Holiday insurance!

Lubs
Lubs Member Posts: 155
edited 2. Jul 2014, 14:24 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi,

Due to the rough time I'm going through and the fact my husband has started a new job, he booked us a really nice holiday in America. The problem is I've been left with the task of finding the holiday insurance.

Normally, we'd go through our bank and add my pre-existing condition, which usually cost an extra £70. However, with my conditions mounting and medications I'm being forced to find specific medical insurance.

Does anyone know of any good reliable firms for holiday insurance? I'm just a bit concerned that if I pay a lot of money for one holiday, I may as well pay the extra for the yearly cover, as we are more than likely to go away over the Christmas Holidays as well. His has a stressful job, and a very stressful wife :o !

Thank you.

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    If you're planning a second trip I think I'd go for a full year's insurance but how on earth will you manage on the plane with needing to lie down so much?

    We do the insurance thing every year as we have a son in California and we just have to accept that it will take time, 5 or 6 will need investigating and there will be huge diffferences in price for no obvious reason. We've never yet had to use a firm specialising in people with long-term conditions or diseases.

    Pre-existing conditions aren't too bad as long as you don't take more than two lots of meds for each condition. The big no-no is an 'undiagnosed condition' as they just won't insure you for anything that could be tied in with it. Am I right in thinking they don't yet know why you have such severe neck pain? If possible, don't arrange the insurance until you've seen your neurologist.

    We usually end up on the phone to ensure we haven't accidentally overlooked anything. Don't try to hide anything as, if you do so and become ill in USA, you'll be in trouble.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Lubs
    Lubs Member Posts: 155
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Sticky,

    Well we haven't travelled standard class in a long time. We use airmiles to upgrade from the class below, and by sticking to one or two airlines you end up building up a large number. So we will be flighing out First and coming back Buisness Class. This means a very very big bed on the way out and and smaller 6ft bed on the way back! :lol: I'm not complaining really!

    We do exactly the same with the hotels, we stay at the same chain, to collect their points and then when you book the basic room, we upgrade to a suite free of charge.

    At the moment the cost is between £170 for just one trip (Saga refuses to cover us for more than one trip) and £270 for the yearly cover by some company I've never heard of. All are questioning about my back and weight! Can you believe it they want to know how much I weigh! :cry:

    Luckily, I've lost 3 stone over the last few years so I fall into the lowest category for my height of 5ft9in. They want to know how many meds I'm on for each condition, well I'm on a mixture for them all! How do I know which goes with which specific illness. Lastly, I've suffered from depression, so that's an issue, especially because I've received therapy by a psychologist - would it lead to me cutting short my trip! Never! :shock: medication for it, yes! Which I'm not taking now, but it's in my past.

    The neck pain issue I've put down in the quote, but I will definitely ask my rheumatology team on Monday, until I see my consultant I will not be able to buy the insurance. I've been on quote sites, but get confused with the amounts they list for claims and excess fees! If you can help I will be grateful!

    Thank you!
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ah, I see :) I'm afraid we're stuck in cattle class except for one memorable occasion when, due to the airline's mistake, we got upgraded to business class. Sheer heaven :D Alas, we don't travel enough for air-miles to be of much use particularly as the cheapest deal for us, in any given year, varies quite a bit.

    This year I think our combined insurance for a month was just over £300. Mr SW has now turned 70 which puts his up and he, too takes, a couple of meds. I don't think either of us has ever been asked our weight but neither of us has back problems. As for meds – I do know exactly what is for what (Meth and hydroxy for the RA, omep and gaviscon for the hiatus hernia / stomach, two inhalers for the asthma, calceos for osteoporosis and cocos for breakthrough pain) If you don't know yours, this is one thing you could ask your rheumatologist and GP to clarify. Explain why as that might help. And write down the answers so's you don't forget :wink:

    We don't really worry about the familiarity, or otherwise, of the insurer's names. The less familiar ones are often backed up by more familiar ones. (We found Saga very expensive, though) The amounts listed and excess etc is just a personal thing. You have to decide what's important to you. I would say the main thing is to know exactly which 'diseases' 'illnesses' and / or 'conditions' you have and which meds you take for each.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Lubs
    I'm afraid i am another that is stuck in cattle class..oh SW I love it.. :lol: I have back probs and that bumps it up so do the Butran patches...but the best I could find was Flexico**r they were brilliant and even rang me up to go over everything..
    Love
    Barbara
  • Lubs
    Lubs Member Posts: 155
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thank you Barbara,

    I'm just heading into the hospital, so hopefully I will understand my conditions and medications lists better. I will definitely look into the company that you have mentioned.

