Just because the sun's gone away, your SPF shouldn’t!

Ultraviolet rays are present all year round, even in winter, and exposure doesn't need to be long to be damaging. Although of course, the greater the sun exposure, the higher the risk.

Cancer Research UK predicts there will be 20,800 cases diagnosed this year - that’s around 1,500 more than the average number of cases between 2020-2022.

So even if we pop to the shop, do the school run or walk the dog, we should apply a minimum SPF 30 to our skin, every single day - even if it’s cloudy.

Here’s some other ways we can protect our skin:

• Avoid tanning beds.
• Find shade when the sun is at its hottest.
• Re-apply your SPF regularly and generously.
• Stay hydrated – our skin is made up of around 64% water!
• Wear protective clothing, hats, and sunglasses with UV protection.

If you’re worried about a mole or other symptoms, you should speak to your doctor. Cancer research UK also have mountains of information on the signs and symptoms to look out for.

Skin cancer and your protection policy

At Zurich we receive around 800 cancer claims every year.

Depending on the level of severity, skin cancer is often covered under a Critical Illness insurance policy. Many people aren’t aware they can claim under their policy, so if you’ve been diagnosed, please call us.

Claims example

We recently received a call from a customer who had found out she had a stage 1A malignant melanoma. We sent all the documents we needed her to complete online by Docusign and reached out to her GP and consultant for copies of their records. Her cancer was covered under her Life and Critical Illness policy, and we were able to pay her claim.