travel insurance

[scottishlass]

Hi Nicly, I can feel and understand your frustration.
But even people without cancer become unwell abroad like a friend pf my parents did. They had been in Europe, Majorca I think, and they had to hospitalize him and eventually fly him home and believe me the costs were just astronomical.
I think the insurance companies know just how costly hospitalization can be especially in the USA that they make these huge quotes hoping theat you wil not take up insurance with them. Sorry I cannot help with your probem but just want to say I am sorry they have done this. I only ever go to Europe but even with that, all my cancer illnesses are excluded as are mental health issues with my family.
Hope someone else will come alog with more helpful news on the insurance thing. I know you are not alone I think. Is it Marif who had the same problem as she wanted to travel over there too to see her family.
Val

[nicky08]

Arghhhh, famous last words about insurance to USA. I have just been refused insurance from InsurePink as their underwriters have changed the medical criteria from 'no more that 2 places for bone mets' to 'two or more'. This basically means anyone with only one bone met -pretty unusual in my understanding of the disease - can get insurance from them but no-one else. This may be different for Europe etc but I'm not going to Europe!
So, I'll ask the same question as has been asked by others, are there any reasonable quotes out there for USA? By reasonable I mean less than £1000!
So, so frustrating. Whilst I am feeling well I want to make the most of the time I have and to be denied a trip, or to be charged exorbitant premiums (knowing that I wouldn't even contemplate travelling far away if I felt unwell or anticipated a change in my condition) is so biased against us. I do feel the underwriters don't understand the disease fully as all the medical screening questions never ask you if your disease is stable, or hasn't changed, which must be a reasonable marker for them to judge the likelihood of a medical claim being made. Grrrrr.
Nicky

[nicky08]

Hi Donna
Yes, have heard of both but, for me, have found InsurePink the cheapest quote for secondaries. They have insured me for European and USA travel since my dx in 2008 however it does depend on where your mets are.
I've just seen you post as well, racer, InsurePink have insured me on a number of occasions to USA and it's been about £300 or less for 10 days, however I know they won't insure for mets in more than 2 places but they may be worth a call?
Nicky x

[Guest user]

Hi Ladies,sorry for butting in : )
Has anyone heard of insurepink or Bromley insurance? Ive read these were good and im going to use them next year all being well.
Donna

[racer]

Hi everyone I have been trying to organise insurance for our holiday to Florida in October. I have really struggled with some not covering me to some with really expensive quotes running into thousands. I saw my Onc yesterday who recommended insure cancer and said that there has been positive feedback. I have already contacted them and they quoted a thousand but need to have Doctors report to say that I am medically fit to travel.

It is really frustrating as I feel that I stop my family from doing the normal things that they want todo. I suppose at times we forget that I am living with an illness as I just get on with it. Hope you all have positive feedback and your insurance is sorted xxx

[Mildred1602]

Fully support your post Rosie.
Insure Cancer went out on a limb to get me insurance for my trip to NY & Canada.
All other companies were a flat no & All Clear quoted £11,000!!
Ingrid

[Guest user]

Afternoon ,

Just spent the morning ringing round for travel insurance for myself , Some of the companies I rang were so unprofessional and rude . Not able to call me by my right name.
Please be aware some of the companies have no idea what they are talking about when quoting you
I have spoken to one company called Insure Cancer Tel 01252 780 190 , who went above and beyond the call
so helpful and would not just give a figure out of the air and went through my whole histroy and were clued up all about cancer not reading of a script
This is the company I am using for my trip in October .

Please do not go with the first quote or the cheapest quote , Give this company a ring

Thanks

Rosie chin

[nicky08]

Bump

[nicky08]

Bump

[Mildred1602]

Thanks for the bump! Interesting reading. Our planned trip is to US & Canada. Already partly booked before my DX with bone mets in spine at Xmas. Besides mild pain in lower back which now only needs an occasional dose of paracetamol I'm fit & well & working full time. We're just waiting to see if hormone treatment has stabilised me (April) & then we're going to finalise trip. Looks like I'm in for some interesting conversations with insurers!!!

