insurers not insuring my French trip - gallstones?!

[Thegallofher]

We’ve just advised our insurers that I have recently been diagnosed with gallstones. We have annual travel cover and have a number of pre-existing conditions that they’ve covered in the past (high blood pressure included) They have now refused to cover me for anything other than non- health related cancellation! The rest of the family are OK but basically they are not covering me for anything gall stone or blood-pressure related. We are travelling to France and have EHIC cards. Does healthcare cost a lot in France, say if I was admitted with a gallstone attack and need blood tests, scans or a potential operation? I’ve started to take a look at alternative insurers and it looks like it’s going to be hard/expensive to get a policy in place. Anyone had the same problem or have any advice?

You have an EHIC so I'm sure that's enough for the treatment you describe. If by any horrible piece of bad luck and you need to return to the UK for treatment or even repatriation (highly unlikely) it's only across the channel. It would be different if it was a longhaul trip

bad bad advice. if you needed medevac or worse, got £30k odd to pay for it?

cant insure, cant go. sorry.

keep your current policy, and go to a specialist insurer, such as InsureWith and buy a further policy just for you which covers all your health conditions.

STA (on the high street) is pretty good for covering pre-existing medical conditions too if you need it in a hurry.

I had to buy a new policy for me for health reasons, after my cancer diagnosis, as my insurers said much the same as yours - they don’t do any cancer cover but rest of policy would stand anc I needed to take out a more specialist policy for my health,

Cost of premium depends on what is wrong with you and whether you want any high-risk activities covering. Keep ringing round, as not all are expensive.

And I know it might sound a bit grim for those who do not have such an adverse diagnosis, cancer support charities can sometimes signpost companies who offer cover for even extensive needs

My dad went to France without knowing he had gallstones. In the end he had to be flown home privately and then a private ambulance to a hospital closer to home. That along with a few days in a French hospital, a private nurse to travel with him and someone to come and drive his motor home back home...you can see how expensive it can turn out!

FWIW I’ve heard that sitting at the front of a really wobbly rollercoaster is great for getting gallstones out.

EHIC alone is not enough - you need to take out a separate policy for yourself. Try InsuranceWith - we use them every year to cover our DD who has CF.

Sorry if I've given bad advice. I've had gallstones for years without any problems so didn't realise they could be so serious. I've never been refused travel insurance for pre existing conditions.

Staysure insured me to cover gallstones. It does add on quite a bit to the premium though!

Yes we use Staysure for multiple pre existing conditions.

Thanks all, I’ve got insurance in place now £90 for the 2 week trip via avanti.

it isnt the gallstones that make travelling uninsured so risky. it is the ac cident or illness that could happen to anyo ne.

excuse spaces, mn crap coding really bad today.