Travel Insurance

[EJ81]

That sounds like a really good deal. I went with Eurotunnel again this year as only needed annual European cover. It has only gone up 50p since last year! All three of us for £79! Forgot I needed European breakdown cover too this year so need to call and do some negotiating!

[Bongobuns]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie to the forums, new to breast cancer and even newer to secondary BC so please bear with...

I've just taken travel insurance with insurancewith, 2 weeks worldwide, declared all my history and meds and paid £114.

Also taken 5 days European for £28.

[Tournesol]

SP0, that's excellent - is that because you are NED? Tournesol x

[SP0]

I get US cover for 2 weeks from Insure Pink for about £200, on Herceptin & hormone treatment when not on chemo or awaiting tests, fyi...x

[nicky08]

That's great new Lynn and means you can plan your trip 😊

Have a great Christmas.

Nicky x

[Lynnq]

Hi Nicky

just wanted to let you know that we took out the travel insurance with axappp.  We joined the Forces Pension Society for an annual fee of £40 and the insurance was £331 and some pence, even with the annual fee it worked out a lot cheaper and more convenient for us.  I asked if it was available to non service personnel and he said that it was, but the discount for HM forces and their families is quite a good amount, almost 50%    However by our reckoning - even without the discount- it would still have been cheaper than anything else we'd been offered, 

Thanks for the info, I have also passed it on to others

xx

[nicky08]

Hi

Thats also good info kittyw, another company to try. That is cheaper but the quote I got was for an annual policy which may be the difference.

Lynn, my parents are in their late 70's and they have cover so I don't think your husband's age will be a problem. And I don't belong to their healthcare programme, I just phoned up and got a quote. When I asked if they are happy for me to get their details out the claims advisor I spoke to said, the more the merrier! Really hope this helps some of us go to some places that we can't afford to go to if we had to take out other insurance. The only bit of the info I posted that may not be correct is the phone number, so apologies if it needs checking. I used another number that my Dad uses to get through initially but the phone number given is one they gave me.

Happy hunting.

Nicky x

[kittyw]

Hi all hope this may help some of you, I have mets to bone and lung and had quotes of over £2000 for thee weeks in Canada, if they would insure me at all, most would not. Martin Lewis money expert site suggested World First insurance so gave it a go. Website asked a lot of questions and quoted me £240 as i could not belive this i started from scratch to see where i had gone wrong. I hadn't this is the quote. Reading reviews on site also seem favourable. take care Kittyw x

[Glo]

Hi Nicky,
Just had a quick look at axapp healthcare website, found the travel insurance bit. Do you not have to be a member of their healthcare programme to be eligible? If not it sounds good!
Glo xx

[Lynnq]

Nicky that is brilliant news. Both my husband and I served in the army. I wonder if there is a website, I do intend to phone first thing in the morning so I will let you know how I get on.

Our only reservation is thst hubby had his 70th birthday this year and that does make a difference sometimes. However this would also have been true of Eurotunnel so we had planned on getting seperate cover if necessary....

[Ladywolf]

Hi Nicky

Thanks so much for posting this info...

I'm thinking of taking my boys to Florida in October.. My dad was in the RAF as well so will be extra good for me!!

Thanks again

Wolfie xx

[nicky08]

Hi ladies and especially Lynn who I'm assuming is still thinking of going to the states and needs insurance? Well, you may be in luck, along with the rest of us.

My Dad, who has various pre existing conditions associated with getting older, has a travel insurance policy which he got via the Forces Pension Society. I looked into it because, as a blood relative of someone who was in the RAF, I should be covered if I took out a policy. I wanted to confirm with them their wording about 'fit for travel' especially as they make a point of mentioning being 'terminally ill'. I have spoken to their claims department today and basically they insure anyone, not just those connected to the Forces (although you get a discount if you are) and offer an annual worldwide policy which includes USA. They don't ask any medical questions but take the view that if your GP or medical practioner says you are fit to travel then you can have cover including cancellation and also UK holidays. The quote I got today was about £350 for myself and my husband for an annual worldwide policy. The insurers are Axappp healthcare uk limited. Phone number 0800 454080. Definitely worth giving them a call for anyone seeking affordable cover especially for us secondary ladies. I will be getting in contact with them again when my current Eurotunnel policy expires next year. Also they were really helpful when I spoke to them and were well aware of the situation with secondary BC and the whole 'terminally ill' bit.

