View Full Version : Travel Insurance for the older or health impaired traveller
After trying a few places for health insurance for a older relative with some existing health issues, we were recommended avantitravelinsurance.co.uk
Managed to do it all online without having to speak to anyone and got cover for him for the Florida trip for £375 - other quote we received was £1200. Definitely worth checking out for anyone in a similar position.
Thanks for the information...very useful.
In case it is of any help to anyone I always use Staysure. Both myself and my wife are in our 60's. I suffer from mild asthma and slight high blood pressure, my wife suffers from mild epilepsy, all these condition incurred a small surcharge. Our three week cover cost £95 and that was for a high level of cover.
Many minor illnesses are covered at no extra charge.
kerrigan
07-12-2012, 11:22
Do any of these companies offer annual travel insurance?
Hazl.
Do any of these companies offer annual travel insurance?
Hazl.
The one I mentioned Staysure does.
I don't know if this is any help, but I got a good insurance deal via travelsupermarket, which ended up as a holiday extras policy. My daughter has asthma as a pre-existing medical condition. We have covered her condition, plus the rest of the family for £62 for our three week trip next April.
seanchai
07-12-2012, 23:50
Thank you Tonish for starting this thread ....as an asthma sufferer i got rough quotes from some insurance companies and they were all around £400-£500 pounds for three weeks holiday ....i could not say i was shocked as i expected something along those lines but that puts another half again on the price of my holiday .....but ye need to be well insured.
Thanks also to Keith for the advice to try 'staysure' ....i will try that one first i think once we get over christmas .
Gerry Reed
08-12-2012, 08:15
I have used Staysure for my Mum (84) several times. I could only get single trip on line but got annual when I phoned them up.
Sue
hacoates
27-09-2013, 15:27
I love the OV forums. Thanks to the advice above I have reduced my travel insurance from £398.90 to £89.20 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU KEITH. Staysure did it for us.
I am type 2 diabetic plus high blood pressure. I have used staysure before but at present I have an annual policy with flexicover direct. Did it all online with no need to call anyone and came in 30% cheaper than staysure
I love the OV forums. Thanks to the advice above I have reduced my travel insurance from £398.90 to £89.20 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU KEITH. Staysure did it for us.
Glad to help. Thats why I love this forum.
FraserLynn
29-09-2013, 20:20
Great help. I have been trying to arrange insurance for my wife's parents who are joining us in Florida next year and because my FIL had a stroke last November (fortunately very mild, caught early and he is back to full health and laying bricks still at 72!) the cheapest I could find was nearly £800. I think the main reason for this being so expensive is that he is refusing to quit smoking (I know we are on at him all the time but it is making no difference). Anyway, following this tip we managed to get insurance for the both of them for £320. A HUGE saving, thanks all.
Great help. I have been trying to arrange insurance for my wife's parents who are joining us in Florida next year and because my FIL had a stroke last November (fortunately very mild, caught early and he is back to full health and laying bricks still at 72!) the cheapest I could find was nearly £800. I think the main reason for this being so expensive is that he is refusing to quit smoking (I know we are on at him all the time but it is making no difference). Anyway, following this tip we managed to get insurance for the both of them for £320. A HUGE saving, thanks all.
do you mind saying which company you used
FraserLynn
30-09-2013, 05:30
avantitravelinsurance.co.uk As suggested by Tonish.
Staysure was a little cheaper, but still up over £600.
Is it possible for this thread to be made "Sticky". The information contained must be very useful to a lot of people - me included!
Katys Grandad
30-09-2013, 10:00
Very useful thread for those of us who might need something a little out of the ordinary.
The only warning I would add is that comparing on price alone is a dangerous game because a lot of these policies have very different levels of cover. As long as you know just what you're getting (and what you aren't) for your money it's fine but I've just discovered to my cost that not doing that first can result in problems.
avantitravelinsurance.co.uk As suggested by Tonish.
Staysure was a little cheaper, but still up over £600.
Thank you, I will bear that in mind when my present one ends, Flexicover were around 30% cheaper than Staysure so I will get a comparison from avanti when the time is due.
caroline
01-10-2013, 09:41
Is it possible for this thread to be made "Sticky". The information contained must be very useful to a lot of people - me included!
I think I've 'stuck it' - not done it before though!
I think I've 'stuck it' - not done it before though!
Very good Caroline. It has 'stuck'!!
I think I've 'stuck it' - not done it before though!
Thank you.
Hopefully people will now be able to easily add to the thread with their own experiences of companies who are prepared to cover those of us with pre-existing conditions.
