We have been having a few queries / enquiries about insurance and having
received permission from the people concerned, will publish their question / my
answer / feedback. I hope you find this helpful in your search for
insurance.
 | September 2009
Hi Graham,
I have
Cystic Fibrosis and had a double lung transplant three years ago, and
since having my transplant I have been enjoying as many holidays as I can.
Finding a good insurer has proved difficult and sometimes very expensive
over the years. However, I have just been in touch with Manor Insurance
who have been excellent, hence me writing to you so that you can share
this on the FHLTA website for others to see.
I have
been given annual worldwide cover including winter sports cover for £110
for me and my husband, which I thought was pretty good. The staff were
very friendly and were well informed about the added complications for
patients such as myself who are trying to get travel insurance.
Hope
this helps! Happy holidaying everyone!!
Ellie
Irwin
They're great aren't they?
I use them too and am off to the USA in 3 weeks.
Enjoy your holiday.
Regards,
Graham
|
| April 2009
Hi Graham, |
I have had a simultaneous kidney/pancreas transplant and
was given the ok to go on holiday. Already had a few insurance
company numbers but checked your site. Sad to say but most would not
entertain double transplant.
However City Bond (0845 6180345) and their medical
screening dept,
healthcheck247.com
(0870 2203937) more than helpful, and were able to give me an annual cover
with all conditions declared for a very small price (had used before when I
was having Dialysis and they were great) Would have no hesitation in
recommending them, and we will certainly continue to use their services.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Thanks, Maureen Hood.
| Thanks Maureen, |
That's really helpful information and good news.
I am having trouble getting annual multi trip cover and will give them a try
too.
Good to hear you are fit enough to go on holiday.
Stay well.
Regards,
Graham
March 12th 2009 - My travel insurance needed renewing so, having
read my new policy carefully, contacted Endsleigh for
clarification. They now use AXA Insurance UK as underwriters and as
a result will not offer cover if....."change in treatment (including medication,
dosage, surgery, tests, investigations or diet) in the last 12 months"
I am I now trawling through the other companies we have
recommended and will get
back with any feedback that is relevant.
Graham Marsh
Heart transplant July 1999.
Medici Travel originally offered me world wide
annual multi trip travel cover, including USA and Australia,
after I gave them a comprehensive and detailed account of my heart transplant in
1999 and subsequent visits to the Freeman, including an annual overnight stay
for MOT, angiograms and biopsies etc.
They quoted me £205.92 which is more than I have been used to but
cover nonetheless. They do offer single trip travel cover
which would obviously be a lot cheaper.
When I rang back to take out the cover and asked them to
double check everything. I told them that I visit the
Freeman every 6 weeks for a check up and they withdrew the offer.
Tel No: 0845 880168
Link to website:
Medici Travel
The search goes on.........
Freedom Insurance would not offer me annual multi trip cover.
Still OK for one off holidays when given the specific travel details.
Ace Insurance will offer single trip insurance up to 3 months in
advance of your holiday travel and are extremely helpful and courteous on the
telephone.
Metropolitan Insurance Brokers in Wallsend were very
helpful too.
Travelbility would not offer me annual multi trip
cover (March 2009). They also declined single trip cover to the USA
but quoted me £156.67 for two weeks in Spain. So European holiday cover is
certainly available here.
Fortis: Somehow, armed with a code, I
ended up speaking to their health check department and after the initial barrage
of questions started to ask questions which were all pre transplant eg, heart
attack, high blood pressure, by pass surgery that it became a nonsense.
Needless to say after some 20 minutes or so they declined me cover.
AllClear Travel insurance would give me a quote for
single trip holiday cover but not the annual multi trip travel insurance I was
seeking.
Remember we are all different with differing medical
conditions so you may get the cover you are seeking with a company who would not
cover me and vice versa. Good luck. If you find an
obliging company not mentioned on our Insurance Page please send me the details.
RAC would not offer me any travel insurance at all.
Saga would not offer annual multi trip insurance but
would cover me for a two or three week trip to most places except the
USA.
Success - April 20th 2009 - After weeks of trying and answering
sometimes pointless medical screening questions I was successful in obtaining
annual multi trip travel insurance which includes USA, Canada and the Caribbean.
The company who offered me the cover -
Manor Insurance.
