Hi, I was sent to A&E by NHS 111 as I had, what felt like, indigestion and a numb left arm. Although the ECG was clear my troponin level was through the roof. I was admitted to the cardiac ward and was told that I had suffered a heart attack. Although I felt fine. I was sent for an angiagram, which was clear. I am waiting on an appointment for a cardiac MRI, which I am told, there is an 8 month waiting list. I am booked up to go on holiday for Christmas to Spain. However, my holiday insurance has informed me that they will not cover me for anything Cardiac or Cholesterol related. I have been looking at insurers that cover medical issues, but as soon as I tick yes to waiting on tests, they say that they are unable to cover me. Can anyone suggest any insurers that they have used, when you have been in a similar predicament. TIA.
Holiday Insurance: Hi, I was sent to A... - British Heart Fou...
Holiday Insurance
Find a comparison website that offers 'Travel Insurance with Pre-Existing Medical Conditions' or similar and take it from there. Or a local insurance broker who knows the market. Unfortunately as soon as you have an investigation or a procedure pop up the Travel Insurance Providers lose interest or want a heavy increase in premium. And just because someone on here found ABC Insurers could offer them a deal doesn't mean you will be offered the same, on the basis that we are all different with a different risk profiles.
I had a similar situation whereby I couldn’t travel due to a heart attack and on-going tests and my only option was to cancel and claim on the insurance for a refund. I got my money back apart from a small excess. I was incredibly disappointed but I rebooked for a year later once all tests were done and I knew the exact status of my health. Could you consider this? I don’t know of any insurer who would cover you if you are awaiting tests and to travel without being properly insured would be very risky.
Do you really need travel insurance? Spain is covered by EHIC (see link). This is a reciprocal agreement with the UK since brexit. As long as you use a state hospital in Spain, you won't need to pay. It doesn't cover repatriation (dead or alive), that's what your insurance, if you can get it, will do.
gov.uk/global-health-insura...
I don't think an EHIC will cover known, potentially serious conditions. If anything should occur the costs of repatriation will be astronomical.
I think if you had a heart attack out there which was unexpected that might be a different matter. Its an interesting suggestion but perhaps Charlie needs to double check to ensure they would be covered.
I have a house in Cyprus, which isn't a full EU member, but still provides full healthcare for visitors. Pre existing or not. My father in law visited and he had a long term leg ulcer. The Cyprus health service were appalled by the UK health care and nearly cured his ulcer in 2 weeks. Unfortunately, he had to go home and the ulcer came back. I know a lot of people who have travelled within Europe and accessed healthcare. Read the link. It explains the reciprocal agreement, if EU nationals come to the UK, they are treated by the NHS.
There isn't a repatriation service, which is what I said in the 1st instance.
Wooodsie
I don't doubt what you say. My family collectively have needed to use Ehic/Ghic 3 times over the years and twice it was refused. So its a bit of a pot luck. As you say it isn't a repatriation service but Charlie might or might not need one. Who knows?
Let's hope he can find insurance cover and reports back here. If not he needs to decide whether to go without.
So many countries seem to do better than the NHs, which is very good in some respects, but lagging badly in others.
Let's hope he does get sorted. Just in case Devonian, if you travel abroad, check the EHIC situation (world wide now, but admittedly not accepted worldwide). If you or yours feel the need for it, make sure you go to a state provider. None of the private hospitals will accept it. Ambulances are mostly private and will automatically take you to a private hospital 😡
No, the incidents weren't serious enough to warrant an ambulance so we made our own way to the state medical facility.
Like the idea of private ambulances clashing with each other as they try to scoop up the injured party to take to their own hospital ....
I personally wouldn't go abroad without travel insurance, you often have to pay for some treatment, ambulance etc at the point of use and though you can claim those costs back you usually can't do that until you're back in the UK, depending on treatment, hospital stays etc that could be very expensive.
