Travel Insurance Cost Cutting Tips For Older Travellers/Pre-existing Conditions

kiki2000_2 · 20 May 2006 at 2:24PM

We were recommended to to https://www.flexicover.co.uk which is a very easy to understand site, and directed us to Healthscreen247, on this site I was able to enter pre-existing conditions and was give easy to answer questions, and was asked to declare it as a true account and was then offered an additonal fee to the existing quote from Flexicover or was able to accept it without cover to exclude declared conditions, I was given a reference number to give to Flexicover, it was so much easier to understand and peruse than quotes we were given over the phone. All together an extremely competetive quote

Minxqc · 25 May 2006 at 6:03PM

I am travelling with a 48 year friend who has had a kidney transplant in December 2005. I looked at the postings and checked out the tips given by contributors

Asda

Would not provide insurance for those who undergone medical treatment within last 12 months

Total travel

After completing an online form my application was pendig a call from Total Travel They phoned, told me that they were only the broker & I would have to ring SunWorld Plus & speak to their medical screening unit. I would then have to wait for a reference number and then call Total Travel back. Why the broker could not do this was not satisfactorily explained ... after all what do they do for their money? In the meantime I had contacted my bank Lloyds TSB...

Lloyds TSB

I already hold a select account (paying £7 per month for various benefits) & was told that I could obtain free travel insurance if I upgraded to a gold account at no extra cost. Lloyds TSB contacted Axa the insurer to find out if my friend would be covered given his recent transplant. Lloyds TSB then telephoned me advising that yes my friend was covered for all medical problems even those connected to the transplant. Although my friend has obtained clearance to travel from his consultant it is of great relief to know that Lloyds TSB will cover us (plus of course a EHIC/E111 ) and all for no extra money. Lloyds TSB were exceptionally helpful and efficient throughout so thanks to Gordon there.

dubbelo · 2 June 2006 at 1:33PM

If anyone's suffering from mild asthma and wants worldwide year-long cover, I have to recommend Club Direct through money supermarket.

Having read these forums I tried a few places including Martin's recommendation for individual policies, 'insurefor'. Each one quoted between £30 to £50 extra for covering mild asthma. Several of them made me go through a long list of pre-existing medical conditions. Policies were coming up at anything between £75 to £150 and one even refused to insure me at all!!

I went back to club direct, emailed them to see whether they'd cover me and they said "buy the policy, then inform us. You'll be covered at no extra cost." They only wanted confirmation that I hadn't been hospitalised for the condition in the past 12 months. I bought the policy, emailed a request for asthma coverage, received an email back within a couple of hours accepting the coverage and including all the policy schedules in an attachment. The policy costs £39.65.

I should add that I've used them before (although without adding the asthma coverage as I hadn't even really thought about it) and I have had to make a claim. They were pretty efficient and paid up. For all the hassle I had with other insurers I'm happy to recommend them, although I don't know what their policy is with other medical conditions. Worth trying though.

JennyP · 7 June 2006 at 2:10PM

I have two serious medical conditions - a liver problem contracted during previous travels and anaphylaxis. I also have mild asthma.
I've had annual travel insurance from STA for the past two years. I thought they only covered students and backpackers but that's not true. I think it's about £70 a year - my boyfriend rang for a quote yesterday and said it was much the same price as Asda!

theloft · 8 June 2006 at 10:35AM

dubbelo wrote:

If anyone's suffering from mild asthma and wants worldwide year-long cover, I have to recommend Club Direct through money supermarket.

This thread is for Older Travellers/Pre-existing conditions - CLUB DIRECT HAVE AN UPPER AGE LIMIT OF 64 - Not very old I think you will agree.

Porker · 8 June 2006 at 2:16PM

but surely it's relevent for 'pre-existing conditions' - i assumed the thread was about both issues, not just the elderly with conditions? I may have missed the point...

HawkesFord · 16 June 2006 at 4:24PM

Porker wrote:

but surely it's relevent for 'pre-existing conditions' - i assumed the thread was about both issues, not just the elderly with conditions? I may have missed the point...

Your quite right, it's for both. Quite a few of the companies mentioned have upper age limits.

I am only 39 at the moment, but I am disabled and have been for over 25 years. I find it impossible to get travel insurance at the moment because I also like to ride a motorcycle. It makes me wonder if I will ever be allowed out of the UK when I get to retirement age

I am planning a trip with 2 other chaps, riding our bikes through Europe over 2 weeks. 1 of us has got health cover, one of us has had to pay over £200 for 14 days cover due to being over 65 and I can't even get a quote at the moment.

There are a couple of companies on here I haven't yet tried, so I am still keeping my fingers crossed, but I am doubtful. It seems that if I wanted to go skiing, mountaneering or potholing it would be no problem.

Anyway, keep up the good, work, there are some excellent hints & tips on here.

Vic

screwfox · 29 June 2006 at 11:04PM

try

http://www.acetravelinsurance.com

they too only cover uptp age 64, but for pre-existing medical conditions they have a simple disclaimer. Thdey seem great

John_3:16 · 30 June 2006 at 8:04AM

I see at the start of this thread that The Lloyds Gold account was mentioned as a way of getting travel insurance. This is true the card account if free if you always have £2000 in the account.
It also covers insurance for mobile phone .
I would say don't use your Lloyds Visa card abroad as the % rates are very high anything up to 5% per transaction. Use a halifax card I think these are free?
I have found the card inaurance very useful when we had a wallet nicked In Paris.
Same every year before hols are the details up to date.

chrissiewants2save · 30 June 2006 at 8:24AM

I have controlled epilepsy (meaning it's not likey for a seizure although this cannot be ruled out). Car insurance has never been a problem as DVLA says I can drive so insurance companies have no issues. HOLIDAY INSURANCE not the same! Last year I found a quote for insurance and then was then told to ring the Medical Helpline. The medical helpline would screen me as OK however I had to pay for a reference, (that had just changed before I rang them). Before I paid I rang the insurance company to find out why the extra charge.
ANYWAY long story short- the insurance company would cover me with the medical screening number EXCLUDING my pre-existing condition!!!!!! Why on earth bother I ask myself!

(I'm sorry - can't remember the company and I am talking about Europe with no sports etc)

THE MORAL- check exactly what you are covered for!!!

Travel Insurance Cost Cutting Tips For Older Travellers/Pre-existing Conditions

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