Best travel insurance with pre-existing medical condition

[Stargirl2707]

Hello,
We’re due to go away in just over three weeks.
Since booking our holiday, I’ve been diagnosed with gallstones and am on a wait list to have my gallbladder removed.
Unfortunately this now means I need to declare it on my travel insurance. 😔
Currently in my research, prices are rocketing due to this.
I have tried Staysure but it was over £700 for a WEEK 😱
Insureandgo was a little more reasonable at about £270, but help please!
Which insurance providers does anyone recommend which give coverage without being mega expensive?
(I will not skip having insurance, I’ll make sure I have adequate cover - I won’t be one of the Daily Mail JustGiving families, I just want a reasonable cost).

Thank you everyone x

AA travel insurance will provide cover for some pre-existing medical conditions if you declare them. But I don't know whether they'd provide cover for a condition for which you're awaiting an operation.

I know someone who used MIA Travel Insurance for a pre-existing condition, but I've not used them myself.

My husband was in a similar position and we found Good to Go gave the best quote.

I am with Staysure with existing conditions. The prices seem to rocket when you are awaiting surgery. Have you tried all the comparison sites ? X

It’s really frustrating, especially because even though I’m awaiting surgery, the surgeon has already said that if a date comes through which isn’t convenient I can just pass it up and have next available. That being said, I think waitlists are about 6-12 months anyway so it’s not like it’s emergency surgery :-(

I wasn’t awaiting surgery a few years ago and my staysure quote was £700 for three weeks because I was on iron b12 and folic acid. A pretty common mix for a menstruating woman. I was on that for half my adult life with no issues. No idea why they weighted it so highly. Seems unfair. Next time I need a quote it won’t be from them.

Our Nationwide Flex Plus insurance is very good and covers my pre-existing heart condition very reasonably.

Insure With were the best for me.

https://www.insurancewith.com

I don't want to worry you but my insurance wouldn't cover me at all when I was waiting for my gallbladder operation. It was really bad timing as the attacks just started as I was booking the holiday and travel insurance. Luckily I had my operation before the holiday so was able to buy my insurance. Hope you get sorted.

Goodness me! That’s not good.
Hope you’re fully recovered now. How long were you on the wait list for?x

I was told 12-18 months. I didn't want to not travel in all that time so I ended up paying privately 🙄

My dad got a year long policy from stay sure for £500 with an aneurysm and heart condition

Meant to say I'm fully recovered and have been on a lovely cruise. Other holidays are also booked! 😁

avoid Avanti

they do anything to avoid payout

Is often cheaper to buy an annual policy with pre existing conditions. I have multiple ( bipolar/psoriatic arthritis/back and neck issues) as does my DH ( multiple heart issues) and we were paying £62 a month which was for a zero excess policy. I unexpectedly got diagnosed with gall stones in November last year and had a cruise booked and ended up paying an extra £200 a month for 3 months just to be able to go to the Caribbean on a 2 week cruise. Currently waiting for my surgery in August/September but my renewal quote came through….£3200 for a year with just Europe and cruise cover. I said no. Absolutely not. I’m currently in Greece and just got a policy that covers only for accident/emergency and not for existing health issues as if my gallbladder suddenly goes mental I’m entitled to health care including surgery here under the GHIC scheme and I’ll just add a few days extra in a hotel and rebook fights home on my credit card. Might cost £600-800 bit it’s very unlikely and still a hell of a lot cheaper and I’ve not had a gall bladder episode since diagnosis in November so I’m take the gamble.

Depending on what you are expecting your travel insurance to do (reimburse if you have to cancel due to a flare-up; repatriate you; pay for a hotel for DP if they have to stay with you; pay for the actual medical treatment) you might consider just taking your GHIC along and taking the risk with the other bits. The GHIC pays for the actual medical treatment at basically no cost to you (as long as you are in a public hospital, or one that accepts local public health cover; don't let the hotel call a private ambulance to take you to a private hospital).

Or perhaps you can ask for cover that excludes consequences of the gall bladder condition, but would still work if you fell and broke a leg or whatever.

I have a long list of pre-existing conditions and have used several different insurers. There are some who won't touch you if you're on a waiting list or have undiagnosed conditions.
All Clear and Aviva will.
I was paying £600 a year with All Clear but now have a Nationwide Flex plus account. It's got a monthly fee and I pay an extra £260 but it also covers car breakdown etc. The insurance is with Aviva.
I find Staysure more expensive than others but it's important to me that you get good service if you need to claim. I was with Holiday Extras last year and they withdrew all cover when DH was awaiting a routine test and we had to cancel the holiday.
I would never rely on GHIC because in the case of catastrophe you might need medevac home. I've used the GHIC though. In Spain, went to a clinic, was seen in 5 minutes , treated for a day and paid #4euros for a prescription.
Good thread on here which I saved
www.mumsnet.com/talk/holidays/5185202-ever-claimed-on-your-travel-insurance-did-you-like-your-insurer?reply=139860596

I recommend this. Might be worth getting a simple bank account with them to access their good value insurance

My annual policy with Admiral is £320. But whilst I am disabled my condition is relatively stable - all things being equal it would not deteriorate whilst on a holiday. That said last year (with a different company) I paid about the same for annual cover but then had a fall and badly damaged my finger. The policy had three weeks to run after my holiday - they charged me over £300 EXTRA for the bloody finger! Oddly I am not with that company now (Post Office). No choice but to pay as I was due to travel in 20 days...

I would also avoid Holiday Extras - a few years ago I had a policy with them, again specifically for disability. My rollator was damaged by the airline leaving me without one in Mexico, and they refused the hire cost and the replacement. Apparently their small print covered a pram (not something known to be required for disability) but not disability equipment. They decided to change their minds when I threatened them with the ombudsman.

Have you tried Post Office?

I found Staysure and All Clear incredibly expensive after declaring medical conditions. I then contacted SAGA and paid half the price. I don't know if you have to be a certain age to use SAGA.

Post Office is good for pre existing conditions. Really straightforward process. Our [unfortunate] claim was processed very quickly - they paid the healthcare provider directly. We had to cover E100 excess if memory serves

What does your current insurer say. (Who did you insure with when you booked the holiday?)Will they not cover you for cancellation?

Our insurance (saga) have just told us not to book any travel as my husband is under investigation for tinnitus!!! Having to pay for private consultation now.

We had annual travel insurance and when my husband rang them to tell them about his cancer diagnosis- they immediately cancelled the policy so even if we had wanted to cancel the holiday we woukd have lost the full cost. He must have tried 30 specialist companies but most would quote as he hadn't started his treatment
The 2 that did were £6k and £4.7k for a fortnight trip!!
We were advised to use a broker and he got annual cover for £150. It didn't cover his cancer but he was coming back to a specialist hospital so didn't want to be treated abroad but like PP just wanted everything else covered.