Holiday (cruise) insurance with existing medical condition advice sought.

[Mr Plodd]

OK good people here's a interesting scenario.

I have 3 cruises booked, August this year(all paid for) another in January next year and one in August next year, all booked many months ago.

In very early March I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. Low grade, no treatment necessary, watch and wait.

My holiday insurance is with Nationwide (Aviva)

They are refusing, point blank, to cover me for the Lymphoma. They will cover me for everything else but of course on a cruise you have to be covered fir absolutely everything.

Trust me I have discussed it at length and they are resolute.

So has anybody been in a similar situation, and if so did you find a company that would cover you for cruises. I am resigned to the fact its going to cost me!

Thanks in advance.

 

[otherclive]

A friend of mine with a serious heart condition found insurance through using the FCA directory. He wasn’t on a cruise though, just a holiday in Botswana. He did comment though that the insurance cost was more than his premium seat price.

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/use-our-travel-insurance-directory

 

[Beachball]

able2travel
www.able2travel.com
They covered a lot of medical conditions yours might be one of them and good luck

 

[otherclive]

I don't know if this would help narrow down suitable companies. It's a bit of a minefield as last year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and like you my normal travel insurer did want to know, even though my condition is just under 6 monthly monitoring via bloods and MRI. Good luck.

Cruise Travel Insurance | Medical Travel Compared

Compare cruise travel holiday insurance today. Get quotes at cheap prices from a variety of specialist providers with Medical Travel Compared.

www.medicaltravelcompared.co.uk

 

[toad a caravan]

Mr plodd, can't help with the insurance,however hope all works out ok and you enjoy your trips

 

[Gate54]

Found one that covered me for cruise when no one else would. It's called All Clear. Cost me an arm and a leg but the cruse I had was absolutely fantastic so it was worth every penny. Be warned though, the insurance cost as much as the cruise but it was worldwide (the cruse was to Asia) excluding USA, Caribbean and Mexico and lasts for a year. May go on another one yet!

 

[woodsieboy]

A few weeks ago, Radio 4 Gapfinders featured a lady who set up an insurance company to cover the conditions that existing companies rejected, she was fed up with being rejected when her condition didn't meet their tick box system The company takes an individual case by case basis to cover, I think it was called Insurance With may be worth a try

 

[Mr Plodd]

Thanks everyone who has replied, there are a few companies mentioned that I haven't yet approached.
The real elephant in the room is getting cruise cover, probably due to the cost of the (remote but expensive) possiblity of needing evacuation from the ship. That seems a very unlikely scenario with my condition (non hodgkins Lymphoma) for which I am not receiving any treatment, just "watch and wait" brief but the insurance underwriters seem terrified of it!

Best quotes so far for annual cover, from Staysure and Allclear travel, excluding USA, Canada, Caribbean, Bermuda and Mexico (that list seems universal) is £1250 which considering my Banks insurance (Aviva) was included at no extra cost before my diagnosis seems a bit excessive. Aviva will still cover me for everything else but refuse to cover me for Lymphoma, which wouldn't bother me that much if travelling around Europe etc as it's easy enough to get home if I wanted, but doing that off a cruise ship ain't so easy.
If anyone has any more suggestions would be grateful as I

 

[ProfJohnL]

Backin December last year a relative in Canada passed away.I was intending to go te funeral in January, but due to medicalconditions the best insurance quote I could get was £1800. Sadly I coul not justify that for just three days, but jsut as well as two days into January I began a serious gallbladder episode which put me in hosp for 6 weeks, which was removed yesterday. Im writing this from an NHS bed.

 

[Mr Plodd]

I wish you a speedy recovery John.

 

[otherclive]

Backin December last year a relative in Canada passed away.I was intending to go te funeral in January, but due to medicalconditions the best insurance quote I could get was £1800. Sadly I coul not justify that for just three days, but jsut as well as two days into January I began a serious gallbladder episode which put me in hosp for 6 weeks, which was removed yesterday. Im writing this from an NHS bed.

Very fortunate that you hadn’t traveled to Canada, but 6 weeks in hospital is a long stay by any standards. Good though that the troublesome “beastie” is now history. Wish you a good recovery.

 

[otherclive]

Thanks everyone who has replied, there are a few companies mentioned that I haven't yet approached.
The real elephant in the room is getting cruise cover, probably due to the cost of the (remote but expensive) possiblity of needing evacuation from the ship. That seems a very unlikely scenario with my condition (non hodgkins Lymphoma) for which I am not receiving any treatment, just "watch and wait" brief but the insurance underwriters seem terrified of it!

Best quotes so far for annual cover, from Staysure and Allclear travel, excluding USA, Canada, Caribbean, Bermuda and Mexico (that list seems universal) is £1250 which considering my Banks insurance (Aviva) was included at no extra cost before my diagnosis seems a bit excessive. Aviva will still cover me for everything else but refuse to cover me for Lymphoma, which wouldn't bother me that much if travelling around Europe etc as it's easy enough to get home if I wanted, but doing that off a cruise ship ain't so easy.
If anyone has any more suggestions would be grateful as I

We have used Campbell Irvine a travel insurer offfered by Naturetrek whose holidays now include cruises to some out of the way places. CI have a medical screening approach where you talk to real people.

 

[Hutch]

Backin December last year a relative in Canada passed away.I was intending to go te funeral in January, but due to medicalconditions the best insurance quote I could get was £1800. Sadly I coul not justify that for just three days, but jsut as well as two days into January I began a serious gallbladder episode which put me in hosp for 6 weeks, which was removed yesterday. Im writing this from an NHS bed.

Hopefully you will have a full recovery, I had mine removed after a bad attack of indigestion turning into heartburn pains, 3 years ago after New year, ambulance called at 7 pm, arrived 12 minutes later, NOT heart, go to A&E, they are aware of you. 4 hours of tests, yes gall bladder, too big to operate today. Antibiotic for the next day, removed next day 3 more days in Hospital then home.
Sounds like yours was more serious than mine.
Keyhole surgery, but 5 different keys.

 

[otherclive]

Hopefully you will have a full recovery, I had mine removed after a bad attack of indigestion turning into heartburn pains, 3 years ago after New year, ambulance called at 7 pm, arrived 12 minutes later, NOT heart, go to A&E, they are aware of you. 4 hours of tests, yes gall bladder, too big to operate today. Antibiotic for the next day, removed next day 3 more days in Hospital then home.
Sounds like yours was more serious than mine.
Keyhole surgery, but 5 different keys.

You were fortunate having it caught in time. My mother was admitted some 48 years ago, but didn’t make it. She had ignored the (very painful) symptoms for too long.