Insurance to USA with pre-existing medical conditions - recommendations please

[HattieA]

I am lucky enough to be going to the USA for 2 weeks and am wanting to organise insurance.
Unfortunately the company I have booked my holiday with cannot give me insurance as I have 2 pre-existing medical conditions.

I understand and accept that I will have to pay quite a bit more for a good policy and I have done internet searches for quotes. My problem is I do not recognise the names of any of the companies quoted bar 1 (Southdowns) and I have spoken with VitalHealth.

So my question is if anyone can recommend an insurance company they have used in the past please? Not necessarily one which you have had to get payment from (although that would be very helpful) but just companies who are known and trusted.

Thank you

Do you have a bank account (or can you upgrade to one) which offers medical insurance? We upgraded to Halifax Ultimate Reward, and extended the worldwide travel insurance to cover one family-member's pre-existing medical conditions for just £15 annually.

Oh I hadn't even thought of my bank!!
Thank you MarvellousMarbles - I will look into that.

Hmmm - bank wants £357!!
"Vital Health" £273
"Southdowns" £277
"Insurance With" £99

The comparisons continue...

yep, going to the States with a possible health issue will be expensive.

whatever you do, get a shift on - you have no cover at the moment if you need to cancel.

Shifting on :) - having just paid the balance I am well on it!!
Have had some reasonable quotes and good screening from Columbus Direct and Direct Travel.

I've used both although never (Happily) had to claim.

Have you? I worry these ones I've never heard of don't actually exist
Glad to hear you haven't had to claim though. Think I will prob go with one of them.

we have always used Columbus direct. I have a number of pre-existing conditions that are fairly general/common but my eldest has heart disease and they cover her for a reasonable sum. you do it all on line. personally, I would be really worried about the £99 one. you need to look at exactly what is covered. at £99 I doubt they cover preexisitng conditions just new ones. If your health needs are particularly complex then going through a broker to get exactly the right one might be a good idea.

That's interesting mummymeister because Columbus direct have quoted me just £79.74 with my 2 conditions "accepted" and covered (£48.71 without medical conditions covered).

My health needs aren't complex to be fair. In fact one on it's own wouldn't even need declaring on many of the quotes I have got. But one of them is GI and I wonder if that's why some won't offer cover at all. At the moment it is stable but I have had one hospital admission in the past 2 years which I guess raises a red flag.

I will give Columbus a ring - see if there is something I have done wrong in getting the quote as it does seem rather low in comparison to other quotes and as you say, low for the USA.

'direct' - clue in the name. No travel agent commission, all done online, not many ads. And no charging what they like because they are a famous name.

ps absolutely right to double-check; the thought of uninsured hospital admission in the USA is horrific!

NFU - bloody amazing insured me to travel 3 days after having an excisional biopsy for breast cancer on top of three long term health conditions.

Thanks specialsubject. Before being ill this just wasn't an issue so I am a bit clueless so really appreciate your insight.

Uninsured hospital visit or, possibly even worse, having to be flown home with medical escort!!!! Makes me go pale at the thought!!!
I looked after a guy once who needed that (from UK) and had no insurance. His friends had to set up a just giving page to raise funds to fly him home.

Lonecatwithkitten what does NFU stand for please? Hope you are well now :)

We've used Columbus Direct several times for DH (type 1 diabetes, statins, asthma). More recently have used various others - check the www.medicaltravelcompared.co.uk website for a comparison website that specialises in preexisting medical conditions.

Hi pootlebug - good to hear from someone else who has used Columbus. And thank you for the link, I'll use that too.
I didn't get a chance to call today but came home to find a follow up phone message so will call tomorrow.

National Farmers Union - you don't have to be a farmer to use them. You will find them on the net as NFU. You will always deal with a named person at the local office.

Thanks Lonecat - I will have a look there too.