travel insurance

This page is under construction - information to be localised

Companies willing to consider providing travel insurance cover for people who have had cancer:

Age Concern Insurance Services
New City House,
57 - 63 The Ringway
Preston
PR1 1BR
Tel: 0845 601 2234
www.ageconcern.org.uk

• No age restriction.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• You will need to speak to someone on a medical screening line (0845 1300107).
  
• You need to have completed treatment.

Free Spirit & P J Hayman
Stansted House
Rowlands Castle
Hants
PO9 6DX
Tel: 0845 230 5000
www.pjhayman.com

• Will provide travel insurance for both the disabled and terminally ill for Europe only.
  
• Cover single trips only up to 94 days with age limit up to 85 years for travel to America, Canada, Caribbean, Hong Kong and China.
  
• Cancellation cover for patients with cancer but all subject to medical assessment.

Leisurecare Insurance Services Ltd
Premier House
107a High Street
Cricklade
Wilts
SN6 6AE
Tel: 01793 750 150

• Policy specifically written for cancer patients.
  
• Travel to the majority of EU member countries only.
  
• The patient's GP or consultant will have a form to complete.
  
• Age limit up to 64 years.
  
• Will not provide cover for cruises.

Medicover Insurance Services Ltd
Lumbry Park,
Alton,
Hampshire,
GU34 3HF.
Tel: 0870 735 3600
www.medi-cover.co.uk

• No age limit.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• Will offer cover for cancer.
  
• Will consider terminal prognosis (provided at least 4 months life expectancy) subject to assessment by their doctors, but cost could be very high for cover.

Perry and Gamble Company Ltd
East Devon Business Park,
Wilmington,
Honiton,
Devon,
EX14 9RL
Tel: 01404 830 100

• Registered insurance brokers.
  
• No age restrictions on single trips, age limit up to 80 on annual policies.
  
• Will cover all patients but will exclude claims arising from terminal conditions.
  
• No country restrictions.

J D Consultants and Medical Brokers
44 High Street,
Farnborough,
Kent,
BR6 7BA.
Tel: 01689 859102

• No age limit.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• All cases considered individually.
  
• Off treatment for at least 3 months - may get normal policy rates.
  
• On treatment, or visiting USA - usually have a high excess to pay.
  
• Client declared 'incurable' can be covered but given 'terminal' diagnosis of less than 6 months would probably have cover declined.

Venturesure
68 High Street,
Chislehurst,
Kent,
BR7 5AQ
Tel: 0800 181 532

• Will provide insurance for people with cancer, but not with a terminal prognosis or awaiting treatment.
  
• Date of last chemo or radiotherapy must be at least 3 months ago.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• Single trip, long trip, annual policies available.
  
• Maximum 31 days trip for age 65 yrs and over.

Saga Holiday Travel Insurance
Saga Building
Middelburgh Square
Folkstone
Kent CT20 1AZ
Tel: 0800 056 5464
www.saga.co.uk

• Only f or those over 50 years, no upper limit.
  
• Will not cover those with a terminal prognosis but will consider 'incurable' diagnosis as all cases are treated individually.
  
• All patients can be covered, but if receiving or awaiting treatment, their specific medical condition will be excluded.
  
• Covers single trips only to maximum 90 days.
  
• No country restrictions, but warn that USA/Canada will be very expensive, and Spain more expensive than rest of Europe.

Post Office Travel Services
Garrod House,
Chaldon Road,
Caterham,
Surrey,
CR3 5YW
Tel: 0800 387858
www.postoffice.co.uk/travel

• No country restrictions unless advised otherwise by Government website.
  
• Annual policy available up to age 69 yrs.
  
• No age limit on single trips.
  
• Would have to speak to a medical screening line and will consider all cases as each is dealt with individually.

Tesco Travel Insurance
Cote Lane
Leeds
LS28 5TB
Tel: 0845 300 8800
www.tescofinance.com

• No age restrictions.
  
• Single trip policy - up to 90 days.
  
• Annual policy - up to 120 days, but no more than 42 days on any one trip, age restriction 74 yrs.
  
• Each case judged individually including cancer patients.

Blue Swan Travel Insurance
PO Box 6
Bishops Waltham
Hants
SO32 1WA
Tel: 0870 240 1154

• Subject to health screening, but will cover those with a pre-existing medical condition.
  
