Red Pennant insurance - caution

[RayS]

Tried today to get a policy online for a trip similar in all respects apart from start and finish dates to one I had this time last year
I was offered cover at over £500 against £205 for the same thing 12 months ago.. This is clearly ridiculous, so i requested email of quotation and received it showing the same high figure.
I have checked the quote carefully and the only anomaly I can find is that in Statement of Facts, heading Extensions to Cover there are two headings - Winter Sports - correctly identified as 'No' and CKE - identified as Yes.
Nowhere can I find what CKE means or whether this inclusion relates to the increased premium.
I have of course emailed CAMC requesting clarification but in the meantime suggest that if you get an online quote for such cover you check it very carefully before accepting and paying.

 

[otherclive]

My cover with the top cover was £225 for three weeks in June -July 2018. Took it out in March 2018. Unfortunately the trip and subsequent ones have been cancelled and Red Pennant gave a 100% refund. Don't know why yours was quoted so high be interested in outcome.

 

[paws]

Ray,
I think the cke referred to in your post is probably the Camping Key Europe ( CKE) card

Further details available from here:
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-shop/camping-key-europe-card/

I'm afraid I don't know much about it as I never travel abroad these days!

Regards and of course
Happy Caravanning
paws

 

[Woodentop]

Ray,
I think the cke referred to in your post is probably the Camping Key Europe ( CKE) card

Further details available from here:
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/club-shop/camping-key-europe-card/

I'm afraid I don't know much about it as I never travel abroad these days!

Regards and of course
Happy Caravanning
paws

CKE is the replacement for the FIA Camping Card and is used as a replacement for your Passport being left at the site office. However the last time I got one it was only about £7.
Just a daft question, but you haven't been quoted for 12 months cover have you? Or have you gone over an age step 60/65/70 or retired since last year, or have a health issue or had medical treatment in the last year? These are all reasons that insurers will use to hike the price.
Interestingly RP used to be done by Frizzell who were taken over by LV=. Why not get a quote from LV as comparison. I find them first class - for instance full European breakdown and recovery cover costs me £93pa.

 

[RayS]

Thanks guys, you are quite right, CKE does refer to the camping key card.

The bad news is that the website is correct.
It seems the club changed underwriters who immediately imposed a hefty surcharge on anyone over 80 - which I am. This has increased the premium from £208 this time llast year to £515 for the same 45 day trip this year with no other loading for medical conditions etc.
I have reluctantly agreed to the policy but shall use the cooling off period to investigate other sources of health insurance as the surcharge applies to that part and not to the motor/caravan party of the policy
.
I am not looking forward to the premium for the 122 day period in Spain I shall need in December.

 

[Woodentop]

Thanks guys, you are quite right, CKE does refer to the camping key card.

The bad news is that the website is correct.
It seems the club changed underwriters who immediately imposed a hefty surcharge on anyone over 80 - which I am. This has increased the premium from £208 this time llast year to £515 for the same 45 day trip this year with no other loading for medical conditions etc.
I have reluctantly agreed to the policy but shall use the cooling off period to investigate other sources of health insurance as the surcharge applies to that part and not to the motor/caravan party of the policy
.
I am not looking forward to the premium for the 122 day period in Spain I shall need in December.

In that case price up full annual cover - it may work out cheaper overall.

 

[RayS]

Thanks for idea about annual cover . I've had a look at this but it appears the longest individual trip you can do under CAMC Multi-trip is 66 days which is only half what I need for Spain in Spring. They also disqualify us over 80s from single long stay (up to 180 days). Friendly huh ?

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for idea about annual cover . I've had a look at this but it appears the longest individual trip you can do under CAMC Multi-trip is 66 days which is only half what I need for Spain in Spring. They also disqualify us over 80s from single long stay (up to 180 days). Friendly huh ?

I don’t expect that it will get any better if there is no agreement on reciprocal health care re EH1C after Brexit next year. Insurers will treat the European countries just as they do Turkey etc and Rest of World. Premiums will undoubtedly rise.

 

[Woodentop]

Thanks for idea about annual cover . I've had a look at this but it appears the longest individual trip you can do under CAMC Multi-trip is 66 days which is only half what I need for Spain in Spring. They also disqualify us over 80s from single long stay (up to 180 days). Friendly huh ?

Try LV=. They do 180 days although I don't know about age.

