Insurance

[GillD46]

Sorry to raise a recurrent question, but it has never applied to us before so I've never really taken much notice.

I have been diagnosed with a heart condition, for which there is no treatment available, other than first line preventative aspirin - all quite by chance as I have no symptoms, and while I have a couple more tests scheduled, to ensure there is nothing else amiss, my Cardiologist is confident there won’t be anything and that I am very low risk. I am pretty sure our insurers will refuse to cover me now, so we are going to need to find somebody that will - and quickly, since we have to pay in December for a long cruise (40 nights) next March.

So, does anybody have any recommendations, in particular for cardic conditions?

[allatc]

We have insured with LV and Staysure with a condition such as yours.
Of the two I would go with LV

[GillD46]

Thank you allatc, that gives me somewhere to try.

[Ian Perth]

From a bad experience this year I would have no hesitation in recommending Staysure, they were so good from the moment I took I’ll through to the claim when returning, hope this helps you decide.

[kaymar]

Gill, we have used Saga for many years and they continued cover when my wife had some heart problems - they have always been very good. In the short term, I think you may have the option of taking cover excluding problems relating to your recently diagnosed condition. Not ideal, maybe, but as the risk is considered to be slight, it may be a way of getting cover for everything else for your forthcoming cruise.

[Tapstep2]

Like you we had difficulty obtaining insurance for a long cruise. We have a list of medical conditions which sound high risk at first but are fairly low risk when more detail has been obtained. The problem was that most insurers took them at face value and quoted accordingly, if at all. We finally found a company called Holiday Safe who went into great detail and came up with a reasonable quote, which we accepted. I can't say how good they are but we did have a small claim which they paid in full with no excess so we were quite happy. May be worth a try.

[Kenmo1]

My husband had a heart attack in 1992 and a by-pass in 1993. He is now 74 with tablets for high blood pressure and cholesterol and several other tablets for the heart condition. We use Holiday Extras who will still provide annual European Insurance but not worldwide annual insurance. However, last year when we were looking for cover for a 35 night cruise which included America and the Caribbean they quoted £1456 just to cover those 35 nights and Saga quoted £1459.

Hope you find a company which will cover you - I wouldn't risk us taking a holiday unless I knew every thing was covered by insurance but I am a bit of a worrier at the best of times.

Good luck.

Maureen

[Manoverboard]

Most Insurance companies will logically not provide cover for a declared condition unless or until ALL of your tests are completed and the results known, only then can the actual risk be evaluated.

May I suggest that you then consider ... Bespoke Insurance.



.

[GillD46]

Thanks for all the suggestions, we may or may not need them, but very useful to have.

We decided to call our insurers and ask if they would cover us IF the further test results are satisfactory and surprisingly, after consulting with the medical people, they said yes, and without any loading. However, should there be ANY artery involvement, which is considered unlikely, then they will continue to cover us, but only after a year. This being the case, we would try all your suggestions.

We would never travel with exclusions. If we have to cancel so be it, a shame but these things happen. They confirmed we would be covered for cancellation for all holidays already booked.

Fingers crossed now for the scan. Thank you.

[CaroleF]

Sorry to hear this Gill. I hope you are able to continue with your present insurers. We had problems getting cover for the 65 night Aurora cruise next year, mostly because of the length of the cruise rather than our medical conditions - I take blood pressure tablets and John has glaucoma. In the end we went through Holiday Extras, the one recommended by P&O. They put us on to International Travel and Healthcare. The main problem was that we wanted to be covered for the full amount of the cruise should we need to cancel before the cruise for any reason. Many insurance companies will only cover an amount between £5000 and £10,000, which in our case wouldn't be enough. I had to go through lengthy questioning about the medical conditions, very lengthy, but in the end they came up with a quote, rather eyewatering but eventually we decided we had no option if we wanted to cover the full amount of the cruise. Even then, once we had paid I then had to contact them a week before we paid the full balance to check that none of the medical conditions had changed. If you do have to find another insurer it might be worth contacting them, 01689 892228. Good luck.

[GillD46]

Thanks Carole, that’s why we are hoping to use our current insurers - the bank - because they have a high limit, though we will still need to top up, which they allow, but also they have excellent cover and pay out quickly.

But good to have another recommendation.

[AileenB]

I can thoroughly recommend All Clear cruise insurance. We have annual world wide cover and both of us have pre existing medical conditions. (Mine is heart related). We have had to claim twice in the last 4 years and on both occasions payout was in about 1 week. They have specific cruise insurance which will pay out for missed ports and cabin confinement.

You mention that you may have further tests. The insurers may want results of these before providing cover.

Hope you get something sorted out.

[JillD66]

It must be about the name, GillD46!

We were due to go on a 35 day cruise to Caribbean and USA in 2016 and had actually just paid the final amount to P & O when I fell ill with a heart condition. I had not long before changed our insurance to the Nationwide Flex Plus due to my husband reaching 70. Nationwide insurers were brilliant and apart from 2 small policy excesses, managed to get all our money back.

Unfortunately, I couldnt get travel insurance cover for about 7 months - i.e. until the cardiologist had made a diagnosis. Then I contacted Nationwide insurers again and they quoted a yearly sum for me of £126!