Tel: 01424 718790
I told them about my heart transplant and answered the
medical questions they put to me. My annual 'MOT' and overnight stay
in hospital is considered as a regular check up and did not breach the all
catching phrase, "Are you waiting for an operation, hospital consultation (other
than for regular check ups), or other hospital treatment or investigation?"
I double checked the above and after consulting with a
colleague the man from Manor insurance assured me that as I already had
undergone 8 previous MOT's then it is classed as a regular check up.
QED.
The policy cost me £115.59 with no excess.
With a £35 excess payable the cost is only £99.75
November 2008 - Yet more positive feedback about Endsleigh Insurance.
Graham, feedback for the website.
I rang the Newcastle Endsleigh number but it directs to another Endsleigh
office.
The guy there told me that the Newcastle office has been closed, hence the
diverts.
However, they are just as brilliant as everyone suggests, and within 10
minutes I had my worldwide 12 month travel insurance sorted out for £106.21.
Includes the USA, and the Far East.
The guy recommends that we change the Newcastle number to their Endsleigh
Travel direct number 0800 328 5366.
We got there in the end.
regards and thanks
David Lyth
Thanks David, the number has been changed.
June 2008 - More excellent feedback concerning Endsleigh Insurance and
Jonathan in the Newcastle office:-
Dear Graham
A
quick line to say I was very impressed with the service I received from
Jonathan at Endsleigh Insurance (0191 2304021).
I advised him of my
son’s transplant and other relevant medical details. I asked for a quote
for an annual insurance policy as my son is travelling abroad twice this
year.
He gave a quote of
£42.34 for an annual policy, which includes Europe and Egypt. He gave me
my policy number over the phone and advised the details will be sent to me
today.
The service I
received was excellent.
Thanks
Linda
Holden
|
April 2007:
Another 10/10 for ACE INSURANCE.
Read the information below from Alison:
|
|
Hi Graham
I too was covered by Norwich Union after a lung
transplant in Jan 2000. I have just rang to renew it but have
been refused now - not because of the transplant but the condition which
caused me to have it. Also my husband had back surgery last
September so they wont cover him as it's less than 12 months but it does
state that on the policy .
So back to drawing board -will let you know
|
|
Hi Graham
Just to let you know, I got annual cover for both
of us for £63.
Transplant fully covered with ACE INSURANCE.
No luck with the others I tried.
Alison Leslie
Thanks Alison, this is extremely helpful information and
backs up what others are telling us. It seems that at certain
times one or two companies appear to be much more sympathetic to our
case than the rest. It could be that even though a company
declines cover this time they might offer it in future, so never rule them out
completely.
I would also suggest trying your local High Street broker
who will trawl the system on your behalf. Metropolitan in Wallsend
are very good.
|
|
I had to renew my annual worldwide multi trip travel insurance before 5th
march 2007 and had cause to change my insurer. I am 52 years old and
had my heart transplant in 1999. This is
what happened:-
|
|
Fortis Insurance would not continue my policy when it came up
for renewal in February 2007.
I had cause to ring them from my broker's office and had to go through their
health screening process because they denied any previous knowledge of my heart
transplant. I found this pretty alarming as you can imagine because
they have been happily taking my premium for the past 6 years.
Some of the the questions they asked me were quite ridiculous and of no
relevance. In particular the fact that I had had bypass surgery pre
transplant is as relevant as a man with no arms being asked if his fingers were
numb.
They declined to offer me cover and I became a guinea pig of my own advice on
the 'insurance page'.
|
|
Endsleigh Insurance were fantastic and it took no more than 10 minutes
on the phone and I was fixed up with fully comprehensive, unlimited medical
cover, annual multi trip cover, including the USA, for £93.26
They had a cheaper rate with slightly less cover at £77.41.
I cannot speak too highly of the service from David Goodman in the Newcastle
office of this nationwide insurance company.
Try him on 0191 2304021.
|
|
I had tried Holiday Services Ltd first but the numbers given
could not offer me the cover I required. In fact two of them would
not insure me at all. It could be that on another day it may well be
different.
I can only tell you what happened when I was trying to renew my insurance.
Let me know what happened when you tried.
Regards,
Graham
|
| Just received this Email from Carolyn Whaymand, solicitor.
Sept 2006
Hello,
I have had an annual
worldwide travel policy with Fortis for the last few years and their
premiums have always been very reasonable. However, they have now changed
their declaration form to include transplant and with therefore not cover
transplants or cystic fibrosis. This is despite the fact that my condition
has not changed since the last insurance premium.
