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Travel insurance tips - sticky thread
Hi all
The topic of travel insurance comes up so frequently on the forum, that we thought we'd try to create a sticky thread (a thread that stays at the top of the first page) so people can easily access the most recent tips.
I'm going to copy over some of the most recent posts, so you don't have to re-type them, but if you have recently tried to get travel insurance, please post your recommendations here.
You might have different experiences with the same insurance company, depending on your type of cancer or treatment, so if you can add a few details for context, that might help people. For example, if you have been trying to get insurance with secondary breast cancer, it might be useful to note that.
Hopefully we'll create a useful resource together. Things do change quite a lot, so keep posting your recent experiences.
tess27 says on 06 Sep 2010 13:35
I have started using http://www.insurancewith.com for my travel insurance, I don’t have secondary cancer, but I do know that they will cover people with secondary cancer and they do cover them in USA.
08452307159
http://www.insurancewith.com
lizcat says on 21 Sep 2010 11:02
Miaonline will usually cover those of us with mets. Not cheap but then the only option is to go without cover isn't it? Depends on the mets and where you are going from what I gather.
http://www.miaonline.co.uk
01268 782 745
JanB says on 21 Sep 2010 14:54
A few of us have managed to get cover with Columbus Direct when we couldn't get it anywhere else.
http://www.columbusdirect.com/Travel-Insurance/Pre-existing-Medical-Insurance.cfm
0800 083 9503
Twinmummy says on 21 Sep 2010 20:42
I got cover with Freespirit - not cheap but cheaper than insured with - and have secondaries in bones lungs and liver.
http://www.free-spirit.com/
0845 230 5000
curlylol says on 05 Sep 2010 22:21
I got insurance online from Travel Insurance Web (used before being diagnosed and recommended by a relative). Accepted my DCIS diagnosis, no trouble.
http://www.travelinsuranceweb.com/pre-existing-medical-condition.htm
Jodie1 says on 23 Aug 2010 11:53
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
Will post my bit again Leah- you have a lot to copy over!
InsurePink were great with me. I had primary BC, lymph involvement, was quoted £700+ for few days cover within Europe with one of the major companies. Insure Pink covered me and my kids for under £50, plus they were really good about all the questions they have to ask.
C
Thanks cupoftea - I've copied over some of the more recent ones, and Jodie1's post gives details of quite a lot of the companies. But I don't think I can copy over every post!
Appreciate your help!
Leah
Bromley Insurance have just insured me for £70 for the US for two weeks in November. They were the the least expensive and will also cover partners.
Leah this is so useful hoping when active treatment ends can go away and had been trying to save all these to my profile this will be so helpful for lots of us. Many Thanks Jackie
Insure Pink have just insured me (primary bc, dx a year ago), and my two boys for three weeks in NZ for only £105, which is pretty good.
Im looking around at insurance why bc cover makes it so hard or price has to rise.Im going use asda insurance very good cover and i tick the choice not to cover bc.as im going away for 2 weeks cant see how bc going stop my trip in that short time.Jane
Hi Leah,
1/. Just to point out that age makes a great difference. I am over 70. I have used Medici a couple of times and then I found that they were covered by Columbus so changed to them and got a better deal. Other insurers wanted a great deal more money due to our age.
2/. One insurance company warned me that my friend and I should take out the same cover stating that; if I were taken ill and my friend had different cover then she would not be insured to stay with me.
Hope this helps.
E
Do you need to cover the breast cancer when getting travel insurance. I've been given a quote but it doesn't include my breast cancer of which there is no evidence of it left. Can anyone help me???
I have used my annual travel insurance with Direct Line for my recent trips abroad to Europe and haven't disclosed BC as mine was a primary and all active treatment was over.
However, if you're still feeling unwell with side effects or have a secondary diagnosis I'm sure it is in your best interest to disclose your diagnosis, especially if you are away from UK for a longer period.
I have only ever been away for 7 days so I felt reassured that nothing too severe would happen during that time.
I hope I haven't been foolish!
Hello youngwidow,
I "think" it's a case of:- anything you don't tell insurance companies about, isn't covered, should you happen to need it!!
So if as you say, you don't have any evidence of bc, even if something did suddenly worry you, I don't suppose you would do anything about it till you got home and could see your own gp?
Sandra x
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I have to agree Elidh7. I too am trying to find a cheap quote for a week in Aruba later this month that will cover me for BC. My husband works in insurance and is adamant that I have cover for the very reasons you have mentioned......and I suppose he should know!
Viv x
Hi girls i went away to turkey 3 weeks after chemo and had radiotherapy planned when i returned ( which i told them aswell and my husband and i were both covered including the breast cancer diagnosis for £ 50 for a week for both of us with insurepink x i also had a quote with the post office for about the same but it didnt include anything to do with BC related medical problemsxJulie
Just paid £40 for insurance for a 10 day trip to Germany in Feb2011 which incl cover all bc related stuff and for my son's asthma, plus another child, with insurePink.
ref
eilidh7 reply good points you have made. now i got think what to do jane x
Hi
I was dx in Dec 09. WLE & SNB, followed by chemo. Finished Rads 6 weeks ago and am now on Tamoxifen. I just got an annual travel insurance policy for my son and myself from Columbus Direct, covering BC, for £90. Insurepink also gave me a very good single trip quote.
I wouldn't consider going away without cover for BC for the reasons pointed out by eilidh7. If you are unfortunate and have to make a claim for medical expenses, insurance companies will try and find some tenuous link to BC and thus avoid paying out.
In any event, I think it is important that you declare BC, even if you choose to accept a policy which excludes it. Insurers could refuse to pay a claim on the basis that BC was not disclosed.
Just my thoughts.
Sue xx
Hi
I also think that eilidh7 is correct about not excluding cover for breast cancer. I was told that if you make a claim that could be attributed to any treatment you have had for breast cancer then this would not be covered either. So if you look at the possible side effects of all the drugs that we have had to take then the list of what you could be excluding cover for is very long indeed and not something I would risk doing even if I was only going away for a couple of days. You only have to of read the papers this summer about all the people stuck in foreign hospitals (I read about at least 4) unable to afford the cost to get home, it is just not worth it.
I have been using http://www.insurancewith.com and I find them very good, when you call them the people you speak to are lovely, I paid £19 for 10 days in Spain, I had primary BC and am still on arimadix. My friend with secondary BC (bone and liver)used them to go to Canaries and paid £51 for her and her husband for 10days.
Tess x
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Hi everyone,
I was given a quote by Bromley Insurance and it was much cheaper than any others I got. I was told they specialise in Travel Insurance for ladies with Breast Cancer. Their number is 01282 416050. Email:travel@bromley-insurance.co.uk
Hope this helps and have a lovely holiday
xx
thanks everybody for advice. I got a reasonable quote from mia online for europe, but they will not ensure for USA ( I have lung secondaries)
nicky
Hi India1
You should try http://www.insurancewith.com, I know they will cover someone with secondary’s to go to America.
Good luck.
Tess x
Another thing to remember about insurance is the cancellation cover - while a trip may be short, there is the risk of something hapenning that the InsCo could deem BC-Related that could cause a hiliday to be cancelled. Undeclared/uncovered BC would mean you would be relying on the good will of the tour operator.
Hello Again i have now booked me my husbands travel insurance with me covered for breast cancer for ayear and travel upto 60 days europe £81 pounds with Columbus Direct Jane x
Well done, Jane. Great price Hope you gets lots of holidays in the year.