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Good value travel insurance - is there such a thing??

(21 Posts)
IloveLindt Tue 28-Mar-17 10:19:45

I'm looking for travel insurance for my 81 year old mother in law. She's been quoted £800 for a trip to Canada. Can anyone recommend any companies which might be cheaper? Staysure, Coverwise, Salvation Army and the Post Office were suggested on an older thread I found. Thanks.

sue1169 Wed 29-Mar-17 16:29:28

Have you tried Age Concern?

mrsmopp Mon 03-Apr-17 00:31:16

Saga.
Stands for Send A Granny Away

Esspee Mon 17-Apr-17 07:26:11

mrsmopp, I was told by some people with SAGA baggage tags that it meant Sex and Games (for the) Aged.
They had clearly enjoyed their vacation!

jollyg Mon 17-Apr-17 10:14:45

That has cheered me up no end.

Till now I rarely take out travel insurance as there is always a get out clause, even tho I take the info with me.

I reckon by taking care of yourself, as we travel without any 'group' , and hopefully have seen all the scams going, and avoiding potholes, both literally and proverbially, we are unscathed , for now.

We once travelled with a package that was in '72 with a 2 year old.

Never been with Saga, and no intention of trying.

Chewbacca Mon 17-Apr-17 11:06:28

Money Saving Expert website has a section on travel insurance.

Atqui Mon 17-Apr-17 13:35:23

I found BUPA very good ,and helpful.You don't have to be a member.

Purpledaffodil Mon 17-Apr-17 13:42:26

I endorse Chewbacca. I used the MSE website to find sites that were good for preexisting conditions. Had to supply details of conditions and medication for DH, but got good value insurance eventually.
Sadly Ilovelindt Insurance for North America is never going to be cheap because of the high cost of medical care if you need to claim. Still worth a try though. Good luck.smile

Jayanna9040 Mon 17-Apr-17 16:29:27

£800 will be excellent value if she needs medical attention in Canada!

M0nica Tue 18-Apr-17 09:43:01

It also depends on her health history.

Charleygirl Tue 18-Apr-17 12:47:57

Try Free Spirit- I have just seen this on Silver Surfers, no age limit and pre- existing conditions included. You may have to join Silver Surfers but that is free and a small price to pay if this insurance is okay for you.

Izabella Tue 18-Apr-17 13:34:49

jollyg I may have the wrong end of the stick here, but are you saying you go away with no holiday insurance? Even if you are fit and look after yourself there is still a risk of a stroke or heart attack, fall or something where you may need a repatriation medical flight. Without insurance for repatriation you stand to lose your home, savings and everything.

I had to make a claim on insurance when I fell in in America some years ago, and I was sent all the bills direct to forward to my insurance company. I was absolutely gobsmacked at the charges with the total being thousands of pounds.

jollyg Tue 18-Apr-17 14:24:06

Correct Isabella, been going to India for 15 years to the same house we rented there.,
many folk go to India for medical treatment viz ~Apollo Hospital or CMC in Vellore .

Had I needed any attention I would have come home, and used plastic if anything else was needed.

I can see you swooning as you read this,but if you take care, and be aware, I reckon the risks We take are minimal.

US is a totally different kettle of fish. I dont evre intend to visit there.

mumofmadboys Tue 18-Apr-17 15:30:48

Illness is quite likely in India especially if you are older.

Hilltopgran Tue 18-Apr-17 16:54:21

After seeing the costs you can rack up, I would never travel without insurance. DS was in intensive care for 2 weeks and needed air ambulance home, the costs were equivalent to the value of his house, but his insurance provided through his bank account paid up. A friend broke her leg skiing and found she had to have extra seats on her flight home to accommodate her leg and again insurance paid up, so I do not agree with view that it is not worth taking out as they find reasons not to pay, it is not worth the risk of the huge bills you could rack up.
I would also be very surprised if the plastic covered the cost of repatriation in the event of a serious illness or accident from anywhere outside Europe.

RAF Tue 18-Apr-17 21:43:46

Just booked with Boots Travel Insurance, really good value whether multi-trip or single.

Charleygirl Tue 18-Apr-17 21:51:04

In the days when I was able to travel I took out insurance on day trips to France- one does not know what may happen. I was in my 30's then and a lot fitter.

Myym Fri 16-Jun-17 00:20:59

Avoid a company called 'Get Going Travel Insurance' ... totally incompetent and a waste of time.

Liz46 Fri 16-Jun-17 07:30:13

What happened Myym? I used them last time. There was another thread recently about travel insurance and pre-existing health problems. I have been diagnosed with lung problems and am having trouble getting insurance.

Myym Sun 18-Jun-17 01:05:52

I have just spent the best part of 3 months arguing with them...
At the time of taking out insurance I disclosed several pre existing medical conditions and paid the extra premium. Unfortunately a matter of hours before we were due to fly I was rushed into hospital and spent the next few weeks as an inpatient.
My husband contacted the insurance company asap and we paid to have the necessary medical certificate signed and duly submitted our claim. They then tried every trick in the book to get out of paying...including charging double excess. After much procrastination, unprofessional attitude and miscalculations (in their favour I hasten to add) ..they finally agreed to pay us the grand sum of £104. We lost well over a thousand pounds even though I had taken out the correct insurance, been totally honest about medical conditions and hospitalised with an illness that was totally unrelated to any previous existing problem.

Liz46 Sun 18-Jun-17 12:14:36

Thanks Myym. I had been thinking of using them again, mainly because a lady who answers the phone was so pleasant.