Travel Insurance

[suesal123]

I see that some people on this site are travelling to places as far afield as the USA. I would like to do some travelling and was wondering how difficult is it to get insurance with cancer and have you any tips?

[Billculbard]

Hi there.

I had lung cancer in 2000, and after I finished treatment, we travelled to the USA for a month holiday, (a year after treatment ended). I had/have a RBS Royalties Gold account, which gives free travel insurance up to age 70. On checking with them at the time, they said all that was required was a letter from my GP., saying I was fit to travel.

We've since been back the the US a few times, and have used the same insurance. Other banks may have the same facility.

Best wishes, Bill

[Hidden]

Hi Sue,

I have travelled all over the place since my diagnosis 16 months ago. To start with I just went to europe as if any thing happened I had my E111 card so I would get treatment. I looked into insurance covering me for lung cancer and it was going to cost around £1050 for a single trip!

As time went on and I got good scan results (I a stage 4 inoperable on Iressa) I decided that if the scan was good nothing was going to happen in the near future so we would just take our chances. I have travel insurance for everthing but lung cancer. We have now also been to Jamaica (following the October scan) and we are now travelling for 3 weeks around the USA (following the June scan). Since being in the USA I have found out that they will treat you at the hospital without insurance and they have a duty of care to do this. They do enough to make you stable and fit to fly home which to be honest is all they would do anyway even with insurance. We are also going to Mexico in October.

I am fit to fly though and although I have stage 4 NSCLC I am very fit and well with no symptoms, whilst I feel think this I am doing as much as I can, I'll be running out of money before I run out of time lol.

hope that helps.

Lyn.

ps Roy Castle do have some details of insurance companies who will insure people with cancer but personally I would rather spend the money on another holiday!

[suesal123 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the info. I too feel well at the moment so will probably just take the usual insurance. We're off to Croatia in September as long as I feel OK on the new tablets. May have to start planning a few more holidays - after all the doctor did say to try to limit my stress levels and what better way than a holiday!!

Best Wishes

Sue

[chelemc]

hi sue, i usually just take a basic holiday insurance so im covered for cancellation, lost luggage etc and just take a chance with the health ! I think i remember someone mentioning that macmillan tend to do one of the best insurances but that was a few years ago I agree with lin forget the health insurance and book another holiday instead!