Travel insurance: ‘I was refused insurance as I’m in remission from cancer’

Travel insurance can be pricey but is useful to have, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions. One couple paid £3,300 for cover – this is their story.

When your child gets married, the last thing you want to be thinking about is the kind of travel insurance you’ll need.

But for Jean and Charles Garner, both in their early 70s, this became one of their biggest concerns when their son started planning his wedding in New York.

The couple never had a problem finding travel insurance before.

But when they started researching, the prices they were quoted were over £5,000 and many insurers wouldn’t cover them at all. 

The wedding took place in August and the couple from Northamptonshire needed insurance for the two-week trip, which included a visit to the US where their daughter-in-law is from.

How to get travel insurance if you have a pre-existing condition

‘We were quoted £5,000 or more’

Jean and Charles looked online and were rejected by a number of major insurers due to their age and several pre-existing medical conditions. 

And when they did receive a quote, it was around £5,000 or more, which was too much for the couple to pay.

Jean is in remission from vulvar cancer and has an issue with her thyroid, while Charles is in remission from prostate cancer, has kidney problems and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

His kidney condition also means he requires regular dialysis and would need it while in the US.

Eventually, they found a quote for a joint policy to cover both of them for the trip from insurer AllClear for £3,300 for the two weeks.

It’s a single-trip policy so will provide cover for this holiday only. 

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‘The cost was worth the peace of mind’

“In the end, we felt the cost we paid was worth the peace of mind it gave not only myself and my husband, but also my son and his fiancé,” said Jean.

“With their big day on the horizon, the last thing they want to worry about is our travel insurance.

“I had really been around the houses looking for cover at a price we were willing to pay.

“That was a stressful process, and it was a huge relief to know there was a solution available.”

While Jean and Charles were able to find insurance they could afford, the price is still eye-wateringly high compared to standard insurance.

This is due to the increased risk of something happening, which pushes up the price of travel insurance for those who are elderly and have a pre-existing condition. 

Travel insurance for the over 50s

How to cut costs

There are a few ways to cut down the cost of travel insurance if you’re in a similar situation.

This includes researching single-trip policies, as Jean and Charles did, as these can be significantly cheaper than annual policies, which will cover all your trips in a year. 

If the price you’ve been quoted is still too much, you could speak to the insurer and ask it if you can exclude the condition in question.

If they agree to this, the price could go down.

But this also means you won’t be covered and if something happens in relation to this condition, you won’t be able to claim.

Travel insurance fine print that could invalidate your claim

Using a comparison website such as Medical Travel Compared can help give you an idea of what prices to expect, although you may need a specialist insurer depending on your situation.

There are a number of specialist providers on the market and it’s well worth getting a quote from a few of them before buying insurance to make sure you get the best price.

Aside from AllClear, you can also check out Staysure, Orbis and Avanti.

If you’re still struggling – or the price you’re given is too high – the British Insurance Brokers’ Association has a specialist service to help you find an insurer to cover your travel.  

Compare travel insurance quotes at loveMONEY