A MOTHER diagnosed with breast cancer emerged from her ordeal with a clean bill of health - and an unexpected £32,000 payout from her insurance company.

Debbie Carter can look forward to a positive prognosis medically and financially, thanks to her doctors, Norwich Union, and a little help from colleagues at Hollins-based DTE Risk & Financial Management Ltd.

Thirty seven-year-old Debbie, who lives with husband Steven and their six-year-old daughter Jordan, underwent major surgery combined with chemo and radio therapy after learning she had stage-two breast cancer.

Although tests showed an excellent prognosis, she feared she would lose out financially.

"I didn't make a claim because I assumed neither of my two endowment policies had critical illness cover," explained Debbie, who lives in Haslingden. "Even when I discovered that one of them had this cover, I didn't think they would pay out because two years had elapsed since the diagnosis." However, colleagues at DTE Risk & Financial Management Ltd, where Debbie works as an accounts controller, made enquiries to establish whether a claim was viable and Norwich Union promptly paid up.

"My faith in insurance companies has been restored. You hear so many reports of them finding loopholes, but I'm delighted with Norwich Union," she said. "When I was diagnosed I was in shock, compounded by arduous surgery and treatment, while trying to hold family life together, and didn't properly explore the insurance aspect."

Phil Whitworth, of DTE Risk & Financial Management Ltd, added: "Breast cancer is an illness you would expect to be covered, but because of the timescale I was not convinced the claim would be honoured.

"Nevertheless, we didn't encounter any problems from Norwich Union, which handled the claim very professionally and with no fuss."