travel insurance

[yorkist]

My OH had a minor stroke in Croatia in June from which he has fully recovered, our current insurer (Aviva) will now not cover him for this, probably because we made a claim.

My question is, where do we go from here, bearing in mind we are going abroad for two weeks early in December.

Any advice welcome.

[crocs]

Not sure if you mean motorhom or travel insurance.

 

If travel insurance and you will be within the EU, you can rely on the EHIC for cover.

[derek pringle]

crocs - 2016-11-11 9:16 PM

 

Not sure if you mean motorhom or travel insurance.

 

If travel insurance and you will be within the EU, you can rely on the EHIC for cover.

 

hi crocs,

Could you tell me what the EHIC does if the worst happens and repatriation is needed.

cheers

derek

[Derek Uzzell]

There are insurance prooviders that offer travel insurance for people who have pre-existing medical conditions and/or have had strokes.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=travel+insurance+stroke

 

and you might try contacting the providers on this WHICH list

 

http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/travel-insurance/guides/medical-conditions-travel-insurance-reviews

 

Age will also be a factor, so if someone is elderly, has had a stroke and an insurance claim was made as a result, the cost of obtaining cover may be very high and many providers may not be prepared to offer cover at all.

 

EHIC details can be found here

 

http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/Healthcareabroad/pages/Healthcareabroad.aspx

[yorkist]

Thanks for your suggestions Derek, will have a look.

To be honest I wish we hadn't bothered claiming as it was so much hassle, the EHIC covered most things anyway. Our booked holiday is not in Europe unfortunately.

[Randonneur]

derek pringle - 2016-11-12 8:36 AM

 

crocs - 2016-11-11 9:16 PM

 

Not sure if you mean motorhom or travel insurance.

 

If travel insurance and you will be within the EU, you can rely on the EHIC for cover.

 

hi crocs,

Could you tell me what the EHIC does if the worst happens and repatriation is needed.

cheers

derek

 

To be perfectly honest NOTHING. Only emergency treatment is covered in the EU.

[Brian Kirby]

yorkist - 2016-11-11 8:51 PM

 

My OH had a minor stroke in Croatia in June from which he has fully recovered, our current insurer (Aviva) will now not cover him for this, probably because we made a claim.

My question is, where do we go from here, bearing in mind we are going abroad for two weeks early in December.

Any advice welcome.

I suspect the reason Aviva won't insure you husband is because he had the stroke rather than because of the claim. That stroke has altered his risk profile, and whereas they may insure him in future, it will probably be a number of years before they are likely to accept that the risk of a recurrence has dropped to an acceptable level. It wouldn't matter whether or not you had actually claimed, as you are required to declare any pre-existing condition or recent medical treatment. Had you decided not to claim, or to declare the stroke, and had then renewed the insurance, you would have been likely to find a future claim rejected on grounds that you had breached your contract with the insurer.

 

You have very little time between now and December in which to arrange alternative insurance, and you may find it difficult and expensive under the circumstances, so I would not delay in getting in touch with potential insurers. As you will be travelling outside the EU, your potential claim, should your husband suffer a recurrence, will be likely to be that much larger, so the insurer's nervousness that much greater.

 

Re repatriation, if you or your husband were to need to be repatriated, it is liable to be by far the greatest expense compared to the cost of medical treatment. Remember also that repatriation can be required following an accident as well as resulting from illness.

 

I'm not trying to put you off going, and I hope that you will be successful in getting insurance. I'm merely trying to warn against travelling without insurance, or (please forgive my impertinence) being a little "economical with the vérité" when completing an insurance application. The cost of being repatriated from abroad following hospital treatment can run into £ tens of thousands. If you can afford it, fine, but if not, you may have to resign yourselves to staying in UK until your husband's perceived medical risk returns to a level the insurance companies are willing to accept. Sorry to be blunt.

[crocs]

The problem with obtaining advice on this topic via this forum is that the individual circumstances are not known, so any advice should be treated with caution. Cover (and its cost) will vary dependent on age, health history, current medication, lifestyle history etc etc.

