Travel insurance when undiagnosed

[aodirjjd]

I think I’m trying to distract myself here. But I’ve got a holiday booked early June that I stupidly don’t have travel insurance for yet. Plan was to sort of this weekend. I’ve just found a breast lump. I’m only 35 so it’s almost definitely nothing but still going to gp asap but I’m really worried I won’t have it diagnosed as “nothing” in time to get travel insurance for my holiday. I don’t mind paying more for insurance if I need to but from googling it seems most places won’t cover you if not diagnosed?

anyone have any advice? Ignoring it for 7 weeks and seeking gp after isn’t an option. I’d be gutted to lose the holiday but I wouldn’t dare travel without insurance.

In theory should be a 2 week wait on NHS and yes if don't have results as clear back you would need specialist insurance like Staysure and it would likely exclude breast cancer. You could maybe check wait times and times to hear by.

Other option would be get test done privately at somewhere like Nuffield - few hundred would guess and then get the all clear and would be normal insurance.

Get travel insurance now, go to GP tomorrow?

I’ve been Googling one stop breast clinics and I might do that if it meant I could get an answer quickly because I think the wait will be awful. I wasn’t sure what to expect from those breast clinics though, I saw one which mentioned biopsy might be needed which would cost extra (on top of fee) and I wasn’t sure if that would be a couple of hundred more or silly money.

Take out a policy online today before you see the GP. Best wishes - I hope everything turns out ok.

Thanks I thought of this but I checked the small print and they all say your policy isn’t valid if you don’t update us.

I think at your age it would normally be an ultrasound but yes there could be a biopsy if they are concerned. Not sure of costs but if you ask the private hospital they should tell you in advance and worst case you can then transfer back to NHS.

Ok that’s good to hear from checking google I could afford that. I suppose if they scan and want to biopsy it would indicate I might have something to worry about so holiday would be least of my worries.

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I think with a biopsy 1 in 4 come back cancer, rest are OK so its still not bad odds if they biopsy. I had breast cancer and they can work round holidays though getting insurance in active treatment can be a challenge. The breast cancer lumps are generally rock hard, mine was like a walnut in texture rough to feel. 9 times out of 10 its not cancer and also if its caught early (under 2cms) treatment can just be a day surgery and then a weeks radio which is very easy like you just lie on a bed for 5 mins a day. Its quite uncommon at your age, mid 40s on it gets much more common.

At the breast clinic they also knew straightaway it was cancer, was told on the day. Biopsy took a week to confirm but they know what is cancer and what isn't. On the NHS it was a 2 week wait for tests then 1 week for biopsy though if its cancer there's further tests.

Thank you. My cat had cancer so I think I know what you mean by rough texture because that’s what her lump felt like too (i hope that doesn’t sound ridiculous). Mine is quite hard but I don’t think it has rough edges.

I had a similar issue, but heart related. I gave the full picture to the insurance company and they arranged annual travel insurance which excluded anything related to the potential condition under investigation. I’ve since been given the all clear, so must ring them to update.

Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m sorry you know about it through experience. I hope you are well now.

I’ve been referred to the breast clinic on two occasions and both times was seen before two weeks and cleared in the one stop clinic. I think you will know in plenty of time for your trip.

To be honest, of you arrange special insurance it will exclude anything related to this anyway.

If you don't tell them, then they won't know if you're claiming for travel delays, lost bags, broken leg etc. They're not entitled to see your full medical records or history. So, not telling them has the same effect as telling them because if this did turn out to be something (unlikely 🤞🏻) then you'd just not claim because if you had told them you wouldn't be covered for it anyway.

That's the approach I took when I was having tests for bowel issues. And yes, I know technically it's wrong not to tell them stuff.....but I literally couldn't get any policy.

Sorry about your cat. I would imagine yours will be fine as you are young but best to get checked. I had a years treatment and on 10 years medication but all clear now but mine was 5cms when caught so a big lump. Life is fine now back to holidays, swimming 3 times a week, walking and there is so much support with cancer - the chemo is awful but the rest isn't that bad.

Hi op. I had this issue recently when I was struggling to get insurance.

I was waiting on a skin cancer diagnosis. I went with AllClear insurance. Phoned them, talked them through what it was. I paid (admittedly much more than some cheapy online quote) and they asked me to call back as soon as I had my diagnosis which I did. No increase in cost.

Really recommend them.

Not sure I would recommend Staysure (which I think was recommended to me on here) who said they would insure me but would exclude all of my existing medical stuff which I wasn't willing to risk. But might also be worth a call.

I've not used Staysure. Used InsureandGo who were completely useless and would never use again though that was in lockdown but their small print has so many get out clauses.

I think if you don't declare the whole insurance is invalid.

Thank you. I am lucky in that I don’t have anything else on pre existing conditions to worry about them excluding. I’m happy to pay over the odds for insurance, even if it’s double my normal it wouldn’t be that much.

Before this thread I thought I was totally uninsurable so I’m glad to see it can still be done. I will wait until closer to time to see if I get all clear quickly enough but at least I’ve got two companies to call now if I need it.

This is another company. I've not used but a lady with stage 4 used and they paid out when she needed a cancer scan in US. https://www.insurancewith.com/

But you don't need to wait until closer to the time to book insurance if you don't want to. That's the point of these specialist companies.

I suppose it depends on your holiday. I was spending around £4k on mine and I knew my skin cancer wouldn't affect whether I could go, but if for example I'd broken my leg or whatever I couldn't have so wasn't willing to take the risk.

I suppose if you do have cancer - obviously fingers crossed you don't - and you get rushed for treatment, you might not be able to go but you wouldn't be insured either way. So I'd want cover now for the broken leg scenario!

Sorry, I don't know if what I said there made sense! Either way good luck. I hope you're ok and you have a great holiday

Contact all clear travel insurance. I'm under going some tests and they were happy to insure me but exclude anything to do with the tests. The cost was very reasonable.