Travel insurance - to exclude medical cover

peb

So, I've been caught out.

I have had for some years a rolling annual policy.

I booked a trip in 2018 to go to Oberammergau on 2020, covid 19 hit, Holiday postponed to 2022. 

2021, cancer diagnosis and I'm currently part way through chemotherapy, then will need radiotherapy.  

My annual policy came up for renewal and had the expected conversation.  They won't renew.  They will cover me if I have to cancel on a doctor's recommendation before the policy expires 7/12), they don't offer insurance which covers everything but medical issues.

Plan is to obtain insurance now  to cover everything but medical issues then before travel to then look for medical cover for everything but the cancer - I'm concerned that for example if I break a leg I will need cover but I know from the McMillan website that I won't be able to get a quote until 6/8 weeks before travel.

.  However I've hit a brick wall - on telephoning one company on the recommendation of coverwise and spending forty minutes giving information I got to the point that I can't answer the questions asked.  They say they need full medical disclosure even though they know I accept that I can't get medical cover.  Please note that whilst I'm not happy that they want this information it's that I can't give it - I'm still undergoing treatment - not that I won't give it.   I really don't want to miss the holiday for some stupid reason like the train network coming to a Holt and lose £2k or the company going insolvent.  

Anyone any suggestions as to any company that will offer such cover and accept that I can give limited answers to medical questions?

In future I'm going to get single trip insurance!


Thanks

Ps, I'm expected to recover fully and my oncologist thinks no issue with travelling in June 2022 - so I couldn't claim even if I wanted to cancel. 

Sandtree

They are likely to offer medical cover but simply exclude cancer, so if you were unfortunate and had a new diagnosis unrelated to the cancer which meant you couldnt travel it would still respond. You'd need to do the full disclosure to get to that very predictable position. 

Best of luck with your treatment.

peb

Thanks, however I know I won't get medical cover at all at this stage.  The issue is finding a policy that offers all bar medical cover

Sandtree

peb said:

Thanks, however I know I won't get medical cover at all at this stage.  The issue is finding a policy that offers all bar medical cover

You almost certainly wont find one that is marketed like that as its far too niche for a mass market product but you'll find ones that have medical cover but they exclude pre-existing conditions on screening and so some/all of the medical cover gets withdrawn.

A specialist broker ultimately can get anything created but the cost for such things is going to add at least one zero to the cost of buying a standard policy and than just going through screening and exclude pre-existing conditions on a regular policy.

sheramber

We had single trip with Axa, through American Express. When my husband needed a hospital investigation after taking it out they  removed all medical cover except accidental injury.

Fortunately, it was resolved and medical cover was reinstated.

peb

Thanks. I really had not thought if it as a specialist product. On thinking things through I am going to wait until the 4-6 weeks before travel when treatment will be over and I will approach the companies recommended.   Realistically there's minimal risk until then.  It's a package holiday and the company has ABTA membership.

NoodleDoodleMan

Can you get single trip travel insurance with no medical cover ?

I wouldn't have thought so - just an opinion.

The issue, as you have mentioned is full disclosure.

peb

That was the plan and that was I was asking for advice on.   But it seems insurers want full medical disclosure even though I know they won't, understandably, cover me.  In mid treatment I can't answer the questions.    Ah well.