 

My advice would be to speak with a reputable insurance broker to find the best solution which may be one of two outcomes:

- obtain full cover

- obtain cover but excluding pre-existing conditions

 

Until you know the full details of potential cover, cost etc, you will be unable to make a decision. It would also be worthwhile checking out price comparison sites, some of which specialise in pre-existing conditions.

[yorkist]

We have an annual policy with Aviva through our bank, he is covered for everything except stroke, I was wondering if we could get a stand alone policy with another company just for stroke.I will look into this when I have time.

It was a very minor stroke, he was fine within a couple of weeks but I think the insurance companies treat a stroke as a stroke serious or not.

Thanks for the advice folks.

[Cliffy]

yorkist - 2016-11-11 8:51 PM

 

My OH had a minor stroke in Croatia in June from which he has fully recovered, our current insurer (Aviva) will now not cover him for this, probably because we made a claim.

My question is, where do we go from here, bearing in mind we are going abroad for two weeks early in December.

Any advice welcome.

 

We have partner plus breakdown cover with the German company ADAC they do not cover for medical expenses but if you and or your motorhome need repatriating they will do that via road or air whichever is most appropriate regardless of why you need it, We have been members for four years and fortunately have not needed to make a claim.

 

I think ADAC are not encouraging Brits to join now but I think it is still possible. You need to contact the English speaking department, they are very good and it is a simple process.

 

It is not a substitute for travel insurance but in conjunction with the EHIC it would be a reassurance in an emergency if you can't get sensible travel insurance.

 

The EHIC gives you equivalent emergency cover to that of the nationals of whichever country you are in. I have used it in Greece for a minor injury but the hygiene was appalling, if I had needed to be admitted I would have invoked my travel insurance cover.

[Brian Kirby]

Cliffy - 2016-11-13 7:44 PM.......................The EHIC gives you equivalent emergency cover to that of the nationals of whichever country you are in. I have used it in Greece for a minor injury but the hygiene was appalling, if I had needed to be admitted I would have invoked my travel insurance cover.

But the EHIC is only relevant within the EU. Yorkist has said their planned trip is outside the EU.

[Wirralian]

Yorkist.

 

If you or your husband should have retired from public service and recieving a pension from that public organisation, it is possible that you may be eligible for travel insurance that does not ask about any pre medical conditions. The Civil Servants Pensioners' Alliance is one such organisation.

 

 

John L

[PJay]

yorkist - 2016-11-13 5:23 PM

 

We have an annual policy with Aviva through our bank, he is covered for everything except stroke, I was wondering if we could get a stand alone policy with another company just for stroke.I will look into this when I have time.

It was a very minor stroke, he was fine within a couple of weeks but I think the insurance companies treat a stroke as a stroke serious or not.

Thanks for the advice folks.

 

It is usual; that most insurers will not cover for ANY declared illness, so I doubt you will get another company to insure you for that alone.

I believe that you cannot insure with more than one company at any one time, but I may be wrong

When one has a health problem however minor, it is most unlikely that you will not get cover for that anyway.

You may just have to hope that he stays well. I hope you are not going to USA? That could be costly

 

just go away and have a STRESS free time

PJay

[derek pringle]

PJay - 2016-11-15 11:32 AM

 

yorkist - 2016-11-13 5:23 PM

 

We have an annual policy with Aviva through our bank, he is covered for everything except stroke, I was wondering if we could get a stand alone policy with another company just for stroke.I will look into this when I have time.

It was a very minor stroke, he was fine within a couple of weeks but I think the insurance companies treat a stroke as a stroke serious or not.

Thanks for the advice folks.

 

It is usual; that most insurers will not cover for ANY declared illness, so I doubt you will get another company to insure you for that alone.

I believe that you cannot insure with more than one company at any one time, but I may be wrong

When one has a health problem however minor, it is most unlikely that you will not get cover for that anyway.