[Guest user]

hi
ive just booked with mia after being turned down for (cysto sarcoma phlloydes) with a few companies if they didnt turn me down fo csp they turned me down because i live in the isle of man ?mia have done 8 days for 20.27 covered for everything

liz

[Glo]

I have been skiing 3 times this winter, to Europe, and been insured for secondary breast cancer in both lungs. The company, Fogg Travel, charged no extra premium but an excess of £300 should I make a claim for anything related to BC. A much better way of doing it IMO! I did however read on another thread that they wouldn't cover someone to go to America.
Worth a try!

[nicky08]

Bumping for Mildred/Ingrid 🙂

[Guest user]

MIA online have been good for travel during treatments. Having said that, it has been Europe nd Australia rather than travel west. However, give them a ring. You can take it out two months before travel nd need a medic to.write in notes 'fit to travel nd endure holiday'. Hope you get somewhere.....

Sadie Xx Xx

[Guest user]

Oh Pat and letitia

That is shocking! It really frustrates me so much! I went to majorca with liver mets in July, I was covered for about £70 by Mia, I did have to see the Dr within a month of travel and she had to write in her notes that I was fit to travel. They only specified that I wasn't to be currently taking chemo.

We then booked a last minute break to Italy in October and I didn't have any hospital appts to get 'permission', ( and I was on Xeloda) so I decided to risk going without. I just phoned direct line and was exempt for anything to do with BC, she asked if I was having any chemo and I said it had finished (because it was my week off!) She did ask if it was terminal!!! - which was shocking, but I just said 'not yet' which seemed to satisfy her. So we risked travelling without, but I guess that is Europe and we have the EHIC so Canada would cost more. If you are confident that your 'liver mets' are under control, could you ask for exemption from BC. I did this for the first few years after primaryBC. I think bone mets might be different, I paid for full cover for these before my hip surgery, as I guessed if anything broke and I need to be sent home in a plane ambulance, it would cost a fortune, but with my liver mets in the Summer, I guessed that if i had to come home early I would be able to travel normally.

Anyway good luck with getting insurance, and letitia hope you get to meet your baby grandaughter soon!

[Guest user]

Booked my ticket to Canada in July... ever the optimist! Was quoted £750 for 16 days over Christmas (more than the ticket I hasten to add!) and told to phone back nearer the date. Have just tried to get the quote secured and been told it is now out of date. I spent most of Tuesday afternoon phoning companies but no one will touch me as I have liver mets (which are improving). I am not on any pain relief and only taking letrozole and Herceptin. The only quote I have so far is 'over £1000+' and needs paperwork and conversations with my onc/secretary. It is soul destroying and very upsetting to keep repeating the information only for the company's computer to throw the case out especially when I have been passed on by other companies to 'specialist' companies. I feel like a leper... I want to see my grandchildren over christmas and I have a new baby granddaughter I have yet to hold.... I have always been so positive but this kind of thing makes me very very down and sad!

[Guest user]

driven to tears yesterday after 2 long conversations with insurance companies.One total refusal because I have met at the back of my skull, one may insure me for £3000. Much more hopeful reading this so I will keep trying. Problem seems to be that firms wont insure you until a month before which means you can,t book ahead. Has anyone got round this?

[nicky08]

Bump

[sweetanimo]

Hi Nicky,
yep that was me! it was a world wide policy with SwiftCover. Unfortunately it has now lapsed....
Good luck!
Xx

[nicky08]

Hi
Just a thought - do you have any form of annual travel insurance that was in place before your diagnosis? I remember reading on here that if you have an existing policy (that hasn't lapsed) you should still be covered as you did not know of your condition when the policy commenced. OH and I are covered through one of our credit cards and also our bank account - although my mets aren't covered as I already had BC when these new accounts were opened. However I do use them for their travel inconvenience/lost luggage etc as their benefits are better than the BC specific policies I take out now. The only company I have found to be reasonable with insurance costs since my secondary dx is Insurepink, but you may have tried them already? Good luck and I hope you can get a cheaper quote.
Nicky

[Guest user]