I hope you're feeling ok and still able to enjoy cruising.

[GillD46]

I hope they will be as accommodating JillD66, as we have five cruises booked and a land holiday too all in the next year, and if we need to cancel they will have to give us back a LOT of money.

Because time is pressing for the one cruise already paid and the two we need to pay next month, and they are all to celebrate our Ruby Anniversary next month, we have been seeing the Cardiologist and having the tests privately - out of savings, no health insurance. I have now been given my appointment for the Cardiac Perfusion Scan, which is next Wednesday, so I'll know then if things need to go further. If that is ok, I can go and our Ins Co will cover me. If not, well, maybe not.

Keep your fingers crossed for please.

[bassman67]

I think there will come a time when we will have to give up holidays abroad due to age and infirmity. I hope that won't happen soon!

[wolfie]

I thought that any new condition that arose after booking, albeit that you had insurance at the time of paying the deposit, and then a new condition was discovered, that you were covered, in the case of cancellation, for any other pre booked holiday. That's the case with our insurance which, although many decry it, is through our bank and is free.

[GillD46]

I thought that any new condition that arose after booking, albeit that you had insurance at the time of paying the deposit, and then a new condition was discovered, that you were covered, in the case of cancellation, for any other pre booked holiday. That's the case with our insurance which, although many decry it, is through our bank and is free.

Yes for cancellation, but we were still hoping to travel, although I am not so sure now...

[allatc]

I thought that any new condition that arose after booking, albeit that you had insurance at the time of paying the deposit, and then a new condition was discovered, that you were covered, in the case of cancellation, for any other pre booked holiday. That's the case with our insurance which, although many decry it, is through our bank and is free.

The small print on Staysure and probably other insurers states that you must inform them of any change in medical circumstances. Failure to do so may result in claims being dismissed. I reported to Staysure that I had received anti-biotics for a bad cough, they thanked me for informing them and then charged me £50 for a policy amendment fee. Had I not told them and then had any problem whilst away I am sure they would have not paid up on a claim, certainly not without lots of hassle

[Whynd1]

I'm surprised that insurers need to need if you have taken antibiotics. If everybody who took these rang through the staff would be on the phone all day.

When I told my insurers that I had seen a consultant regarding reconstruction surgery they told me they didn't need to know about seeing a consultant unless there was an outcome.

Lindsey

[oldbluefox]

The small print on Staysure and probably other insurers states that you must inform them of any change in medical circumstances......... and then charged me £50 for a policy amendment fee.

Within a period of twelve months there may be many changes to your medical condition which may be ongoing. If they charge £50 every time you update them it hardly encourages you to inform them. After all, unless you are reporting some radical change to your condition surely it is only a matter of changing your database. What do they do which merits such a high admin fee, or indeed, any fee at all?

[anniec]

The small print on Staysure and probably other insurers states that you must inform them of any change in medical circumstances......... and then charged me £50 for a policy amendment fee.

Within a period of twelve months there may be many changes to your medical condition which may be ongoing. If they charge £50 every time you update them it hardly encourages you to inform them. After all, unless you are reporting some radical change to your condition surely it is only a matter of changing your database. What do they do which merits such a high admin fee, or indeed, any fee at all?

I imagine the charge was for their perception of an increased risk, not an admin fee. Seems pretty unreasonable, but that's how they work. I recently added a bout of sciatica onto our insurance, with no increase in premium.

Trouble is, if you don't inform them, then claim, they probably won't cover you.

[allatc]

Trouble is, if you don't inform them, then claim, they probably won't cover you.

And that is the problem.

I don't understand why a policy shouldn't remain valid for its total period based on the conditions at time of issue.

The "must inform us trick" is a way for insurers to wriggle out of paying up on claim.

[anniec]

Trouble is, if you don't inform them, then claim, they probably won't cover you.

And that is the problem.

I don't understand why a policy shouldn't remain valid for its total period based on the conditions at time of issue.

The "must inform us trick" is a way for insurers to wriggle out of paying up on claim.

Completely agree.

[wolfie]

I thought that any new condition that arose after booking, albeit that you had insurance at the time of paying the deposit, and then a new condition was discovered, that you were covered, in the case of cancellation, for any other pre booked holiday. That's the case with our insurance which, although many decry it, is through our bank and is free.

The small print on Staysure and probably other insurers states that you must inform them of any change in medical circumstances. Failure to do so may result in claims being dismissed. I reported to Staysure that I had received anti-biotics for a bad cough, they thanked me for informing them and then charged me £50 for a policy amendment fee. Had I not told them and then had any problem whilst away I am sure they would have not paid up on a claim, certainly not without lots of hassle

Once we have booked, and should any other condition arise after booking, we are covered for that, and any other holiday booked, and with no extra premium being added, even after informing our insurers, that has been the case. £50 for taking a course of antibiotics?!

[GillD46]

For me, us, they will cover the Left Bundle Branch Block, for travel, with no excess, but they will not cover me at all for travel for anything cardiac if there is Coronary Artery Involvement. I will then be covered for cancelling the six holidays booked.

After a year they will fully cover again, as I would presumably have had the arteries attended to - should it be necessary.i get the results of last weeks (truly hideous) scans tomorrow, so will know more then.