Travel Insurance for CLL'ers UK

[FairweatherSailor]

Apologies for raising this topic as I know it has been covered before. If anyone can refer me to the relevant discussion / advice that would be much appreciated. I have today been looking at travel insurance in the UK and it is very depressing. On the positive side we do enjoy the old EHIC/new GHIC card which gives us cover across Europe - but does not cover the usual travel insurance items and repatriation. I was hoping to get an annual travel policy but unfortunately no insurer (that I have yet tried) was prepared to offer it. This is a problem for us as we would normally spend 3 months or more per year in Europe (often France) and the costs of individual trip insurance was eye watering. Particularly if travel to either US or Caribbean was involved. Has anyone recently been able to find annual (multi trip) travel policies which are available to CLL'ers in the UK ? I would be very glad to hear of others experiences. Thank you.

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

This is the most recent discussion.

there is one other post 1 year ago--to find that:

See the line above your open post: Home Post Members About

Choose "Post" (will underline green) and go to the Right of you post and find SEARCH.

Type in Travel Insurance UK. Voila! you get years worth of posts in that regard, but most will not be helpful for the situation of travel now, i suppose.

[FairweatherSailor in reply to cllady01]

Thank you. Very helpful information.

[P444ete]

World First insurance. I’ve used them for years since I was diagnosed. No problems getting insurance with them

[FairweatherSailor in reply to P444ete]

Thank you. They are now on the list to try !

[223dogs]

I've used Boots in the past but confess I haven't travelled in the last 16 months so not sure if it's still any good. Good luck

[FairweatherSailor in reply to 223dogs]

Thanks I will give them a try.

[CguLLer]

I use Insurancewith which I found through a recommendation on here. Cover for CLL is no problem. I buy the annual multi trip policy. I won’t pretend it’s cheap but cost will depend on your stage of treatment which they will determine during the on line screening process. I only take out the Europe cover but was able to extend for a small extra premium for a trip to Canada.

David

[FairweatherSailor in reply to CguLLer]

Thanks for this. Worth a try. I don't think that there is a cheap Travel Insurance option. But some are much more than others. I am particularly keen to get an annual policy if possible. I am on W&W (A0) . Would you be able to share the annual cost ? Understand if you would rather not.

[CguLLer in reply to FairweatherSailor]

Sorry for late reply but could not find the paperwork as have not travelled for the last year. Last premium paid was £181. This was for the Platinum policy annual MT policy. Note that on my medical declaration most of my answers were No ie. not awaiting tests or treatment, not admitted to hospital recently, WBC less than 11, platelets within normal range, do you suffer frequent opportunistic infections etc.

I am 7 years post FCR with continuing stable blood levels so would assume I am deemed as low risk.

Hope this is of some help

David

[FairweatherSailor in reply to CguLLer]

Thanks. That's really interesting. I am on W&W (since 2016), have no symptoms and treatment is not considered necessary any time soon. And my answers were pretty much "no" to everything. But my white count is above "11.0" I think this may be what's causing me problems with some insurers. I am awaiting a response from InsuranceWith - fingers crossed !

[FeistyGirl]

Initially I had cover with Saga but they wanted to know about every other thing I’d seen my GP for in the previous 2 years and added extra premiums for even the most minor things that people wouldn’t declare! I then discovered that I was able to purchase 50+ insurance by joining the Civil Service Sporting Club, membership is open to anyone who has worked in a vast number of Public Sector roles which includes NHS, Teaching etc. There’s a small monthly fee to join (less than £5 a month) which comes with many perks e.g. free entry to English Heritage properties and then you can access their Travel Insurance. It’s a World Wide policy, flat rate premium got all (think it’s around £375 this year) payable every April. They don’t ask any questions about pre-existing conditions, just state you must be “fit to travel”. They may not be the cheapest but we look upon it as a monthly outgoing so it doesn’t seem so much! So worth looking at if either of you had public sector jobs. There is a list of eligible jobs on the website and includes retirees too.

[FairweatherSailor in reply to FeistyGirl]

Thanks. This is worth investigating as my wife worked in the NHS for 35 years !

[zaax]

I use world-first.co.uk/ which is cheaper than when I didn't know I had CLL, but of course what Covid adds to the mix us another question