We're not getting out of her alive

[Singr]

Feeling that I have come out of the Astrazenica hurricane which destroyed my life for at least 4 weeks each time I decided to look put some things in order. My will for one and life insurance. I didn't really bother about life insurance before because I had no dependents and prior to PMR I had a property to sell which would cover any expenses. Fast forward to today. Totally different circumstances.

I start phoning around to get life cover. Found the experience shocking. Various freebies, cashbacks and vouchers available until you say PMR & Fibromyalgia & depression. All those offers just disappear and they need to contact their 'underwriters'. I actually feel discriminated against. Ok my premiums might be more expensive but I should not be excluded from offers open to other people. One insurer said they would be unable to give me insurance at all. Has anyone else experienced this level of discrimination? Beginning to wonder if I will get insurance at all. UK based.

[SheffieldJane]

Have you tried the website “ Insurance Surgery.co.uk “ they have an article specifically about insurance and autoimmune diseases. I found this by googling, so I don’t have personal experience of them. Sorry I cannot yet manage to attach a link using my daft new iPad.

[Singr in reply to SheffieldJane]

Good suggestion, thanks.

[shella]

Did anyone else have bad stomach reaction to AstraZenica. …..happened on both occasions now waking me up at night …, Lansoprasol doesnt help … Slippery Elm and Gaviscon and sometimes Charcoal tabs helpful or just eating! Still on steroids now low dose but started them years ago in 2013 then high dose. Maybe damage done to stomach already. …. trying to avoid hospital right now!

[Singr in reply to shella]

Yes I had stomach pains, strange noises and terrible dia… diahorr…. Oh however you spell it 😁

[JanetRosslyn in reply to Singr]

I heard this once and it's stuck with me... how to spell diarrhoea... DIA Run Run Hurry Or Exploding A*se. Ha ha.

[Singr in reply to JanetRosslyn]

😂😂😂 Brilliant

[shella in reply to Singr]

Difficult one to spell ! Guess after years on steroids stomach gets some damage… definitely had stomach problems after first and second vaccination…..

[Coffeebeans]

Hi

I couldn't get travel insurance 2.5 years ago because I was still under investigation at the time. I haven't tried since and I am hoping it's better.

I'm sorry you have experienced this.

You have reminded me that I should check my existing life insurance and probably tell them my health has changed so I may have problems after that!

[LBM1953 in reply to Coffeebeans]

I have annual worldwide travel insurance via my bank. Phoned to tell them I had PMR as nf they quoted me an additional annual premium if £79. Seems reasonable. Don't have any life policies these days.

[Coffeebeans in reply to LBM1953]

I imagine it will be fine now I have a diagnosis. It was the under investigation that was the issue.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to LBM1953]

"Seems reasonable" - I don't think so. PMR isn't very likely to cause claims and most companies DON'T add more than a few quid to the premium. Or at least, not in the past. Maybe fewer people are taking out insurance so their income is down. But then, if people don't go on holiday, so should the payouts ...

[LBM1953 in reply to PMRpro]

I understand what you are saying but my annual travel insurance is through my bank and worldwide until I am eighty for my wife and myself. For the last 25 years it has been free (together with several other benefits providing I kept a minimum of £2K in the account. Considering we holiday(ed) abroad at least six times a year this was excellent value. However the bank is now charging everyone the standard monthly charge of £14.95 per month. I went on-line comparison websites for annual travel insurance and the best was European wide for us both until we are 70 and costs ranged from £375 upwards so even with the additional premium of £79 it is still a lot less than the open market. Some of the guys I play(ed) golf with also go abroad a lot and they pay a lot more than this for annual travel insurance.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to LBM1953]

What I meant was the adding of that much for a disorder that is unlikely to cause major problems healthwise.

[Highlandtiger]

I’d suggest you contact an actual insurance broker (they still exist). You have to pay them a small amount but they are extremely good at finding suitable policies to suit your specific circumstances and are well worth the money in my opinion.

And re the insurers you contacted, did you go through the next stage and actually get refused or did you simply withdraw from the process? It’s fairly standard practice to refer to underwriters for pre existing conditions as the people on the phone front line will just be following a simple script on the computer screen but it doesn’t necessarily mean you wouldn’t get cover. Sometimes it just needs approval from someone at a higher level. It means that the bulk of easy/straightforward applications can be dealt with by someone on a relatively low pay grade. That filters out most of the applications and only leaves the more ‘complicated' ones to be dealt with higher up the organisation. Much cheaper for the insurer concerned.

[Singr in reply to Highlandtiger]

Been refused. Hacked off.

[cycli]

First of all you may be in a depressed state of mind...never a good state to be dealing with these issues. It always makes the situation look worse or hopeless. I remember how I was feeling at the lowest ebb of my condition before I was diagnosed and was ready to throw the towel in totally and that is so unlike the normal me it was unreal. There will be a policy for you so stay positive and use a broker. By the way there are a plethora of them out there and you would be advised to try two or three and find the one that fits with you and your way of thinking. They will often say what you want to hear because they are fee driven not client driven.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The UK insurance market in general is well known for its rip-off habits ...

[Singr]

And another refusal tonight. I actually feel rejected, dejected and wounded. I feel excluded from society for the first time in a while. It catches you doesn't it? Looked at Insurance surgery. They came back with a premium way out of my intended budget. I mean personally, I don't want life insurance. I won't be caring what happens once I pop my clogs but I don't want to leave my family the bill to dispose of me. Sigh.

[Rugger in reply to Singr]

If that's the case, have you looked at a 'Funeral Plan' instead?

[piglette in reply to Rugger]

I am quite happy to be put in the refuse bin when I die. The recyclable one of course.

[Singr in reply to piglette]

Me too!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Singr]

Have you anything to leave them in the first place? In which case - they will have enough to dispose of your mortal remains. It is (I believe) also possible to leave them to science/medical research.

If my lot can't dispose of me from the proceeds of my will, hell mend them!!!