Hope this helps and btw they do offer an annual European policy which is about £100 cheaper.

Nicky x

[Lynnq]

Hi everyone....
Been in touch with Eurotunnel today and the confirmed that they will no longer have an 'annual worldwide policy including the USA'. They do however still cover Europe £46.95 single person and £71.95 for a couple..

He told me that this has been the case for the last two months.

They will honour existing policies until they expire.

i am still hoping so if I will post if I find anything.......

[formymum]

HI to all,

This all sounds very reassuring as my mum is currently struggling like mad to get some travel insurance with her secondary breast cancer. It;s upsetting her so much having to keep ringing up and going through it all again, only to be told they can't insure her.. so demoralising!

Anyway, I'm going to try eurotunnel with her and see where we get.. thanks for all the comments, very helpful.

Does anyone have any experience of actually claiming following travelling with eurotunnel though?

Thanks to all. xx

Spoiler

[rosie53]

Hi Cookie17, most of us on here tend to go with Eurotunnel, they don't tend to ask too many personal questions either, I took out 12 month cover and was  £76 for the year.

Hugs Janette xxxx 

[Cookie17]

Just wondered if anyone had found a good travel insurance that will cover one on travel.  My husband has phoned many an insurance company and they are asking for extortiant amounts of money because I have terminal cancer.

We use to use the Post Office General insurance which was great as it covered the basics which is all we wanted but they have changed their underwriters and so we cant use them anymore.  Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Cookie17

[Judyjay]

I am two years post op and on Letrozole. I paid £71 for a years insurance with Eurotunnel for my husband and I. No questions asked! After getting a quote online I phoned them to be sure and paid then. Very simple and efficient.

[nicky08]

Bumping up

BCC - can this be made into a sticky thread? It's very useful for any of us with secondaries who are able to travel but as soon as it disappears off the first screen/page no- one really knows where to go to start researching travel insurance.

[nicky08]

Bumping up

[nicky08]

Bumping up for Mrsmu

[nicky08]

bumping up

[Sianie]

I agree stelwah a holiday is a must in a situation like this and to know your covered while your away just puts the mind at ease a little. Hope your treatment is going well and that you enjoy your trip away xx

[Stelwah]

Really useful to read everyone's travel insurance experiences. I've recently booked with InsuranceWith - pleasant on the phone going through lots of medical details, covered me based on info I told them so didn't need docs letter.

[Sianie]

Who did you take out insurance with to travel to Florida ? Sorry to hear the triple negative dx. My mum is on weekly taxol for 18 weeks at the moment this is her first treat and will follow with hormone therapy next, she was on letrozole after her first dx then the liver mets were found 3.5 years later but now they think the liver secondary could of been there since the original dx xxxx

[2catlady]

Hi,I had double whammy diagnosis in June 2013 bone mets and primary.then June 2014 I got liver and lung mets. After another fight for a CT scan.The first year I was on hormones and they didn't work. I asked for mastectomy after fighting for a year and dodgy hospital (long story) and they found out I was triple negative. So only treatments are chemo. I'm on cap at the moment . Waiting for ct ( new hospital) to see if I have progression. It will be weekly taxol next for me.
Hugs,Helen xxxx

[Sianie]

Thanks both for getting back to me I really do appreciate the support from everyone. Helen, how long have you been dx with liver and lung mets ? What is your current treatment ? Xx

[2catlady]