My SIL was recently taken poorly in Tenerife, she was in hospital for a shirt while before going on life support for 2 weeks. Sadly she couldn't be saved & her life support was turned off. Her travel insurance paid for her husband to remain out there with her until she passed, it then paid for him to return home and for her coffin to be flown home a couple of weeks later. Prior to that trip she was in good health so it was quite a shock and at a time like that you really wouldn't want to be worrying about whether or not the ambulance is taking you to a state or private hospital or how much the emergency ambulance etc is likely to cost .
I also know of someone who was poorly on a plane which had to be diverted. The airline billed him for thousands of euros for the diversion, fortunately his insurance paid for it.
I think the EHIC is ok for minor ailments, I've used it when I visited the local Dr for earache but it's the additional costs that aren't covered by the card that we tend to forget about.
What a tragic case. A very good illustration of the undoubted merits of the EHIC and the extra comfort and reassurance that insurance can bring.
Incredibly sad as it all stemmed from a fall! which caused pneumonia which escalated causing heart problems etc. A truly unexpected event which is what insurance is for.
Falls can be very dangerous. I saw someone I knew looking rather down and asked them what was up.
It turns out that two weeks earlier their husband had climbed a ladder to empty their gutter of leaves, fell off and killed himself. So pointless.
Its not as if in either case someone had been very ill for years and when the end came it was almost a relief. If both the people had done slightly different things on the day, both would still be alive.
I know of a young lad who fell off a ladder whilst cleaning windows. A very survivable accident, accept when he fell he hit the back of his head & sadly didn't survive. Very sad
I'm in the exact same situation..due to go to the USA in February..no way am I going without insurance! Your health comes first! Relax until your MRI..try not to stress...Spain will still be there! All the best 👍🏻
Can I recommend you try justravel.com. You need to put in all your conditions and you will see on screen a number of quotes. After a quad heart bypass my cost was £125 for 10 days in Austria.
However few insurers like waiting for tests.
If you give this site a go this weekend would be very interested at the results.
Thank you for your recommendation. I rang them today, and I now have insurance. Thank you so much.
Excellent news!
We are off to Austria at the weekend. Its supposed to be cold and snowy so loading up with warm clothes. Not easy when you're only taking cabin luggage as we hate having to check a bag in at the airport to go in the hold, collect it the other end and so on. In summer its fine but in winter clothes are so bulky
Have a great time in Spain. Hope your tests go well
Thank you, and have a wonderful time in Austria.
I’m following this as I’m in exactly the same boat but a country which is even higher cost . Some insurers cover nothing if you are waiting for tests and some reference undiagnosed conditions. I suppose we can phone a few and ask or use an insurance broker who deals with pre existing conditions
Try Avanti - my husband had heart attack and was waiting on results from cardiac mri - you have to call them but indication was they would cover but be more expensive. His results came through a few days before we went away so I didn’t need that and could do online without ringing but it’s worth a try.
Thank you but I tried them yesterday, and they wouldn't insure me.
Hi Charlie Jax I am off to the USA next year and I couldn't get insured with majority of insurance companies. However Surestay have insured me for an annual (as I may travel again next year) for £543.
I have a bicusip Valve, TAAA and blood pressure.
Good luck 🤞 x
I took out a yearly policy with “all clear” while waiting for an operation ( still waiting) , I’m covered for all my list of medical conditions but the policy won’t cover me for cancellation only medical cover and repatriation. £706 for a yearly policy.
Try, Puffin Insurance.
I had exactly the same a month ago.I went to A&E with chest and arm pain. Troponin levels were elevated (145). So they kept me in for 11 days. ECG was ok, eco scan ok and angiocardiogram was clear. I'm also waiting an MRI and and meanwhile on 6 different meds. Did you get any more info as to what caused it ? I'm pretty much in the dark.
I'll have a look and see who insured my mum a while back ( with heart failure) .
No, I have no idea what caused. I keep being told that I am a bit of an anomaly! I feel like I'm on a roller coaster, and it won't stop, and I can't get off. I so need this holiday. Hopefully, we both get to the bottom of this soon.
Yes I hope so.Keep us updated !
Have you tried staysure?
I believe you have to call them to get medical screening and see if they are able to cover you.
Good luck
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