Carolyn
Thanks Carolyn,As my
insurance with Fortis is not due for renewal just yet I am assuming
my cover is the same as when I took it out, which does cover my heart
transplant.
If your information is correct then I
will be looking for a new insurance company too. Can anyone else
shed any light on this dilemma?
Regards,
Graham Graham
I found your site very
useful and was able to obtain insurance from ACE Insurance as
mentioned on your site.
None of the other
health sites were able to help me. So thank you!
Carolyn
|
| In complete contrast to the experience encountered by Brian Wood (below),
have a look at this:
May 2006
Hi Graham,
I am the mum of a 16 year old liver transplant patient, last year we went to
the World games in Canada and had no problem getting insurance with Marks
and Spencer - not even an extra premium, this year they are charging extra
£260.00 for 2 weeks. I tried Fortis through the Post Office, I have used
them before but they declined to cover Matthew for anything remotely
concerned with his transplant.
Jane Dodd
Hi Jane,
Have you tried some of the other insurance
companies that I have listed on the FHLTA website?
Holiday Services / THB Northern & Endsleigh
have all been recommended.
There is a letter from a young girl in Ireland
who suggests Ace Insurance although she gives no other details.
I am surprised about Fortis because that is
the company I use.
As you know, if you can answer their health
line questions it is normally OK.
Sometimes it is a good idea to take out annual
insurance cover, if possible, and then simply renew it each year.
I hope this information proves helpful
Let me know how you get on.
Regards,
Graham
Graham,
I have managed to get Travel Insurance through the Norwich Union
without any problems at all. They said that a fit and well transplant
patient was not a problem, no extras to pay, it was good not to have all
the questions to answer, they just asked how long ago was he
transplanted, did he take anti-rejection drugs and was he generally fit
and well. I did query them - because I had been having problems but they
said they were in contact with transplant organisations and from
experience they were happy to cover people with transplants of over 1
year.
Thanks for your help.
Jane
|
|
Last year I contacted you advising you that
insurance was available from Norwich Union Direct, Unfortunately this
company has now changed its rules and will no longer cover transplant
patients. After much searching I have reinsured with A company called
Wiseman's, trading via
www.laterlife.co.uk or telephone01784 242138 quoting laterlife who will
cover anyone that has not had an over night stay in hospital (mot angio's do
not count) and has been stable for 12 months. I have taken a joint annual
worldwide policy out for only £91. Hope this helps others having problems
Yours
Brian Wood
(heart)Thanks Brian
the above is very helpful
|
|
Hi Graham, I'm Mike Smith, heart transplant
since 1994. Hope you are well; I'm doing fine. Just a quick question which
you may have an answer to. My wife & I will be invited to a wedding in
Canada next July & I couldn't find insurance. Have you any ideas as to
which company I might try? I have visited Australia with Austravel & other
than increasing the excess payable( if I had claimed) to £1000, there was no
problem. From what I understand the U.S. & Canada are just horrendous
premiums. Any help you could give would be much appreciated.
Kind regards & thanks,
Mike,
Nice to hear from you.
I competed in the World Transplant Games this
August in Canada and did not have a problem.
I take out an annual insurance with
Fortis at a cost of £80 which allows me to travel anywhere in the
world and have used them for the past five years.
Contact any insurance broker and they will
contact Fortis on your behalf.
There are other companies which will insure you
and they can be found on the FHLTA website / Info / Insurance.
Holiday Services (also listed) are supposed to
be very good too.
Quote MS and receive a £1 discount.
If you find a particularly helpful /
unhelpful company let me have some feedback please.
I hope this is helpful.
Regards,
Graham, Your advice could not have been better!
Very many thanks for putting me onto Fortis who accepted me after info. on
my med. details with no loading. I opted for "couple" insurance with my wife
& got worldwide cover for £138 for the two of us!
Thanks also for the FHLTA website tip. I'm a
bit new to this.
Best wishes,& keep up the good
work,
Mike.
|
|
I am just e mailing you to let you know I got insurance
for America for when I am hopefully going for a month in Feb. I
just wanted to let you know because I know how hard people find getting
insurance and especially to the States. The company are called
Ace Insurance and they do both Ireland and the UK. It
only cost me 39 pound sterling and they know everything. There are a few
terms like if you have been in hospital as a patient recently etc but they
are pretty straight forward.
Hope its of some use to someone,
Laura x
|
