Travel Insurance - long trips
Travel Insurance - long trips Hi Everyone
Question: I am trying to get insurance for a long trip to Europe - five months yippee but cannot get cover for cancer related stuff - have tried Freedom and Caravan Club but declined on both. P****** off because I had my mastectomy 18months ago and am not on any medication, no spread and as you can tell am moving on and upwards but these firms just make me feel like I am doomed. The only things that upset me are the facts that I cannot get insurance and most probably a mortgage anymore. All the professionals tell me I have a brilliant prognosis but these insurance companies make me feel like I should not be optimistic. I know its probably because its a long trip and the risk of recurrence within that time frame are greater but even so???
Anyway guess I will have to travel without cover for my’‘’‘pre existing’‘’ condition. Onwards and upwards !!!
Anyone else have any advice and/or have managed to get cover for long trips.
Thanks and love to all of you.
Cath
Dear Cath You may find Breast Cancer Care’s factsheet about travel insurance useful, you can access this via the following link or by looking under the ‘Information’ tab at the top of this page then ‘Publications’ You will find this factsheet under ‘Financial and practical advice’.
Hope you find this helpful.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Go travel Hi Cath
I really wouldn’t worry, nor would I give my hard earned cash to the insurance companies (other than basic cover). What is the worst that can happen? It is not as if you are going to relapse suddenly and calamitously with your condition, you are going to Europe so you could be home in a matter of hours even if you did have to shell out for a scheduled air fare. If you did feel symptoms such as finding a lump or feeling sick (or whatever) you would be able to control it and get home somehow.
Why not talk to your GP and talk over what symptoms to look out for (but don’t get hung up on it) and possibly take a phone number to contact if you are worried. When I was undergoing chemo and travelling, my GP used to give me a prescription for antibiotics ‘just in case’ so that I could take them if my temperature suddenly shot up and I could get myself home or to the nearest hospital. i never needed them but it was comforting just to have them.
Go, travel and be ‘normal’ - it will do you more good than any hospitals.
blondie
insurance I got a list of travel insurance companies sympathetic to cancer patients from the local Macmillan nurses - they stated all the different types of cases they will cover.
Also, do beware of taking out basic cover and not declaring all previous medical conditions, or you could find that all cover is invalidated if you did have to make a claim for any non- cancer related claim , e.g. a broken leg.
Good luck with the trip
Photolady
Yes - well said Photolady - you need to get ‘cancer not covered’ or something like it on your travel insurance - so that broken legs etc are insured or, as Photolady quite rightly says, your insurance will be invalidated. This also concerns all those of us who have annual check-ups at hospital as there is often a question such as
‘have you been in hospital or under the care of a doctor in the last 12 months’ and for most of us this also has to be declared. Best to read the small print.
Blondie
EHIC Do get yourself a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before you go. This will give you treatment in any EU country for free / or the same cost as a National. Go to this website:
The extra cost of including cover for breast cancer is generally too high to be worth it. It is often higher than the cost of a flight home to see your usual oncologist. Few people have breast cancer related emergencies that need to be treated while still abroad.
If you could make a claim on your Travel Insurance, remember that there is an excess to deduct and often this reduces the claimable amount to something very small.
Hysteria about US medical insurance costs has led to people assuming that all medical assistance outside the UK is extremely expensive, but sometimes it is cheaper than UK private treatment. As an example, slightly off topic, a few years back, my daughter got an ear infection while on holiday in Tunisia. I had an Ear Nose and Throat specialist attend her in our hotel room. He had excellent qualifications (trained in France) but the bill for his visit, the antibiotic injection and the oral antibiotics came to less than my £80 policy excess.
I got holiday insurance from Fortis or Marrs. One was the broker and one the insurer.I think i needed to be 3 months out of treatment. I answered a load of questions about my illness, treatment etc` and they insured me everything, including breast cancer at no extra cost.
You’ll need to google them to get their phone number.
Kelley
I also got insured with MARRS and they covered everything including my breast cancer. I have a worldwide insurance with them and have been to las vegas 3 times since having my cancer.
