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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to go on holiday without travel insurance?

106 replies

AngelaoftheNorth · 31/07/2017 14:54

I have a number of pre-existing medical conditions, the severity of which appear to have scared the hell out of everyone's insurance algorithms: to insure me fully would cost over £400, and that's the cheapest quote so far. That said, the likelihood of any of the said conditions causing problems whilst I am abroad is vanishingly minimal... and if I were to become ill, I would almost certainly be able to get a quick flight home for about half the price of what I'm quoted for the insurance.

AIBU simply to take my chances and travel uninsured? I can't decide...

OP posts:
SouthernComforts · 31/07/2017 21:27

I always think of the cost to fly a body home.. then buy the insurance.

Unfortunately this has happened twice in the last two months in my acquaintance group, neither had insurance and their families had to pay then raise money for the funerals Sad

SouthernComforts · 31/07/2017 21:27

Twelve months, sorry, not two.

AnyFucker · 31/07/2017 21:32

Thanks, parrot

Youcanttaketheskyfromme · 31/07/2017 21:35

Just declare pre existing and ask not to cover that condition.

I declare preexisting - depression and just take the cover.

There aren't any circumstances in which I couldn't get on a plane to fly home with my pre existing condition so I'm happy to do this.

It was a well made choice when I was really ill on holiday last year and ended up in hospital . I didn't pay a penny and it was a huge relief as I was too out of it to deal with anything at all.

chipscheeseandgravy · 31/07/2017 21:59

It's not the pre existing, it's the freak accident that will cost.

Can you get insurance that excludes the current medical issue?

Please don't be creating a just fund me page to help pay your medical costs when you slip and break your leg. Unfortunately holiday insurance is very important.

bambambini · 31/07/2017 22:20

I had to sit and watch my friend who spent her first day in mourning for her dead husband (on holiday with mates) frantically searching through their documents and phoning round to find out if he was insured to get his body returned home. He wasn't and it cost the family thousands. Not something they needed to be dealing with at that time because he didn't think insurance was that important.

PurpleBoot · 31/07/2017 22:54

OK To Travel insurance covered me, DH and 2 DC including a whole host of medical conditions for a good price. Definitely worth a look.

wannabestressfree · 31/07/2017 23:10

I am uninsurable so don't have any when I go abroad. I am just being honest.

Crumbs1 · 31/07/2017 23:17

Depends on pre existing conditions. You shouldn't travel uninsured because of potential cost of reparations. E111 only covers certain things depending on which country you are in.
Excluding pre-existing might be possible but you have to be careful of them linking new conditions to existing ones. So because I've had cancer I'm at greater risk of PEs. Not the same condition at all as breast cancer but I wouldn't be covered as the argument is that it's cancer related. Similarly my husband has high blood pressure. It's well controlled and a non issue but if we excluded it from insurance then he wouldn't be covered for stroke or heart attack.
Have you shopped around? Difference in insurance can be huge - try All Clear. It undoubtedly costs significantly more but not as much as if you travel with inadequate cover and become unwell.

lalalalyra · 31/07/2017 23:18

Have you tried a specialist insurance company for people with pre-existing conditions?

We use one of them for DD as her conditions terrify "normal" insurance companies. They are vastly cheaper than any other quote. I think because they have more experience with pre-existing conditions.

sm40 · 31/07/2017 23:25

I now have to get insurance with lots of pre existing conditions.
Went with Amex.
Cost me £300 extra.
Told to get family policy with them as your dh/do policy might not cover a problem with your condition as it would be pre existing but not declared on their insurance. So a cancellation caused by you might not be covered on someone else's policy. Hope that makes sense!!

Lemons1571 · 31/07/2017 23:36

I reckon lots of people are uninsured, a lot of policies have a get out clause of "undiagnosed symptoms" making the whole policy void. So if you're waiting for a hospital referral but go on holiday in the meantime your insurance could be invalid. Plus if you've had hospital investigations in the last 24 months you should declare them even if the results were clear. There must be lots of people who wouldn't even consider that when taking out travel insurance.

I declared my sons dermatology condition halfway through an annual policy and was told the whole policy for the entire family would be void unless I coughed up £80 to cover sons rash. I didn't, got a whole new policy with a different company for less than £80 including covering the rash! Ironically by the time we travelled the rash had resolved anyway Smile

Puzzledandpissedoff · 31/07/2017 23:41

If I had a condition that was treated and sorted fully, say a stomach ulcer, do I need to declare it ?

