Insurance.....

Just a quick question. Doing a Caribbean Cruise in a few weeks and then a week in Florida. Have only ever taken 1 cruise before and for that we took out American Express Insurance. Ten years later it seems to have changed..., do I just take out standard travel insurance, or do I have to have Cruise insurance?

Also have had Cancer treatment ( all clear given yesterday - yay), but if I disclose this the premium for standard insurance goes interstellar. Advice and a bottle of gin appreciated.

TIA Dale

Yes you should take out travel insurance that covers cruises and visits to the US. (Don't forget to apply for an ESTA).

Congrats on your good news. If the insurance company ask you this health question, you will have to declare it otherwise your insurance company may not pay out if you have a claim.

Here are some previous threads about recommendations of travel insurance companies:

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2145525

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2154860

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1628557

Hi,

Answer the questions honestly (which I'm sure you plan to do) but if one of the questions is do you have any illness that we should know about, you can honestly answer NO.

Congratulations on your good news.

If you are a member of a trade union or other such association they may have a group travel insurance, may well be worth a check, it really works for me.

Good luck

Pete

Some insurers don't differentiate between cruising and other forms of holiday, some specifically exclude cruises but usually offer a slightly different policy specifically for cruises. So check the small-print.

Can't help with pre-existing conditions - you're obliged to answer questions truthfully, and if they find out you've lied about the cancer that gives them the opportunity to dismiss a claim if, for instance, you break a leg.

I don't understand why they - or at least some of them - jack up premiums as well as excluding the pre-existing conditions. :confused:

Since you've been given the all-clear (congrats :)), depending on the phraseology hopefully as per the Enforcer's post, you'll be able to answer questions honestly without affecting the premium.

If not, check out other insurers - there are plenty of them.

And if you keep hitting a brick wall talk to an insurance broker.

JB :)

Thank you for getting back to me. I am well and truly over a barrel on this one, as Mr Bull says, if I break my leg, they will say was due to the bones being weakend ( is that how you spell it, it just doesn't look right) due to the chemotherapy. But the good news is that next year I wont have to declare any of it as my treatment will have been more than 2 years previous.

My husband, on the other hand, uses a inhaler once in a blue moon. Looks like we have to declare that too. At this rate our next holiday is going to be in Pontypool......

have a good weekend,

D

Thank you for getting back to me. I am well and truly over a barrel on this one, as Mr Bull says, if I break my leg, they will say was due to the bones being weakend ( is that how you spell it, it just doesn't look right) due to the chemotherapy. But the good news is that next year I wont have to declare any of it as my treatment will have been more than 2 years previous.

 

My husband, on the other hand, uses a inhaler once in a blue moon. Looks like we have to declare that too. At this rate our next holiday is going to be in Pontypool......

 

have a good weekend,

 

 

D

No, the insurers would be on even safer ground than that.

They wouldn't have to link any claim (eg broken leg) to the cancer or the chemo - they could just repudiate the claim because the applicant lied.

Nowadays courts tend to rule against insurers who try to wriggle out of a claim by finding some trivial unconnected ailment that the insured person could naturally forget or consider unimportant - but cancer isn't something you forget or consider unimportant.

My o/h is in your position, happily now clear, though minor surgery meant she didn't need chemo. She declared the cancer to her travel insurer (Insure & Go) & this didn't affect the premium, it only excluded the cancer from the insurance cover.

You and we are likely to end up at Pontypool eventually.;)

But not yet a while, you should be able to get sensibly-priced insurance.

Or if you bank with Nationwide the problem may already be solved.

JB :)

I just got medical insurance for my aunt with all clear travel insurance she has various health problems and they medically screened her and her premium was competitive. Her friend had surgery for breast cancer 2 years ago and her premium was £37 for a weeks insurance she got gets from insure and go hood this helps

I still take out American Express Insurance. I have moved on to an Annual Insurance instead of Single Trip. They have a medical declaration which needs to be accurate as far as you know, i.e. full disclosure. They consider whether an illness is now concluded and I think you may get reasonable terms. You need US and Caribbean cover, it is grouped as one. Also ensure you have obtained your ESTAs for all travelling with you.