Hi,sianie, I'm with Lynne,do Florida. We went twice last year. January I only had bone mets,pelvis mainly whole of spine and ribs. We went again in October this time I had lung and liver mets too.
I took my blue badge which disney and universal honoured as private land and we parked right next to entrance ( didn't use it out side of disney & universal as wouldn't be valid)
I borrowed a wheelchair from disney hotel and used that,as walking and standing can be difficult for me.
I took antibiotics just incase from GP ,anti bacterial wipes,antibacterial gel . I was fine and felt the best I ever have since diagnoses .
So I'd go for it and enjoy every minute of Mickey magic.,huge hugs,Helen xxxx

[Lynnq]

Hello Siane. I enjoyed both of the trips, I did cut down on the things that I did. Enjoyed watching my GDs having a go on all of the rides.......only went on the more gentle ones myself. Applied for a temporary disabled badge before we went which meant we got parked right next to the entrances.
My mets are in skull, spine of chest, thorax, upper few ribs and also pelvis. Also some infiltration in peritoneal area which seems to be resolved......??
I did get achey but took a supply of painkillers, mainly paracetamol, ibrufin and naproxen. Dr gave me a course of antibiotics in case of infection, which I didn't need.
It was hot, we stayed in a villa which was more peaceful than a hotel.....i would do it again in a heartbeat .......thought of hiring a scooter but didn't need to. Husband and daughter were fussy about me not carrying or doing too much. GDs were wonderful. I paced myself but watched them having a wonderful time.......

[Sianie]

Hi Lynnq, thanks for you reply
I hope you enjoyed Disney Paris and Disney florida. Where do you have secondary's too ? Did you find Florida tiring ? As we went in 2013 and found it exhausting and we were all fit at the time xx

[Lynnq]

Hi Sianie. I was dx oct 2012 and we also cancelled a holiday to Florida for Aug 2013. We were taking our grandchildren.
My treatment is Letrozole Adcal and Zometa. Aug 2013 we took them to Disney Paris instead for a few days...

This august we finally took them to Florida ..it was great....got insurance through Eurotunnel....they asked if i was terminal and I quoted my oNC who said that "-terminal is when there are no more treatments available and you are in the last few months of life"- he said that I was nowhere near that.
My GP made a note on my medical records stating that i was fit to travel at the time the insurance was purchased....
Just about to take the insurance out for a second year.....like you there was a time when we didn't think a holiday, especially to Florida was possible........all the best hope your mum continues to have good blood results.

[EJ81]

I really hope you can too xxx

[Sianie]

Thanks both for your replies, hopefully once everything is stable we can jet of somewhere nice xx

[EJ81]

You can look at eurotunnel's terms and conditions online. They are happy to insure as long as the existing condition is under control and is not terminal. When asked I said no one had told me I was terminal ie only a few months left, and they are fine with it. Worth getting your mum to talk to her onc about it once things have stabilised on her next treatment as Eurotunnel would want a doctor to vouch for her if you did need to claim. Xxx

[rosie53]

Sainie, i have mets to my ribs, hips and spine, diagnosed Feb last yr, primary was 2007.
Eurotunnel cover my illness, must warn you that they will ask if it is terminal, i explained it is incurable but i not been told as yet that i am terminal, they just need to know that your oncologist has said you are fit to travel.
hugs Janette x x

[Sianie]

Hi Natalie, thanks for replying. Which mets are you dealing with and does the insurance cover the illnesses? Are you having any ongoing treatment ? Xx

[rosie53]

Hi Sainie, sorry to hear about your mum, i am going to New York in May and have booked with Eurotunnel, it cost me £75 for an annual policy, hope this helps.
Hugs Janette x x

[Sianie]

Hi, we cancelled our holiday to florida this summer due to my mothers illness as I didn't think we could get insurance for America and back in December a holiday didn't even look possible but since my mother has been receiving treatment and her bloods are coming down and the next step is hormone therapy then hopefully our holiday could be back on but we won't go without insurance, does anyone have any advise ? Xx

[Nanofthree]

Thank you for your wise words. Food for thought and I will definitely give it a go. Love Ruth x

[EJ81]

Just been quoted £79 for a years European cover for me and my husband and little boy. This was the initial quote before I mentioned the cancer and it didn't change! I would definitely give them a go. MIA quoted me the same for just me for a single trip and an extra £69 per person if I wanted to add anyone! Oh and they wouldn't actually cover our destination!!