I have just managed to renew my multi trip, worldwide policy with Global Travel Insurance (Tel: 01903 235042) for £142, which is the standard price for an individual adult. Medical screening is required for trips to North America, Central America, The Caribbean and for cruises, whether or not you have a medical condition. There is a hefty excess of £2000 for claims arising from my pre-existing condition, though that is far preferable to being hit by hospital expenses should an emergency arise. I had a heart attack in 2008 and have one stent fitted. Most companies won't even cover me for trips to America, so the fact that I only pay the standard price for the policy is a bonus. Just as long as I don't make a claim related to my condition! The excess varies according to age - Under 60 it is £500 - £1000, for age 61-76 it is £1000 - £2000. These are the prices today, but could, of course change at any time.
I don't know how much they would charge for single trip, but a company worth considering.
This sounded really good, however we stay for longer than 31 days and although they offer upgrades to 60 and 90 days they only apply if you are less than 65.
Katys Grandad
13-01-2014, 10:49
Our annual cover will expire soon and I'm looking at renewal options (we have a few pre-existing conditions). I've had a look at all the companies mentioned but I've also read some horrific reviews of a couple of them on other sites. The reviews are almost all related to difficulties with claims rather than the cost of the policy. I've made the mistake of buying purely on price in the past and lived to regret it.
Has anybody had any CLAIM experience with any of them that might be useful to know?
canarypam
15-01-2014, 18:37
What are the chances of getting insurance for a 90 year old? I would like to try and persuade MIL to come out one more time if possible
Im not sure if she will agree to it because I think the flight will put her off but I would like to try.
AshleyLodge
16-01-2014, 14:42
We did manage it for mother a couple of times when she was over 90. For the last few years we found that different insurance companies would insure her for a year and then refuse as policies changed. It probably depends on how many medical conditions she will have to declare. For the very last visit we went with goodtogo.com but also had quotes from Age UK and Saga. We actually wished we had not taken her for the last trip as the journey really was too much for her.
I just renewed my travel insurance with Holidaysafe.co.uk, and they cover all of our conditions (I have diabetes) for a very reasonable price. My husband made a claim a couple of years ago, and everything went through fine too, so I don't think I would go anywhere else now. I recommended them to my friend's parents too, because their Single Trip policies have no upper age limits, so perfect for seniors who still want to travel! (0845 658 0570)
My wife had a recent heart attack so I knew insurance was going to be expensive for our 3 week trip to Florida. Based on the info in this thread I contacted Avanti & Staysure who quoted £430 & £470 respectively. Then I came across a website called payingtoomuch.com and got cover for £350 through Avanti. All quotes were for the mid range product.
Have to admit I was shocked to receive quotes as high as £1800 and still think £350 is expensive but at least it's a saving compared to the Avanti quote direct
I do find these comparison websites can be very useful. I use to you Staysure but I now find them very expensive. Perhaps it has something to do with them now advertising on t.v.
My wife had a recent heart attack so I knew insurance was going to be expensive for our 3 week trip to Florida. Based on the info in this thread I contacted Avanti & Staysure who quoted £430 & £470 respectively. Then I came across a website called payingtoomuch.com and got cover for £350 through Avanti. All quotes were for the mid range product.
Have to admit I was shocked to receive quotes as high as £1800 and still think £350 is expensive but at least it's a saving compared to the Avanti quote direct
We are now back from our trip but have booked another 3 week break for next year. Since my wife's problem and the rise in insurance cost I am now wondering if I would be better booking 2 single policies rather than a couple as I don't have the loading that the wife's does. I am thinking it may work out cheaper as when booked as a couple the insurance company would have to work on a cost basis that if the wife had problems before travel they would have to consider the cost of 2 peoples cancellations rather than one.
I know it would be a gamble but my main reason for the insurance is to protect against the high medical costs in the US rather than the cost of a flight or lost possessions.
What do you all think, has anyone got any experience of this.
I have just had a quote from Saga (see attached).
Think I'll go for the Annual Policy. Very reasonable!1129
Philomena
06-12-2015, 16:39
Wow Christine - that's a bit of a bargain! I think the correct price for the annual policy is 'The computer says No'!!!!
Hope you and Peter are both well - we hope to be over in Florida around next September (insurance permitting!) so if you are around it would be great to meet up.
steph_goodrum
06-12-2015, 18:51
We are now back from our trip but have booked another 3 week break for next year. Since my wife's problem and the rise in insurance cost I am now wondering if I would be better booking 2 single policies rather than a couple as I don't have the loading that the wife's does. I am thinking it may work out cheaper as when booked as a couple the insurance company would have to work on a cost basis that if the wife had problems before travel they would have to consider the cost of 2 peoples cancellations rather than one.
I know it would be a gamble but my main reason for the insurance is to protect against the high medical costs in the US rather than the cost of a flight or lost possessions.
What do you all think, has anyone got any experience of this.
I wondered about doing this as my husbands is loaded but figured it wasnt worth the saving, for instance in case of cancellation or missing luggage etc and having to make a claim they might go back and forward (because dthey usually ask if any other insurance policy is in force etc. we usually mix clothes in cases so if one gets lost we both have some etc.