It would probably depend how long ago it was. Most will ask if you've ever suffered from a number of chronic conditions - heart disease, lung problems. kidney or liver issues etc, so you might in theory come under that

Then you get "have you had inpatient treatment / seen a consultant for anything in last x number of years", which again might need you to explain if it's relevant

Then they tell you the bad news about the premium ... Wink

AnyFucker · 31/07/2017 23:47

When you take out a policy that is included with your banking eg. Lloyd's platinum account there are no medical questions

So how does that work then ?

HemanOrSheRa · 31/07/2017 23:53

AF There would be something in the terms and conditions of the policy where the onus is on you to declare any conditions otherwise you won't be covered.

Crumbs1 · 31/07/2017 23:56

I tried using the Barclays travel insurance on a premium account but had to go through a telephone conversation to 'book' the insurance before the planned trip and realised it wouldn't actually cover me so wasn't worth having.

AnyFucker · 01/08/2017 00:00

We have used our Lloyd's policy twice when abroad with no quibbles and no questions asked about pre existing illnesses

Admittedly, it was for relatively minor stuff. No repatriation required for swimmer's ear. It did hurt like a MoFo though.

Summerswallow · 01/08/2017 00:02

AnyFucker the onus is on you to ring them and declare your pre-existing conditions, if you don't do this, it invalidates the policy I have recently done this with the Platinum account and have declared one condition for myself and several for other family members which are now exemptions and not covered by the policy. It takes ages and you have to declare any hospital/consultant visits and so on...

They do not tell you this though, they just let you think it's all covered until you find out it isn't...

Give them a ring and go through the forms.

AnyFucker · 01/08/2017 00:03

I am going to do that Summer 20 years too late but who's counting

Summerswallow · 01/08/2017 00:13

I must admit, I've had that account about 15 years and only done that recently! But we are older and have more conditions now, so the urgency is there. I suspect there's a threshold trigger whereby they pay up up to a certain point and start digging for reasons why not beyond that. i don't know though. They were very helpful though, and I did want to clarify it after reading some horror stories on here. I suspect the person who said half the people who think they are covered aren't are right, it's too easy to forget to update them with a consultant visit for one of the family members etc.

habenero20 · 01/08/2017 00:15

the insurance companies I contacted said that you can exclude pre existing conditions. So, if you have diabetes and then something unrelated happen, you are covered.

Dinnerisburnt · 01/08/2017 00:24

I had cancer nearly 30 years ago, my travel insurance company have never been told, it's so long ago I didn't think it was necessary.

Recently I was flown home after a skiing accident and there was no quibble with my insurers paying for everything.
I kind of feel guilty now that I took this risk unknowingly.

Thanks OP for highlighting this for me. Don't go away without insurance, my bill was huge.

SoxonFeet · 01/08/2017 01:01

Glad insurancewith were a good price- I've used them for years. We have a range of serious pre existing medical conditions and always make sure we get insurance but you can choose to get a higher excess if the policy claim is related to the pre existing condition. That's how insurancewith make it cheaper for us anyway.

I've met a couple of people who claim to not be able to get travel insurance but most people can now, as there are some specialists involved now which even include things such as wheelchair access and onboard oxygen which make regular insurance companies lose their shit and treble their premiums.

I have loads of tips of making it easier for insurance just because its been so hard for us in the past!

Original poster
AngelaoftheNorth · 01/08/2017 06:52

@SoxonFeet (love your username btw!) what other tips do you have?

(This is my first time out of EU with any of these medical conditions, so am totally clueless)

OP posts:
SoxonFeet · 01/08/2017 10:10

Well for things like oxygen always use the onboard oxygen with your own face mask (to prevent germs) as this massively reduces insurance but obviously would need to book this with the airline at the time.

Recent admissions into hospital for the pre existing medical condition often don't hinder insurance either as long as you are fit to fly, as it may be part and parcel of the medical condition.

Also its always worth doing a telephone assessment if you have lots of meds. Some medical conditions prescribe vitamins (in various formats) and these can often be discounted when declaring what medications you are on.

I'd always advise doing a telephone insurance claim - there are often certain things which can be reduced doing it that way, as the insurance company can have more information and make a more informed decision.

Also always insure the ill person on their own if travelling as a family (if possible). That reduces our premiums too.

Good luck and enjoy your upcoming holiday Smile