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T1 Travel Insurance

M

Major

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London, England
Hi there, I'm relatively new to both diabetes (diagnosed T1 in March '09) and this forum but am looking for some advice about travel insurance.

Last weekend I visited Vienna for a wedding. This was my first trip abroad since contracting T1 and I decided not to take out travel insurance following a chat with a friend. Thankfully there were no dramas (bar the carb couting!)

On reflection I'm not entirely sure whether this was a good idea and, with another trip to Europe looming, wondered if others take this approach. I do have a "European Health Insurance Card" which I believe is a modern version of the E111. To what extent would this card help with any severe medical emergencies?

Thanks in anticipation.
 
Basically the E111 allows you to get health treatment like any other member of that country.
It has absolutly nothing to do with payment.

It ensures that you GET treatment, but you will have to pay for it.

I'd say it was a stupid thing to do, personally.

Even the treatment for a hypo could run into £1,000... ambulance, glucose, monitoring etc....
You were lucky nothing happened.

I developed pancreatitus in Switzerland... 3 days intensive care, 5 days normal. 3 scans.
Over £17,500.
Insurance only cost me £200 for a year, including extreme sports coverage.

It's always good to get it.
 
You can use the links from this page to see what an EHIC entitles you to in each country. It never covers evacuation costs ie getting you back to the UK, nor mountain or maritime rescue costs (admittedly, with no coast, maritime rescue isn't an issue in Austria!)

Sorry, omitted link, but it's in the next post.
 
An EHIC (new name) does cover you to a certain extent.
It covers you for emergencies and unlike the E111 also for ongoing care if you go to stay in an EU country for a short period (say on business or an extended holiday).
It covers you for what someone in that country would get which is not always 100% of cost. The extra can be claimed be back from the NHS on return (I don't how good they are at paying) I know it works fine the other way, ie claiming back prescription costs paid in the UK when insured in another EU country.

The NHS website tells you what care you may get in each individual country. Each country varies and in some places you may have to pay doctors at the time. (and get some or all refunded later)
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/Pages/About.aspx

For Austria, if the doctor is contracted to the regional healthcare scheme you would have got treatment free. For a private doctor you would have paid upfront but could have claimed back about 80% back from the Austrian authorities and the remaining 20% from the NHS. If you had been hospitalised the same provisions apply (depending whether regional or private hospital) but you would have had to pay an in patient charge, again claimable back in the UK.

What isn't ever covered is repatriation to the UK , expenses incurred for lost travel arrangements or for someone else to stay with you etc
(another exclusion is emergency rescue when skiing, you canoften buy that at a daily rate with your ski pass)
 
Celtic.Piskie, copepod, phoenix - thank you for the feedback, it's very much appreciated.

I've taken a look at the NHS website and have decided to take out insurance to compliment the EHIC. The decision centres around loss or theft of insulin + associated apparel along with the standard, non-health related problems that could transpire. It's good to hear though that the EHIC covers for a lot of eventualities at little or no cost to the traveller.

I guess insurance premiums will be that much higher with D at play. Off to compare prices now...!

Sorry to hear about the situation in Switzerland Celtic.Piskie.
 
My mother is suffering from type T1 diabetic.she feels like fainting and always she feels hungry.
Can anyone help me to recover from this problem....
Thanks....
................
 
Hi Major,

I have found Elephant travel insurance very good. And being insured for Type 1 diabetes seems to have affected my premium very little. My wife's back pain due to a recent car accident DOUBLED our premium... so that gives you an idea of the effect. As long as it's well managed with no hospital visits due to diabetes, etc (obviously, you have to admit the one when you were diagnosed) then it doesn't appear to have affected my premiums.

And don't necessarily go for the 'recommended' or 'specialist' insurance companies... at the end of the day, they've all got to provide a service and there's always a deal from one of the main travel insurers or other.

Here's a silly example though, which will make you annoyed... On a recent trip to Canada I had to buy insulin due to mine leaking. The cost was 60 Canadian dollars, about £40. The excess on my travel insurance?... £75. It's always better to have the insurance there though, should something happen.

Sam.
 
how much are we looking at for just a normal holiday? it was like 10 quid last time i travelled. but that was before db.

i never had any hosp admittances,

howie
 
I'm currently insured through Direct Line (Type 1), and always go for an annual policy. I think I pay about £150 a year for both myself and my husband (non-diabetic)

Unfortunately it is a bit more expensive but I guess they have to cover themselves as complications can be really expensive - especially in the States where we tend to go.

I have also used Marks and Spencer in the past and they've been very good. Had to claim when I was in the Gambia after a violent reaction to some insect bites, and they paid out within a fortnight of my getting home!

The Post Office (Fortis) refused to cover me for my Diabetes at all (and wouldn't even sell me a policy!)....advice is to shop around!!!

ma5on
 
I got an annual multi-trip policy including winter sports for a grand total of £50.
I had to declare mu type 1 diabetes, which ended up costing me an extra £10 - not to bad.
 
hi all,

this post contains so useful information. i agree with that Travel insurance is essential thing in trips. even, i want to say that everyone should have Travel insurance during each and single trip. so, i have a Travel insurance.......... 8)

Go For it :---
 
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