Travel insurance

[fatgirl1965]

Just had a very enlightening experience trying to get travel insurance for a 3 night short break to Hungary next week. Searched numerous websites with quotes ranging from the ridiculous ( £64.89 from diabetes.co.uk itself) to the nigh on impossible ( tesco refused to insure me). Finally found a comparison website called medical travel compared.com and got a quote for a very reasonable £10.64. I gave each company the exact same information - Type 1 Diabetes, Diabetic retinopathy and Heart murmur being my pre-existing medical conditions - yet why such a big difference in price? I understand that each policy will not provide the exact same benefits but the £10.64 one seems to cover all of my potential medical needs. Just wondering if anyone else had found the same problem when trying to get insurance

 

[noblehead]

It just show how it pays to shop around for insurance, I found the same several years ago when looking for life cover for a mortgage.

 

[Daibell]

The problem is many travel insurance underwriters haven't a clue. They penalise you if you have a known condition that is being managed and not a risk but don't penalise those haven't been to the GP for ages, are obese and about to fall over but can't report any condition. I would go with the lowest quote but check out the company on the Web or Which?

 

[Bluetit1802]

Beware the small print, especially the even smaller print, and do check out who the underwriters are.

 

[katie24]

I am currently having the same issue! I'm looking for travel insurance for what is essentially a "gap year" in Canada - will be doing winter sports in the winter and nothing extreme in the summer. I have had type 1 for just over 10 years and it's well controlled. No other medical conditions or complications. Prices seem to range from £450.00 - £2,000+. It's honestly INSANE! I was away for a year in Canada the year before last and had travel insurance for £750.00 (including winter sports). I had to claim twice on my insurance (broken elbow and my only ever experience of ketoacidosis from a nasty bout of food poisoning)

It just seems like the insurance for £450.00 wouldn't cover me for anything and the £2,000 + if just extortionate!

Anyone else ever had to find insurance for 365 consecutive days and know a company that will cover me for everything I need at a reasonable price?

thanks!

 

[uncle]

I used all clear travel insurance, it pays to shop around

 

[katie24]

All Clear Travel Insurance is for a maximum of 92 days only

 

[AndBreathe]

There are a number of longer term insurers. I have direct experience of a few such companies; one I worked for (although not in that area), and otherwise as a client. If you Google "long trip travel insurance" or "backpacker insurance". Some of the backpacker insurers have age limits, but looking at your profile you'd be absolutely fine. Your diabetes won't be a favourite thing for the underwriters though; especially as you have already experienced, past performance isn't necessarily a clear indicator for the insured period.

Have you considered going back to whoever insured you before, or are they not interested?

 

[AndBreathe]

Do you, perchance have private medical cover?

 

[AndBreathe]

Another alternative, but it carries risk, is to cover your year trip under one policy, then cover the specific risk of winter sports under a specialist policy, which would have a shorter term? How much skiing will you actually be doing?

 

[katie24]

I'm based in the UK so don't have private health insurance as I've always just used to NHS - I've never had any issues / hospital admissions etc since I was diagnosed so I've never needed it.

I did contact my previous insurers but they won't cover me again as the ketoacidosis required several nights in a hospital (I was snowboarding and tested my sugars, they were low(ish) so I got some lunch. Turns out who ever prepared my sandwich went to the bathroom and didn't wash their hands. I was sick for 4 days totalling $9,000 in medical bills).

I did check to see if I could split providers (long stay with one, winter sports with another) but it ended up being more expensive. I've just gained a quote for £600 from www.insurewith.com and will call them tomorrow to confirm the fine print!

It's just so frustrating that we're all deemed as a higher risk when, in most cases, we are more active and healthy to prevent diabetic complications! Rant over - thanks for the suggestions

 

[AndBreathe]

I'm based in the UK so don't have private health insurance as I've always just used to NHS - I've never had any issues / hospital admissions etc since I was diagnosed so I've never needed it.

I did contact my previous insurers but they won't cover me again as the ketoacidosis required several nights in a hospital (I was snowboarding and tested my sugars, they were low(ish) so I got some lunch. Turns out who ever prepared my sandwich went to the bathroom and didn't wash their hands. I was sick for 4 days totalling $9,000 in medical bills).

I did check to see if I could split providers (long stay with one, winter sports with another) but it ended up being more expensive. I've just gained a quote for £600 from www.insurewith.com and will call them tomorrow to confirm the fine print!

It's just so frustrating that we're all deemed as a higher risk when, in most cases, we are more active and healthy to prevent diabetic complications! Rant over - thanks for the suggestions

That url doesn't work. Could you check it please?

 

[AndBreathe]

And who insured you last year?

 

[katie24]

Apologies! I hadn't realised I had linked it! Correct link is below in case it is useful to anyone else. Previously insured with Endsleigh insurance.

https://www.insurancewith.com/

 

[Alasdair]

Amazingly, after uni I took my gap year (18 months) in Canada & USA without any travel insurance whatsoever! Extremely foolish and niaive thing to do and thankfully I got away with it. A lesson in what not to do! These days I use comparison sites and fill out all the relevant details and the obligatory phone call to confirm conditions and it still works out extremely reasonable.

 

[AndBreathe]

Apologies! I hadn't realised I had linked it! Correct link is below in case it is useful to anyone else. Previously insured with Endsleigh insurance.

https://www.insurancewith.com/

have you purely used comparison style websites, or have you approached a broker?

 

[katie24]

Just comparison websites for the initial quote and then called to confirm the fine print. One they realise that I do mean to be away for 365 days and do need winter sports cover for a whole season, it seems to magically increase the price! I haven't contacted any brokers directly as I've no idea who to contact!