FINDING THE RIGHT CANCER TRAVEL INSURANCE
When you first start looking for a quote you may find yourself facing some shockingly high prices, but it doesn’t have to be this way. The key is to find a travel insurance company that will treat you as an individual and recognise no two people or the treatment they receive is the same.
It is best to avoid opening every comparison site on the internet, instead, choose only one to scan the market as they’re all likely to give you the same information; alternatively, you can contact a travel insurer direct. Specialist medical travel insurance companies, are not usually found on comparison sites but are experienced in tailoring fair, accurate travel insurance policies covering a vast range of medical conditions.
When buying a medical travel insurance policy prepare yourself for an in-depth medical declaration – it may seem invasive and time consuming but the insurer will need to gather as much information about your diagnosis, and condition, in order to assess the current risks and ensure you don’t pay any more for your policy than you need to.
The more specialist medical travel insurers will use a medication-led risk rating tool. You will need to provide the names of your medication and the medical reasons for each one (entering ‘cancer’ will not be accepted; you will need to know the type of cancer you have been diagnosed with and the stage at diagnoses i.e. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Adenocarcinoma, Stage 1b). If you are unsure, we recommend contacting your GP or Consultant before calling to complete a medical declaration.
Although some medical travel insurance policies will not ask for your medication, it is best to find one that will – that way you can guarantee every ailment and possible side-effect is covered accurately, giving you peace of mind that should you need to claim on your travel policy you will be covered.
It is worth noting, no travel insurance policy will cover you if you travel against the advice of your GP or treating doctor – regardless of the circumstances.
WHAT TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER SHOULD I LOOK FOR?
If you are travelling with a medical condition it is understandable you will want to make sure you have the right level of cover. Although cover will differ between travel insurance companies, and you should always check the policy wording carefully to confirm what is covered before buying the policy, the main cover to look out for is:
♥ Repatriation cover, to ensure you are brought back to the UK safely.
♥ Medical expenses, if you need emergency medical attention abroad.
♥ Additional travel expenses, to get you home if you need to stay abroad following medical treatment.
Taking the time to read your travel insurance policy carefully, or speaking to your insurer direct, will give you peace of mind that should something happen either before or during your trip you will be protected.
UNDERSTANDING A MEDICAL EXCESS
In an attempt to keep the price as low as possible, some travel insurance companies may apply a medical excess to the policy as opposed to a high premium. The excess amount may be higher than anticipated, but the best way to think about it is; if your condition is stable why should you pay a high premium just in case?
Having said that, if there is more than one person on a travel insurance policy and you all submit a claim for cancellation or curtailment, due to the medical condition that has the excess attached, the amount will need to be paid per-person unless stated otherwise in the policy wording.
BESPOKE MEDICAL DECLARATIONS
Although it is possible to complete a medical declaration online, with more complex cancers, an insurer may ask to speak to you directly in order to get a clearer understanding of your diagnosis, treatment and stability of the condition – as treatment is tailored on an individual basis the online system may not be able to recognise some personal circumstances.
There’s a limited number of travel insurance companies that offer a bespoke medical declaration service where you are able to speak directly to a medically trained advisor. The advisor will assess your condition on a one to one basis to ensure they are able to offer you the best cover for your needs.