Tracker Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Yes I know it's been discussed before, but the insurance market is continually evolving - usually in an upwardly spiraling costs direction - and I wonder where the best, or least worst deals are now to be found for an 80 year old with various stable ailments under control going to an EU destination please? Staysure is expensive, Goodtogo is even more expensive but beyond those two I have not yet searched - any ideas please folks ? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthur49 Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Try Avanti. I'm 74 with two cancers - both stable - and I've found Avanti good. Been with them for probably 7 years or more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninian Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 TRY, Payingtomuch travel insurance. I have cancer and have found them very competitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeamRienza Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 Here is a fall back. Guaranteed cover for medical issues, but not got the fancy add ons of delay to ferry, loss of luggage etc. https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/travel-insurance-europe-carefree-travel Davy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 20 Author Share Posted February 20 Thanks guys, I'll try 'em all dreckly and report back asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solwaybuggier Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) Not sure how they regard 80+, but at 71 (& with some medical history) I found LV little dearer for multi trip cover than I’d managed to get single trip cover for (with Payingtoomuch) at 69. Edited February 21 by Solwaybuggier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 LV has an over-16 to under-79 age eligibility for annual travel insurance policies, but no upper age limit for single-trip policies. https://www.lv.com/travel-insurance/age-restrictions-on-your-travel-insurance-policies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 I am 72 and have several declarable medical conditions and have no problem getting travel insurance but for some reason most companies would only cover me for 30 days. After searching around I purchased my insurance from Sainsbury and got cover for 60 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 22 Author Share Posted February 22 Results so far for our situation suggest that Goodtogo is the most expensive at around £700 for a one week river cruise in France for my 80th birthday. Staysure and Avanti are less unreasonable at around £400. Payingtoomuch, who appear to be a brokerage comparison site have come up with a variety of quotes from £290 upwards. Different circumstances will elicit different quotes but as they all seem to use the same medical questionaire format, so as long as your memory is good, they are quick and simple to complete after the first one. I have not yet looked at the integrity and claims record of any of these as I still have a few options to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Duck Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 I'm 72, Mrs. FD 69. We do have some medical things to report but all stable and nothing to really frighten the horses. We've booked a trip to the USA for 17 nights in September. Goodtogo wanted £1400 for our travel insurance. Staysure, £1100. In the end we've joined the NFOP and signed up for their travel insurance scheme. £499 for an annual policy for the both of us and as long as we keep paying each year, no upper age limit. If we only use it for the one year it's less than half what Staysure wanted for 17 nights. No medical checks and as long as we don't have significant breathing issues (we don't), are not awaiting test results and are fit to travel, all good. Appreciate you can't join initially unless you are under 74 but, if you fit their criteria, it seems a no brainer. FD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 (edited) 24 minutes ago, Fred Duck said: I'm 72, Mrs. FD 69. We do have some medical things to report but all stable and nothing to really frighten the horses. We've booked a trip to the USA for 17 nights in September. Goodtogo wanted £1400 for our travel insurance. Staysure, £1100. In the end we've joined the NFOP and signed up for their travel insurance scheme. £499 for an annual policy for the both of us and as long as we keep paying each year, no upper age limit. If we only use it for the one year it's less than half what Staysure wanted for 17 nights. No medical checks and as long as we don't have significant breathing issues (we don't), are not awaiting test results and are fit to travel, all good. Appreciate you can't join initially unless you are under 74 but, if you fit their criteria, it seems a no brainer. FD I am also going to go with NFOP ... I phoned them and their age limit is under 75 ...ie you can still join if you are 74. Also worth noting that the membership runs for 12 months from 1st March ...so that is the time to join to get full benefit. Jeremy Edited February 23 by laimeduck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 We were for some years with NFOP but now being over 75 that is no longer open to us. From the NFOP website is a link to what looks like a gov related website 'Money Helper', which was no help at all, apart from listing lots of potential insurers that one would need to contact individually in what would be a very time consuming and probably frustrating experience. LV will not cover my existing conditions and still want to charge £428 for a week's trip, which is an unattractive option. The Axa Schengen cover for health costs only looks like good value at 44 euros for a week for two of us without the baggage, cancellation, delays etc cover and is probably worth considering as a stand alone leaving us to carry the risk of those other inconvenient but less financially ruinous losses. The cost savings of over £300 makes that a tempting prospect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninian Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Hi, Is the NFOP option open to anyone as long as your a pensioner. ?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 24 minutes ago, Ninian said: Hi, Is the NFOP option open to anyone as long as your a pensioner. ?????? Their website explains their T&Cs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Rich, you might find the exchanges today between Jeremy (laimeduck) and me on the Recovery Insurance string of interest. Have you considered switching to the Nationwide FlexPlus account? It may suit you as, even at £13 per month, the packaged vehicle breakdown and travel/health insurances are easily worth the account fee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 47 minutes ago, Brian Kirby said: Rich, you might find the exchanges today between Jeremy (laimeduck) and me on the Recovery Insurance string of interest. Have you considered switching to the Nationwide FlexPlus account? It may suit you as, even at £13 per month, the packaged vehicle breakdown and travel/health insurances are easily worth the account fee. Thanks Brian, the NW flex a/c plus looks like a bit of a minefield! Over 70's have a £65 surcharge for travel ins - yearly I presume although it does not say, maybe not a deal breaker - plus the same medical questions as all the others will like as not result in a much