Travel Insurance with pre-existing Medical Conditions

[Infinite]

Hi, just need a bit of advice on this.

Me and my parents are going on a Cruise on the 1st September for 9 days and so I am looking to get some travel insurance. The problem is that my father has colitis and my mother had breast cancer last year (that was fully removed ) but the insurance quotes are absurd. My mother's quote just for 9 days in Europe is £120+ while my own quote for annual worldwide cover is only £20.

So I was looking maybe excluding her medical condition and buying something general.

Pre-existing medical conditions are not covered at any time under this policy unless they have been disclosed to and accepted by our Medical Assessment team.

So looking at this statement does it mean that if I do not declare conditions and something not related to that condition were to happen e.g. losing teeth or losing luggage that she would still be covered?

Otherwise might just skip out on it..

[circuitmonkey]

My Mrs' mother was in the same situation a couple years back (breast cancer, in remission) her single trip policy was £113 from Aviva, 6 weeks to South Africa, expensive but we figured it would be much more expensive to need it and not have it.

Might be worth getting a quote from them, a shorter trip closer to home would hopefully be cheaper

[Infinite]

My Mrs' mother was in the same situation a couple years back (breast cancer, in remission) her single trip policy was £113 from Aviva, 6 weeks to South Africa, expensive but we figured it would be much more expensive to need it and not have it.

Might be worth getting a quote from them, a shorter trip closer to home would hopefully be cheaper

THANKS!

Aviva gave me a quote of £26. Much better than £120+ that comparethemarket search results! Last time I use that site for travel insurance.

Got me thinking, is searching directly on individual insurance websites better than using a search engine thing now a days??

[mcmiller]

I had my wallet stolen in Italy lost access to my money, phoned up my travel insurance company only to be told they couldn't help even though it says in their terms and conditions that they do have a facility..

If you going to be in Europe make sure you get an EHIC card as well.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...-the-ehic.aspx

[Infinite]

I had my wallet stolen in Italy lost access to my money, phoned up my Virgin Money travel insurance only to be told they couldn't help even though it says in their terms and conditions that they do have a facility.. Insure and Go are the administrators and Mapfre are the underwriters they are all dreadful companies so it may be wise checking more details about the company before buying a product.

If you going to be in Europe make sure you get an EHIC card as well.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...-the-ehic.aspx

Thanks I will check the details before I buy.

I've never heard of EHIC!! Seems like a really obvious thing to have, but I have never seen or heard anyone talk about it before..

[Rob_B]

E111 replacement, been around for years (ninja edit: since 2006!)

FREE of course, some sites are dodgy and try to trick you into paying for them just to order one for you.

Use the NHS site http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...-the-ehic.aspx

[bytejunkie]

it doesn't matter if shes got c or recovering, in europe shes allwoed free medical assistance. so shes not gonna need insurance to got medical care. however, the insurance covers repatriation and its that that costs. 2 seats, or two rows of seats for a hospital bed on a plane, taken out, etc etc. you cang uess how expensive it can be.

its 120 quid for peace of mind.

[Butcher]

Got me thinking, is searching directly on individual insurance websites better than using a search engine thing now a days??

I found do a compare search (via google) turned up a much cheaper price than using the cheapest site directly (it was literally half the price). So in my experience, no direct searches are not cheaper.

[peterb]

There are some specialist insurance companies that are specifically for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

http://www.freedominsure.co.uk/. Is one, there may be others, but might be worth making enquiries

[Saracen]

it doesn't matter if shes got c or recovering, in europe shes allwoed free medical assistance. so shes not gonna need insurance to got medical care. however, the insurance covers repatriation and its that that costs. 2 seats, or two rows of seats for a hospital bed on a plane, taken out, etc etc. you cang uess how expensive it can be.

its 120 quid for peace of mind.

That is categorically NOT what you get in Europe. As EU citizens, the cover we get is the same as locals get, not "free". Now, depending on what treatment is needed, and what country you're in, that might mean it's free, but it might not. It varies from country to country, and just because something is free in the UK doesn't mean you get it free in other countries, if it isn't free to locals in that country.

There is a fairly detailed list on a European Commission website of coverage and cost, country by country, but I don't have the link to hand.

In any event, the EHIC is worth having, but the "free" cover is no alternative to insurance.

[Infinite]

Thanks for all the replies. This has all been really helpful.

I've applied for EHIC for my family which should arrive in the next few days.

As I was about to buy the Aviva insurance I noticed that the terms about pre-exisiting medical conditions state

• if any insured person has received advice, medication or treatment for any serious, chronic or recurring illness, injury or
disease in the last 12 months.

Every other site I have used normally says 24 months. As my mother's cancer was discovered in Feb 2012 then removed and given the all clear in Mar/Apr 2012 with no need for any therapy or medication, does this mean that I do not have to declare it? Therefore be able to buy bog standard insurance with this company.

[vicar]

To be on the safe side declare it, just in case you need to claim on it.

It saves you a lot of hassle you don't really need.

[Saracen]

Thanks for all the replies. This has all been really helpful.

I've applied for EHIC for my family which should arrive in the next few days.

As I was about to buy the Aviva insurance I noticed that the terms about pre-exisiting medical conditions state



Every other site I have used normally says 24 months. As my mother's cancer was discovered in Feb 2012 then removed and given the all clear in Mar/Apr 2012 with no need for any therapy or medication, does this mean that I do not have to declare it? Therefore be able to buy bog standard insurance with this company.

I agree with vicar - declare it. If you don't, you at the very least run the risk of invalidating the insurance.

The insurance company argument, and it's not unreasonable, is that the premium is based on the risk they perceive themselves as running. Any pre-existing condition can indicate elevated risk which, had they known of it, would potentially have increased the premium. So .... if you don't tell them, the price for the level of risk would be wrong, and at the least, that risks invalidating the policy.

And it's not even just about whether anything that happens is anything to do with the previous condition or not, but whether the premium was right for the risk.

So here's your risk ....

You don't declare your Mum's previous condition. Why not? Because you don't want the premium to go up. But, if the premium would have gone up if you told them, the risk they run is now priced wrongly.

So, you go on holuday, your mum trips on a banana skin, or over-indulges in rum and coke, and falls. Either way, she needs hospital treatment for broken arms, legs or whatever. It's NOTHING to do with the previous condition.

But your premium isn't paying for what does happen, but all the things that might have happened, including things related to a pre-existing condition.

Insurance is a slightly weird type of contract known as uberimae fidei, or 'utmost good faith'. You are required to let tbe insurer know of anything THEY might find relevant, and let them decide if it is, or not. They then quote a premium and you decude to pay it, or not.

You might save money on the premium, and that's great if you don't claim. But if you do claim, and they do checks and find a pre-existing condition you didn't tell them of and cancel the policy, you've effectively travelled without insurance.

Oh, and courts have been upholding that principle for a couple of hundred years. It's exceedingly well established.

My advice, don't risk it. Tell them, or don't travel.

[anntay]

Everyone thinks about their health and Obamacare is one of the things that people may want. But there are so many things to consider when it come to pre existing condition in health care bill. Starting in 2014, every person with insurance coverage through an employer will have to give $63 each year to cover the price of getting insurance for people with preexisting problems.