 

[Bob_5041432]

Thanks for idea about annual cover . I've had a look at this but it appears the longest individual trip you can do under CAMC Multi-trip is 66 days which is only half what I need for Spain in Spring. They also disqualify us over 80s from single long stay (up to 180 days). Friendly huh ?

I am also struggling to find the right combination as one of us has reached the magic 70 and the CAMC RP have loaded a 180 day quote by £295 because of that. Overall, a long stay quote is nearly £600 more expensive that a single 122 day trip quote seemingly regardless of the number of days over 122. This puts it into an unreachable category (£850) - neither of us have any pre-medical conditions. I like and trust the mechanical side of the CAMC RP based on 2 minor incidents and they way they were dealt with.

So I was thinking about splitting my cover. Caravan breakdown with RP and personal health with the C&CC. Has anyone had any experience of claiming off a C & CC personal policy? In the same vein, has anyone used the C& CC European breakdown service?

The whole subject, as I am sure you all know, is a nightmare. When I looked at independent travel health insurance and got behind the facade, a lot of the specialised companies use third party companies to process the claims and their claims records are terrible. I know some of you rely on the EHIC but, for us, that is a risk we would rather not take especially as we may end up in Morocco.

Thanks. Bob

 

[otherclive]

Thanks for idea about annual cover . I've had a look at this but it appears the longest individual trip you can do under CAMC Multi-trip is 66 days which is only half what I need for Spain in Spring. They also disqualify us over 80s from single long stay (up to 180 days). Friendly huh ?

I am also struggling to find the right combination as one of us has reached the magic 70 and the CAMC RP have loaded a 180 day quote by £295 because of that. Overall, a long stay quote is nearly £600 more expensive that a single 122 day trip quote seemingly regardless of the number of days over 122. This puts it into an unreachable category (£850) - neither of us have any pre-medical conditions. I like and trust the mechanical side of the CAMC RP based on 2 minor incidents and they way they were dealt with.

So I was thinking about splitting my cover. Caravan breakdown with RP and personal health with the C&CC. Has anyone had any experience of claiming off a C & CC personal policy? In the same vein, has anyone used the C& CC European breakdown service?

The whole subject, as I am sure you all know, is a nightmare. When I looked at independent travel health insurance and got behind the facade, a lot of the specialised companies use third party companies to process the claims and their claims records are terrible. I know some of you rely on the EHIC but, for us, that is a risk we would rather not take especially as we may end up in Morocco.

Thanks. Bob

An article in last weekends Telegraph showed travel insurance as probably the most complex and least understood of policies that people purchase. In terms of successful payouts motor claims came at 99%+ whereas travel claims payouts were below 90%. Major reasons being failure to properly understand what can be claimed and failure to comply with the T&C regarding medical aspects of insured and others who may impact policy. Methinks UK looks more attractive the older I get, or nice small group trips. :-(

 

[Bob_5041432]

Not quite there yet Clive - hopefully we have a few more miles in us before abandoning Europe but, as you quite rightly point out, the cost will only rise! Both of us will reach the magic 70 next year so UK will slowly look more attractive - have not camped much in UK so a whole new world to discover in the future.

 

[smiley]

I knew someone who was away for a long period he got around it all he had to do was come back to uk stay for one day and return..

Spain is a distance but you could get a cheap flight that way you are comlying with the 66 days away.. it only needs one to come back ie policy holder...

 

[Craigyoung]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

 

[Raywood]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

You might be asked to prove you returned, so you would need some evidence, possibly use a credit or debit card so the entry on the statement will prove this.
If you Google travel insurance for over 70's you will get details of several firms you can check out.

 

[Craigyoung]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

You might be asked to prove you returned, so you would need some evidence, possibly use a credit or debit card so the entry on the statement will prove this.
If you Google travel insurance for over 70's you will get details of several firms you can check out.

Plenty time for me Ray as I'm just a young 39 !!!

 

[otherclive]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

You might be asked to prove you returned, so you would need some evidence, possibly use a credit or debit card so the entry on the statement will prove this.
If you Google travel insurance for over 70's you will get details of several firms you can check out.

Plenty time for me Ray as I'm just a young 39 !!!

Well whose the chap in the photo you posted the other day?

 

[Craigyoung]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

You might be asked to prove you returned, so you would need some evidence, possibly use a credit or debit card so the entry on the statement will prove this.
If you Google travel insurance for over 70's you will get details of several firms you can check out.