higher cost? It may still equate to less overall than a dedicated policy elsewhere but they seem unwilling to quote unless I open the a/c first - catch 22! I've not yet compared all the other a/c benefits but we are getting some half decent interest rates from Santander with their Edge Up a/c and as we are not latest phone addicts insurance for our ancient wind up phones has no great appeal! Thanks for the info Brian and everyone, much appreciated. It's still work in progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 More information/advice on travel insurance can be found in the later postings of this recent forum discussion. https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/64534-breakdown-insurance-recovery-to-where/#comment-716102 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 18 hours ago, Tracker said: Thanks Brian, the NW flex a/c plus looks like a bit of a minefield! Over 70's have a £65 surcharge for travel ins - yearly I presume although it does not say, maybe not a deal breaker - plus the same medical questions as all the others will like as not result in a much higher cost? It may still equate to less overall than a dedicated policy elsewhere but they seem unwilling to quote unless I open the a/c first - catch 22! Just on the above point: regarding the over 70's surcharge the NW documentation linked by Jeremy in his post immediately preceding mine says not, although this will only apply, as I understand it, after AVIVA becomes the insurer on 1 May 2024. I quoted the policy document statement that "You will no longer need to buy a separate upgrade to be covered beyond your 70th birthday. You will be covered automatically". You also get fairly comprehensive vehicle breakdown insurance via AA as part of the package that covers you plus, if a joint account, your "favourite other" not only in your own vehicle but also pretty much any other vehicle you may be travelling in. So possibly still worth sticking your nose around a NW branch door for the account details before immediately kicking them into touch, just to see if it might suit you? 😄 Re having to open the account before they'll tell you the premiums for pre-existing conditions, for some reason, Simple Simon and the Pie-Man came to mind! 🙂 The premiums will reflect the perceived risks from the condition/s and their combined complexities. (BTW, I think I read that you also need to have an EHIC card (or its successor Union Jack branded "UKHIC" card) to minimise the extension premiums.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 47 minutes ago, Brian Kirby said: Just on the above point: regarding the over 70's surcharge the NW documentation linked by Jeremy in his post immediately preceding mine says not, although this will only apply, as I understand it, after AVIVA becomes the insurer on 1 May 2024. I quoted the policy document statement that "You will no longer need to buy a separate upgrade to be covered beyond your 70th birthday. You will be covered automatically". You also get fairly comprehensive vehicle breakdown insurance via AA as part of the package that covers you plus, if a joint account, your "favourite other" not only in your own vehicle but also pretty much any other vehicle you may be travelling in. So possibly still worth sticking your nose around a NW branch door for the account details before immediately kicking them into touch, just to see if it might suit you? 😄 Re having to open the account before they'll tell you the premiums for pre-existing conditions, for some reason, Simple Simon and the Pie-Man came to mind! 🙂 The premiums will reflect the perceived risks from the condition/s and their combined complexities. (BTW, I think I read that you also need to have an EHIC card (or its successor Union Jack branded "UKHIC" card) to minimise the extension premiums.) Brian ... I have a couple of queries on this subject so rather than bore everyone I've sent you a PM Jeremy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Nothing yet Jeremy. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 2 minutes ago, Brian Kirby said: Nothing yet Jeremy. 🙂 Just sent - was doing some edits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 Thanks Brian, I looked again at NW and could locate no mention of the change from UK Ins to Aviva or any change in terms or prices? I did mange to get a quote for travel insurance from NWand it was crazy! In addition to the £13 a month = £165 pa + £65 pa age related, they want an extra +£379 + £198 for our medical issues. Over £800 a year isn't as bad (or as good) as some for a year's cover but if only used once it is not viable. Given that their c/a terms are inferior to Santander, I think we can rule out NW as a contender. That said, I very much appreciate your efforts to help, many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 (edited) Rich, if you follow this link: to Jeremy's post on Saturday at 13:23, you'll see two links to the NW documentation that a) announces the change from UK Insurance (the existing provider) and b) AVIVA's policy documentation. Both the breakdown, and the travel insurances that are "packaged" with the FlexPlus account, are "bespoke" policies that are not the same as the AA, or AVIVA, retail policies. I'm not entirely clear whether the quotes you got from NW were for the insurances as packaged with the FlexPlus account but, as you were quoted a £65 "age extension" premium, it seems this was probably for the current (UK Insurance underwritten) version of the insurance, and not the new (AVIVA underwritten) version, in which NW says there is no longer an age extension premium. As to the additional charges for pre-existing conditions, those will inevitably reflect what the underwriter considers appropriate to the perceived risk and, bearing in mind the change in underwriter, will be liable to change after 1 May this year. On the present, UK Insurance, version of the policy, any "extensions" you opt for are valid for 12 months from the date on which you buy them, after which they lapse and have to be renewed each year to keep them "alive". If you let them lapse, they remain in your details and can be renewed on demand, subject only to payment of the premium. So you are not committed to paying for extensions you no longer intend using. We currently have a lapsed extension for 1 pre-existing condition (cover for one declared condition is included at no cost - the extension premiums only being required for second and subsequent conditions). However, with the change of underwriter this may, presumably, change. Depending on your proposed cruise date it may be easier to wait until after 1 May, when the new jockey takes over the saddle, before pursuing the fine print or, as above, going into an NW branch, explaining what you want to know, and seeing what they can tell you - or simply e-mailing or 'phoning your questions direct to NW. At the sorts of prices you're being quoted it seems worthwhile to explore all feasible options before buying! I'll be interested to find out in due course whether the details of our lapsed extensions are actually passed from UK insurance to AVIVA, and what AVIVA then says about them. One might hope they will, but that is mere hope. I prefer, I suspect like you, certainty to hope. We (at least me) will see! 😐 Edited February 25 by Brian Kirby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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