Travel Insurance

We had world-wide travel insurance included in my Lloyds Bank Gold card for many years, and this included my husband. We went to America every year over 20 years, as my daughter lives there, as well as to Australia and New Zealand. We are now discovering just how much it has saved us as it stops at 80. I believe NatWest goes up to 85.

Friend recommends payingtoomuch.com Comparison website
Theirs is with All Clear Insurance(he really is quite ill and has had to have treatment on holiday abriad)

Lloyds bank

Hope you don't mind me asking but which bank account gives free holiday insurance up to 80?? I would like such an account

I use insurewith, really good & easy to do & declare everything online but available by phone if necessary

I travelled to Spain a month ago (for 5 days) and tried to obtain insurance through comparison websites, along with TV ad companies for older people. I have kidney failure and the cheapest quote I could get was £247 for the 5 days until I tried Halifax Bank. They charged me £50. I'm not sure how that would compare with cancer but it may be worth a try.

After hours of searching I found that Holidaysafe offered the best most flexible deal because you can opt to have a lower premium with a higher excess. You declare the pre-existing condition but accept some of the risk yourself, which is fine when it's something that's unlikely to recur. I have a heart condition which is well managed and I wasn't concerned that whilst I was in America I would need treatment for it. But if I had I'd be liable for £700 towards the cost. Everything else is covered with a £50 excess.
A friend of mine says she got affordable cover by excluding her cancer from the policy, again because she's highly unlikely to need treatment for it whilst away. But that's only possible by actually ringing and speaking to the company, she couldn't get it online.

I have a few heart problems and am aged 64. I used allclear recently and I had to be flown home from Spain. They were great and everything was covered. I did declare everything.

As an aside, when my granddaughter needed a blood test to look for just one specific infection, the family were forwarded the claim from their insurers fyi. The bill was for over $1000 and itemised. Included such stuff as 'use of the waiting room', 'cost of attending nurse' - so that will be the one preparing the syringe and handing it to the dr.then'. Nothing was missed! Wonder they didn't calculate how much air the child breathed

OP! I wondered before if you could get a free flight paid for on the frequent fliers programme (assuming you use the same carrier each time) as this could offset the amount you'll be paying for your health insurance? And, like others, please check that it's all-inclusive and that you've declared all your pre-existing conditions. It's essential.

I don't know whether this is any help, but my family also live in America and when i visited for 60 days, there was no way i could afford insurance.!
My Son paid from his end, through his American bank card.
Could your family possibly do this.?

I too had a problem with existing conditions but after using a comparison website I found All Safe to be a very keenly priced policy.

Can I also say as an ex Holiday Rep, NEVER travel without insurance and ALWAYS tell all about existing conditions. Having had to deal on numerous occasions with guests who found themselves in deep trouble because they did not travel with appropriate insurance it's just not worth the risk. It's quite amazing how many people also think that the British Consul with sort things out for them, believe me they can't.

Will email friend and ask jaybut think they may be on the said holiday

Whatever you do, don't travel without travel insurance. I speak as someone whose husband cannot get insurance and does not leave the country. 10 years ago he developed pneumonia in Montana and was in hospital for a month, 9 days in ICU , with two operations. The bill was over £250000 and we had to employ a big law firm to get the travel insurance to pay out. An appendectomy costs around £35000 for an overnight stay in the USA. 3 stitches in your hand and a tetanus jab cost £150.Shop around and try Saga, Age UK and Cancer charities.

Remember travel insurance will pay to fly you home in a medical plane or for relatives to stay in a motel near the hospital not to mention your medical bills.

I am insured through our Bank but we had to pay extra when DH reached 70 and for all pre existing conditions such as mild arthritis.

Try the Macmillan Cancer Support web site there is a list of addresses on there that I give to my patients???

I think that you've now got both your age and the length of your proposed. Is working against you, too.
Most quotes are for 30days and the cost rises quite a bit for more.
Years ago I spent 10weeks in Thailand, having declared breast cancer and other stuff. Back then it was with Norwich Union which then became Aviva and it's been Aviva I've used since. LIke you, my family live in the USA, and the policy is for worldwide travel.
So shop around, OP, and even (shock, but it can be cheaper!) to stay your 30 days, come back, and go again!
Or ask your family for a contribution, can't see anything wrong with that.
You've been cushioned with free insurance through your bank, but for those of us who've never had it, we've taken the hit from the go-get.
So, it depends how much you want to go, if you can afford it, shop around. and take it from there?
Good luck! I'm sure you'll get there.
Ps, you said you've visited a couple of times a year in the past. Did you sign up to the carrier's frequent fliers programme? My last flights, return LHR- RDU with AA cost....nothing!

there is a website for travel insurance - they advertise on the tele. one is a group of "olders" in a swimming pool asking if they can get insurance. the other is a husband and wife wondering if they can get insurance as husband has existing health problems. in both cases this insurance company was able to sort - sure you can!
i recommended this company to my best friend a couple of years ago and as she'd had a hip replacement she found them better than others.

I had to do a lot of shopping around after being diagnosed with asbestos related cancer. I got a really good deal from payingtoomuch.com and when in mid-holiday I found myself well enough to extend it by a further two weeks I fully expected them to charge me the same as for the previous two (I was on a cruise and calling them from on board so they could ask anything they wanted!) I was amazed that they only charged me a £50 extension fee - which I thought was really impressive. I really do recommend them.

Another company I have used is MIA online

one thing to be aware of in the USA is over treating, my SD works for a travel insurance company & they are in dispute with an american hospital who gave a client with an ear infection a catscan & just expect the insurance company to pay up - they will only pay for acceptable treatment & do not accept a catscan is acceptable for an ear infection. In this case the person has left the US ans is not intending to go back but if you keep returning thye culd chase you when in the US - genral rule is if the NHS wouldn't do it get it in writing why it is necessary * say no to any just in case treatment

MiL has had cancer & FiL major heart surgery- both in their mid 80s and can't find one company to cover both

I use Holidaysafe. Have you tried them?

I think you have been lucky with the bank but wonder if they would have paid out if anything had happened. We had free insurance with the bank but as soon as I declared my husband had diabetes they wouldn't cover us!

Don't know if your a retired union member, I got mine through UIA as I was a unison member. They're very reasonable .

I tried payingtoomuch, they were more expensive. My quote was from JustTravelcover.com

this might help someone else

Please, Neversaydie, could you find out who your friends got their insurance from, as my quote is the cheapest I can find on-line.

And on a more helpful note perhaps try this ?

payingtoomuch.com