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Annual travel insurance - 3 inhalers

beech profile image
11 Replies

Hi all - I wonder if someone can recommend an insurance company that offers cover for pre-existing medical conditions, including asthma with 3 inhalers?

My present company won’t give cover for asthma with more than two inhalers - I’m not too sure why this causes so much of an issue as they are a specialist medical insurer.

I’d be grateful for any suggestions.

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beech
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11 Replies
Lysistrata profile image
LysistrataAdministratorCommunity Ambassador

Hi, I have spent absolutely ages looking round because travel insurers don't like all my medications and admissions and often want to charge more than the holiday cost!

The best one I have found is GetGoing - reasonable prices and don't hide things in the small print. Others (eg InsureandGo) hide things which may mean they don't cover you even after you declare everything (eg if you are seeing a specialist for anything more than 'checkups' which they do not define).

GetGoing won't cover me personally for annual but they have very good per trip rates even for the US, compared with other specialist ones I have used. (About £65 for a week in the US vs a few hundred from others, for 4 inhalers plus >2 admissions in the last year).

You could also try looking on Medical Travel Compared which compares the specialist insurers but as mentioned above, be careful with the small print.

Hope this helps. I have never had to claim thankfully so can't say what any are like for that.

beech profile image
beech in reply to Lysistrata

Thanks - I’ll look into your suggestions.😀

M-D-F profile image
M-D-F

I used one last yr and because it was a cycling holiday and was only interested in breakages, I was not as truthful as I should be

beech profile image
beech in reply to M-D-F

I’m loathe to “forget” that it’s 3 not 2 inhalers as I wouldn’t want to risk a claim refusal based on non-disclosure, even if its for a non-related issue. Because you ever quite know what’s round the corner 😳

Lysistrata profile image
LysistrataAdministratorCommunity Ambassador in reply to beech

Yes I always declare everything even if I think it's silly, so as not to give them any excuse! Eg one had a ridiculous definition of being on a waiting list as including med changes and my friend said I should just ignore it. I pointed out that if I wanted them to pay I would have to fit their definition however silly ans they would check! I also declare everything even hayfever which doesn't add anything but then no one can say I haven't told them.

beech profile image
beech in reply to Lysistrata

You’ll see my experience of breast cancer screening below!

I saw a travel programme where someone in hospital abroad had been refused cover because there was a muddle over the number of inhalers - at the time I wasn’t even diagnosed, but it stuck in my head - and it appeared she had more than declared. It was sorted later, but not without a panic in a foreign language!

So I realised I’d definitely need to find someone else to insure me when I was prescribed a new one.

I’m most likely to trip over and hurt myself rather than softer with an asthma attack, but who knows? 😱

Abc64 profile image
Abc64

Hello. I had a similar problem last year. From expensive insurance for a week, to no one wanting to insure me I had had 2 inhalers and a Hospital admission. Also tablets for my breathing. Someone I know suggested a broker. I contacted them and couldn’t believe the difference. I ended up paying around £55 for a year instead of over £200 for one trip. When my medication increased to 3 inhalers, I told them, and it didn’t alter anything. My advice to you is to go through a broker. You might get a good deal.

beech profile image
beech in reply to Abc64

I’ll give your suggestion a try as well. My husband also has pre-existing conditions to declare, so it’s a double-whammy.

A few years ago before my asthma diagnosis I was refused single trip cover because I’d had a chest infection treated with antibiotics - that quite shocked me!

Last year I mentioned during the phone screening with my present insurer that I’d had a mammogram - the girl asked why, so I said it’s part of the national breast cancer screening offered to women after 50. So she made a note of that - I felt somewhat despairing that mentioning any tests or investigation could get me blacklisted despite the negative outcome!

cathmc58 profile image
cathmc58

hi i've always used AXA when travelling and as i have loads of medication that i need to carry with me at all times find them really good. (13 different medications daily)

beech profile image
beech in reply to cathmc58

Another one for the list then.

I’m embarrassed about the size of the bag I collect from the Pharmacy these days. I don’t know how that happened! I have friends the same age who don’t take anything - how envious am I?! 😀

cathmc58 profile image
cathmc58

Don't worry about it I often laugh and say this is how much it takes to keep perfection going lol never let any disability win by getting you down beech x

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