• Date of last session of chemo or radiotherapy must be at least one month ago.
  
• No age or country restrictions except for annual policy which has an age limit of 65 yrs and restrictions for certain medical conditions.

Freedom Richmond House
16/20 Regent Street
Cambridge
CB2 1DB
Tel: 0870 774 3760
www.freedominsure.co.uk

• Insurance Brokers.
  
• Can provide cover up to age 100 depending on a scheme being available.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• Excess normally £35 on main scheme policies, however, all cases are subject to health screening.

Marks & Spencer
Tel: 0800 068 3918
www.marksandspencer.com/financialservices

• No age restriction on single trip policy, but those 65 and over pay 100% extra. Maximum age for annual policy 70yrs.
  
• No country restrictions.
  
• Excess normally £50 but can purchase waiver (a bit like buying protected no-claims discount for motor insurance).
  
• All cases subject to health screening.
  
• Treat each case individually, depending upon circumstances.
  
• May be unwilling to consider a terminal diagnosis or clients having in-patient treatment or on waiting list for treatment.

mediTravelcover
Tel: 01252 782392
www.meditravelcover.com

• Specialist travel cover for cancer patients.
  
• Always send questionnaire to consultant and base premium on consultant's opinion of client's suitability to travel at that particular time (i.e. provided consultant considers client well enough to benefit from 2 weeks holiday it does not matter what client's prognosis may be). Any limitations such as age, number of days cover, countries, excess premium, etc are based on consultant's reply.
  
• Company strongly believes in therapeutic value of holidays and will try to find a solution to help every client. Some recent cases are listed on website.

Norwich Union Direct
Tel: 0800 121 007
www.norwichunion.com

• Will not insure if patient has had treatment in last year. If the patient is less than three years in remission, will provide general cover only (i.e. will not cover if claim is put in and is related to cancer diagnosis).
  

It is easier to obtain cover for European countries than others e.g. U.S.A. as medical costs in such countries are considerably higher.

If you choose to holiday in a country that is part of the EU then you will need to complete an E111 form (available at the Post Office) and take this with you. This enables you to obtain free emergency treatment within the EU (rather than reclaiming the cost from your insurance policy). Even if you have travel insurance for the EU you are most probably still required to take an E111 – check your policy. The rules for the E111 have changed and you should note that: -

• a form E111 issued before 19 August 2004 is no longer valid and you should apply for a new form;
• a form E111 issued on or after 19 August 2004 is valid only up to 31 December 2005; ÿ from 1 January 2006 the UK will fall into line with other EU countries and issue a European Health Insurance Card instead of a form E111. If you applied for a new form E111 for travel in 2005 you will automatically be issued with the new European Health Insurance Card when they are introduced. ÿ only one application for a form E111 is required for a family but separate forms E111 will be issued for each family member.

If you are travelling with your wife, partner or a friend it is best if they arrange their travel insurance with the company you use, preferably on the same policy. The reason for this is that if your condition unexpectedly worsens before you go and you have to cancel your holiday then the other person will also be covered for a cancellation refund; and if your condition unexpectedly worsens when you are away and you have to cut short your holiday you should both be able to claim for whatever costs are covered by your policy. In both cases your travelling companion will be covered because your condition was declared when the insurance was arranged with your company. If the person going with you has their travel insurance with a different insurance company and you have to cancel or cut short your holiday because you fall ill it is likely that they will not be covered for having to cancel or shorten the holiday due to your medical condition. This is because your pre-existing condition will not have been declared to the other company.

If you do not tell the insurer that you have received treatment for cancer and you later make a claim in respect of your condition or for a related condition, the insurer will cancel your policy. If this happens you will have to meet the cost of any medical treatment you have received.

Different insurance companies and brokers may assess your risk to them in different ways. Very much depends on the company’s attitude to cancer treatment. Some companies use staff without any medical experience to screen insurance applications. They may use a series of standard questions to assess your risk to them. If you have recently received treatment for cancer in, say, the last six or twelve months you will probably not be offered a travel policy on standard terms or you may be refused cover. Other companies use their own trained or medically qualified staff to screen your application. Your individual circumstances, including your condition, the treatment received and the prognosis will be taken into account. In some cases the screening may be done by a specialist health screening company. When contacting the company it is useful to have your past medical history and details, including dates, of diagnosis, treatment and medications you may be taking, to hand, as they will ask for this information.