Hi all. Please can anyone make any recommendations or offer advice on travel insurance? We have just booked a holiday in August (my treatment finishes early Feb) and already have cover through HSBC. However, I rang up to advise them of my diagnosis and they have told me I won’t be covered for breast cancer
I know the chance of me needing emergency treatment whilst we are away is very low but what worries me is will I now never be covered if something happens down the track? My cancer was grade 1, hormone receptor positive, not in lymph nodes and told my risk of recurrence is low…but they still won’t cover me. Does that mean in 5 years if I do get a recurrence and already have something booked I am stuck? Anyone successfully challenged their insurer? Or can anyone recommend an alternative policy that won’t cost the earth?! X
When I was first diagnosed and had treatment in 2021, I was paying for travel insurance via a work policy and it covered everything. When I retired in 2022 that, obviously stopped, I changed my bank account to a packaged one with the Co-op bank. I called them 1st to make sure I’d be covered. Though it was husband’s many ailments and age that was bumping the price to stupid money when I looked at standalone policies via comparison sites and going direct to insurance companies
That might be something to consider. There is also advice somewhere on this site, but I found the insurance companies mentioned to have OTT prices.
Now (just for good news for people who might be wondering about TI in the future) hubby now in a nursing home (ok, so that’s not good), I have just bought a good annual European policy for just over £50 (via Meerkats) and I had several other things to add to the list of conditions to declare. Just be aware with BC the Qs are: still having treatment (chemo, rads not hormone), treatment 1-3 yrs then 5 onwards (not sure exactly as I’m not that far yet).
I am thinking about travel insurance, which is going to be difficult with SBC, but I have heard good things about the company, Insurancewith. It was set up by a lady who worked in insurance and when she got diagnosed with BC, she realised there was no one offering insurance for people with BC diagnosis who maybe still undergoing treatment or have a life limiting diagnosis. So maybe worth contacting them.
I had this problem last year with Virgin Travel. I rang to advice of DCIS and they said they wouldn’t cover me. I did explain that if I’d not had a mammogram, I wouldnt even know about it. They weren’t interested and cancelled my policy, refunding the remaining months.
I got a policy with All Clear. They were brilliant and not a silly price.
Good luck xx
Thank you. That is ridiculous from Virgin! I was genuinely quite shocked how discriminatory this all is! A friend has just recommended All Clear so will give them a call.
Hi
I have used Goodtogoinsurance 3 times now
They have been very good and competitive although will only insure for single trips not Annual
You can get a quote online but I rang them to make sure I gave them all the relevant information
I use allclear insurance both before & during treatment. You can get a quote online but much easier to discuss the full situation by phoning up. I was surprised about how little it cost…£150ish, i had visions of it coating more than the holiday
I went away twice last year and used Loveitcoverit both times. The price went down on the second trip as i had finished treatment and was taking just the medications x
My insurance brokers are on the Macmillan providers list - they have sorted cover for me for a cruise & a week away, with very competitive pricing. They’re based in Blackpool but work over the phone & by email.
@blue80
I was diagnosed with breast cancer May 22 and wanted to go on holiday last year after treatment with my family.
I expected a high price but wasn’t expecting them to flat out decline me. This was with the company set up by woman with breast cancer.
She was able to tell me that whilst I still needed new things (was due to start hormones and abemaciclib) or waiting new tests, I couldn’t be insured. Out of interest, I recently tried online one, and now I have had no new treatments for 1 year, only routine checks, didn’t refuse any recommended treatment, it looks like I’m back to normal price. Roll on this summer x
I had grade 2, hormone positive, lymph nodes clear, lumpectomy followed by radiology at end Sept last year. Was booked to visit son in Vietnam in January and contacted TSB who we have travel insurance through our bank account. They took all the details of BC treatment, hormone meds and anual mammograms. I also disclosed a lung condition I was diagnosed with but no on any teatment, just 6 monthly check ups at hospital. Was told I would be covered with an aditional cost of £105 and that is for a year which I was delighted with as we go abroad 2/3 times a year. Don’t give up, shop around
Hi,
I would thoroughly recommend Insurewith. I have used them twice and have confidence although I didn’t need to make any claims.
After my diagnosis last summer - I seemed to be uninsurable with the usual companies I’d use, or the premiums were sky high. I think it was on this forum or a friend mentioned the insure with company.
They are not trying to put you into ‘a one situation fits all’ box and you have to answer lots of questions, but the premium quotes I received were much more similar to what I have paid before being diagnosed compared to up to 10x the cost with subsequent searches.
Good luck with your booking! Enjoy your holiday and I hope you won’t need to use the insurance anyway x
I had a mastectomy in August and went on a holiday in September before starting my chemo, my travel insurance through the bank would not cover me because of the cancer diagnosis so I used Allclear. It was super easy and very reasonable!
I was diagnosed with DCIS in March/April last year, long story short had an op at the end of June where they also found a small tumour and cancer in sentinel lymph node so 15 nodes and lump/DCIS taken away plus remodelled breasts! I managed to get insurance with the Post Office for a single trip last August when I was still waiting for my radiology treatment (done in October) but there were others, PO was cheapest at £97 for myself and hubby. Now have yearly insurance with Travel Medical which comes out at £267 again for myself and hubby, (who has mild asthma). I went on a site called PayingTooMuch.com a comparison site. Hope this helps.
I have just got insurance with AllClear which I have already used as they deal with pre-existing conditions. I have used them for a few years although I didn’t last year as I couldn’t travel. I’ve had a mastectomy and am now clear but declared this anyway and my quote was almost the same as I psid in 2021. You need to get quotes from specialist insurers for pre-existing conditions. I found that a) if you are waiting for tests/procedures this can affect the quote b) annual insurance is more or less the same price as single trip.
Hope this helps & good luck x