You may just have to hope that he stays well. I hope you are not going to USA? That could be costly

 

just go away and have a STRESS free time

hi,

I believe there are some companies who will insure pre- conditions or illnesses. I would just go through websites and phone any that offer such cover. Personally, I would not travel if I could not get proper insurance and repatriation included.As was mentioned in an earlier post,by Brian I think, it is one of the most costly claims you may have to make. ALL known conditions have to be declared, even if you are not to be covered for them.

cheers

derek

PJay

[Solomongrundy]

I have Heart Failure but had no trouble getting insurance with the Caravan Club's Red Pennant Travel Insurance.

 

Possibly not the cheapest but better to be insured than not in my opinion.

[Derek Uzzell]

Comfort Insurance’s travel-policy-related FAQ says

 

Question: I have an existing medical condition; can I still have cover under this policy?

 

Answer: We operate a fit to travel policy which operates on the following basis:

 

To be covered, You must be healthy, fit to travel and to undertake Your planned Trip;

 

The insurance will NOT cover You when You are travelling against the advice of a Medical Practitioner (or would be travelling against the advice of a Medical Practitioner had You sought his/her advice);

 

The insurance will NOT cover You when You are travelling with the intention of obtaining medical treatment or consultation abroad;

 

The insurance will NOT cover You if You have any undiagnosed symptoms that require attention or investigation in the future (that is symptoms for which You are awaiting investigations/consultations, or awaiting results of investigations, where the underlying cause has not been established).

 

The insurance will NOT cover You if You or anyone to be insured on this policy have been given a terminal prognosis.”

 

This is just a summary statement, of course, and it would be essential to study the Travel Policy and Key Facts documents carefully for more comprehensive information.

 

http://www.comfort-insurance.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Travel-Policy-Wordings-April-16.pdf

 

http://www.comfort-insurance.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/Comfort-Travel-Policy-Summary.pdf

[StuartO]

yorkist - 2016-11-13 5:23 PMWe have an annual policy with Aviva through our bank, he is covered for everything except stroke, I was wondering if we could get a stand alone policy with another company just for stroke.I will look into this when I have time.It was a very minor stroke, he was fine within a couple of weeks but I think the insurance companies treat a stroke as a stroke serious or not.Thanks for the advice folks.

 

A minor stroke flags a bigger risk to an insurer, so don't expect any of them to ignore that risk - and don't, wahever you do, fail to declare it and leave yourself uninsured for doing so.

 

"Free" tarvel policies with banks can be OK for young and healthy people but not us oldies.  They will always exclude all pre-existing conditions, so they are as good as useless for older people.  You may be able to pay the same insurer an additional premium for cover for a pre-exisiting condition but you are extremely unlikely to find separate cover (with a different insurer) for the bits which your free policy excludes, so in effect you need to forget the free (but useless) policy and start from scratch and buy a policy which provides adequate cover.

 

Insurers will nearly always either exclude whatever they can - so for example if you have already booked your December holiday, you will not be able to get cancellation cover for that holiday.  Strokes are sometimes quite minor but all strokes are serious and these days good medical treatment involves urgent investigation and treatment to disolve the embolus which caused the circulatory blockage, which is specialist stuff, so it's expensive and might not be available or even be offered under E111.  Likewise you need cover for the unlikely, but very expensive, scenario of a major stroke which leaves your husband in need of medical repartiation, which might cost you the value of your house and more.  Remember the case of the Brit in Thailand who suffered a heart problem, then a major stroke and had failed to declare a relevant pre-existing episode - he ended up in hospital, unfit to leave and his family were faced with raising the cost of the large hospital bills and of repatriation to bring him home in a vegetative state. (Perhaps they left him there!)

 

So insuring against the unlikely but staggeringly expensive scenarios like these is what you cannot risk being without.  Your husband's pre-existing stroke will impose bigger insurance costs on you but pay them and don't go abroad, especially outside the EU, without adequate cover.

 

Staysure advertise cover for pre-existing conditions, so try them.

 

 

 

[crocs]

The quote above about 'free' policies via bank accounts is illustrative of what I mean about caution when listening to advice here. The bank account policy that I have, for example, does cover pre-existing conditions for an additional fee.