Heeeelllllllllllllllllllllllppppppppp!!!!! This will make you laugh, well, we booked a trip to the Maldives before bone and liver mets were diagnosed and now that I'm trying to find travel insurance, I can't!! Well, one company has quoted over £2000, which is a third of the cost of the holiday (makes me feel quite special, actually!). I am on weekly taxol and Onc is stopping this about 3 weeks before travel to make sure bloods ok etc. I feel fine and can't really imagine anything horrid happening when we're away,BUT you just don't know do you?? Have tried MIA and all the others you gals have mentioned..anyone else got any other suggestions? I hate they way these companies just assume I'm going to turn septic and grow 3 heads overnight or something....

[Guest user]

Hi everyone havent been on site for some time.I have TNBC (age 46) with secs in lung,liver met gone and neck node gone after rads.I am on no meds at all and am in the wait and see category with monthly bloods normal and ct scan in sept time.I had contacted all the insurance companies for a quote for european break and by far the easiest , kindest,cheapest and most sensible was MIA 01268782745.Iam at work as a District Nurse running a caseload and couldn't undrstand why all the other companies thought I was such a huge risk !!!!! Anyway for 2 weeks cruise round med and stay in Majorca Iam paying £77 which is amazing!!!!

[finty]

Hi Caroline - Sorry to be a spoil sport, but I haven't heard of any one being able to get travel insurance to the US whilst on chemo, and I would be very surprised if it's possible and affordable. Also, taking a long flight during chemo is quite a risk and the chance of picking up an infection is high. Going without insurance could cost you a small fortune - just getting treatment for a minor infection can cost many thousands (a friend's father did it a few years ago with undiagnosed lung cancer, caught pneumonia, and finished up with a bill for $120,000!). If you can, I would strongly advise you to delay the trip until after chemo. You can also find your chemo schedule getting delayed which could put the whole trip in jeopardy anyway.

finty x

[Guest user]

I have a trip planned to the US which is likely to fall between my 2nd & 3rd cycle of chemo. I'm hoping I may still feel well enough to go, but suspect I'll struggle to get insurance for any unexpected medical costs. Has anyone out there managed to cover for travel during their chemo?

[Guest user]

Finty/Moser
Thanks for your advice - I will wait and see how things go and ring nearer the time
Hop you both have a good day - I've just had the cold cap on for 3 hours so off for a bath to defrost!

Linda
x

[moser]

Definately better to wait, when I went to Moscow in April 2009 (5 months after chemo finished but still on Herceptin) I was quoted over £1000 in the December and £75 in March!

[finty]

Hi Linda

I think you'll find it easier to get insurance nearer the time, and hopefully by then your condition will be stable and you will be on maintenance therapy and not chemo. You may also need a "fitness to travel" letter from your onc which would be easier post chemo. I'm waiting until the last minute to get mine for this summer.

finty xx

[Guest user]

A bit of advice please
I have 4 nights in Spain booked for over the new year period (all booked before my diagnosis). Should I try and get insurance now (currently on weekly taxol) or do I wait until nearer the time when I know what treatment I will be on at that time?? I wasn't sure what sort of questions the insurance companies ask

Many thanks
Linda

[tors]

Just bumping this up as i've found it very useful and its that time if year when prople may need it! My best deal was with insure with and they were lovely, as were mia. Insure pink still hadnt answrred their holding service after 15 minutes....

V

[Guest user]

I was feeling rather despondent having been quoted £7000 by one company to travel to the USA and refused by most others as I am currently on oral chemo. However, Insure Pink have just made my day with a quote of £196.60... Happy Days!!

E 🙂

[juliebtaurus]

thats really good quote i have tried mia on-line but wont cover me because only finished chemo 3 weeks ago and i go this week and have rads planned for when i come back ,however i have just got covered with insurepink for £ 50 for me and hubby for a week and it covers all medical and b/cancer etc but not cancellation related to it so im ok with that ,woo cant wait now xx

[Guest user]

Hi Ladies, Just to let you know I got a quote today from the first one on the list - Mia Online - although I did it by phone. The guy was really helpful and quoted me £71.00 for the two weeks cruise and that covers everything. I was so pleased as the last quote I got a few weeks ago was £250.00! I took him up on it anyway as I couldn't be bothered to start ringing the rest of them! So I hope this helps and I hope you are all feeling well today. Lots of love, Dianne x x x

[moser]

sorry about all these posts, the website is driving me mad today!!!

