Travel insurance for elderly parent.

[Kaz2200]

Hi i have asked this before, but never really got an answer. We have a holiday home in Spain and would love to take my mum, however struggling to get her reasonable insurance. Two reasons really, one is cost, and the second is the declaring of any existing medical conditions. She has been healthy all her life apart from breast cancer 20 years ago. However now she is as the doctors every week with different aches and pains, from stomach pains, chest problems, her breathing, indigestion. She is 79 with the start of early onset Alzheimers. I would not have a clue about her recent or ongoing health issues, and neither would she. So do I try get her insurance, bit knowing if we claimed we probably wouldn't get paid out, or go anyway and just pay for any medical treatment should we need it.

How much have you been quoted for her?
Can you afford to pay for a massive bill if, say, she had a heart attack?

Sadly its not just about medical treatment, if she were to die whilst abroad the costs of repatriation could be massive. Perhaps she could ask the surgery for a printout of her medical records for the last few years and then try a specialist insurer for pre-existing conditions, my elderly parents have managed to get cover despite a raft of conditions.

You could get her an EHIC card and check the rules for Spanish medical care (depending on Brexit timings) but you’d still be on the hook for repatriation expenses if anything drastic happened and they can be huge. If you got insurance and didn’t declare everything then it would pay for repatriation from car crashes. If you got insurance and declared the Alzheimer’s it would be eye-wateringly expensive but would also cover repatriation from falls.

If your DM is at doctors every week, why would you want to take her to Spain ?

Why not take her out locally for meals or entertainment if she is well enough ?

Does she want to go to Spain ?

If anything is undiagnosed or awaiting an outpatient consultation or referral, or she’s on a waiting list, then it’s virtually impossible to get travel insurance. Basically anything with an unknown outcome (eg breathing problems but not yet had all the tests done). I think not declaring things can lead to the whole policy being invalidated. Allclear seem better than most for this kind of situation but the insurance is likely to cost thousands.

Try specialist insurers - the cancer charities are a good starting point

Thanks for all your replies, as to why she would want to go, it's because we have a lovely place in the sun and it does her the world of good to relax and spend time with us. I think I know the answer, but has anyone taken the risk of travelling without insurance, and do you think its worth the risk.

Can you go with her to the doctors and ask them what her conditions are?

She may well be at the doctors every week but what comes of all these appointments? Is she booking them because of her Alzheimers and just worrying and then getting sent back with not much wrong with her, or is she actually being referred to hospital for investigations?

My FIL went through a phase with his dementia of going to the GP incessantly over nothing, he was there all the time. If he woke up with a niggle, he had booked an appointment straightaway, even if it was something he had been seen for yesterday and been told the treatment for.

If you go with her, get consent for record sharing with you, then you can find out what is actually a problem and what isn't - this would help you support her better with her health anyway which it sounds as if she needs regardless of the travel insurance, and know what needs declaring and what doesn't.

has anyone taken the risk of travelling without insurance, and do you think its worth the risk.

My mother. Unbeknownst to me. It was a bloody disaster and I’m still picking up the pieces of sorting out foreign medical bills over a year later. Don’t do it. Find a specialist in insurance for older people and pay it!

My Aunt gets saga insurance she has had a heart attack has pre existing conditions and she is late 70s . I dont think you have to declare undiagnosed conditions do you? Your mum might just be in the habit of back and forward to the Drs with ordinary elderly ailments.

Please don't travel without insurance it is a nightmare to sort out if something happens. Go for single trip insurance it will be cheaper.

The problem is I can't get single trip, not only the cost but the actual sorting out of it. It will cost 100s of pound for a trip of 3 days. It looks like she will be unable to travel abroad again which is a shame.

Yes she is back and forth with general aches and pains, I don't know what you have to disclose.

I didn't realise you can record share, that is a really good idea, not just for travel but for general.

Tbh repatriation isn’t just about the cost but the nightmare of actually getting it done, the red tape and timings. I know if two funerals in Portugal as it was just easier and far less traumatic.

I’d get your mum an Ehic as if uk leave with a deal it maybe valid for two years after, maybe...

OP My father travels with Ehic and has seen in hospital in EU and there wasn’t any issue. Tbh it was me that was seen this year as emergency and they just took my details from passport and that was it... no charges as we are still in EU at present

You need to find out what they are doing for all these aches and pains - probably the answer is not much.

I declare loads on my travel insurance - it varies for each condition but generally they want a diagnosis, what meds you are on, if you are or have been treated in hospital within a certain time period or have been referred to hospital and are waiting for investigations.

Depending on the condition the time period might be a couple of years or forever.

A lot of trips with 'my ankle hurt this morning' may not add up to much that an insurance companies cares about - but your GP might be v grateful if you could stop her coming with it every single time. While one episode of asthma they are interested in and so would the GP be.

I think a lot of her appointments have been regarding the dementia diagnoses, scan to find out what type of dementia, also colonoscopy for stomach problems, they give her gaviscon type meds, but no diagnoses. So not simple aches and pains as I may have suggested. Also breathing problems that seem to be recurring but no diagnosis.