Regards John

PS weakened

Thank you so much. Got the travel insurance marked off my to-do list. I went with a company called Just travel cover ( codotuk) and it cost £70ish for 2 weeks cruise and USA

Had a good think about my husband ( and no it didn't involve the impending valentines day!). He last had an asthma attack several years ago and uses an inhaler infrequently - so being pragmatic, I don't consider he does have a medical condition. I have to use a inhaler on the odd occasion, but seriously me asthmatic? - nah. So for him, the daughter and the boyfriend, it came to £60 with Leisure Guard Lite ( as recommended by Money saving expert Martin Lewis). Hopefully no one has any horror stories, if so please tell me, as I have time to cancel.

Taking all your hints and tips on board, as I have booked another cruise for 2017.....

Mrs Dasher

No, the insurers would be on even safer ground than that.

 

They wouldn't have to link any claim (eg broken leg) to the cancer or the chemo - they could just repudiate the claim because the applicant lied.

 

Nowadays courts tend to rule against insurers who try to wriggle out of a claim by finding some trivial unconnected ailment that the insured person could naturally forget or consider unimportant - but cancer isn't something you forget or consider unimportant.

 

 

 

My o/h is in your position, happily now clear, though minor surgery meant she didn't need chemo. She declared the cancer to her travel insurer (Insure & Go) & this didn't affect the premium, it only excluded the cancer from the insurance cover.

 

 

 

You and we are likely to end up at Pontypool eventually.;)

 

But not yet a while, you should be able to get sensibly-priced insurance.

 

Or if you bank with Nationwide the problem may already be solved.

 

 

 

JB :)

Can I just mention the Nationwide Building Society cover. The basic cover is for Europe only. They used to offer worldwide cover for an additional £20 but have changed this to £40 for N America and the Caribbean. Rest of the world is still £20. No extra charge for cruising. Trip length up to 30 days but they will extend for an additional cost. They are very strict on medical screening. Full disclosure is essential.

Can I just mention the Nationwide Building Society cover. The basic cover is for Europe only. They used to offer worldwide cover for an additional £20 but have changed this to £40 for N America and the Caribbean. Rest of the world is still £20. No extra charge for cruising. Trip length up to 30 days but they will extend for an additional cost. They are very strict on medical screening. Full disclosure is essential.

We have this cover, including America and the rest of the world and we are very happy with it. DH and I have a number of complaints plus we are both senior citizens which also pushes up the cost of insurance and Nationwide proved to be very competitive.

It is irritating that even if you have a clean bill of health, if you're over a certain age Insurance Companies feel the need to charge you more. I suspect a lot more people will end up in Pontypool as the cost of insurance outstrips the cost of cruising.

BTW, never been to Pontypool- is it nice? :D

We are very happy with the Nationwide policy. Even taking into consideration the premium to cover medical issues, it is still great value compared to buying insurance elsewhere.

Can I just mention the Nationwide Building Society cover. The basic cover is for Europe only. They used to offer worldwide cover for an additional £20 but have changed this to £40 for N America and the Caribbean. Rest of the world is still £20. No extra charge for cruising. Trip length up to 30 days but they will extend for an additional cost. They are very strict on medical screening. Full disclosure is essential.

I'll double-check, but worldwide was free with my flex-plus account.

Well, not "free" because there's an annual charge which its higher interest rate (on only a couple of thou) doesn't cover, but a lot cheaper than my previous insurer.

That's because when I hit 65 apparently the risk, and the premium, doubled overnight. Bye bye Insure-and-Go.:rolleyes:

Next expense will be my 70th ( sounds like Babs is ahead of me ;)) but Nationwide add a sensible extra premium.

JB :)

I'm sure Flex plus will give that extra cover. Standard Flex account doesn't. Hitting 70 should not impact on cover. My DH certainly did not pay any more after 70. I think it might be 75.