Travel insurance when in remission

[Sandywhatsit]

Does anyone have experience of taking out travel insurance when their CLL has been declared as being in deep remission? I'm unsure as to whether or not I still need to declare a pre-existing condition.

[Newdawn Administrator]

Oh absolutely you do. I’m in remission and have just renewed our travel insurance. I simply declared the CLL as in remission and truthfully they took little interest in it but probably weighted the premium to factor it in. Insurance is more interested in unresolved issues that are still being investigated and amaze me how they fuss about minor ailments still receiving treatment and seem to by-pass major medical conditions that are more settled.

However, they need to know of all pre-existing conditions particularly as we remain under medical monitoring even if it’s at a lower level. My view is the thing I haven’t told them about is the thing that will invalidate a claim.

I used StaySure incidentally for a family annual policy. Yes it was pricey relatively speaking but understandably so given other family member’s circumstances.

Newdawn

[Sandywhatsit in reply to Newdawn]

Thank you for your reply. I suspected this would be the case while hoping it was not!

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Sandywhatsit]

It may not increase the premium massively but I’m wary where insurance is concerned because they can use a pre existing condition as causation. For example, as we remain immune compromised to some degree, even in remission, a serious infection on holiday could be attributed to the CLL so what they know won’t hurt us!

Happy holidays 😊

Newdawn

[AnneHill in reply to Newdawn]

I imagine I will need to mention the ivig.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to AnneHill]

As it’s an ongoing treatment, it shouldn’t cause any issues Anne.

My experience (hard fought) is never use expressions like, ‘waiting for’, ‘still investigating’, ‘needs further tests’ etc. because anything unresolved that could bite them in the wallet freaks them out! I was waiting to start treatment but decided to seek a specialist consult just to confirm I was on the right treatment track. That was enough for them to refuse me cover even though it made no material difference to my CLL. They struggle with the complexities of chronic conditions and even telling them you have annual diabetic eye tests makes them wonder if you’re awaiting results even though it’s a routine yearly check.

The last insurance guy I spoke to was like pulling very painful teeth and he had such a detrimental effect on my b/p, I think they’d have increased the premium if I’d reported it! 😵‍💫🤪

Newdawn

[AnneHill in reply to Newdawn]

Thats reassuring. I will be careful how I say things. The travel insurance is attached to my bank account. If I didnt have health issues I wouldnt need to contact them. Its only a week but if I broke a bone they would blame it on something else. A friends husband had a heart attack in India. He needed major surgery and they looked after her too. Good insurance clearly.

[Michaeljohn50]

Good morning,

We have a "Gold Plus Annual Multi-trip" with European coverage from AllClear travel insurance, for a couple, at a cost of £580. The CLL questions were straightforward; not undergoing treatment currently or any planned. We follow the same "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth" approach to insurance declarations as Newdawn. Avoids unnecessary drama and (self) confusion. The insurer is Zurich.

All the best,

Michael

[stevesmith1964]

HiYes, you have to declare CLL and any other conditions, regardless if you are in remission. If you don't and say get sepsis for example while on holiday you will not be covered. I am in remission and use Avanti annual cover , circa 450 quid for Europe. I am resigned to travelling further as the insurance for US, asiapac and Oz are too expensive.

[Alan20]

I have used Avanti, they were the best price - I haven’t tried to claim yet, thankfully.

[MovingForward4423]

always declare! You will be in trouble if you come down with anything related to CLL, and they will find out you have the disease. CLL is not readily curable (or at least they don’t know that yet).

Since I have been off treatment my Travel Insurance has dropped considerably, vs when I was on Ibrutinib.

If you do not declare the condition your travel insurance will be at risk, and they may not pay when you need it most.

[MovingForward4423 in reply to MovingForward4423]

as a note I use AllClear annual policy. Simple questions about what you have, and are you on treatment. I found other insurance companies tiresome and difficult. I did read that the financial ombudsman is looking in to cancer cover, and most of the time we present little more risk than people without cancer.

[RutlandDon in reply to MovingForward4423]

I am at very early stage of W&W having been diagnosed 9 months ago, aged 61. Again is it necessary to declare my CLL? Consultant suggested I could ask for the CLL to be excluded from the cover but perhaps that may be risky as insurance companies will always try to find a way to weasel out of settling?

[NavyDavy in reply to RutlandDon]

Hi Don.

