Travel Insurance for Cancer

oliveoil54

URGENT HELP
Husband is in remission from Lymphoma after stem cell transplant September 2013. With Specialist/Dr agreement booked and paid for holiday touring East Coast Canada. Took out Specialist Travel Insurance with InsureWith.com and declared absolutely everything (have used them before and they are v reasonable & cover a wide variety of conditions).

We are due to fly on Monday and this week he has seen Doc about diarrhea, plus his 3 weekly routine blood test this week is indicating a drop in immunity results. We have spoken to Specialists who given his previous ability to ward of symptoms quite easily are happy for him to still go on holiday, but except there may be a risk. They have changed his medication as they think the problem could have been caused by his current antibiotics and he now has a new antibiotic which is helping.

However, our major concern is if we inform the Travel Insurance as requested on all paperwork of this change of medical circumstances, according to the T&C's they are within their right to either refuse further insurance, could cancel the policy or could charge an increased fee to cover the current situation. If they cancel the policy are they only obliged to only pay back just the Insurance cost or would they be liable for any expenditure (approx £2500) we have made prior to this problem, as we made the Travel Insurance contract in good faith & total honesty?

Think given his medical history we would struggle to find other suitable travel insurance in such short a time.

We really want to go as its a major family holiday with our Granddaughter after 3 years of Cancer treatment which has been extremely hard on both of us.

We have another option in that our GP is willing to sign the Cancellation paperwork if we decide to cancel because of this, at least guaranteeing the re- payment of most of the already incurred expenditure, but at the loss of our special holiday.

Both the GP & the Specialists have indicated if we had to make a claim relevant to this current problem whilst out there, they would have to put the start date of the occurrence as this week, ie now.

So our choice is -
Do we cancel and lose a special holiday but at least get most of our money back?
Or
Do we take the risk and inform the Travel Insurance of the change in medical circumstances and hope they don't cancel (& we lose the lot) & that they will continue to insure us and at not too much extra cost?

Having never ever had to make a claim before, we have no real idea of what to expect, and any advice would be really appreciated.

hollydays

Surely the point of insurance is for it to cover you?

oliveoil54

Agree wholeheartedly, however have you ever had to book specialist medical insurance for someone who has multiple complicated conditions before?

There are not many Travel Insurers with whom we can tick the correct boxes, believe me I have tried looking and unless your condition fits there neat specific boxes then you are stuffed.
Most of these Insurers will insure you, but if you develop further symptoms then you have to declare them immediately & it would appear they are within their rights to cancel or add further costs.

Its not knowing what they will do and how much it will cost or what we may lose that is the problem. Any help, advice really appreciated.
Many Thanks in Advance

emweaver

I have just looked into obtaining a quote with these for my pre existing medical conditions but the website is up for sale. Are you sure they are / were genuine?

Ganga

I have just clicked on the afore mentioned travel insurers and it did not mention beign for sale!

Ganga

oliveoil54

Sorry thats my fault just checked InsureWith (which is the title) actually does bring up the wrong details, just checked now and its http://www.insurancewith.com/ which takes you to the correct website. It was originally started by a lady who was a Travel Insurer & who tried to get cover for Breast Cancer and found it hard to find the correct insurance.

Thought I'd let you know the outcome, we phoned them this morning and told them what had happened. They had to issue a Post Travel Insurance Contract to cover the change of medication and the only major change is if we have to claim on anything relating to the change of meds or the specific condition causing the problem whilst away then the excess goes up from £450 to £600 for my husband.

Which considering we still get to go & hopefully we wont be claiming anyway isn't too bad, lot less than I thought and we have the re-assurance of going with complete cover & everything declared!

Some of the Insurers I had tried originally were quoting far more than that for the insurance never mind the excess if you had to make a claim!

PS - Thought I'd let you know we paid £228 for the single trip cover which included his Lymphoma, Stem Cell Transplant, Splenic Aneurysm & Asthma! Have tried to get annual cover but that is just a joke & no-one will entertain him.