summer hols abroad

polly1985
polly1985 Member Posts: 70
edited 5. May 2010, 03:38 in Living with Arthritis archive
i was just reading a thread and it mentioned holiday insurance. Well here is yet another thing i did not know about (not that that is a shock - seems i dont know much)

im goin 2 lanzarote with friends in july. so lookin 4ward 2 lazy days as lately i have been feeling down. ive only been abroad twice before so not clued up. 1st time i went abroad they would not cover me as at that time i was waitin 2 c consultant 4 slipped disk.

will all insurance companies cover arthritis? or which company is best. is it somethin they will ask me about?rite now it jus feels like this arthritis touches every single part of my life - cant ever get away from it!!!!!! :cry:

Comments

  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Polly!

    Sorry you're worried about this....arther is a rotten disease. :roll:

    I could not get travel insurance cover when I went to Germany a few weeks ago......but part of the reason for that was that I am soon to have an operation and have more auto immune diseases than PsA arther that I had to tell them about. :wink: so please don't be put off!

    In the end I did travel with just the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which any UK national can/ should apply for (and is recommended we have anyway)....that would have allowed me access to treatment in EU countries but with some restrictions..for example the EHIC will not cover the cost of flying you home if you are taken ill abroad and you have to be sure that any hospital that you are taken to will provide treatment free of charge at the time of consultation..

    Suggest you look at the website to read about it for yourself;

    http://www.ehic.uk.com

    but in any case you may find that you don't have any difficulty with getting travel insurance! so check it out for yourself...it's based on individual's health and having arther in itself isn't an issue.

    let us know how you get on? and enjoy your holiday when it comes.

    Iris x
  • pluggathome
    pluggathome Member Posts: 171
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I renewed my travel insurance in Jan and had to list RA, IBS and Migraines. They just asked me a list of questions and I had to pay a premium for the cover. Not extortionate either.

    I hope you get some cover.

    Pluggxx
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    had post office ins last hol no extra money to pay got thomson this time and got to phone them when been docs tomorrow if they want to charge to much will cancel and use post office lol
    val
  • cthornley
    cthornley Member Posts: 627
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Polly

    Don't stress too much about travel insurance and your arthritis, many companies will cover you on their regular policy, you just generally have to phone up and sort it out rather than just doing the easy sort it out online thing.
    The only things you may have issues with is if you are awaiting major surgery or a complicated procedure mainly because they are worried about you having a much higher likelihood of claiming at this period. You also may have difficulties if you opt for cover for extreme sports or winter sports (but if you are like me the likelihood of wanting this cover in the 1st place is low)

    Luckily for me I am covered through a group policy at work (a perk of the job) and I don't even have to mention it, the other joy is that I don't have to phone up and sort it out each time as work sorts out my renewal yay! It might be worth looking at to see if you could do something similar through your work even if you have to contribute as they look at the group risk not the individual risk so individual conditions have less impact.

    As you say you have little knowledge on these things I thought it might be worth mentioning that if you are on codeine based painrelief (even the over the counter stuff) that codeine is a controlled substance in many countries and you cannot take it into them (Egypt/ Greece) or only with a prescription or dr’s letter (usa). I always check before I go and carry a letter detailing what I take how much and why.

    Hope that helps
    Chrissie
  • wibberley
    wibberley Member Posts: 421
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Also, Dubai has very strict laws about what you can and can't bring into the country and I think codeine may be a no-no, so anyone going there should check - you don't want to join the many other Brits in their jails right now!

    I've not let this arther stop me holidaying abroad but have returned home in quite a lot of pain a couple of times. First time was our honeymoon - first person to call when we touched ground back in Blighty was my rheummy! We'd gone to The Dominican Republic and I stupidly went pony trekking - ended up with a knee the size of a football!

    Last year we went to Florida and I can't say I enjoyed the return journey, listening to all around me snoring soundly when I couldn't even stay in the same position for more than 2 minutes because of the pain!

    Going abroad again this year but a much shorter flighing time!

    Lois x
  • madwestie
    madwestie Member Posts: 383
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Polly,
    i got my last holiday insurance through ecclesiastical insurance they mainly do church building insurance :?
    The good news was as long as i got a letter from my gp to say i was fit to travel they would cover my RA and Asthma.

    Have a great time in Lanzarote that is where we went.
  • polly1985
    polly1985 Member Posts: 70
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    thanks 4 ur replies. i never even thot about my meds. last year i went 2 greece and my friend phoned up the airline as he needed temazepam which is a controlled drug. but never thot o mine since its pain killers. im on tramadol and amitrptyline so i best check.

    yeah i found the flight rather painful last year but i didnt no i had arthritis then. 1st day or 2 i was quite sore so we jus took it easy. i was so annoyed cos the weather was so lovely.

    hope u all have fab time on hols where ever u may choose 2 go. and thanks again 4 all the advice, i will check it all out

    xxx