Holiday insurance.. declare PMR?

[Allsgrandso]

Just about to book travel insurance and wondering if I should/need to mention PMR as a pre existing medical illness? Thanks guys 🙏

[nevagivup]

I believe I did, when I went to Norway three years ago. It's not a disease likely to land you in hospital I took a supply of Prednisolone in case I had a flare, and that would be the best way to manage it. Can't recall who I insured with, sorry, or I would give you the link.

[Soraya_PMR]

I insured with Age Concern last year. Yes I declared it. At that point I hadn’t seen a specialist, and that seemed to be a deciding factor for them. But insurance was higher than I’d envisaged. Not sure I’ll bother this year, just take my E111 card.

[Suet3942 in reply to Soraya_PMR]

If you land up in a private hospital Soraya they won’t use the E111 card as we found to our cost in Tenerife. 4000 euros to be exact!!

[ValFF53]

I declared PMR for my annual cover and I wasn’t charged extra. It was a Specialist company to cover my husband’s health issues.

[janimaths]

Good heavens. Came to ask that question of the site and found it active 13 mns ago and replied to 7 mns ago. The first time I had PMR I didn’t even think about it but blithely went abroad without mentioning PMR. This time I believe I will declare it as one if those things I will be responsible for myself so it will be there but excluded . Like Nevagiveup I took 60 mgs pred with me just in case. Was I right in that and much did you take?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You need to mention EVERYTHING that might be significant. If you don't and you have a claim, there is a chance they may refuse to pay out on the grounds of non-disclosure whether the pre-existing illness would have been anything to do with it or not.

[CT-5012 in reply to PMRpro]

Absolutely, not worth the risk.

[May10 in reply to PMRpro]

I agree. We have been trying to get travel insurance at the moment and finding it difficult....actually impossible. The last "on line" quote we got for a two week holiday was £560 and that was without adding my husbands cancer???? We actually do not think it is cancer but do not know what it is. As he is waiting for follow ups we actually cannot get insurance. I have high blood pressure, underactive thyroid, anaemia, gastritis and had a melanoma removed from my leg a few years ago apart from the PMR and osteoporosis.

My husband has asthma, eczema, duodenal ulcer and AF and all this stuff about the so called pancreatic cancer. This sounds like we are at death's door but feel we have a lot of life left and would love to go on more holidays It is so frustrating. When we went to Paris we used our European health card as I felt we were not too far away and could get home if anything happened.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to May10]

It is repatriation that is so very expensive and I suppose you never know.

Some insurance companies really do take the mickey - but I can pretty much assure you it is rip-off Britain to some extent. I can't get annual insurance here to cover cancellation etc for things for which I am waiting for treatment but I would be able to get cover for a short trip provided I had a letter saying I was fit to travel at the time. We also are members of the White Cross (like St John's in the UK) who include repatriation if you have a high enough membership and cover, which is still only a few hundred euros per year. And of course the reciprocal agreements are a boon. Though maybe not for much longer.

Ongoing treatment of course is a different problem - but for emergency treatment I think I'd prefer to have it here than many places in the UK at present!

[May10 in reply to PMRpro]

I must admit that with my husband's treatment here in the Uk we can find no fault. Mine is a little less satisfactory. We have a letter from the oncologist saying my husband is fit to travel but the companies I have tried want to know exactly what is wrong.....we do dot know.....neither do the consultants. Catch 22 situation really. We have decided for this year to holiday in the UK. We will probably go to Paris again later in the year using the EHIC

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to May10]

Oh yes, when it is really bad the NHS is wonderful - but when it is less pressing it sort of slumps! My entire family has had both experiences! You'd be OK here - that is all my insurance requires. Couldn't care less what it actually IS!

[Mary63]

I declared it, and there was no increase in fees

[Chrob]

I declared it , bank insurance ,nothing extra to pay and they just sent a covering note .

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Yes, obsoletely,

Mine didn’t seem particularly bothered about my GCA, more questions asked about arthritis.