    As for flying cattle class, my husband refuses, but I find many ways to save money on these flights. I uses my shopping vouchers to convert them into air miles, I've combined mine and my husband's air miles, so it's like collecting for a family. Once we went out economy plus to LA, and paid and an extra £60 to buy a few more air miles. Then we used those and the ones we collected to fly to LA to fly back home Buisness class. It's how to play the game, the problem with this is you have to use the same airlines all the time and know when their sales start. Next time you are travelling a long distance let me know I will tell you all! :D
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Have a look at world first. Mig
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I just got my annual travel policy.
    The best deal was with the high street store, 'Your M and . We have free travel insurance with our bank card which covers RA and OA providing its disclosed and nothing changes. But I was diagnosed with irregular heart beat which meant bank would be asking for £1000 to cover Canada, (thats where our son and his family live)
    Also one that advertises a lot on TV where hubby is going on a golfing holiday and she is going to Venice with the girls wanted £1000 too. So feel I did ok at a quarter of the price.

    Visited my son in May and me and hubby are going end September, there was a new arrival to meet when I went, so will be lovely to see how she is getting on, although we do chat on Skype thankfully.

    So far away, so far away, but just thankful its not Australia as a 7 hour flight to Toronto is bad enough.

    Hope you get fixed up ok.

    Kath
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    USA, Canada, Australia etc are always going to cost more than Europe as there are no reciprocal agreements.

    We go end of March every year as flights seem cheaper then and the climate in L.A. is not too hot. Alas, I don't shop enough to get many air-miles that way :roll: and we also have to factor in the cost of flights to a hub airport, usually Heathrow or Amsterdam. We are currently in the unenviable state of having a lot of Virgin air-miles yet it's still cheaper for us to fly B.A :?
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • tkachev
    tkachev Member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I get free insurance through my bank but was told it would cost an extra £90 for RA and asthma. So I'm also going to look around.


    elizabeth x
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • GraceB
    GraceB Member Posts: 1,595
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Could you try your house/contents insurer? It's just a thought as they may be able to assist.

    Also what about A*ge Con*ern? I'm not sure how old you are but if you are of a mature vintage - or remotely near it - it may be worth a phone call. Does an organisation called 'Arthritis Care' do anything like this? It may be worth a phone call.

    However, I'd play it very safe, put everything in writing, send it off recorded delivery and request written confirmation back. Keep copies of what you send off - and if you email anything over get a delivery and read receipts and print them as well!

    Probably overkill but better to be safe than sorry.

    I suppose another idea may be if you have a travel agent near to you or an insurance broker where you can pop in and have a chat.

    I hope you get it sorted without too much more stress.

    And of course, enjoy seeing your family when you actually go.

    GraceB
    Turn a negative into a positive!
  • Lubs
    Lubs Member Posts: 155
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    I just tried the company the organises the house and car insurance, and they told me that they can't insure me. I can still go, but I will not be covered for my conditions aboard. I couldn't stop laughing, because they wanted to charge me £170 but not cover my specific conditions! :!:

    Anyway, I was watching TV when an advert came on and I quickly logged on to find out if I could get insurance for my specific conditions. Finally, Yes! The cost is a bit more, but it is worth it! I have a few quotes, not just the one, it compares the prices and what is covered, for example winter sports (I'm not going for that one!). So, I'm going to call the company tomorrow just to double check that I've got all the medical conditions correct, but the cost is coming in just under £300 for worldwide cover for the whole year. :D

    Thank you for your help in finding these sites!
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Glad you're settled with it, Lubs. Now enjoy your holiday :D
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright