Travel insurance

[is-sul]

I've just been refused travel insurance from World First. The questions that throws me out is:

Do you have a high white cell count? high being 11 or 1100 per cubic millimetre. My stats show my WBC count as 78 so I answered yes. I've tried talking to them but it's all in the algorithms and so no one has any idea. They did insure me two years ago with same answers to all questions. I'm on W&W and other than CLL in good health.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so found a solution?

I'd just give up holidays but have family that live abroad.

Thanks Is

[Jm954 Administrator]

That does seem silly and World First are usually pretty good from what members say of they're experiences with them.

To the right of your post are all the related posts, hopefully you can find something helpful there.

Please let us know what happens

Jackie

[stunned]

Hi,

I booked a holiday to San Francisco and managed to get travel insurance for me and my friend for £120 for 5 nights on the basis that i wasn't having treatment. I am at work now and cant remember the name of the company but i will let you know when i get home...

Unfortunately due to my increased WBC, 220, i have had to cancel the holiday as i have been advised not to fly....the long flight in an air conditioned plane plus the risk of DVT. gutted but better healthy.

[devonrr in reply to stunned]

I travelled from the U.K. to China when my wbc was 220 and hgb 10.

Consultant said fine. He had no worries about the flights just the possibility of infection whilst there for 3 weeks.

My consultant also promoted holidays away during FCR!

No problems. Usual hand gel and wipes etc and careful when choosing food. But you won’t have that. Just fidget and stand up often.

On the plane I always use First Defence whilst waiting for take off.

Made by Vicks, a nasal spray. Even my “healthy” relatives use it to try and keep airborne nasties away.

So you can go if you can get insurance.

[stunned in reply to devonrr]

I am not prepared to go against medical advice, its not worth the risk. At the time it was touch and go as to whether i needed to start treatment or not as my lymph nodes were greatly enlarged and my WBC had shot up dramatically.

At the meeting to discuss test results and possible treatment it was decided that treatment could be delayed but that i would need check ups more often, every 4 weeks.

I asked about my holiday and was strongly advised against it due to the length of the flights and the length of time spent in airports, the risk of DVT and due to the cost of health care in America and the possibility of the insurance company not paying out to get me home, ( insurance companies are very good at trying anything they can to get out of paying out, i know i used to work in the industry).

Given i have 2 very young grandchildren and a third due next March, i wasn't prepared to risk it for the sake of a 5 day holiday.

If everything settles down and i am still on W&W i will consider holidays next year, but probably ones with shorter flight times.

[AdrianUK in reply to devonrr]

We Should be very careful about applying specific advice given to us by our doctors knowing the full details of our case to others who may have very different things going on that the doctor is aware of.

[Newdawn Administrator]

I had the same refusal from World First this year too. I suspect they think the risk is increasing the longer we insure with them!

I was insured without issue by Freespirit;

freespirittravelinsurance.c...

Hope you get sorted.

Newdawn

[patagozon]

I use to travel abroad quite a bit and never purchased travel insurance. I haven't traveled abroad since I was diagnosed with CLL (nothing to do with CLL). Is this something you are doing because you have CLL, or is it something many people do even if they are perfectly healthy?

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to patagozon]

It’s a requirement in the U.K. particularly Patagozon because whilst we have reciprocal health arrangements for public medical care in EU countries (using a EHIC card), private insurance is needed for repatriation, additional costs, lost luggage and medical care that cannot be provided in public hospitals.

I’m not sure if you’re in the USA where people may have private health insurance and travel within the US but with a reliance on the NHS, we need to cover ourselves regardless of CLL. if we leave our own shores.

Regards,

Newdawn

[Elizabetha]

Yes, I had the same problem. It's due to misleading question.

I posted on this very subject earlier in the year . Click on my avatars and you should find the whole thread and the eventual positive conclusion.

Good luck.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo... - Admin

[is-sul in reply to Elizabetha]

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm now insured with World First and even better with no excess. I have always had an excess in past but that one change in answer has made all the difference - sanity and holiday now saved!

[stunned]

hi, as promised, but a little later than planned, the name of the travel company I used, HolidaySafe travel insurance.

They insured me to travel having CLL for £120 but the excesses on the policy were loaded, so as well as the £60 standard excess per person, it had an additional £200 per person excess,

When I called them re cancelling my holiday, the lady I spoke to was very helpful as because I had only paid the deposit for my holiday which was less than the excesses, she suggested I just cancel the policy and she would refund me half the cost of the policy.

I had explained why I was cancelling and a few days later I received flowers and a card with best wishes.

When I did a quote on their website for insurance with CLL and having treatment the cost sky rocketed to £973 for 5 days.

Hope you get something sorted.

Anne

[alexmcg48]

World First refused me travel insurance, even though they have in the past, because I was on a waiting list for a hip replacement.

I went to a company called All Clear who were just as through & didn't throw me out because of my hip & their costs weren't that excessive.

[Angus1953]

Hi I have struggled to get insurance for my partner with cll he’s having FCR treatment I managed to get it with allcear

It cost £1055.00 for the year.

Good luck