1997 it was overtaken by breast cancer, but still accounts for 14 per cent of all new cancer cases in men, and 11% in women.
Critical Illness insurance should be considered in a protection portfolio.

Friends Life and L&G reveal critical illness claims figures

Providers release competitive set of results


Critical illness (CI) providers are consistently paying out on 90% of claims or more, results published today by Friends Life and Legal & General show.

Legal & General paid 93.2% of claims in 2011 while Friends Life paid 90% of claims.

Legal & General paid out a record total of £441m in death and CI claims last year, up 18% on the £373m it paid out in 2010.

The provider paid out 2,784 claims in 2011, with the average payment per claim standing at £63,573 and the average age of the claimant being 43 years. It says that cancer remains the number one reason for a CI claim.

Of the 6.8% of CI claims that were declined by Legal & General, 2.6% were declined for non-disclosure and the remaining 4.8% for failing to meet the policy definition.

Meanwhile Friends Life paid out a total of £89.5m in claims last year. The provider declined 4% of claims due to non-disclosure and a further 6% for failing to meet the policy definition.

Out of 1,733 total claims, Friends Life paid out on 1,565. The average age of a male claimant was 45 and for females, the average age was 43.

Steve Casey, head of marketing and intermediary proposition development at Friends Life, said: “The wide range of conditions that our customers continue to claim for demonstrates that not all critical illness covers are the same.

“It is important that people ensure that they have the right cover in place and that advisers work hard to match their clients to relevant and appropriate policies for their needs.”

Legal & General and Friends Life’s results are broadly in line with those published by other providers earlier this month.

Aviva paid out 94.1% of CI claims in 2011, while AEGON paid out 93% of claims and Scottish Provident paid out in 91% of cases.

For free quotations on critical illness

Women 'drastically' under-insured

Big gulf compared to men in spite of increasing financial responsibilities

Women "drastically" under-insure themselves when it comes to taking out protection cover, according to statistics released today.

And the problem is set to get worse as new EU rules on gender-based pricing for insurance come into force later this year.

Figures compiled by Scottish Provident, the insurer, suggest that men typically protect themselves with around 50% more life cover than women. Although the gap is “relatively small” to begin with – 23% among those in their 30s – it gets progressively wider and becomes a “significant gulf” for those in their 60s, when men have almost twice as much cover in place, Scot Prov said.

A new EU gender directive which comes into force in December means that the cost of protection for women is set to rise substantially, with some commentators projecting a rise of around 20%. As a result, Jennifer Gilchrist, senior product development manager, at Scottish Provident, said 2012 should be the year in which women act to protect their families’ financial security.

Research shows that women are increasingly becoming the primary household earners in the UK and elsewhere in the Western world.

Free quotations on critical illness and life cover

Four out of five new parents 'skimping' on life cover

But expectant mums and dads spend fortune on prams and clothes

Four out of five new parents are risking their children's financial futures by “skimping” on life cover, according to research published today.

A survey of 1,500 recent parents carried out for Aviva suggests that while two out of five (40%) start a savings account for a new arrival, fewer than one in five (18%) take out life insurance.

The study reveals that parents are going without life cover even though they have considered what would happen should they die, with a quarter of respondents to the survey stating they had chosen a guardian for their child if they were to pass away.

Aviva said that expectant parents spend an average of £1,370 on things such as pushchairs, baby clothes, cots, bedding, car seats and nappies. However, two-thirds (60%) of families have no form of protection in place and the average family only has £928 in savings.

Research published recently by Ageas Protect suggested that less than one in ten (9%) people have a critical illness policy in place – equivalent to 4.5 million adults – while 12% have taken out a pet insurance policy, equating to 5.9 million adults.

Louise Colley, head of protection marketing and sales for Aviva, said that it is understandable that expectant parents spend so much on their unborn baby but within the “checklist” of essential items, she would urge them to consider putting a small amount aside each month to protect their family's financial future.

For free quotation on Critical Illness and Life cover

More evidence that Brits take out pet cover ahead of protection insurance

Latest survey to reveal nation's animal lovers fail to protect their own family's lifestyle
More proof that individuals continue to choose to purchase pet insurance than protection products is revealed in research published this week.
A survey carried out for Ageas Protect shows that less than one in ten (9%) people have a critical illness (CI) policy in place – equivalent to 4.5 million adults – while 12% have taken out a pet insurance policy, equating to 5.9 million adults. The Opinium survey of over 2,000 adults suggests that one fifth of parents stated they would have to rely on savings if they were to fall seriously ill.
Earlier this month Friends Life published research which suggests that while 14% of people would automatically take out pet insurance, just 10% would take out CI cover. Research carried out for Scottish Widows last year, meanwhile, showed that across the UK just 7% of people have income protection insurance, compared to 15% who have taken out pet insurance.
A study carried out last year by unbiased.co.uk, the professional advice website, suggests that more than one in four (27%) UK adults hope to leave enough money for their family or pets to live comfortably after they are gone. However, an estimated 29.5 million UK adults do not have a will in place.

Free advice on critical illness

Childhood cancer forces two thirds of families into debt, charity warns

Parents turn to borrowing as unexpected costs and time off work take their toll
Parents of children with cancer are struggling to cope financially, with many families falling into debt, a charity warns today.
A survey for CLIC Sargent, the children's charity, said that the unexpected costs of travel, childcare, food and accommodation while their child has treatment means that 66% of parents have to turn to borrowing to make ends meet.
Three in four (76%) parents say that in addition to the emotional burden they face, their child's illness has resulted in a "major impact" on their family finances.
Parents and young people told the charity that they spent on average £367 and £277 respectively on cancer-related expenses every month, and with treatment lasting up to three years, the bills soon mounted up.
Three in five (58%) respondents to the survey said they had to reduce the number of hours they worked. A small but significant number (6%) of parents surveyed said they had turned to high interest, short-term payday loans to cope with the additional costs.
CLIC Sargent sought the views of 335 young people with cancer and parents or carers of children with cancer for its report Counting the Costs of Cancer.

It doesn't have to be like that, there are policies that will pay out on Childrens Critical Illness even if the parents are not covered for CI. For free advice on Childrens Critical Illness Cover