I received a diagnosis of Angina from a Cardiologist and am awaiting further tests (scans etc). I have a follow-up with the Cardiologist in June. In the meantime I am due to fly to Norway (in a fortnight) but I cannot get travel insurance. I have tried umpteen different providers but they have all said that, as Angina is a symptom rather than a condition, I cannot get insurance until all tests are done and a diagnosis has been made.
I am surprised by this, as this issue must come up regularly while people are awaiting tests. Has anyone got experience of this and knows how to overcome it?
Thanks in advance.
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Donkeyshed
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It appears travel insurerance providers often decline to offer insurance where there is not a diagnosis and/or tests or investigations are planned, I have personal experience of that. You could try a comparison site for travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions which will sort through potential insurers to see if any are willing to take you on and if you find some are, you can then take it from there. But the bottom line is you may find you are uninsurable or the premium they seek is very expensive especially if you have other medical conditions to declare. Unfortunately that's just how it is.
it’s possible you have phrased the answer to the medical screening in such a way that this is their only possible response.
You have received a diagnosis of angina. Tests are to ensure that the right treatment is prescribed. If this scenario is correct, try the website of Moneyhelper.org.uk.
An insurer cannot assess and therefore give you a price if it doesn’t know exactly what it is insuring. Like if you wanted to insure a house you are about to buy and when they ask you a question about subsidence you say “I’m waiting for a survey so I don’t know”.
Thanks all for the replies. All useful advice. I have tried Avanti and Moneyhelper but to no avail. Good points made, Happyrosie. Think I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed.
Some insurers might cover you for everything but the Angina related issue. Check the Ehic cover that might be available. If you have medical bills covered the remaining major uninsured matter is probably repatriation.
Unfortunately my experience is : if you’re awaiting diagnosis then no insurance. Thinking about it it makes sense, if anything medical happens on the trip and it’s due to the awaited investigation then you are not insurable. Insurers are not willing to risk their pot of money. It sucks but it’s how they operate. So sorry for you , must be terribly disappointing .
That said if you find someone to take you on we’d all love to know!
I knew this was a likely problem, so I didn't bother with foreign travel whilst my CHD was being specifically diagnosed. If you are travelling before you know of a health problem, Martin Lewis always says buy your insurance as soon as you book your travel
I have managed to get travel insurance when I had a diagnosis of angina pectoris, before I had my angiogram. I was waiting for it at the time. It was fairly pricey though. I will try look back to see who it was with
HI Andrew290171, I'd be interested to know who you insured with if possible. I am currently awaiting a CT angiogram. All other investigations okay. History of angina after heart attack. 3 year ago. Appreciate if you could let me know. Thank you.
From what i gather this is partly because the insurance company cannot calculate your risk, and the appropriate premium they have to charge, if you have no clear diagnosis
you might find a company to cover you but the premium is likely to be very expensive
if you do go it would be a good idea to check advice for flying with a heart condtion - the reduced air pressure makes the air "thinner", so the lungs have to work harder to get oxygen from the air and into your blood, this has an impact on the heart too
yep unfortunately as others have said that’s the way they operate. I’m covered for all my heart stuff but as the GP believes I’ve got a serious ligament problem in my hip he’s referred me to orthopaedics. He’s not a specialist in the field and I’ll need further investigations. The insurance won’t cover me for my hip issue. But as I’m covered for everything else I’m off to Luxembourg in a few weeks.
Hi Ewloe. I was interested in your reply. I have just been turned down for all my medical conditions because I am awaiting results of MRI on foot. Therefore particularly because of my angina and coronary heart disease I cannot risk going without medical cover.
Yes - me too. I 'played around' on a comparison website and if I don't have a pending investigation but a diagnosis like AF and px anti coagulants, I can get insurance but x 5 what I paid before AF came into my life. Pending investigations - it's a no insurance at all so far as I could see. And if you don't disclose and have a claim the insurance won't pay up. I think the GP has to sign off your claim so it could get complicated.
My husband is awaiting a diagnosis (not heart related though) and we've managed to get travel insurance with Staysure, but it excludes any claims relating to the condition that he's waiting for a diagnosis on. Is it possible to get the same thing when it relates to Angina/the heart I wonder? And the next question is, would you want to take that risk?
Travel insurance is just a nightmare, I had bought mine when I booked my holiday for New year in Spain and then in December I got a bowel cancer diagnosis with the operation booked for January. The surgeon said I was totally fit to fly nothing at all cancer related would happen. I phoned my insurance and they said they would not insure me within 6 weeks of diagnosis, I then asked if they would insure my heart and everything else I had declared again they said no 😭and cancelled my policy. I have booked and paid for a holiday in Crete in May pre diagnosis but I have yet to pluck up the courage to try and get insurance, although it's more than 6 weeks since surgery I need a follow up colonoscopy 🤞🤞 char
The only thing I would add to all the advice you have received is, try and speak to a human being on the phone rather than form filling online. I think most of the big insurers have that option. Good luck. Fingers crossed for you.
I only want to be insured for certain things. I have annual insurance with bank and have Af and HF ..they ask questions about anything else ..well I assume I have High BP ..but surely that’s what you have but if I go over two extras..no insurance.I avtually wonder what you’re paying for..it’s not private medical treatment ..they expect you to use local provision. In the EU this would be available for your GHIC card…so will they just cough up for “lost trips? Return flights..if you want to come back ..or is it cover if you can’t make your trip? It’s all very vague …it appears if you come from abroad to UK Zhou get priority over locals for medical treatment and no mention of payment..
What is your attitude to risk? Travel insurance is important but not essential in all countries. Norway for example has an excellent healthcare system and since 1st January 2024, British Passport Holders (and eu) get free emergency care and ambulance. Without insurance your travel companions would have to pay for accommodation if they stayed with you if you were taken into hospital. Like most of us on here, there are times when we are uninsureable for our health condition. Whilst I'm not advocating traveling without insurance there are options. Many insurance companies will offer insurance with your current condition excluded (LV for example) You then need to decide if the country you are travelling to can care for you in an emergency. Dare I say that in Norway, you won't be waiting 4 hours for an ambulance or sitting 12 hours in A&E if you present yourself there!
So many replies, and so many in similar situations. Thanks for all of the advice and input. I do see it from the Insurance Provider’s perspective; too much ‘unknown’ to take a risk.
Thanks joesmith123456, that is really useful to know. I will read into that before travelling. Regarding flying with angina, I did fly in November (prior to diagnosis) when I was experiencing the daily discomfort I was soon to discover was angina. I had no difficulties/discomfort on the flight, so hopefully that will still be the case. Seeking advice from the cardiologist might be a good idea, though.
I found the British Insurers Brokers Association (BIBA) helpful on the issue of finding cover for preexisting conditions, though these were not cardiac related at that time.
Have you tried All Clear? Are you trying for single trip insurance or annual insurance? The only company who would cover me for annual was All Clear, after speaking to someone on the phone I was offered a 20% discount on the online price but all of them were extremely expensive and none would cover for travel to the US etc.
As you have been refused insurance by some companies already, I think you then also have to declare that refusal in any other applications which makes it unlikely you will get accepted.
When an insurance company asks if you've been refused insurance, you answer Yes if you've either had a claim rejected, or your insurer has refused to offer you a renewal quote or you insurance was cancelled.
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