I am beginning to realise CLL might be serious.

[Flossy12]

I do not feel ill nor do I have any problems apart from osteoarthritis and old age. My white cell count has gradually increased by very slowly over the last year and I am told I have nothing to worry about but now I am told I cannot be insured to go on a cruise!!!! So, do I try every known insurance company or, as I think is sensible, ignore the CLL? Please does anyone have the same problem?

[ap64]

I think others might have some hints for you. Not a big traveller personally. You can get insurance gainst kidnapping so you probably can get some but it might be pricey.

[olyocl in reply to ap64]

Hi Flossy,

I was diagnosed with CLL 7 years ago. Started treatment October 2016. I enjoy travelling and had annual travel insurance from RBS which included CLL. Since I started treatment I had to cancel policy because they would no longer cover CLL.

Treatment is now finished and have booked cruise for late June, World First have insured me, which includes all my existing medical conditions for my weeks cruise for £130 and by the way I am over 70.

Life does go on after a CLL diagnosis.

Hope you have lots more holidays and cruises.

Olive

[Flossy12 in reply to olyocl]

Thank you Olive. That has cheered me up considerably. Shall try again for insurance. I think the trouble was mainly that I wanted to go cruising for a month and I am a very fit and able 85. Kind regards, Flossy

[olyocl in reply to Flossy12]

Have just realised, I think World First will only insure up to age 80, try Avanti they have no age restriction and they quoted me £219.59.

Happy cruising.

[Newdawn Administrator]

Hi Flossy,

Welcome as I see this is your first post. I'm assuming you're in the U.K. so suggest trying World First travel insurance. It's notoriously difficult to obtain travel insurance for a cruise and compounded by older age (sorry I don't know your age but you suggest you're more mature). It's worth a try;

world-first.co.uk/home/trav...

It's always risky to go uninsured for a condition because should you take ill, it would cost a great deal of money if you needed to be air-lifted off. You'd be duty bound to declare your CLL to the insurance company even if they weren't insuring it.

I haven't tried to get insurance yet this year and even though pre-treated, know it would cost a great deal to travel outside of Europe or take a cruise.

This doesn't mean you're not doing well and holding your own with the CLL. It simply means any unpredictable health condition will attract much higher premiums. Hope you manage to find cover and enjoy your cruise

Newdawn

[Flossy12]

Hi to Newdawn. Thank you . This is the info. you cannot get from doctors. They don't know why CLL started or what it will do, nor when it will do it. If I had not developed trouble with an ankle - eventually put down to osteoarthritis, my blood would not have been so thoroughly tested and the CLL would have remained undiscovered until something major appeared. That is what is annoying. There are people with CLL at the same stage as mine who do not know it, and therefore are not penalised when it comes to holidaying abroad. Oh, at 85 I am lucky to still be here. Kind regards and thank you. Flossy

[Jm954 Administrator]

Hi Flossy12,

I found World First were the best company last year. They asked the most sensible questions about treatment (I'm on Ibrutinib) and gave me a price of £154 for myself and my partner, who also has minor health issues, for an annual world wide policy inc USA etc. Good luck and enjoy your holiday.

Jackie

[Fowey2009]

Good to Go were very good for us after my husband had FCR (when World First declined him)

goodtogoinsurance.com/?gcli...

[carnvellan]

insurancewith.com insured me worldwide incl USA annual policy. Good luck.

[RJR1]

Diagnosed over 2 1/2 years ago, on Imbruvica for nearly a year now. Just booked a cruise for fall and medical conditions never came up

[Newbird in reply to RJR1]

Did your insurance cover the imbruvica? I get no response.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to RJR1]

I'm unsure what you mean by 'didn't come up' RJR1. Do you mean it wasn't an issue for the travel insurance or the medical questions weren't asked?

Just be sure that your insurance still covers you because non disclosure of pre-exisiting conditions can invalidate any travel insurance policy. I've seen people badly caught out by this.

Regards,

Newdawn

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to Newdawn]

I agree with Newdawn

10 years ago, I had to wire money to a CLL friend visiting Florida, because he got food poisoning and required medical care, but finally flew back to Canada on an emergency basis.

Please be certain you have fully CLL disclosed catastrophic travel insurance, and perhaps emergency 'fly home' coverage.

~chris

[Que-sera-sera]

I read with a little bit of wonderment about Travel insurance because I used to work for an airline (still have access to pass travel) and when I went on trips on my personal time, it never ocurred to me to get insurance. Is this something more common in the UK vs US? Or is it just my cluelesness...lol!

Nowadays though I primarily go on quick-short domestic trips, but I am a lot more aware of who's sneezing and coughing and even though it might be a short trip, it is often made a little long by traveling subject to space available and having to wait around airports. This past week I flew and there were plenty of people coughing who made me wish I was wearing a mask, but so far no cold or anything....so Knock on wood!

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero in reply to Que-sera-sera]

In Canada we have no U.S. health insurance, unlike the U.K. that has an interlocking system coverage in Europe...

Canadians frequently travel to the U.S. or Mexico.. any medical procedures are out of pocket... the same too applies for U.S. citizens travelling to Canada... both need travel medical insurance...

Don't leave home without it!