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Travel insurance

fatgirl1965

Well-Known Member
Messages
62
Location
Chorley, Lancashire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who don't look after their pets
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
 
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.
 
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?
 
Beware the small print, especially the even smaller print, and do check out who the underwriters are.
 
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!
 
I used all clear travel insurance, it pays to shop around
 
All Clear Travel Insurance is for a maximum of 92 days only
 
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?
 
Do you, perchance have private medical cover?
 
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?
 
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?
 
And who insured you last year?
 
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.
 
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!
 
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