Aegon is supporting Bowel Cancer Awareness month with the release of claims information and a factsheet to help advisers and customers understand and recognise bowel cancer symptoms.
According to Cancer Research UK, bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with around 40,000 men and women being diagnosed in the UK each year.
In 2013, Aegon paid out around £2 million for bowel cancer critical illness claims.
Bowel cancer accounted for 6% of all cancer claims in 2013 and the average age of diagnosis was 51, with 70% of claimants being male.
Simon Jacobs, head of underwriting and claims strategy at Aegon said: "As April is bowel cancer awareness month, it's a perfect time to encourage people to recognise the early symptoms and take action.
"The exact cause of bowel cancer in most cases isn't known, but it's thought family history, diet and lack of exercise can all have an impact. The earlier bowel cancer is diagnosed, the more favourable the outcome."
Aegon has produced a ‘Helping you understand...Bowel cancer' factsheet for advisers and customers containing information about bowel cancer and the impact a diagnosis can have on protection policies.
