Holiday Insurance & MS...? Not sure what to do.

Everyday living
1

I go away in 3 weeks to the Algarve with my family. It’s our ‘summer’ holiday because it’s cooler in October half term than during the summer holiday. Anyway, we have free medical insurance from our holiday company, ‘James Villas’ but it states it doesn’t cover pre-existing medical conditions. Is there any way I can contact them and pay extra to have my MS covered whilst away? Hopefully I won’t need it, but you never know, hence why we take this cover in the first place! I don’t want to phone and ask in case they cancel the insurance altogether. Any advice Please.

2

Hi You can get holiday insurance from the MS society and it is pretty resonable,try them and see how you get on. Enjoy your holiday,wish i could go. Take Care , Chris.

3

Hello. If you go without telling them and need to make a claim and they discover you have MS they won’t pay out anyway. I would imagine it depends who underwrites the policy as to whether you could pay a little bit more to be covered. I work for the bank I get my travel insurance through and thought I would make the call to find out where I stood. It turns out that now I have told them I can pay £45 extra and be covered for MS related stuff or not pay anything extra and be covered for everything but MS. That is an AXA underwritten policy. I would call and find out. Suz xx

4

From James Villa Holidays:Insurance " You should contact Mondial HealthScreen at http://www.mondialhealthscreen.co.ukor by calling 0845 618 0344 if, prior to commencement of your journey: • you need to declare a medical condition; • you develop a medical condition after your policy was issued; • your existing condition changes after your policy was issued; • you are unsure whether a medical condition needs to be declared or not" You can get an online quote for the additional cost to cover MS… which your free policy does not seem to cover

5

We have been away with James villas before and did just phone the insurance company and tell them. There was not a lot more to pay. John

6

Thanks. Shall phone and sort today.

7

you would be tempting fate by not disclosing your MS to your holiday insurance, heaven forbid if you get ill you would not be covered they would not pay up, phone your travel insurance company and see how much extra you need to pay to get your ms covered, Al x

8

I paid for separate insurance that covered my MS. Martin, my boyfriend, who I was traveling with gets insurance with his bank account. I knew that the most likely injury/health related problem would be due to me wobbling over and hurting myself. Which would definitely not have been covered. Even if my MS hadn’t directly caused an injury I assumed I’d have to prove it was nothing to do with my MS. So, I just paid up. I wonder if we could have claimed on both insurances if another ash cloud descended and we couldn’t travel? Actually, I’m sure the answer is no!

9

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how much extra they have had to pay for their travel insurance. We are thinking of going to a few exciting places over the next year and just wondered if the extra premiums are significant.

Thanks,

Sarah x

10

Hi Sarah, I’m not overly familiar with what they are if you don’t have a condition to declare, but I know I’ve never fainted at the quote. A week in Turkey this time last year only cost about £20 to insure, including the MS, which seemed fine to me. It also covered all the usual stuff, like cancellation or lost luggage. Destination will influence the premiums. America is particularly expensive, because healthcare is so expensive there, and no state- funded alternative. How severely your MS affects you also influences premiums. You will be asked things like whether you can walk unaided, and whether you have had any relapses in the past year. Tina

11

Company called The Insurance Surgery; really straightforward over the phone… MS doesn’t really figure in the premium. (£35 for week in the Canaries) only matters if you don’t disclose and have to claim Used them a few times Happy Hols

12

There is some good info there but my situation is slightly different, my husband and I are going to travel around Australia for 12 months from November this year.

Does anyone have any ideas where to go for travel insurance, im not sure where to start!

Apparently i need to inform the insurance that we are travelling for 12 months and not just a 2 week holiday.

Oh i have RRMS, any tips would be really helpful.

Thanks

13

There is some good info there but my situation is slightly different, my husband and I are going to travel around Australia for 12 months from November this year.

Does anyone have any ideas where to go for travel insurance, im not sure where to start!

Apparently i need to inform the insurance that we are travelling for 12 months and not just a 2 week holiday.

Oh i have RRMS, any tips would be really helpful.

Thanks

14

Hi just thought i would let you know of the travel insurance that my husband and i went with this year it is called insure and go.We got a yearly policy which we got very reasonably including my ms it is worth a try.

Anne.

15

I’ve heard from a FB MS site (Ladies With Lesions) that Columbus is quite good. Haven’t tried it myself though…yet!