Travel insurance

[hairdresserme]

Have any of you found a reasonable priced travel insurance. My husband and I want to go to France in our motorhome by ferry. But not only do I have AF, but he has COPD. All the company's I have tried are very expensive. Thanks for your help.

[sportscoach]

Try page 7 of the attached link....

atrialfibrillation.org.uk/f...

I tend to use All Clear

allcleartravel.co.uk/?gclid...

you can also google travel insurance for people with AF...Hope this helps

[lingooz]

Hi, I found staysure to be very reasonable!!!

[NiceNana]

Like Linwood, we are with Staysure. Besides my AF, my husband is diabetic and we both have hypertension. We found them to be quite reasonable in price, but don't know how they handle any claims as we have never had to call on them.

Hope you enjoy your trip to France. We have been twice in our motorhome and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately he has fallen out of love with it now, so we are selling it. I wish you lots of happy and uneventful trips.

Lynn

[Bernie13]

We use Insure and Go I have Af and diabetes. We pay £130 for an annual policy .

[irene75359]

I have a Nationwide Flexplus account. For £10 a month the benefits include travel insurance including breakdown cover and repatriation and credit card and debit card use abroad without charges or loading by Nationwide (this in itself pays for this account). As my husband was travelling when we opened the account we had to continue with our existing travel insurance until it ran out this month. In the meantime I had my first confirmed episode of AFib. I explained to the insurance arm of Nationwide about my diagnosis, that we required extra cover for my husband on his KTM 690 motorbike and also for up to 90 days per trip instead of the 30 offered. This cost £170 extra, the Afib element was about £80. Given how comprehensive the policy is I didn't think this was too bad. We are both 65.

I do hope you manage to get cover - we did France when we had a motor home and it was wonderful!

[Gertsen]

I have my travel insurance through Royal Bank of Scotland, as I am turning 70 in March , which means you have to pay extra, and diagnosed with PAF last October, I rang to tell them as we are off to USA and Mexico. The premium for a year was £158.00 but you do have to have a premium account with RBS.

[01maxdog]

Mine is 400 a year worldwide , I wish I could find it cheaper . But I've had a stroke . And you never know how good they are until you have to claim . It took 2 years to settle my claim when I had a stroke on holiday . That insurance was linked to my bank . Lisa

[Hidden]

I've used these people in the past for travel outside the EU and very specific problems which I needed advice on.

allcleartravel.co.uk/?utm_s...

The premiums do go up with medical conditions, but having dealt with people becoming ill on holiday I would say it is worth the money!

Whilst we are in the EU you get access to most European national emergency services and care via the EHIC card as you might know. Link below :

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcar...

This may change if we leave the EU after this referendum so consider this perhaps.

Pre-existing medical conditions and emergency care are usually covered....but again, check before you travel.

Apologies if I'm stating something you already know!

x

[dedeottie in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Really helpful info. X

[jd2004]

After searching I went with Saga which costs £161 per year for a couple. Decided to go with them as their cancellation cover was higher than others who would only cover up to £1000.

[01maxdog in reply to jd2004]

Wow. That's nothing ! My hospital bill when I had a stroke in Hawaii came to over 90k ! So it pays to read the small print

Lisa

[Pdotg in reply to jd2004]

I've just been quoted £450 by Saga! Maybe because I need USA cover as well?

[Dodie117]

France has an excellent health care system and as a member of EU you are entitled to access that. Get an EHIC card and you will be covered free of charge.

[PeterWh in reply to Dodie117]

Yes it is good to have an EHIC card (and everyone should take it even of have private insurance - a state hospital may be much nearer and more equipped than a private one) but there are many aspects that are included in travel insurance (eg repatriation, partner accommodation, etc) that would not be covered by EHIC card.

[Dodie117 in reply to PeterWh]

Fair point. I had a holiday home in France for many years so took my chances!

[RichMert]

I have had and Ablation for AF and plan to say nothing. It is fixed right!

My argument being that anybody could suffer a bout of AF for the first time whilst on vacation but, would not pre insure themselves against it.

Your thoughts..............

[PeterWh in reply to RichMert]

Wrong in many cases!!!! Your argument is as good as a chocolate fire guard.

Everyone needs to check proposal and their terms and conditions and some people would find it difficult to realise the implications. One of teh problem these days when doing insurance over the phone is ensuring the right information is put down by the person at the other end of the line, particularily as you don't get a copy to sign. Personally prefer electronic or written proposals. Where aspects could be interpreted or misinterpreted.