[Jamie345 in reply to DorsetLady]

Hi there, I want to go to Spain soon as I get a gap long enough without doctors appointments to spend a month in the sun as I've virtually been in my flat since this all started last May 17, except for 5 days at Christmas in Bournemouth which was very difficult as still in pain, I am completely ignorant about hospital/doctors treatment if needed do I need to get this EU card? I do have medical insurance but if it's to do with something not covered would I have to pay? Say I got a virus hopefully not! Haha or a site I can go on to find out! Thanks to you all for any help

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Jamie345]

Hi Jamie,

See attached - gov.uk/european-health-insu...

Think it takes a couple of weeks to come through. Fortunately never had to use it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

We used mine when I broke my leg skiing many years ago. OH was sent to the cash desk to fill in the necessary and luckily was with it enough to hand over the EHIC card - "That'll do nicely sir!" or words to that effect. On discharge I had to pay a deposit for the loan of crutches and 5 euros for the DVD of all the x-rays and stuff.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Jamie345]

I believe in Spain you have to be very aware - many clinics are purely private and don't take the EHIC card. So are the ambulances and they get backhanders to take tourists to the private ones. If you have medical insurance it isn't a problem of course - otherwise you need your credit card! Which might be pricey so it pays to check.

You also only get the same cover as the locals get, it isn't necessarily all free like in the UK. For example, until I was 65, here in northern Italy I had to pay for blood tests and a co-pay for each service used. Not a lot but if there is a long list it does add up. A visit to A&E incurs a charge of 15 euros - unless you need to be admitted when everything becomes free of charge. In France, for example, I think it is more complicated - you have to pay up front at the doctor and then go to the local Health insurance Office with your EHIC to claim a 70% refund. The rest is up to your medical insurance to cover. In hospitals they do the claiming I believe but you may have to pay a proportion yourself (up to 20%) as well as the daily standing charge - non-refundable, which is why you need insurance.

If you already had medical insurance BEFORE the diagnosis then normally it is automatically covered for the rest of the period of insurance. At renewal you may have to pay an additional premium for it to be covered for the next period.

[Telian in reply to Jamie345]

Best to get it, did it on line, no cost, and only took a few days to come through last summer (middle of hols season) fortunately never had to use it.

PS they're valid for 5 years. I see DL has sent you the link - won't repeat. All the best.

[Chrissy1953]

I declared. Didn't seem to be an issue with them !

[Allsgrandso]

Insureandgo.ie cost €3.60 extra when I declared 👍 thanks all!

[mtrafter]

I declared it , have bank insurance in Australia and had to pay extra, also have auto immune liver disease and could not get any cover! Interesting how different insurances are in different countries

[LeafyLytham]

I too declared it and was covered for it. I'm still covered as I took out an annual policy last October. It was about £43 and covers me in Europe. Peace of mind!

[Griggser]

Always declare any pre existing medical conditions or you could find the insurance company will not pay out in case of a claim and it becomes known. The extra cost of less than £3 for my worldwide cover seemed excellent value. I'm with explorer travel insurance.

[paulst955]

Insurance companies love to walk away from a claim if you make a false declaration. I.E. if you do not tell them of a pre-existing condition even if the claim is for a totally different problem, its still a false declaration. If you cant afford the the insurance you cant afford the holiday.

[SheffieldSonia]

Having had a stent put in whilst on holiday in the USA in 2005 I always include everything I have seen the doctor and been given a diagnosis for. Better to be safe than sorry.

Its a good idea to always contact your insurance if you are diagnosed with something after you have taken your policy out so they can add it on. It cost me £6 to add my PMR on after my diagnosis in November last year. Mine policy was for America.

Enjoy your holiday Allsgrandso.

[Pam47]

A bit of legal advice: the contract you make with an insurance company is void if you have any sort of medical condition and don't declare it. This means that even if you claim for something entirely unrelated (you break a leg while skiing on holiday (as if!)) they will not pay out because you have no insurance cover . You MUST declare the PMR and any other new medical conditions since the last policy was taken out.

[Suet3942]

I had to declare it to my insurers. I hVe free travel Insurance with my bank but they now charge me a yearly premium .

[Telian in reply to Suet3942]

Me too..

[Louisepenygraig]

I declared it. I have annual health insurance with my bank account and now have to pay £100 extra. Since we were travelling to the USA where health care is so expensive I thought that.was OK. As others have said if you don't declare it it could make your whole insurance null and void

[Joan-E-D]

I declared it and wasn't charged extra with Saga on my annual travel insurance and I travel to Canada to visit my daughter.