diabetes complications and travelling overseas

[JHPH]

Hi there,

Asking for advice on travel insurance , whether they have been knocked back or been limited on what they can claim.

I have type 2 and both mild diabetes retinopathy and mild non ischemic heart.

i am on medications for diabetes and the other things

The airlines themselves don't seem to have restrictions on medical conditions, from what I read on the singapore airlines site

The goverment (smarttravellor) are saying:

Common exclusions for health claims
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing physical and mental health conditions. Some insurers will cover you if you pay extra. Commonly excluded are:

• bone and joint conditions
• breathing and lung conditions
• cancer
• circulatory and blood conditions
• diabetes
• disabilities
• heart conditions
• kidney or liver conditions
• mental health conditions

'Travel insurance is recommended regardless of which country you travel to yet some travellers still take the risk of travelling without it. But some countries strictly mandate travel insurance with medical as an entry requirement"

It doesn't look like UK mandate travel insurance, not sure about Germany.

Would I be knocked back because of a few medical conditions?

btw, i'm travelling from sydney to heathrow then berlin and back to Singapore, sydney

 

[EllieM]

Would I be knocked back because of a few medical conditions?

I don't know, but my UK T2 dad (with a raft of conditions) used to get covered by goodtogoinsurance when he went to visit us in New Zealand. They have a medical form that you go through listing your various conditions and then get a price (expensive for him at 90).

But your profile says you are only 33, so I suspect you can get much better rates than he did. (We chose goodtogo partly because of his age).

If it's just the medical aspect you are concerned with, would a UK EHIC or GHIC card help?

Applying for healthcare cover abroad (GHIC and EHIC) - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Am guessing most of the UK forumites have gone to bed so hopefully you'll get better answers when they come back online.

 

[Rachox]

I was recommended Stay Sure travel insurance as they will insure travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. I was accepted with diabetes and another couple of chronic conditions. I don’t know how good their claims process is as I didn’t have to use it.
https://www.staysure.co.uk/
Just to add I used them pre-covid so that is something else to consider.

 

[Goonergal]

I’ve used both Staysure and Insure and Go. There’s a helpful section on the moneysavingexpert site about insurance with pre-existing conditions: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/pre-existing-travel-insurance/

I find it pretty ironic that the type2 diagnosis has put up my premiums considerably despite me now being a far lower risk due to the health improvements I’ve made.

 

[zand]

We use Marks and Spencer travel insurance as they have covered my pre existing conditions in the past.

 

[JHPH]

thanks for everyone's responses. i'll take a look at them

 

[Daphne917]

I’ve used both Staysure and Insure and Go. There’s a helpful section on the moneysavingexpert site about insurance with pre-existing conditions: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/pre-existing-travel-insurance/

I find it pretty ironic that the type2 diagnosis has put up my premiums considerably despite me now being a far lower risk due to the health improvements I’ve made.

I use Staysure and Insure and Go as well depending on which one is cheapest. My OH has a number of health issues and this years travel insurance is costing us £480.00! However it does include cruise cover. I looked at travel insurance pre Covid for Canada and the cheapest was £780.00!!

 

[MarkHaZ123]

We get yearly insurance which as soon as I had to declare it went up about 20%. It is still cheap enough but if you search insurance companies you'll find good ones

 

[MrsA2]

Check out your banks accounts. Our insurance comes packaged with ours, and all we had to do was call them and inform them. They didn't add any extra, but thye did need to know

 

[JHPH]

'Check out your banks accounts. Our insurance comes packaged with ours, and all we had to do was call them and inform them. They didn't add any extra, but thye did need to know"

did they ask about preexisting conditions

 

[MrsA2]

'Check out your banks accounts. Our insurance comes packaged with ours, and all we had to do was call them and inform them. They didn't add any extra, but thye did need to know"

did they ask about preexisting conditions

I think you have to declare them

 

[Goonergal]

did they ask about preexisting conditions

I think you have to declare them

In my experience there’s a difference between simply declaring pre-existing conditions and them actually being covered by the insurance. That’s an important distinction which you need to understand before travelling. Perhaps not such a big deal for a diet controlled T2, for example, but anyone on meds who may need them replacing at short notice will need to be sure they’ll be covered.

 

[JHPH]

"that’s an important distinction which you need to understand before travelling. Perhaps not such a big deal for a diet controlled T2, for example, but anyone on meds who may need them replacing at short notice will need to be sure they’ll be covered."

yes, so for example if I lose the meds? or I run out? diet controlled might be hard to prove

 

[Goonergal]

yes, so for example if I lose the meds? or I run out?

Yes, or if an insulin user needed treatment for a hypo for example. In places like the USA, any of those scenarios would cost huge amounts.

 

[Daphne917]

Check out your banks accounts. Our insurance comes packaged with ours, and all we had to do was call them and inform them. They didn't add any extra, but thye did need to know

Think it depends what the pre-existing conditions are - due to his health issues we have to go to a specialised insurer for my OH.