[Lynnq]

I agree with Helen...look at eurotunnel, for a three day holiday delays can make you lose a chunk of your holiday.....

[2catlady]

Hi,Ruth,I would get just normal insurance ,delays etc. as unluckily you will take I'll in three days if your stable . Eurotunnel are cheap so you could have a look at that.
Hugs,Helen xxxx

[rosie53]

Hi Ruth, if it was me i would def get insurance, i know some ladies don't always get it but i wouldnt go away without it, chances are you will never need to use it but its always there if you need to!!
Hugs J x x

[Nanofthree]

I am due to go to Venice for three days in March. Would any of you bother with travel insurance for this trip, bearing in mind all the hassle and cost there seems to be with getting insurance when you have mets. Mind are in bones. Thank you. Ruth x

[EJ81]

Good to know, thank you. Think I'll try Eurotunnel first as I keep hearing good things about them. Just want to get a bit of sunshine as we didn't manage it last year when this all kicked off xxx

[2catlady]

My onc,wrote a letter to my GP saying I was stable and fit to travel after I saw him so there was a record of our conversation. He did say to be cautious with insurance companies as they do try to wriggle out of paying.
I tried insure with who turned me down for USA when I "only" had bone mets. Only eurotunnel did USA very cheaply ,which made my onc say what he did.
It's very unlikely that C will cause us any problems on holiday if your stable and feeling okay. If you pick up an infection fly home saying it's a family emergency ,most airlines will try to help.( even if it's a white lie) take antibiotics from GP too,plenty of anti bac gel,and be careful of what you eat.
It is VERY unluckily your ever going to use insurance,I went to USA last year with no insurance in jan with bone mets. In October I got eurotunnel with bone,lung and liver and was perfectly fine,the best I've ever felt while I was there! So go for it. It will do you world of good xxxxxx

[EJ81]

Could you ask for a letter from your gp/onc stating that you aren't terminal? If they sign and date it it would give you some back up. My OH is also the cautious type and I keep having to remind him that insurance is just that - insurance. It doesn't mean we will need it!
Also bcn has recommended a company called insurancewith.com who do medical travel insurance. Haven't tried them yet though. I hope everyone has wonderful holidays xxx

[2catlady]

J ,i booked with eurotunnel too. But we always had a back up plan to fly back to uk if I became ill in USA . (Cancer related)Basically any airport as long as it was in uk. It's very unlikely you will become ill so try not to worry. Get antibiotics from GP to take with you.
Enjoy your holiday and get packing,Helen xxxx

[Lynnq]

Hi J. I wonder if my other post on the 'boney, thread might reassure him a little.

[rosie53]

Hi ladies, i have booked a trip to New York today and have taken out insurance with Eurotunnel, i was asked the question about being "terminal" and i said therer is no cure for my cancer but i have not been told that it is terminal and the adviser said that was fine....the problem is my hubby, he is now stressing that there could be a get out clause as this disease is a terminal one, but i have told him "terminal" is classed as having less than 6 months to live but i can see he is still not happy with this!! Oh how to put a dampner on what was an exciting day having booked this trip :-(
hugs J x x

[cleo68]

Hi Lynn, Thank you for sharing your conversation with Eurotunnel. I had a similar chat with a man from Eurotunnel today and wanted to know what exactly they meant by terminal too. I have only just been diagnosed with secondaries (lung, spine) and have luckily responded rapidly and well to GemCarbo and feel really well, so the ideal time to go on holiday. I will double check with my onc. Best wishes