Travel insurance

[Melwoods]

I'm going abroad in July, what insurance do I need ?

Tia

[Hils67]

Hi Tia,

I think it depends how advanced your PBC is. I've got ordinary travel insurance but I did ring them and ask about pbc. They only had PB Cirrhosis on their list not cholangitis. When I did the online form and put in pbc I had to fill out lots of questions, like was I on a transplant list, was I waiting on operations, what drugs I took etc...after I'd filled all that out my premium went up but just by a few pounds and the policy states I'm not covered for any PBC related illness on holiday. This is fine by me as I'm only in stage 1 and only symptoms are tiredness and a bit of itching...so this wouldn't affect my holiday.

So if you're in early stages you shouldn't have to fork out too much for travel insurance. I'm sure it would be a lot higher though if you were in late stages though.

Hope this helps. I got a multi trip travel insurance through Alpha travel and it was under £50 for multi trip for me and my partner. And last year I had to claim for a cancelled holiday as my dad was rushed to hospital the day before our holiday. And they paid out the full amount...although it did take 3 months and lots of forms and repeated phone calls. So even the cheapy insurance companies do pay out if circumstances are right.

Hilary x

[emerich]

Hi melwoods

I found All clear to be the cheapest. I have had pbc for about 7 years (few minor symptoms) and a heart attack. Both are covered.

[Debbiem40]

I've never declared it to be honest. I've had it for 14 years, but am pretty much asymptomatic. And honestly, nothing much can happen in 1 week out of 52!

[emerich in reply to Debbiem40]

Hi Debbiem40,

I know what you mean but if you read the small print, any conditions you haven't declared makes your policy invalid. So if you say broke a bone, or needed a doctor for anything, the insurance company contacts your gp for your records and would find out you had pbc. Doesn't have to be anything to with pbc, so in effect you're not covered at all. I know some company's will give you cover but exclude pbc, but you obviously have to tell them you have it to get that.

[Debbiem40]

Not true Emerich. I had an eye infection on holiday in Turkey couple of years ago and our insurance paid the bill, even though I hadn't declared the PBC. Whereas if my liver was suddenly to go in decline and I hadn't declared the PBC then no, they wouldn't pay up.

[GrittyReads in reply to Debbiem40]

Hi Debbilem40,

From my lengthy discussions with many Travel Insurance people (I was given an 'odd' diagnosis, so I've often had long talks with their medical people) most - probably all - Travel Insurance Companies state in their 'Terms and Conditions' that any undeclared medical condition can invalidate the policy completely, even if the medical case that causes a claim was unrelated to the undeclared condition.

It may be that you got lucky and the eye condition and/or the cost of treatment was deemed insignificant, and so your TI company didn't check with your GP, or ... maybe didn't think it was worth the fuss and dealing with claims & bad publicity etc. I think the expert companies who deal specifically with TI for older people and/or those with significant medical conditions are particularly tough about demanding that 'everything' is declared. These companies are often already charging higher cover fees, but then they are often paying out large amounts if someone has a heart attack, needs a serious operation, or is in a car accident.

It is worth reading through their entire policy booklet, even though it is sleep inducing! The last one I had was 70 pages long, but contained lots of changes, and some surprises. For example, the warnings about not taking a canoe beyond a certain depth in the sea, or not taking a (perfectly safe and tame) walk if it was above a certain altitude, had both been tightened. I also noticed - for the first time - that if I was taken ill on a plane, and the plane diverted to get me to a hospital, then although medical expenses would be covered, I was not covered for the actual cost of the plane diversion. I think this was a relatively new change.

I 'Googled' ... and discovered there had been a big case, a few years ago, now, where a woman had to pay aeroplane diversion costs - and medical expenses - because she had a mild panic attack on the plane. Cabin staff thought she was having a heart attack and the plane diverted, But, although she had no heart condition - nor was she prone to panic attacks - in checking her Medical Records, the TI company discovered she had not declared a recent change, where her GP had given her an inhaler as he thought she might be developing mild asthma . Even though the asthma was not the cause of her attack on the plane, her policy was invalidated. If you read around you will find plenty more horror stories.

I just remind myself that these companies are not doing TI out of the goodness of their hearts, but are in the game solely to make a profit. A few years ago the Ombuds' Office ordered Travel Insurance Companies to tighten up their acts: this was because the Ombudsman's Office was overwhelmed with claims from travellers about TI Companies who were not clear in their policies. The TI companies were told to make their policies clearer and more precise - particularly their definitions of 'pre-existing medical conditions' ... but as far as I can see this has not been done.

[Godfrey1]

I've recently got insurance for both a European and Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand holiday. I always declare my pbc because they can invalidate your insurance if you don't declare it.

I did shop around and paid £52 for the European trip and £280 for the long haul but I'm away for a month for that one.

If you ring the PBC foundation they will let you have a list of who is offereing and giving the best price insurance for pbc at the moment. This does change so even though I'm with NOW INSURANCE and AVANTI they may not necessarily still be the best price today.

Have a great holiday

Lorraine x

[nomorepies]

Just back from holiday, I use World First travel who specialise in travel insurance for people with existing medical conditions, very reasonable.