Travel Insurance

[GGourmet]

Hi everyone.

I’m not sure what your experiences are of obtaining travel insurance but, hopefully my experience may help.

I bank with NatWest and through UK Insurance I was able, as a 52 year old, to get an upgrade for worldwide multi trip. I struggled to get anyone else to quote and none of the online comparison sites returned a result.I am yet to have Gamma knife which should be in around 3 weeks from now.

The additional premium I pay for 12 months cover, for the Acoustic Neuroma is £130.32. Please note that insurance companies appear not to recognise the correct term of Vestibular Schwannomar.

An independent broker got a single quote back which was from SunWorld underwritten by AXA for an additional premium of £152.50. In both cases the price includes Insurance Premium Tax at 20%. SunWorld excluded US, Canada, Caribbean and Mexico.

NatWest cover allowed for any single trip to be up to 72 days, whereas SunWorld was up to 90 days in a single trip.

Hopefully my experience helps in setting expectations. This is not a recommendation to use any specific insurer or take out any specific product.

[Ukulele21]

Thanks for the information and best wishes for your gamma knife.

[whitefishbay]

My insurance with Admiral was @ £120 but since I have added my an (vest Schwannoma) I had to pay £54 extra. If we only knew when we were young how much extra being old and infirm costs....😶

[Soosal in reply to whitefishbay]

Interestingly I have just applied on the Post Office travel insurance and this time filled in neuroma rather than vestibular schwanoma or accoustic neuromai,t then automatically came up with accoustic neuroma and then the usual about treatment etc. The quote was only £282.00 quite within normal holiday insurance . It is obviously very important to use the right terminology ! The Staysure advice line said to put benign brain tumour and I think that is what hiked it up.

As you say if only we had appreciated our youth and health more .

[GGourmet in reply to Soosal]

Oh wow. When I put benign brain tumour, I was declined but when it was switched to Acoustic Neuroma it was fine. I think the survival rates of AN are probably considerably higher than for other benign tumours which might explain. Equally premiums are based on claim history as well as medical reference so, some of the larger underwriters may have the experience to quote.

[Soosal in reply to GGourmet]

Just shows you have to be very careful to use the right wording doesn't it? As you say hopefully the survival rates are much better for accoustic neuroma !

🙂

[Soosal]

I have also had fun getting insurance.As you say the insurance firms do not recognise vascular schwanoma or even a acoustic neuroma .I phoned up Staysure and they just said to enter benign brain tumour. They eventually quoted £820.00 better than one firm at £2000.00 plus and SAGA who would only cover a single trip. I actually paid up but then thought I should have consulted my insurance brokers. They told me that less and less firms are covering health insurance and then said what about my bank?

I phoned them and like you was covered. As I am a Premier customer for free. I think I will have to pay a little extra as I am going to Canada but far less than less than all the other quotes.

I have since got my money back from Staysure to be fair.

I am not due another MRI for 18 months as the neuroma is quite small at the moment. I also have a blood condition that is potentially serious but they don't seem worried about that at all which seems ironic.

Hope you enjoy your holiday and all goes we with the surgery.

[Bad1]

Hi thanks for sharing this info. I have travelled extensively long haul with a small AN and not had to pay any increase in travel insurance after declaring an A N , when I asked why this is , I am always told the same ie if it is stable, with no symptoms such as dizziness or permanent hearing loss, not requiring treatment then it will not affect the premium. Yes to any of these May incur additional cost.

[Zhaleh_TBTC Administrator]

Hello and thank you for your post. We know that questions around travel insurance often come up. We do have some information on travel insurance on our website. Whilst we can’t endorse individual travel insurance companies, we have put together a list of companies who may be able to help, based on feedback gathered from those who’ve been affected by a brain tumour. thebraintumourcharity.org/l... We hope this helps. Best wishes, The Support Team.

[Soosal in reply to Zhaleh_TBTC]

Thank you so much.I of course never though look on the website !

🙄