Hi there. I am finding that the additional costs I have to pay on top of my husband and I's travel insurance is rising steeply each year. I am 58 and have APLS symptoms for over 13 years sometimes worse than others, following a stroke about 13 years ago.
Can anyone recommend a travel insurance company that understands and covers APLS?
I am pretty sure that last time I booked some it was via 'Freedom Insurance', sorry currently on a train and the internet not great. Will send you more recommendations once I can later on tonight. MaryF
Hi, Ive gone with Freedom for many years, since it was recommended on the notice board at the Louise Coote Lupus centre at St Thomas's.
They know about Hughes/APS, and I dont seem to be penalised for having had strokes.
Tel no: 01223 446914
I use Mia, might be worth a try, my GP writes a letter saying that I am healthy enough to travel and to go on holiday something like that anyway.
AXA have been very good with my wife, we have cancelled 2 holidays in the passed 6 months due to the illness and they have paid out no issue and our premium only went up £30.
My travel insurance is only via my HSBC Advance Account and I pay no additional fee for anything and I declare:
APS. Sjogrens. Lupus. Long QT Syndrome
It's valid up to 65 or maybe 70
My dad uses Saga as he is 70 now, but that's expensive.
My son is with Lloyds and they charge £50 just for Long QT Syndrome
The critical thing with insurance is getting a policy that will pay out on a claim, otherwise you may as well decide you are insuring yourself and save 100% of the premium.
I put travel insurance into roughly 3 categories:
a) those who insure almost everyone based on population risk for age/sex (most do have a few exclusions for terminally ill or traveling for treatment or against medical advice)
b) those who ask detailed health questions to accurately determine your risk
c) those who ask detailed health questions to reduce _their_ risk of paying a claim (because you will have answered something "wrong")
In my view someone with APS is always going to be higher risk than general population, so I go for (a) because it'll be a good deal. If you get a lower quote after declaring APS then you are probably dealing with a (c) - I don't want to deal with (c)s anymore, because now I have APS my medical files (like most of us) are several inches thick, if there is sufficient incentive (i.e. a large claim) they _will_ be able to find something somewhere that I have declared "wrong".
Annual multi-trip policies should be avoided (most won't cover APS anyway, mine dropped me after diagnosis), they are a money saver for healthy people only. Insure the trip - that way you know exactly what you are paying for the trip (inc. insurance) and exactly what your health status is when booking/insuring, and you will be covered for any changes between booking and departure (you may need to tell the insurer and they might in some cases tell you not to go - but then they have to pay out for the cancellation).
First thing I look for is a policy from travel agent, tour operator, etc. at point of booking - they are often type (a) and they also have an incentive to sell you insurance with the booking and a responsibility (in the case of an agent) to sell you appropriate insurance. Yes, these are the policies that we all used to avoid as they were said to be a rip off and you were better shopping around - but again, that is advice for the healthy. Accept that you are no longer in that category and that a quote for an average person your age is probably good value for you, and don't waste time answering loads of questions that are just there to exclude you - either at the point of quote or (worse) at the point of claim.
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