Mr Jacobs believes that current limited screening for cancers means claims are simply being pushed into the future – they will not go away. And of course, the longer a cancer lingers undetected and untreated, the lower the chance someone has of beating it.
“Campaigns like Movember have gone a long way over the years to motivate men to be more aware of their health and wellness,” Mr Jacobs told me a few days ago.
“More men are addressing serious health concerns early enough to be able to get them treated, which can save lives.
“It would therefore be a real tragedy to see this positive trend reversed because of the pandemic. Early detection and better treatment for cancer means that survival rates after a diagnosis are improving.
“This further emphasises the importance of critical illness cover.”
Absolutely. The pandemic and its associated economic fallout are testing the financial resilience of many households to the limit – and will continue to do so as unemployment rises.
Most are resultingly battening down the hatches and re-evaluating their financial priorities. For some, that means a reining in of expenditure. For others, it means looking to build protection insurance into their financial armoury.
For those involved in the financial protection market – providers and advisers – opportunity beckons.
Of course, there are hurdles to overcome as a recent report from the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries highlights – for example, widespread consumer mistrust of claims statistics, a lack of understanding as to what the insurance actually does, and the difficulties many advisers encounter in getting the protection message through to potential customers.
But I am sure these are issues that can be overcome, with a little bit of collective effort.
Oh, and before I go, do not forget to take a look at the Movember website: https://uk.movember.com/
Jeff Prestridge is personal finance editor of the Mail on Sunday
