Packaged bank accounts

Hi Geekaz 

I have a Nationwide Flex account which includes travel insurance cover for it's £13 per month fee. My husband and I took it out as it was worth our while as it covered him for a non-cancerous condition. It would cover me for my melanoma, but treatment for that finished 6 years ago, but it wouldn't cover me for my more recent breast cancer diagnosis. However, that was back in April and I shall try again soon to see if 6 months further down the line makes any difference.

As we didn't want to commit ourselves to a bank account that would cost us £13 per month if it wouldn't cover either my husband or myself I rang to get a quote. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page (link to Nationwide Travel Insurance) it gives you the number to call if you want to see if you can upgrade the travel insurance to cover your cancer diagnosis.

If you decide that the packaged accounts are not suitable for you, you could take a look through the 'recommended travel insurance' thread in this group as that's where you'll find plenty of recommendations from people who have found reasonably priced travel insurance? 

I do hope that you can find some reasonably priced insurance so that you can have your planned holidays.

I too use Nationwide.  Again not covered for my H&N cancer, but I believe they probably will cover once 2 years has pasted post treatment, but as I keep having to have biopsies I am still excluded 4 years since diagnosis.  In my case I reduce my risk by booking a holiday between appointments (every 4 months) - so last minute once I've had the all clear and for my cancer.  If I have any issues arise whilst away they are unlikely to concern me medically until I return to the UK.  It is not the route for everyone, but it works for me.

Dear Latchbrook and Peter 

Thank you both for your responses. Please let me know if I have interpreted this correctly: Nationwide have insured you despite your Cancer declaration? In other words, they are happy to insure you for anything that is not medically related, ie. Lost baggage, flight delays etc.?

If so, I would consider taking the risk by opening one of these packaged accounts. As people have already mentioned in these forums - you find out how good a policy is only when you need to claim. In my case, I missed two holidays these year due to my diagnosis and after sending endless documents - I have not received anything to date!

Thanks again 

To be sure that you know exactly what you'll be covered for Geekaz please phone the number I gave you a link to in my previous reply. Insurance companies can change their terms and conditions so it's always best to check that their cover suits you before you commit yourself.

I am not currently using their cover for my upcoming holiday, as they won't cover my breast cancer diagnosis, so I have taken out insurance with another company that will cover me. However, my husband is using them as they will cover his non-cancer pre-existing medical condition.

Edit - I meant to add that I had to put in two insurance claims last year for holidays I could no longer take. I did have to send in a lot of paperwork and, from the time of me sending it to when they paid out, was about 2 months.

I am covered for all medical issues not related to my cancer, so if I break a leg I am covered.  They may take a different approach to you depending on their view of the risk of your cancer and treatment.  I hope it works our for you as a decent holiday is so essential and one thing post cancer I've found is to make sure you don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today; especially with travel.

As to recompense for the missed holidays it will depend on the small print but I would have thought that if you had insurance in place before you first went to your GP and the cancer is not directly related to a previously known but undeclared condition they should cover you for your losses.  If in doubt I would seek advice from the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Hi Geekaz

We have a Nationwide Flex account and they will not cover me for my brain tumour or the epilepsy that I got as a side effect to having surgery. I think it must be individual underwriting rather than a blanket timeframe from diagnosis/treatment. I'm 10 years on from diagnosis and about 7 years since most recent surgery and probably about that since my last seizure, so both as stable as you can get for a brain tumour. I spoke to them last week and they are still excluding them from cover. Only conditions that develop after the cover has been taken out and after the holiday is booked are covered. I think this is fairly standard for all travel insurance. 

Good luck in your search

T

Hi TracyP 

I think it probably depends on what type of cancer you have/had and the travel insurance companies willingness to cover the risk. I currently have cover for an upcoming holiday that covers both my melanoma (7 years ago) and my breast cancer (18 months ago). However, when phoning around some wouldn't cover me at all or loaded the premium, so it does pay to shop around.

Thanks Latchbrook

I have my insurance cover in place. I was responding to the query about bank account insurance. They are 'bucket and spade' policies, not specialist cover ones. 

The point I was making was that length of time since diagnosis and/or treatment does not matter for some policies. As you point out it depends on they type of cancer as well as the underwriting protocol. 

Hope you enjoy your holidays. 

T