 

So, the moral is to seek advice from a reputable source and shop around.

[StuartO]

crocs - 2016-11-16 12:34 PMThe quote above about 'free' policies via bank accounts is illustrative of what I mean about caution when listening to advice here. The bank account policy that I have, for example, does cover pre-existing conditions for an additional fee.So, the moral is to seek advice from a reputable source and shop around.

 

The other problem about advice provided on here is that people sometimes comment on previous posts without reading them carefully enough.

 

However in this case both of us are effectively saying the same thing, that free bank policies which do allow you to extend cover to include pre-existing conditions charge an additional premium for doing so.  In my experience these policies vary quite a bit (including for different types of bank account with the same bank) and the additional premiums charged for pre-exisiting conditions can be disproportionately expensive, so shop around.  It can work out cheaper overall to start again from scratch with a policy from a different insurer.

 

[crocs]

Don't take that as a 'dig' as it wasn't intended to be. Simply making the point that not all bank account benefits are the same and that it pays to take professional advice in these things.

[StuartO]

crocs - 2016-11-16 1:28 PMDon't take that as a 'dig' as it wasn't intended to be. Simply making the point that not all bank account benefits are the same and that it pays to take professional advice in these things.

If you don't intend it to be a dig, don't write it like a dig.

 

[crocs]

Doh!

[Wallynnette]

Hi, I haven't been able to get travel ins since 2009, I had a stroke but they couldn't figure out why. A couple of years later I had another, but this time a different Dr stumbled on my condition. I was diagnosed with subclavian steals syndrome, a stent was duly fitted and all was sorted. Since then whenever we've tried to get ins its declined. As soon as a stent is mentioned they think its in the heart (its not) or if subclavian is mentioned they've never heard of it so won't allow it. We've tried them all, especially the 'special' ones that will insure for (strange/odd) conditions, everythings fine up until you mention 'it'. They all tell you to be truthfull but back off if its not in their 'little black book problems). So all thats left is basic ins but nothing remotely connected with the main problem. Good luck

 

[derek pringle]

Wallynnette - 2016-11-16 2:10 PM

 

Hi, I haven't been able to get travel ins since 2009, I had a stroke but they couldn't figure out why. A couple of years later I had another, but this time a different Dr stumbled on my condition. I was diagnosed with subclavian steals syndrome, a stent was duly fitted and all was sorted. Since then whenever we've tried to get ins its declined. As soon as a stent is mentioned they think its in the heart (its not) or if subclavian is mentioned they've never heard of it so won't allow it. We've tried them all, especially the 'special' ones that will insure for (strange/odd) conditions, everythings fine up until you mention 'it'. They all tell you to be truthfull but back off if its not in their 'little black book problems). So all thats left is basic ins but nothing remotely connected with the main problem. Good luck

hi Wallynette,

I am sorry to hear your problem and the fact you cannot get insurance, some companies load the premium and others wont take you on but there does not seem a standard. When I last insured it took a lot of searching through Insurance Companies under 'Insurance with pre conditions', I ended up with Staysure but have not had any claims so this is not a recommendation just a statement that if you search enough you may find a solution. Could you tell me do you still travel but with no insurance in place?

I personally would be very wary if this is the case.

good luck

derek

[Derek Uzzell]

Wallynnette

 

Plainly I’m in no position to comment on your medical condition, but my neighbour (in his 60s) had a stent fitted years ago and, since then, has travelled widely abroad (off to Singapore and Thailand next month). It could, of course, be that he travels uninsured, but I very much doubt it.

 

This link may be of interest

 

https://boughtbymany.com/news/article/travel-insurance-after-angioplasty-stents/

 

There’s no doubt that finding a travel-insurance provider is likely to prove increasingly difficult when age is coupled to an eventful medical history. A friend has stopped travelling to visit family in New Zealand as finding travel insurance is now virtually impossible. Some years back she had a multiple heart-bypass operation (followed by MRSA) and two knee replacements. This didn’t stop her New Zealand jaunts, but the combination of her medical history and age - approaching 90 - now has.