Pat xxx
That Dreaded Travel Insurance yet again! Well, it’s time for the renewal of my yearly travel insurance. Four years since I was diagnosed. and over three since I completed my treatment. STILL I am being persecuted by the dreaded Travel Insurance Industry!!! However things are getting worse…excuse the prolonged agony :o)))
Not only have I the audacity to want to go on holiday, but I want to take my husband with me! Shock horror says the Insurance Company, how old did you say your husband was? 66 going on 67 come March! Guess What ?.. my joint policy for myself and poor old Jim (aaaahhhh!) has gone up to £260!!!(Told them to forget it!) And to think that when I first took out the policy in early 2004 when he was under 65, we managed to get a multi trip policy for £80(including my breast cancer) for the two of us!!! (That was less than 6 months after I had finished a gruelling 8 months of Neo Adjuvant Chemo/Surgery/Adjuvant Chemo/Radiotherapy!!
Looks like I will have to look for a new younger husband unless someone can let me know of a better deal. :o)) I am presently with Freedom …Have to say they have been great until the OLD AGE problem reared it’s ugly head. HELP!!! Failing that I may take out something with my Breast Cancer excluded (I also have lymphoedema :o( To be honest I am in two minds what to do.
Joyce x
Travel Insurance Bringing this thread back to the top following this post from new user Joyce01.
Kind regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
Travel insurance for “wrinklies” Hi Joyce,
just read this week in the Mail on Sunday that Marks and Spencer Insurance do not discriminate for age, whereas most insurers do. My hubby is 78 yrs old, so I will try them next time we travel. I used the Post Office last year for a solo 2 week trip to Florida. I excluded breast cancer cover as I didn’t think I would get seriously ill from bc in that time frame and they wanted a fortune to include it. Think I paid £76 for the 2 weeks. I was 3 yrs from dx and 2 yrs from finishing treatment. Hope you get sorted out.
Liz.
Macmillan list My local Macmillan nursing team have a leaflet with details of over 20 insurance companies who cover varying problems. in.c Ca and older age.
Age Concern also do insurance for any age, according to my OH’s mother, she should know, she’ s going on 89!!
It certainly pays to shop around, not go with the first one you try.
Good luck
Photolady
Travel Insurance for Wrinklies!!! Hi Liz and everyone
Yes I know about M & S Travel Insurance. I almost used them last year as they cover up to about 70 years for an annual multi trip policy, which hardly anyone else does!!! This year with M & S it will cost in the region of £91 for the two of us, multi trips…aged 66 (The old man I am married to!! :o)) and 61 (me). Not bad at all. However, that doesn’t include my Breast Cancer Cover, which I have always had until this year, when the premium has DOUBLED due to, as I said previously me being married to such an OLD man (67 tomorrow!!!). God help us, these Insurance people don’t believe in taking chances do they? Serious now…
I have come across a Company on the internet www.itssoeasytravelinsurance.com who say they specialise in “cheaper” policies for people with medical conditions AND for Older people… I am about to check them out, so will let you know if a miracle happens!!! :o))) If anyone knows of them, please let me know. Thanks.
Joyce x
If you have a NatWest ‘Private’ account, you are automatically covered for the whole year, worldwide, and it covers cancer (as long as you have ceased treatment - Tamoxifen doesn’t count as ‘treatment’). It costs to have this current account, but its more than worth it as it covers all your family too, the insurance costs you nothing (you just have to have the bank account) AND it includes free car breakdown and rescue cover as well as other benefts, such as free Mobile phone and home Appliances insurance
My Dad had prostate cancer a couple of years ago, has diabetes, and takes beta blockers, is 73, and has insured for a trip across Canada with Sainsbury’s Insurance, for something like £70.
My neighbour has not had cancer, but has a heart condition, and has had open-heart surgery and a pacemaker, and insures herself and her family (She is 53) with Saga for the year.
Meant to say, my Dad’s includes cancer cover too.
Hi everyone,
Don’t know how much help this will be but My hose and contents ins. is with Liverpool -Victoria and this year they had a special offer linking holiday cover into my contents ins. Might be worth checking what your companies will offer. (Also some credit card co’s offer good basic cover)
I have checked and re-checked with them and they are clear on the fact that I have incurable progressive breast cancer and that I am having out patient treatment for this and seee my consultant on a monthly basis.
My family all have cover and I am covered for all except BC. Personally i think, the cost of a flight home is cheaper even if I was insurable for BC and I have written guidelines as to what I would expect my family to do in certain emergencies…ie if I die bury me abroad. If a ventilated cabbage switch off etc. These are my personal wishes you understand. If I had had in patient treatment within last three months they wanted a certificate of fitness to travel from my medical team. For £80+ I thought it was not a bad deal.