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Travel insurance solved at last!

User
Posted 19 Aug 2015 at 16:08
My husband Tony has advanced Pca with bone metastases, and has been finding it difficult to get travel insurance. He has contacted many specialist companies, who mostly refused to insure him, or wanted a vast premium, or imposed tricky restrictions. He found the whole process of these phone calls distressing, as he had to go over and over the details of his condition and treatment, only to be rejected as uninsurable at the end of a long conversation (this even happened with Saga, whom we were trying to book the holiday with).

But, like several others on this forum, we decided to try the Nationwide Flexplus Account, which includes travel insurance (and several other insurances). Their screening questions were mercifully brief, and then they said they'd have to charge him an extra £96 a year. The account itself costs £10 a month, and there is no requirement to switch from your existing current account or pay in a minimum amount each month.

So we opened an account, and now have worldwide annual cover for both of us, at a total cost of £216, somewhat offset by the 3% interest they pay on balances of up to £2,500. We have to inform them of any changes in our health, and cover for a booked trip may be withdrawn if there's a deterioration, but cancellation will still be covered.

We are so relieved and grateful to have found this. Tony is on hormone treatment (decapeptyl) but feels very well in himself at the moment; it won't last forever, but it means such a lot to us to be able to plan a few more special holidays while we can.

This, or other bank-linked insurance, is certainly worth a try if you're having difficulty getting insured.

Marje

User
Posted 19 Aug 2015 at 16:08
My husband Tony has advanced Pca with bone metastases, and has been finding it difficult to get travel insurance. He has contacted many specialist companies, who mostly refused to insure him, or wanted a vast premium, or imposed tricky restrictions. He found the whole process of these phone calls distressing, as he had to go over and over the details of his condition and treatment, only to be rejected as uninsurable at the end of a long conversation (this even happened with Saga, whom we were trying to book the holiday with).

But, like several others on this forum, we decided to try the Nationwide Flexplus Account, which includes travel insurance (and several other insurances). Their screening questions were mercifully brief, and then they said they'd have to charge him an extra £96 a year. The account itself costs £10 a month, and there is no requirement to switch from your existing current account or pay in a minimum amount each month.

So we opened an account, and now have worldwide annual cover for both of us, at a total cost of £216, somewhat offset by the 3% interest they pay on balances of up to £2,500. We have to inform them of any changes in our health, and cover for a booked trip may be withdrawn if there's a deterioration, but cancellation will still be covered.

We are so relieved and grateful to have found this. Tony is on hormone treatment (decapeptyl) but feels very well in himself at the moment; it won't last forever, but it means such a lot to us to be able to plan a few more special holidays while we can.

This, or other bank-linked insurance, is certainly worth a try if you're having difficulty getting insured.

Marje

User
Posted 02 Apr 2016 at 21:57

Thanks for this thread. Using it I went with the advice of Lyrical and used Boots insurance, and have booked a fortnights cruise in August for 2 adults and 2 children for £175 full cover. Easy website and asked all the right questions. I was impressed. Other sites I had to enter all the details to eventually be told NO !

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 14:23

Alpha very good covers you for everything
quantum

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 17:11

I took out several single trip policies with Coverwise while I was still on medication. 

I have just taken out an Annual multi-trip policy with them for £99:79, worldwide including US. All questions answered honestly. I suppose it helps that I am off any medication.

* Cancellation or curtailment charges £2,000

* Emergency medical and other expenses £15,000,000

* Personal accident £10,000 (subject to age, £10,000 death benefit)

* Baggage £1,500

Also worth pointing out that Coverwise are a DeFaqto 4 star rating.

 

Pierre


User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 15:31

Just a bit of info for oldies (like me). I had an account with Nationwide and as I was getting no interest on it told them that I wished to close it. The cashier said 'well you get free travel insurance'. However, on checking their literature I found that there was an age cut off point and they would not cover me for travel insurance. Things may have changed but suggest potential customers check age does not rule out eligibility, particularly as counter staff may not be aware.

