Holiday HealtH
ou need to know about...
urance
Travelling can be fun
and beneficial but with a
life-limiting illness, there
are things you need to
consider before you go...
✿ Check whether you’re
fit to travel. Your doctor
can tell you whether
what you’re planning
is unsafe and talk you
through any potential
health implications.
✿Plan well ahead to
make sure that you have
enough of any particularTravelling
with an illnessor receiving or awaiting
treatment for, and any tests
you’ve had or are waiting
to have carried out.
If you don’t, and you fall
ill on holiday, the insurer
can refuse to pay out. It’s
also sensible to mention
even minor ailments that
you’ve seen a doctor for in
the past year – if it later
turns out to be a symptom
of something serious,
insurers can try to claim the
condition was pre-existing.
When you disclose a
medical condition, you’ll
be asked questions to allow
the insurer to assess the risk.
They may choose to cover
you at no extra cost, offer
cover but charge more, or
refuse to cover you.
If you have problems
getting affordable cover,
try visiting a specialist
comparison website, such
as medicaltravelcompared.
co.uk or allcleartravel.co.uk,or find a specialist broker
through the British Insurance
Brokers’ Association helpline
on 0370 950 1790. It’s also
worth getting a quote from
companies that specialise in
pre-existing conditions, such
as Avanti (0808 169 6475;
avantitravelinsurance.co.uk),
World First (0345 908 0161;
world-first.co.uk) or Good
to Go (0330 024 9949;
goodtogoinsurance.com).Q
I turned 65 this year,
and travel insurance
has shot up. How can
I find cover at a decent price?A
There are good
deals out there, but
you have to search a
bit harder. Insurers offering
Which? magazine Best Buys
for the over-65s include
Holidaysafe (020 3829
6765; holidaysafe.co.uk),
Blue Bear (0344 482 3404;
bluebeartravelinsurance.
co.uk), as well as
Covered2Go (0344 4827755; covered2go.co.uk).
Annual-trip policies
are particularly pricey for
over-65s, so unless you’re
sure you’ll be travelling a
lot, a single-trip policy is
likely to be better value.Q
I’ve got cover with
my credit card – is
that enough?A
It may be, but
one problem with
cover provided
with a credit card or
packaged bank account
is that you’re often not
told you need to disclose
medical conditions – and
if you don’t, the cover may
turn out to be unavailable
when you need it.
If you have medical
conditions, make sure that
you declare them before
relying on the insurance.
Also, make sure there isn’t
an age limit that excludes
you, as sometimes that’s
not checked either.supplies or treatment you
may need to take with
you. And remember that
some drugs are restricted.
If you’re travelling abroad
with them, you may need
to take a doctor’s letter.
✿ Contact the hotel about
special requirements,
such as diet, or mobility –
is there a lift, for instance?
✿ Check where the
nearest pharmacy/
doctor/hospital is?
✿Take care , as some
treatments can make your
skin more sensitive to sun.
These ChArITIes offer
exTrA AdvICe
✿Macmillan Cancer
support (0808 808 0000;
macmillan.org.uk)
✿ Parkinson’s UK
(0808 800 0303;
parkinsons.org.uk)
✿ British heart
foundation (0300
330 3311; bhf.org.uk)
✿ British Lung
foundation (0300
003 0555; blf.org.uk)
✿ Alzheimer’s society
(0300 222 1122;
alzheimers.org.uk)