Travel insurance

Hi Kdea,

Thank you for getting in touch with us. I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis and understand that this can have an effect on whether you will be offered cover and the cost of any cover offered. Unfortunately, we are not regulated to recommend specific companies, but I hope that you find the following information useful.

Firstly, you may find it useful to visit our online community here. On this page people affected by cancer discuss their experiences trying to get travel insurance and post recommendations of companies they’ve personally used. By using the information provided by people in similar circumstances to yourself hopefully you will find some companies to try.

Another option is using the Travel Insurance directory created by MoneyHelper (they are a separate organisation to Macmillan).

Their directory lists companies who may offer cover to people with pre-existing conditions. All these companies meet the criteria of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

You can visit their directory via the following link: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/use-our-travel-insurance-directory

Another website you may find helpful is the British Insurance Brokers’ Association. They too offer a travel insurance directory showing companies who may offer cover to people with pre-existing conditions. Again, this directory meets the FCA criteria for a medical travel insurance directory.

You can search their directory using the link below:

Find Insurance - BIBA

*Please note Macmillan does not endorse any particular company or product that may be advertised on either the MoneyHelper or BIBA website.

When applying to insurance companies, they will use medical screening systems to assess the risk of offering you cover. You may find that you are asked the same questions by many different companies. It is worth persisting with these questions and shopping around as each company will make their own decision on whether they offer cover and at what price. If you find that the questions asked don’t fit your circumstances, or don’t allow you to describe your individual diagnosis fully, it is worth asking the insurer if you can have your policy manually underwritten. This is where a person rather than a computer system looks at your circumstances and decides on whether to offer cover and at what price. Some companies may do this as standard. The MoneyHelper website tells you how each company does their medical screening.

You may find that you already have cover from your bank or credit card. If this is the case , it is important that you discuss with them your health to make sure that they can still cover you. Many of these policies only offer standard cover and may decline to cover you at all, make an exemption for the cancer or ask for charge additional premiums to cover pre-existing conditions. When offered any cancer related exemptions it is important that you consider the risk that you would not be covered if you experience any issues relating to the cancer whilst you are 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 to access emergency state healthcare at a reduced rate or sometimes free. This includes the treatment of pre-existing medical conditions. Just to remember that this card will not pay for someone to be brought home due to a health problem. To apply for the GHIC card, click here

I hope that this information helps. If you have any further questions, please let me know or call our support line on 0808 808 0000, Monday to Friday 8am -6pm.

Kind Regards

Wendy

Financial Guide