Travel insurance and PMR

[Deemar]

My son and family live in NZ. It's 3 years now since we returned from our last visit. I would dearly like to return next winter for several months. I was diagnosed with PMR last June and hopefully will be stabilised by the time we would leave. Has anyone else had experience of obtaining travel insurance with our problem?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Went to NZ last Christmas to visit my daughter. I got travel insurance with LV. Annual premium for worldwide, less USA cost less than £100. Advised GCA, OA plus problems with glaucoma and cataract (last two now okay thankfully). Additional questions asked about OA I.e. Problems with neck, back etc. , but no further questions about GCA or PMR.

Suggest you trawl Internet for quotes, you are under no obligation. But don't think you'll have a problem.

Where does your son live? Super country, going back soon!

[Deemar in reply to DorsetLady]

Many thanks, Dorset Lady, sounds promising. My son lives near Warkworth, north of Auckland. Where in Dorset are you? We used to live over the border in East Devon.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Deemar]

Hi,

Live not far from Dorchester, and about nine miles from Weymouth.

My daughter lives near Methven on South Island in the shadow of Mt Hutt, also has a batch on East coast south of Oamaru near Moeraki.

[Annodomini]

When my PMR was diagnosed, I thought I ought to tell my insurer (my bank) about it, as they are fussy about pre-existing conditions. They were completely cool about it. It's my age (74) that bumps up the premiums rather than my medical history!

[Deemar in reply to Annodomini]

Thanks, Annodomini, I suspect I shall have the same problem as I'm not that much younger than you!

Dorset Lady. We camper vanned around South Islamd a few years ago, stayed by the beach and the boulders at Moeraki. Stunning place!

[Annodomini]

I remember those boulders. Quite unique. Sister is retired GP in Christchurch so I've seen a good bit of NZ. If I can reduce to a very minimal dose of pred, I might go back nixt spring (ours not theirs).

[Gaz227]

Hi Deemar, I sorted mine out yesterday for a trip to Mexico this summer, if you already have a travel insurance policy and was diagnosed after you took the policy out your condition will be honoured. If you take out a new policy they must be informed as a pre- existing condition , PMR was on the list of conditions but not in the high risk category so your premium providing you haven't got a list of others problems to add to the list shouldn't be to bad . Shop around . Hope that's useful .

[pollyg263]

they don't add anyhing on my insurance for pmr. and I have used 2 different insurances while having pmr. and neither add it

[pollyg263]

lol maybe they have never heard of it so don't think its an illness I never heard of it till I got it

[PMRandRA in reply to pollyg263]

Possibly Polly and I hadn't heard f it either, GCA yes, I had heard of it as Temporal Arteritis as someone I knew had it in the 90's.

It's nice to know that the insurers see PMR as low risk though!

[Deemar]

Many thanks. Very reassuring.

[moskin]

Hello,Yes I did get insurance ,but it did put it up ,for a years insurance it was about £300

[jinasc]

Banks and Saga.

[hiandri]

Hi Deemar,

Appreciate this reply is 2 years after the posting but for the benefit of others, I had taken out travel insurance with World Care - Allianz . I already had a pre-existing condition when I took out the policy in Dec 2016 for a May 2017 trip. In the meantime I was diagnosed with PMR. I notified my insured today and the response was , noted the amendment, not a problem, no additional cost! Needless to say they got a big pat on the back, so if anyone is having problems, give them a try, their prices are very good. It is good to see another Kiwi making a contribution! Regards John