No insurance company would touch us due to my wife's recent cardiac arrest and breast cancer. Before those events the existing annual policy for both of us, under age 70, was around £100 worldwide.

After those events, which occurred within a year of each other, Staysure were the only company I found prepared to quote.

The annual policy was around £700, but we had to have cruise cover included, so that put another couple of hundred on the policy.

Staysure were very thorough in their assessment. I had to call them and during the conversation my wife's CLL cropped up. She is Watch and Wait. Staysure said they had to call me back, which they did. We then had to answer several questions regarding CLL, how long since diagnosis, how regular 'bloods' were taken, signs of enlarged lymph nodes, etc. So someone there has done some research. That added another £100. So just short of £1000 for worldwide and cruise cover for 2 persons under 70 years old.

This year, thankfully, some of my wife's heart medications are no longer prescribed and we have also dropped the cruise cover which cut the premium by half.

As others have commented, sprain an ankle on holiday and if the insurance find out you are diagnosed with CLL, and you haven't declared it, you won't get paid out.

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to RutlandDon]

Yes you need to declare CLL at any stage Don because it represents unpredictability from immune compromisation and the insurance company need to know. Your Consultant is technically right in saying you can ask for exclusion of the CLL but it’s very unwise to do so because I can guarantee they’ll use this should you contract a respiratory illness etc.

In the early days I didn’t find insurance cover difficult to obtain but always get a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) too. It has replaced the EHIC once the existing one expires I believe. Most insurance companies insist on them in Europe in case the public health care services can dealt with something in the first instance.

Newdawn

[RosettaClapp in reply to RutlandDon]

You risk not being covered at all if you don't declare CLL.. Not only that many other diseases and infections could well be related to your CLL.. (my French anethesis said an infected appendix could have well been caused by CLL for one instance)

[MovingForward4423 in reply to RutlandDon]

You need to declare it, and you can’t exclude it. CLL is not something that has a clear cut symptoms and effects so that wouldn’t be an option.

[Nucleusman]

sraysure too expensive several online comparison sites better

[Newdawn Administrator in reply to Nucleusman]

Just be very careful that ‘cheaper’ doesn’t mean less adequately covered. I’ve found that StaySure do a fully comprehensive medical screening but as with all companies, they’re only as good as the result of the any claim made. I check reviews and TrustPilot feedback on any company like this. Always read the T&C’s.

If there is complexity to the condition like treatment and other co-morbidities, I’ve found only certain travel companies will insure. It can be a bit of a minefield so I’m afraid insurance cost has to be factored in when travelling with CLL.

Newdawn

[wizzard166]

Most travel insurance policies don't have medical questions. They simply ask what your nationality is, where you live, what country you are going to, and how long you will be in that country, and of course your age and sex.

In essence they do not underwrite at time of approval, they underwrite at time of claim; of course, they will not pay for anything that you had a pre existing condition for.

Carl

[wizzard166 in reply to wizzard166]

I should have added that my answer is for short term travel policies, like a week or a month or so. There are International Travel Health Insurance meant for long term stays in a different country. Those of course have applications similar to the regular ones we have in countries with Underwriting.

Carl

[mrsjsmith in reply to wizzard166]

Carl,

U.K. travel insurances are very different and want every medical detail, to not declare could invalidate the cover.

Colette

[wizzard166 in reply to mrsjsmith]

Collette

Your system makes more sense. I've always disliked the health insurance policies here that practiced underwriting at time of claim. They truly mislead applicants into a false sense of security.

Carl

[mrsjsmith in reply to wizzard166]

Carl in theory it makes more sense but in reality we have to be so careful about declaring everything. Just looked through my home insurance policy recently, before I fell asleep, and we have to be so careful with all the T and C’s.

Colette

[MovingForward4423 in reply to wizzard166]

Pre existing always have to be declared at the time of taking out a policy. There will always be a question related to current health conditions. Cancer is always defined clearly in those questions. Even insurance provided with bank accounts, has terms and conditions related to existing health conditions.

[RutlandDon]

All responses to my tag on query re travel insurance during early W&W are very gratefully received, thanks. Very much as suspected in sense that I will need cover. Still feel penalised when no significant major symptoms. Happy Days 🙃

[MovingForward4423 in reply to RutlandDon]

try AllClear for the UK. They make it easy to apply and get accepted online. You rarely need to speak to anyone.

[Photogal21]

I use Geo Blue but it may be for United States