Barry
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User
Posted 19 Aug 2015 at 17:35

Thanks Marje, I'm looking to get away in October!
Wishing you and your Husband many special holidays!

Pablito

User
Posted 21 Aug 2015 at 08:19
This is wonderful news for those of us in this situation. I found out by chance that our company travel insurance (you can buy it through our flexible benefits system) will cover us as long as the word terminal isn't used. Since the definition of this actually seems to be that the doctors have said less than a year then being incurable doesn't count and we are covered. We rarely travel as we were RAF people and spent a lifetime living elsewhere etc so prefer our own home, but we are off to Scandinavia soon and it's a relief to know we are covered. I'd advise anyone with a flexible benefits scheme at work to check, no conversations about your condition are required.

But this account sounds amazing too.

Kind regards

Allison

User
Posted 21 Aug 2015 at 08:45

Yes, Tony had to confirm that his diagnosis was not "terminal". This cancer will eventually kill him, unless something else does first, but we asked the oncologist and the nurse if he was "terminal" and they both said no. They said it's treatable at the moment, it's not end-stage. I even did a google search, and the consensus seems to be that "terminal" is within six months or so of death. We're not there yet!

There is one company (insurecancer, I think) who told him they couldn't insure him because he was too fit - they specialise in people who are in the final stages of cancer. And yet their sister company said he was too ill...

Anyway, we're sorted now.

Marje

User
Posted 12 Feb 2016 at 19:47

I am looking for annual worldwide travel insurance - on active surveillance for last year, early stage cancer. Any recommendations for those of us in this position?

User
Posted 13 Feb 2016 at 02:45

It's a personal decision but I have always excluded PCa from Travel Insurance and covered the risk myself, (now 8.5 years after diagnosis). In my judgement it can depend on how advanced the cancer is. Unless it is at a stage where treatment or care might be required quickly cover for PCa can considerably add to cost of cover.

Barry
User
Posted 13 Feb 2016 at 09:34

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

I am looking for annual worldwide travel insurance - on active surveillance for last year, early stage cancer. Any recommendations for those of us in this position?

I got mine from https://www.insureandgo.com/ current price for is £185 PA, wordwide inc USA.

This includes cover for PCa. I have been on AS for 3 years, G6 PSA ~5. ( My PSA varies )

 

Alan

User
Posted 17 Feb 2016 at 19:53

Hi all
Try Boots for travel Insurance. I insured with Insurewith last year and was going to again, but someone mentioned Boots. Glad they did as I saved £40 on our annual policy, everything covered. Obviously it may not be the same for everyone but its got to be worth a try.
Cheers, Alan

User
Posted 17 Feb 2016 at 20:21

Booked ours today, a single trip[ with Explorer Travel.
Both covered for our various ailments, including John's arryhthmia and prostate cancer.
Single trip was £111.47

If you do it through Compare the market or money supermarket you only have to input the information once and you get a dozen or more quotes.

We could have got a cheaper one, especially if we didn't cover the cancer etc, but we've used Explorer for the last couple of holidays and they were pretty efficient with the paperwork

It might not suit everyone but may be worth investigating

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 02 Apr 2016 at 21:44

I have previously used travelinsurance4medical.co.uk and had reasonable prices, but having just requested another quote, they have given me a ridiculous price.

Insureandgo seems to be the same company as travelinsurance4medical.co.uk would not insure me.

Insurancewith.co.uk was hopeless. Up to the point where I said my trip was under 31 days i listed my condition (as I had declared) as prostate cancer. After that point it changed to something like "metastatic recurring cancer - which it isn't. I even started again and the same happened.

(I should point out that I am 59, was diagnosed early, had treatment just under 2 years ago, PSA less than 0.1, and no real complications)

Then I tried comparethemarket and got much better prices, 40% of the price of travelinsurance4medical.co.uk 

The lowest cost was TravelTime, which is a DeFaqto two star but I paid a bit more and went for CoverWise which is DeFaqto 4 star.

Hope this is useful!

