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Hi
my husband was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 bowel cancet with 2ndry in periteneal & left lung. We have a holiday booked to Gran Canaria in September & will need ti complete a girm for the airline 2 weeks prior to departure however travel insurance is the problem. We know we can’t get insurance for the cancer but need general insurance but don’t seem to be able to find any. Can you please advise on smy company that xan help. Thank you in advance
Hi Happy Chic,
Thanks for your enquiry. I’m sorry to hear that your husband is ill at the moment.
Unfortunately, we’re not able to recommend any specific companies for travel cover as this is not something we are regulated to do. However, I hope the following information helps you with your search.
Travel Insurance:
We often find a good starting place when looking for affordable cover is to use other people’s experiences. If you have not already done so, you can visit the travel insurance section of our online community here. On this page you will find posts from people affected by cancer sharing their experiences of which companies they have approached and who they have managed to get cover from.
I’d also encourage you to take a look at the Travel Insurance directory on the MoneyHelper website which you can access here. The directory can be used to search for FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) approved travel insurers who may offer cover to people with pre-existing medical conditions.
Another website which may be useful is British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA). They have a travel medical directory which can be used to search for travel insurance for anyone who has a serious medical condition. Their directory also meets the FCA criteria for a medical cover firm directory.
You can search their directory for travel insurers in the link below:
* Please note Macmillan does not endorse any particular company or product that may be advertised on BIBA or MoneyHelper website.
Insurance companies use medical screening systems to assess the risk of offering insurance, but many companies use the same system. When you come to apply for cover you might find the medical questions will often be the same. However, the premiums offered by companies using different systems can vary considerably so it is worth persisting and shopping around. If the questions asked don’t seem to fit, or don’t allow you to explain your husband’s cancer diagnosis fully, it’s worth asking the insurer if it’s possible for someone to manually underwrite the policy. This is where a person, rather than a computer looks at the health situation of the person looking for cover and decides about whether or not to offer cover and at what price. Some travel insurers may do this as standard. On the directory on the MoneyHelper website it will tell you how each company does their medical screening.
I know you’ve mentioned travelling with an exclusion for the cancer, which is a possibility. A travel insurance policy with a cancer-related exclusion, means that the person insured wouldn’t be covered for any claims relating to the cancer. If your husband is still thinking about travelling with an exclusion for the cancer, it’s important to consider the risk of not being covered, if your husband experiences any problems related to the cancer whilst he’s away
If you’re travelling within most European countries, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is free and currently allows a person access to emergency state healthcare at reduced cost or sometimes for free.
To apply for the GHIC card, click here.
I hope this information helps and that you are able to find suitable travel cover for your husband. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re also happy to speak with you on our freephone telephone number which is 0808 808 0000.
Kind Regards
David R - Macmillan
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