Travel insurance

[Whitehousee]

I am worried about a friend she has had a TiVo operation for aortic stenosis has two stents also has had a carotid embelectomy is also a diabetic she is cruising in September and said her insurance is only 250 I am worried she is not covered for that

[Tos92]

Hi Whitehousee

Your friend is lucky to have you.

Do you know what travel insurance provider she is with?

The way it typically works is that you have to declare all of your medical history to your travel insurance provider, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. For those that are undiagnosed or still under investigation, it is unlikely that travel insurance would cover that.

Could you have a conversation with your friend and ask her if she has declared all of her medical history?

There is further information of the BHF website on travel insurance.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Last year in 2022, I was on holiday at the time of my heart attack without any known conditions. My medical history was unremarkable. However, before I flew, in 2021 I had a small investigation for a possible heart problem when a heart monitor was issued to me to rule out an arrhythmia. Ectopic beats were discovered but were considered benign at the time.

I did not declare this to my travel insurance provider as I had no follow up from the hospital in any form and according to them, I was free of any medical issues.

When I came back to the U.K. to claim back for my heart attack and other medical expenses, my travel insurance provider initially refused on the basis mentioned above. After appealing against their decision, I was able to get my medical expenses back 6-7 months later.

So it is probably worthwhile having that conversation with your friend so that at least she can travel knowing she is covered on all bases, and it will also provide you with a sense of relief too.

Let us know how you get on.

All the best to you & your friend.

Tos

[BridBoy]

I've got a couple of stents and severe spinal stenosis, my wife has a few issues as well.....we pay just over £300 for annual travel insurance, doesn't cover cruising and its only for Europe.If your friend has paid £250 just for herself and has only paid for that trip insurance rather than annual I'd hazard a guess that she's dotted the i's and crossed the t's in getting her insurance.

[Chappychap]

Rules vary depending on which cruise line she's with. I can only speak to cruise lines I've used, but if she's with Cunard (and I believe this also applies to all their sister lines such as P&O and Princess) or with Oceania, then she'll need special cover with a very large repatriation amount. This is because getting helicoptered off a cruise liner at sea isn't a cheap exercise!

Cunard, and presumably other cruise lines too, reserve the right to check your insurance before embarkation.

Having said all this, as long as someone isn't totally falling apart then it's perfectly possible to get voyage cover at a price that's in line with the amount you quoted.

As a previous poster advised, check your friend has been absolutely candid with the insurance company and has also specified cruising cover.

If she's done those things then tell her to pack her dancing shoes and wish her "bon voyage"!

[devonian186 in reply to Chappychap]

I am surprised at the low cost. If she is going to America I would suggest that all conditions may inadvertently not have been declared but having said that it seems too low anyway

[Qualipop]

I agree that doesn't sound right. When I last went abroad I booked through a travel agent who sorted out the insurance too. I was using a mobility scooter so it was obvious I had medical problems but it was only a few days before leaving that I read the actual policy and realised the travel agent hadn't covered medical problems at all. Luckily I was in time to change it.