Travel Insurance Q

[Thelma]

Is it possible to get travel insurance that just covers for non-pre existing conditions? We're looking at a (fantasy) holiday in the States and because of my health it'd cost almost £700 for a week's insurance. If I felt unwell I'd just fly home, but obviously if I break a leg I want cover.

Is this kind of cover a fantasy too?

[Aileen]

Thelma - if you don't declare your existing conditions, then you can just get a basic travel insurance I guess. I take your point about flying back if you became unwell but it isn't always easy just to get on a flight at short notice (depending on your U.S. destination/time of travel and if it's a popular destination) I don't know what your state of health is, but you have to ask yourself it it's worth the gamble. We go to California every year and before transplant I paid a bit more but then I had/have PKD which is probably not what your issue is, it certainly was nowhere near £700. Post transplant (2009) it's pretty cheap, certainly less than £200.
I take it you've shopped around for insurance as I've found it varies considerably
Aileen

[Unifluzie]

marks and spencers quoted me to cyprus with end stage renal failure on PD and crohns disease £122 for two weeks, i think you need to be honest but a couple of the kidney websites really recommend marks.....

[Thelma]

It was a website I found from a search on here and I was shocked how much it was!

I will try Marks next time, thanks.

[AmandaClare]

You can easily exclude pre-existing conditions. When I was looking recently several mainstream websites (Sainsbury's, M&S) wouldn't cover me as a whole package but offered cover at the standard price excl. the very conditions I'd just told them about.

But for any substantial claim it's in the company's interests to find a reason not to cough up. Given the complexity of renal failure it could be argued to contribute to almost anything, or even with this hypothetical broken leg you might need different drugs or more specialist care.

Personally I'd risk it fairly happily in Europe but not in the US.

You don't say which website you tried. I had great success with Direct Travel (ridiculously they covered me for £8 extra) and also liked Columbus. Columbus has a different set of questions to most of the websites, it's more detailed, and I came out better.

Good luck

[Thelma]

It was Freedom Insure that I tried.

[pgt67]

Playing with fire not declairing any pre-existing conditions and it may nullify any insurance you take out, the consequenses if anything goes wrong are substantial - shop around there are many companies on the market these days which will give a reasonable quote, contact details of which are in other messages on this board!

[Rik]

you should have a look back at this thread ... it may be useful

[dkjane]

I always use AccessAmerica, when I fly to Europe.
Even went a couple of times with 16-20% function.
For me, I guess, I happen to be going to a country with socialized medicine...so that could be why!? I told them about my condition and now my transplant.

I once researched, what a pre-exsisting condition is, when traveling. Some insurences said..a condition that had been stabilized 2 mo. before traveling??

Many airlines have a recommended travel insurance on their website!

Good Luck..and do tell which insurance is a good one! Jane

[steveosiris]

Thanks for the info... I am planning a trip to the Aria Las Vegas, and am wondering which airlines have the best travel insurance recommendations for people traveling from the UK to the US for holiday. Any info would be great. Thx!

I always use AccessAmerica, when I fly to Europe.
Even went a couple of times with 16-20% function.
For me, I guess, I happen to be going to a country with socialized medicine...so that could be why!? I told them about my condition and now my transplant.

I once researched, what a pre-exsisting condition is, when traveling. Some insurences said..a condition that had been stabilized 2 mo. before traveling??

Many airlines have a recommended travel insurance on their website!

Good Luck..and do tell which insurance is a good one! Jane

[JMan]

I've used Tesco's in the past. This year for a 2 week trip to Rhodes I'm using the insurance recommended by Freedom, which is called Freedom Insure
http://www.freedominsure.co.uk/

The quote is under 200 quid so not bad, although I'll need to amend/inform them I've recently been treated as an inpatient for and infection.

[pgt67]

I've used Tesco's in the past. This year for a 2 week trip to Rhodes I'm using the insurance recommended by Freedom, which is called Freedom Insure
http://www.freedominsure.co.uk/

The quote is under 200 quid so not bad, although I'll need to amend/inform them I've recently been treated as an inpatient for and infection.

Jim

If you had quoted St James's KPA we would have, as one of their charity partners, received a small donation!!

I am also sure this company doesn't load or make changes should your medical circumstances change after taking a policy out whereas others wouldn't cover you for the change