 

User
Posted 02 Apr 2016 at 21:57

Thanks for this thread. Using it I went with the advice of Lyrical and used Boots insurance, and have booked a fortnights cruise in August for 2 adults and 2 children for £175 full cover. Easy website and asked all the right questions. I was impressed. Other sites I had to enter all the details to eventually be told NO !

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 10:34

hi all

last year as I had only just been diagnosed could not get any cover with the cancer

this year have used insurewith found them to be very helpful cost £200.00 for two weeks in north America, covering every thing

 

would recommend

 

regards

nidge

 

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 13:21
I tried several companies including Saga who wouldn't exclude PCa. In the end I used Holidaysafe which I think is connected with Insurewith, I got a good price even taking into account my PCa history. We had 10 days in Italy and they charged £38.40 for both myself and my wife.

Arthur

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 14:23

Alpha very good covers you for everything
quantum

User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 15:31

Just a bit of info for oldies (like me). I had an account with Nationwide and as I was getting no interest on it told them that I wished to close it. The cashier said 'well you get free travel insurance'. However, on checking their literature I found that there was an age cut off point and they would not cover me for travel insurance. Things may have changed but suggest potential customers check age does not rule out eligibility, particularly as counter staff may not be aware.

Barry
User
Posted 03 Aug 2016 at 17:11

I took out several single trip policies with Coverwise while I was still on medication. 

I have just taken out an Annual multi-trip policy with them for £99:79, worldwide including US. All questions answered honestly. I suppose it helps that I am off any medication.

* Cancellation or curtailment charges £2,000

* Emergency medical and other expenses £15,000,000

* Personal accident £10,000 (subject to age, £10,000 death benefit)

* Baggage £1,500

Also worth pointing out that Coverwise are a DeFaqto 4 star rating.

 

Pierre


User
Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 11:40

does doing it on a comparison site go through all the medical screening? I thought it would just give you a price without any screening then of course you are not covered for any pre existing conditions, and to be honest I mistrust the industry so much I would not put it past them to say policy invalid because medical not disclosed! If they do do screening that's great wish I had known!

User
Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 11:46

have just got insurance with Insure and Go - covering not just the PCa for my husband but also both our various pre existing conditions - most of which are things that cause no issues these days but I feel if you don't declare them and get them covered you are at the mercy of an industry that often  seems to do its very best to not pay out when you need them! Horror stories abound. Last year, which was within a year o surgery and radiotherapy, could not get the cancer covered so just had to risk it, now, they will cover it. What you have to remember is that if something happened - e.g. urinary retention because of effects of surgery and radiotherapy - they could and probably would argue it was related to the cancer and not cover you. It's a devious industry, buyer beware! 

User
Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 11:48

worth remembering that small print - 'related to' - see my other post on this risk!

User
Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 11:53

Alpha Insurance the best please try them 

 

User
Posted 23 Jan 2017 at 12:10

I was curious as I know the last time I had looked at compare the market it didn't do medical screening but I now know they do so thank you. So just to see what it threw up I went through the process ( believe me I now know those screening questions off by heart!). Got a very limited selection back - I think it is not just the prostate cancer factor though but our collection of other conditions affecting things though most of them are mild-moderate, not life threatning etc . Only one was cheaper than the product I just got from insureandgo - and only by £10 and with lower levels of cover, much higher excess and possibly didn't have extras like travel disruption cover included, which I think it is wise to have these days! So though it galls me to pay £268 for a year of Europe only cover, it looks pretty competitive, given that that is with ALL conditions covered for us both. Last year we went with Virgin and it was worldwide and I think cost a good bit of £300 but we were going to the Carribean to get married and I really wanted to make sure we had as good cover as we could - the PCa was excluded then but apart from a small risk of sudden worsening of side effects of treatment we felt ok about that. Since then though he has had to have minor op for stricture hence the worry about that recurring and the risk of going into urinary retention which is an emergency situation. I doubt it will get much better for us till he is 5 years  in remission - we can but hope!  The Nationwide account is good if you can get it, we tried last year, but the level of cover is linked to the type of account - for worldwide cover you need to have more than their basic Flex account and we didn't qualify for it - but if you can get it it seems like the best value around from what I can see. 

 
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