Practical concerns

After cancer treatment, you may have concerns about financial issues, insurance policies and work.

Learn more about:

• Financial assistance
• Legal, financial and workplace support
• Insurance
• Working after treatment ends

Financial assistance

For many people, cancer treatment can be a financial strain. This can be caused by extra costs or loss of income. Support is available:

• Your local Cancer Council may be able to organise legal, financial and workplace advice.

• Ask your social worker about whether any financial or practical assistance is available to you. If you have to travel for follow-up appointments, ask about patient travel assistance.
• Call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free, confidential and independent financial counselling.
• Ask your utility company, loan provider or local council how they can help you manage payment of your bills or loans. Check if you qualify for any rebates, concessions or hardship programs.
• Talk to your superannuation fund about applying for an early release of your superannuation on the grounds of severe financial hardship. Find out how this will affect your retirement and whether your superannuation has any insurance policies that you could claim on.

For more on this, see Cancer and your finances and download a fact sheet on Superannuation and cancer.

I called Cancer Council and ended up speaking to a financial counsellor. She helped me sort things out with the bank.

Vincent

Insurance

Applying for new insurance (life, income protection or travel) may be harder because you have had cancer. You are generally required to provide your medical history, including any diagnosis of cancer.

In general, you should be able to buy insurance for things that are not cancer-related (like travel insurance for lost luggage or life insurance for accidental death). It may be difficult to buy travel insurance that covers cancer-related medical problems, but you should be able to get coverage for non-cancer-related medical costs. It is a good idea to check exactly what is covered before buying a new insurance policy.

For more on this, see our Life insurance fact sheet.