Travel insurance

[Chross]

I have recently been diagnosed with GCA, and i am booked for a cruise in Feb, but cannot get travel insurance, I am going onto the clinical trial and as soon as I say that then no one will Insure me! Anyone out there able to help me? So disappointed!

[jinasc]

As you are going to take part in a Clinical Trial, I am not surprised you cannot get insurance. Which insurance company is going to cover you when neither them or the medics (who might be on board) would know what they were dealing with if anything happened to you on the cruise.

When taking part in a clinical trial, you need to be close to the place the trial is being conducted in.................anything can go wrong, which is why, in most cases you are given a 24 hour contact number, depending on the type of trial.

You do have an options.

As say you are go to 'take part' you can pull out of the trial and go on the cruise.

Or take part in the clinical trial (which I would do, as taking part in a clinical trial means you are getting first class, gold standard close medical attention) and cancel the cruise.

Cruises are available all the time, taking part in a Clinical Trial is not.

To me, it is a 'no brainer'.

[Chross in reply to jinasc]

I agree 100% with what you say, this has just happened to me, not quite got my head round it yet (It's been too sore! ) but deffo the trial for me, I just wondered. Thanks for your reply.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Chross]

I have to say - I wouldn't have booked a cruise without insurance in place!

[Chross in reply to PMRpro]

My cruise was booked ages ago and I had insurance. I took a headache that lasted 3 weeks to which I was attending my Dr with. That was in May, this has been very quick and totally out if the blue, I have never been in hospital before now, no I'll health at all, so booking my cruise was next on my bucket list! I'm still learning about the conditions. early days for me.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Chross]

If you took out insurance in April or any time before you were taken ill, you are still covered by that. That is why you have insurance - in case the situation changes. If you develop a chronic condition then they will probably not renew the insurance or if they do it will be at a far higher premium. But if you have insurance from when you booked - it is still valid for the trip.

On the other hand - if I were enrolled on a trial I would postpone the trip. And the loss will be covered by the insurance on the grounds of ill-health and doctor's advice.

[Chross in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, thank you, to me the trial is far more important than my cruise, even if not for me but for the future of others.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Clinical trial or clinical study? Who with?

[Chross]

Clinical study of sirukumab.anti-il-6 for active giant cell ARTERITIS.

[Roy46]

My travel insurance is with Nationwide. It's free in Europe provided I credit my account with £X a month, which I do. My GCA started three years ago. I called nationwide and they said even with GCA my travel insurance is still valid. I asked for a letter to confirm, which they duly provided for me. It's a most valuable piece of paper!!