Insurance for Europe with a pre-existing condition?

[Weegiemum]

We've not been abroad for 3 years, and in the intervening time I've become disabled with a neurological condition which means I can't feel my hands and feet, have lost all my balance, need a wheelchair on somedays and never go out without a walking aid.

We've booked a holiday in Italy this summer - a week just outside Sorrento (I'm a geography teacher - got to see Pompeii etc though sadly this time I don't think I'll manage up Mt Vesuvius so dh will take the dc) and then 5 days in Rome.

I don't anticipate any problems, but there is a constant risk of me falling and I've already broken my wrist in a fall since my diagnosis.

I'm assuming a European health card thingy isn't enough? But trying to get insurance for a ore existing condition is well nigh impossible on a reasonable budget.

Any advice of good places to look - I've googled a lot but not finding much! Thanks.

no, an EHIC is not enough. It will get you the same cover as the locals - so you pay if they do, and it certainly won't repatriate you or cover the costs if (say) you break a leg and need extra seats on the flight home.

tricky I know, but you do need insurance. Is there an association for your disability that might help?

I use Flexicover - they have a list of pre-existing medical conditions they cover. I think I pay £2 extra to get the cover for my condition.

Post office travel insurance offers a policy for pre existing medical conditions.

DS2 and I have pre-existing medical conditions and we use Tesco for our travel insurance.

You could try Direct Line Travel insurance, it can be arranged over the phone and the policy will cover you and any other family members for the whole year and each holiday you take during that period. As far as I can make out, they will not cover a customer with a terminal illness.

I think the best thing would be for you to contact them and see what they say, if they can cover you for an affordable price. They will need to ask a lot of probing questions about each member of the family's health to be covered, and you pay by credit card. The policy is renewed automatically each year when they take payment from your credit card.

Their customer hotline is 0845 246 0489.

Freedom Travel Insurance is great - they guarantee to cover everyone even those with terminal conditions. A bit ££ but worth it for peace of mind IMO.

I usually use InsurandGo. Very helpful if you phone them. I have pre-existing condition which is covered for a small supplement.

we used Flexicover, was pretty straightforward to do online.

We've used Direct Line in the past, cost about £60 for a week in Europe IIRC.