Is it possible to exclude pre-existing conditions from cover?

Hi SeaSwimmer and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I haven't tried to get travel insurance in the format that you want so don't know if it's possible or not.

Unfortunately, it can be more difficult to find reasonably priced travel insurance when you've had a cancer diagnosis and I wondered if you'd had chance to look at the recommendations in the 'recommended travel insurance' thread yet as that's where the majority of recommendations are? If not, clicking on the link I've created will take you straight there. 

It's often better to phone the insurance companies rather than try and do online quotes as often at the end of the online quote it will tell you to phone the company and you'll then have to go through all the information again. Also, sometimes the broker can refer to the underwriters to see if they would provide cover when an online quote might just give you a straight refusal. 

Do come back and let us know how you get on.

x

Nationwide insurance included with my banking have done exactly that - covered me for everything except my cancer at no additional cost.

Thanks, Peter, that's interesting.  Nationwide don't seem to do travel insurance separate from their banking, unfortunately, but if they can exclude certain conditions from cover I don't see why others can't!

Thank you, Latchbrook, for replying.  I did have a look at the 'recommended travel insurance' thread, and also at a list of brokers given me by our local Macmillan support centre in Bristol (who are very helpful), and I got on-line quotes from several of them, but none make it known that some conditions can be excluded. The next step is for me to phone them, as you suggest, to ask them. At least I've managed to weed out some which don't provide cover for "dangerous" activities like sailing and cycling - two things I'd like to continue doing while I still can!

1. Hi SeaSwimmer..I am experiencing exactly the same problem. Very happy to have my cancer excluded from my insurance as I have finished my treatment and been assured by my oncologist that I am fit to travel and very unlikely to have any issues regarding my, hopefully now cured cancer, whilst abroad. But want all the other benefits of travel insurance. The Martin Lewis website directed me to the Money & Pension Service who give a list of possible insurers but none happy to exclude the cancer and quotes of up to £700! InsureCancer told me to try my bank but both my banks are not offering travel insurance to new customers..even though I’ve been with them for years I have never had travel insurance with them. So if you do hear of a company that is willing to exclude cancers I would love to know who they are otherwise I am at a bit of a loss as can’t afford the current quotes!

Hi Curlysusie.  Still looking, but haven't found one yet, I'm afraid.  I'll let you know if I do.  Working my way through a list of possible insurers given out at https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/use-our-travel-insurance-directory.  Lowest quote so far, that gives me the basic cover I want, is over £1,300 !!

Hi SeaSwimmer..I have an M&S credit card so tried them.. they excluded the cancer but still quoted £350! Which I still thought was a bit steep considering that I pre cancer could get single trip insurance for less than £50. The cheapest quote that I’ve had (including the cancer cover) is £266 from paying too much.com so if you haven’t tried them maybe worth a whirl. They also rang me and were helpful on the phone without the hard sell. They said that I would struggle to find insurance that excluded the cancer but gave me the phone number for the Money and Pension Service for help which I had already tried. I’ll keep going and keep in touch!

That was a good tip, thank you Curlysusie.  M&S (insuring with Aviva) have quoted £163 for an annual policy.  They excluded from cover ALL the medical conditions which I declared (I was not given the option whether to include or exclude any of them). The list included some non-life-threatening conditions for which I'd previously been insured by other companies, as well as two cancers (one cured, one not cured) and heart rhythm problems.  But it gives a 73-year old a chance to go abroad again, with good basic cover, at reasonable cost.  So I think I'll probably go with that!

Excellent SeaSwimmer..have a great holiday..so glad I joined this forum! 

I've just been on the staysure website and it appears that you can exclude conditions on their annual Europe travel insurance.