Plenty time for me Ray as I'm just a young 39 !!!

Well whose the chap in the photo you posted the other day?

Bit harsh Clive , how could you ever say that hmy: ! I look good for my age
Rule Number bla bla bla :blink: ....... personal comments & forum etiquette !! :lol:

 

[otherclive]

But how do they know you are actually back in the UK ? Can you not do it online whilst still away ?

You might be asked to prove you returned, so you would need some evidence, possibly use a credit or debit card so the entry on the statement will prove this.
If you Google travel insurance for over 70's you will get details of several firms you can check out.

Plenty time for me Ray as I'm just a young 39 !!!

Well whose the chap in the photo you posted the other day?

Bit harsh Clive , how could you ever say that hmy: ! I look good for my age
Rule Number bla bla bla :blink: ....... personal comments & forum etiquette !! :lol:

Craig
Methinks you doth read too much into my words. But “guilty as charged m’lud’.

 

[RayS]

My complaint to CAMC has been answered but still ignores the point that they could have included a two line notification on the website that this had happened and avoided much waste of customer time in complaining and staff time in replying..
I am 'advised' by SWMBO to forget it and get on with route planning, which, i have to agree, is more fruitful and enjoyable.

 

[Hutch]

It's the way things go, the older we get the higher the premiums go, so we have to pay up. But look at your finances, if you believe your fit enough go, but pay for insurance, if in doubt , Well. Who knows, a friend of mine in France an 80 Year young lad that leches at my 65 year old wife , said to me , in broken English, that he is only going for 6 weeks this year, as he is getting older. Good old lad.

 

[oldagetraveller1]

I'm approaching 80 and have been travelling all over Europe for very many years. I've always relied solely on my EHC and never paid for medical expenses insurance.
On the very few occasions when I've needed medical attention, I have to say - reluctantly - that the experience has been so much better than in UK. No long waits to see a doctor, plenty of time to discuss your problems, well equipped hospitals etc.
I know that the EHC won't cover repatriation etc., but I reckon that ,over the years, I've saved enough to cover any such future costs.
Just hope that after Brexit - if Brexit ever happens - some form of reciprocal health cover remains.

 

[RayS]

It's the repatriation cover that swings it for me. Nearly everyone else we know of our age (combined is approaching 160) has relatives, family etc. who - if push comes to shove - can fly out and help or organise such assistance. Our nearest and dearest are the other side of the Atlantic and although willing are not experienced or conversant with UK/European ways and thus we do not feel it reasonable to ask them.

I've been wondering about the logic of putting the whole increase onto the individual as he/she becomes 80+. Given the total population concerned, only a small across the board increase would seem to be necessary to cover the alleged losses. Now some/most may say that it's only fair that those who cause the loss should pay for it,
But on the other hand many of the younger generation will experience the 100%+ shock change to their premiums when they too reach 80, so ( if asked) may they not be prepared to 'pre-pay' to avoid this eventuality ?

I am also interested to know why travel insurance appears to be the only category of insurance which does not attract a no-claims discount structure - why should this be ? Car and caravan insurance both have this and do not (so far as I know) have a sharp discrimination point at age 80 ?

Any brokers or insurance experts care to explain ?

 

[otherclive]

Those who go without insurance should take out a Lasting Power if Attorney as the costs after EH1C cover runs out can be very large in some cases where someone may not be capable of making a rational judgement. (Stroke, coma, brain damage etc). And if relatives cannot access your funds then the costs fall to them until the legal process grinds on which can take up to 12 weeks. Lasting Power Of Attorney costs £82 and remains valid unless you rescind it or die.

Cannot agree with requiring young generations to subsidise older travellers. Since the 2008 financial crash pensioners have done vastly better than the working generation mainly because politicians are afraid to include pensioners in the period of restraint. Just treasure your bus pass and free tv licence and enjoy your holiday.

PS under the UK pension system those working pay for the pensions of those who are retired. So the working generation are helping to support our lifestyle already.

 

[oldagetraveller1]

Yes - repatriation costs can be a worry, but when you stop to think about it, how many cases do you personally know of where that's been needed.
And why don't insurers offer cover for repatriation costs only?
I suspect that there are many aged caravanners like me who are prepared to accept the cost of minor illness/accident treatment and only need cover for substantial bills over, say £1000.00
A policy covering repatriation and medical expenses over £1000.00 would surely be very much cheaper?