A few years ago it was recognised that there were three inverse rules in the insurance world. The cheaper the policy the more likely to object / reject claims. The more expensive the claim the more it will be investigated and objected to. Thirdly the more reputable the company the more likely they are to pay out because of not relying on technicalities to reject. The latter is probably less so these days.

Like car insurance travel insurance delves into past events. Cars insurance often only goes back 5 years, sometimes 3 or 10. However travel insurance often goes back far longer and even to childhood. One thing for certain is that if you make a claim they will write to your GP to get your full medical history. If there is something in there that wasn't declared that they consider relevant then bang they can reject the claim. WIth AF that would be particularly so. Realistically anything within the last 10 years would be easily be declarable. Some aspects many years ago. So for instance I declare that I had varicose veins removed from right leg 25 years ago.

I knew someone who used to work in a motor claims department. Some of the things that happened were very interesting and at the end of teh day it can be down to individual's interpretation, cost, etc. Someone who had an accident was adjudged to be at fault from the information and the reports and so no claims bonus affected (reduced or accident counted in protected no claims). Then a personal injury claim is lodged by the other party and teh whole thing is reopened and then insurance company reverses decision. Commissions expert reports, seeks statements, engages legal, etc, etc. In the end the person was adjudged not to be at fault and no claims reinstated.

[RichMert in reply to PeterWh]

I love Chocolate, any chance of the fire guard.

[01maxdog in reply to RichMert]

My insurance company wanted the last 30 years of doctors notes when I had a stroke on holiday and was then diagnosed with a fib . Fortunately there was not a jot of heart related problems and eventually , they paid up .

[Scorer]

Use Staysure. I have numerous medical conditions including AF and A fib, rheumatoid arthritis and have had breast cancer. My cover costs about £180.00 for European cover ( I am 64 ). Had to make 2 claims last year and they paid out without too much hassle. Plus premium has not increased for the coming year. Can reccommend.

Regards Pam

[01maxdog in reply to Scorer]

I looked at stay sure , they came up at 500 for me !

[Scorer]

Forgot to say. The policy has no exclusions for my medical conditions.

Pam

[PeterWh]

I am a great one for findin the cheapest price and getting bargains. However you always need to balance risk and what I call proportionality into the equation before making the final decision.

At the end of the if you are spending a thousand pounds or maybe much more on a holiday why take chances to save £50 or more on a policy, particularily where your health (and treatment thereof) is involved?

[Hidden]

This is getting rather complicated...

If I was you I would read the info on the E?HIC card which is specific to France on the NHS link I gave you. You can follow the highlighted text for country specific advice. Apply for the card if you haven't done so already and then discuss with the insurance company.

Repatriating people when they are sick is most expensive when people are returned to the UK in air ambulances. This is generally only done when health care in situ is inadequate or too expensive. It is unlikely that you will need to be repatriated from France as their cardiac care is very good. I assume pulmonary care is good too.

Repatriations are usually done using "reciprocal" free seats negotiated between airlines - although costs are sometimes incurred.

You will also have a motor home with you, which someone will need to drive home. So unless only one of you can drive it (?) and that person is in hospital, it is unlikely that both of you will need to be repatriated. Think about that one if your husband is the driver and insure both of you.

The NHS website does mention "extra charges" in France, but these may not apply to emergencies. Ambulances can incur a charge. Read the country specific information, prepare for such eventualities and discuss with your insurance company.

If you have a policy in place to supplement the EHIC most clinics and hospitals (especially private ones - which I would avoid if in the EU) will take your policy and liaise with the insurance company's "assistance company" directly in a medical emergency. These companies have banks of trained nurses and advisers and take all of the hassle away from you should anything serious happen. Get the assistance company's number before you travel.

Medical issues overseas seem complicated. Often they are not if your insurance cover is adequate and based on honest disclosures. Problems arise when people negotiate cheap deals and don't tell the truth about pre-existing conditions.

Find out everything you can about accessing care in the part of France you are going to and take the appropriate contact numbers/addresses etc with you for cardiac/pulmonary units and you will be fine.

x

France isn't a million miles away, you have accommodation on tap (a motor home) and if push came to shove family could fly /train out reasonably cheaply to help you.