Travel medical insurance

[Brora71]

Hi. Can anyone recommend any reasonable  medical travel insurers. I'm 45 with pcd, bronchiectasis and have just been prescribed o2 at night time only. I have to take a portable o2 concentrator with me. We are travelling from uk to Florida for 2 weeks and I have been shopping around for insurance which so far has ranged from £1100 - £2500. I am in shock at these excessive prices. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them. Many thanks 

[TerryBun Administrator]

Hi

There are some travel insurance companies listed on the PCD FSG website at this link,

pcdsupport.org.uk/index.php...

You could try those, but not sure you will get anything for much less.  This is the reason I have stopped travelling to see family who live in Tampa, Florida, it costs much more for travel insurance in the States, because of their medical system.  The minute you mention oxygen it whacks the price right up.  Whatever you do don't mention, when you are going through the medical screening for the insurance, that it is like CF, just say you have  Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia, which is what it is.

Have you had a fitness to fly test?  Quite important as you will probably find you need oxygen for the whole flight and this will also tell you how many litres per minute you will need and if indeed you are suitable for a long haul flight.

Good luck and safe travels

Terry

[Brora71 in reply to TerryBun]

Thank you Terry. I will check them out. 

[TerryBun Administrator in reply to TerryBun]

BTW, even if you have a portable concentrator with you, you need back up of oxygen tanks, in case of breakdown.  They do say never rely solely on a concentrator.  Mine has broken down more than once and I'm now on my second concentrator.

This is another extra cost on top of the travel insurance and can push up the price of your holiday, last time I went to France it cost me over £300 to organise the oxygen the other end.  

It also takes quite a bit of organising, so allow yourself plenty of time.

Terry

[Brora71]

Thank Terry.. I go tomorrow 😁. Only just started on oxygen so wasn't prepared!! 

[Jinny1978]

Hi Bora71,

Try holidayextras.co.uk they have a section for travel insurance & pre-existing conditions. We used them for holiday insurance for a 10 day trip to USA, it cost just £253 to cover a family of 4 including one adult with PCD. There were no complex forms to fill in, the online application even had a 'tick box' for PCD so we didnt have to explain what it was.

Hope that helps, have a great trip  

[Brora71]

Thank you Jinny I will try them..

[mamaross]

Hi, one of my sons has PCD and severe asthma and all 4 of my sons have recently been diagnosed as having haemophilia.  We've always had an annual family travel policy with Direct Line Travel and have always found them really reasonable.  The cost has went up quite a bit over the last year or two as they seem to have come to the realisation that PCD can cause more complications than kartageners, which they bundle it with although my son doesn't have situs inversus.  We pay about £400 for an annual world-wide (including USA) travel policy for the 7 of us (myself, my husband, 4 sons and daughter).  We have declared that my son needs twice daily nebulisers but he doesn't need oxygen so Im not sure what their policy is on that.  Good luck x

[Brora71]

Many thanks mamaross