Travel insurance when a close relative is terminally ill

Jopo1

Hi everyone, I want to book flights to see my parents-in-law in Cyprus, but my dad has terminal cancer and should the worse happen while we're away, I'd like to be covered to come home early.  Flights for 4 to cyprus, incl transfers, meals, baggage, etc runs to approx £2500. 

Normally I book single trip insurance, but last year there was an exclusion for this eventuality, and as my dad was doing ok we decided to take the risk.  This year he's already beaten the "up to 12 months to live" prognosis by 4 months, and I feel I need the insurance this year. 

I have read the MSE articles about travelling when the travellers themselves have a medical condition, but that isn't what I'm after. 

Could anyone please suggest where I can find suitable cover?

Thanks
Jopo

DullGreyGuy

In principle it should be possible to declare his conditions and get a quote adjusted for the medical condition but in practice I've never found a single insurer that allows you to declare conditions of non-travelling relatives and there is simply a blanket exclusion for pre-existing conditions. 

Occasionally people here have commented that they have found such an insurer however when asked to name which company it was they never can remember/respond

zagfles

You're probably best just waiting and booking last minute when the situation will be clearer, looking at Skyscanner's tool (link below) flights to Cyprus seem to be far cheaper booking late, cheapest around 2 weeks in advance, and even one week before is cheaper than 3+ months in advance. Most airlines even some budget ones have flexible fares where you can change the booking eg if you need to fly back early.

https://www.skyscanner.net/bttb/best-time-to-book-uk

Jopo1

Hi Zagfles, only Tui and Jet2 fly from Leeds and Manchester to Larnaca, and the fact skyscanner doesn't include Leeds to any Cyprus airport on that chart, I suspect these airlines aren't included.
  
I know from experience that the longer I wait to book, the more expensive the flights are.  
We've never waited to the last minute, as we need to book time of work, take a blind aunt with us and book assistance for her, and minimise time taken off school.  So we have to plan in advance. 

Jopo

theoretica

Usually insurance only covers unexpected events and not pre-existing conditions.

How much more expensive would tickets which you could change be?  That way if you decide not to go then, or if you (alone or all of you) wanted to come back early you would not lose the whole ticket cost if other flights were available. 

J_B

Jopo1 said:

Hi Zagfles, only Tui and Jet2 fly from Leeds and Manchester to Larnaca, and the fact skyscanner doesn't include Leeds to any Cyprus airport on that chart, I suspect these airlines aren't included.
 

Have you not considered Paphos, it's not that far from Larnaca

elsien

Jopo1 said:

Hi everyone, I want to book flights to see my parents-in-law in Cyprus, but my dad has terminal cancer and should the worse happen while we're away, I'd like to be covered to come home early.  Flights for 4 to cyprus, incl transfers, meals, baggage, etc runs to approx £2500. 

Normally I book single trip insurance, but last year there was an exclusion for this eventuality, and as my dad was doing ok we decided to take the risk.  This year he's already beaten the "up to 12 months to live" prognosis by 4 months, and I feel I need the insurance this year. 

I have read the MSE articles about travelling when the travellers themselves have a medical condition, but that isn't what I'm after. 

Could anyone please suggest where I can find suitable cover?

Thanks
Jopo

As the event is a clear possibility (which is why you want to insure for it) then I can't see any insurer agreeing to cover you - it's not going to be an unexpected event. 

MikeJXE

Ask the insurers

I remember when I had a heart attack in 2003 my insurance rocketed when I told them my medication

When I had another in 2014 and 3 stents it went down by a large amount even with the same meds 

You won't know till you ask the right people 

zagfles

Jopo1 said:

Hi Zagfles, only Tui and Jet2 fly from Leeds and Manchester to Larnaca, and the fact skyscanner doesn't include Leeds to any Cyprus airport on that chart, I suspect these airlines aren't included.
  
I know from experience that the longer I wait to book, the more expensive the flights are.  
We've never waited to the last minute, as we need to book time of work, take a blind aunt with us and book assistance for her, and minimise time taken off school.  So we have to plan in advance. 

Jopo

They do include Jet2 and TUI, if you do a search for flights on skyscanner they're both included.

There don't appear to be any direct flights from Leeds or MAN at the moment, but for instance London to Larnaca next Monday, ie in 5 days times, coming back following Monday is £40 return on Wizz. Just as an example of cheap deals booking late.

Of course if you're going at peak times it'll be more expensive and flights might be full (but there'll also obviously be more flights).

I think the only other way would be to book flexible flights so you could move them if circumstances dictated, or possibly get a refund. But these may be expensive. Not sure if TUI or Jet2 do flexible flights so it might need to be one of the bigger airlines eg BA.

People who need assistance sometimes book late, not sure this will be an issue, you could plan times ie book leave at work etc but not the holiday till you're more sure. Insurance is very unlikely to cover a situation that could be foreseen at the time of booking, or if it does it'll likely be expensive, possibly more so than flexible flights.

Good luck and sorry for your situation. 

Jopo1

J_B said:

Jopo1 said:

Hi Zagfles, only Tui and Jet2 fly from Leeds and Manchester to Larnaca, and the fact skyscanner doesn't include Leeds to any Cyprus airport on that chart, I suspect these airlines aren't included.
 

Have you not considered Paphos, it's not that far from Larnaca

Yes we've looked at it. 2.5 hour drive and not good roads.  Also flights are similar in price so no real benefit.

Mands

Jopo1 said:

J_B said:

Jopo1 said:

Hi Zagfles, only Tui and Jet2 fly from Leeds and Manchester to Larnaca, and the fact skyscanner doesn't include Leeds to any Cyprus airport on that chart, I suspect these airlines aren't included.
 

Have you not considered Paphos, it's not that far from Larnaca

Yes we've looked at it. 2.5 hour drive and not good roads.  Also flights are similar in price so no real benefit.

It's a highway, all the way. It is the best road on the island. It's around 130 km and can be driven in under 1.5 hours.

If you don't want to fly into Paphos that's your choice. But the information you are quoting is woefully inaccurate.