[moser]

Hello, just to say that I have used Insurepink several times and found them very good and really helpful, compared to most of the others I tried. The Macmillan website is good on insurance companies to try too.

Mo

[moser]

Hello, just to say that I have used Insurepink several times and found them very good and really helpful, compared to most of the others I tried. The macmillan website is good on insurance companies to try too.

Mo

[Guest user]

Thanks Diane. I did ring a few companies some time ago, but all were so negative I didn't pursue it. A few months on now and I feel possibily ready to tackle it again. However, don't hold up much hope as USA is medically very expensive. Please let us know how you get on.

Snoogle
x

[libby_2010]

Dianne Thanks so much for this list. Am so looking forwards to having a hol got back from hols last Oct to have routine mammo and whoops BC. Have worked from then until June during chemo and then surgery and now rads. Starting to feel weary so will look at this list thanks. Jackie

[Guest user]

INSURANCE COMPANIES

MIA ONLINE (This Company has very good feedback, but I think you do have to ring them) Tel: Operations 01268 783383 – Head Office – 01268 782745

INSURANCE WITH (Also very good feedback)
You have to phone them even though there is a questionnaire online 08448262707 and quote IFT Health

FREE SPIRIT (Have to phone them 08452305000)

ALL CLEAR PLUS – You can get a quote online but I found the premium to be very high. The phone number is 08452505200

FREEDOM TRAVEL – You have to phone them – 01223 454290

IT’S SO EASY – You have to phone them – 08452224205

INSURANCE CHOICE - These people rang me back without being requested. The agents name was Lily and her direct line is 08445577428. She gave me a quote of £250.00 for a European trip to various destinations for 2 weeks. This covered absolutely everything including repatriation if necessary. I was impressed with her efficiency and the trouble she took.

GETMY.COM – They will give you a quote on line, but when I did it, they excluded Breast Cancer cover. However, I understand that a lot of people use this site as it’s very cheap. I personally wouldn’t recommend it. Tel: 08445577624

EHICPLUS – They will give a quote online, but you need a EHIC card which you can apply for online. I have done this for my husband and myself and it’s very straightforward. Tel: 08450555222 There is good feedback on this.

STAYSURE.CO.UK – They cover almost anything, but if it’s cancer related you have to phone them on 08442770844

INSUREPINK.COM – Tel 08000223213 – (I have not seen very good feedback on this company, but it might be worth giving them a call)

MARKS & SPENCER – They have given me a quote online which was very reasonable, it says it covers my existing medical condition, but they asked for very few details, so I’m not convinced. Tel 0800731244

There is also Bromley Insurance – 01282416050, Vital Health Travel Insurance – 08458035434 and Insure Cancer – 01252780190 – but I haven’t checked any of these out yet.

HI SNOOGLE, JUST THOUGHT I'D POST THIS LIST TO YOU. I'M ABOUT TO START CONTACTING THIS LOT MYSELF AS I'M GOING AWAY SHORTLY. ANYWAY, HOPE IT HELPS. LOTSA LOVE, DIANNE X X X

[tess27]

Hi,

The travel insurance company is http://www.insurancewith.com. Insure With is another company who also do travel insurance but don't cover people with cancer.

I hope you manage to get cover.

Tessx

[Guest user]

Hi Snoogle -- I think some of the girls have used "Insure With" (Google it), and I'm sure there's bee a recent thread or two here on the BCC forum about travel insurance, so maybe do a search for the word "travel"? Florida ia such a great place -- I hope you get this trip sorted soon!
Marilyn x

[Guest user]

not sure if I am posting this in the right place. moderators please forgive me if I am not. but I was wondering if anyone has had positive experience with any travel insurance companies regarding travel to USA, particularly Florida with regards to secondary breast cancer. Thanks.



Snoogle

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