Travel Insurance

I'm really annoyed right now - I had applied for travel insurance (going to Bali in a couple of weeks) months ago, not long before dx for Crohn's. At the time, I had probably already seen the GI, and was waiting to have the colonoscopy.

The insurance I had booked was not overly clear on whether Crohn's would be a pre-existing condition (I hadn't been diagnosed, but did have symptoms). I even rang them up and they couldn't tell me for sure - they said that if I needed to make a claim, they would figure it out then. I wanted to be sure, so I applied for a pre-existing condition......and they rejected me!!! It wasn't the Crohn's so much as the immuno-suppressants...

So I do still have insurance, but if anything Crohn's related goes wrong over there, I'm gonna be out a whole heap of money!:yfrown:

Has anyone else had any luck in getting travel insurance? I'm especially interested in people from Australia...

Have you tried this website?

http://www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au/travelling-overseas.php

We haven't gone anywhere since I was diagnosed, but I'm also interested in this information. Do we just have to stay in our own country since we have Crohn's ?!?!

Hi Rygon, thanks for that. Unfortunately the CCA doesn't have any info on which insurers might actually consider insuring people with Crohn's. I've looked at most insurers, but without putting in an application it's hard to tell. And a lot will actually charge you to do the medical assessment!

Ok looks like Mycover will cover pretty much anything, and it will cost an extra $62 for 8 days. I've got another application in with someone else at the moment, but fully expect to have that denied.

I think $62 is definitely worth the money.

Roo went to New Zealand on a school excursion two years ago and she applied and was accepted by Cover-More Travel Insurance. Her premium was just over double what the other kids paid.

Dusty.

Hey there

I hate to break it to you but we'll never be able to get travel or life insurance once we've been diagnosed. You can travel overseas but if you end up in hospital with a flare/complication you will not be covered. Some people i know just travel within a couple of hours eg. Fiji, New Zealand, Vanuatu in case something happens you can jump straight on a plane and come home. If I was to go overseas I wouldn't be going to Bali (third world), Bali Belly and I wouldnt want to be treated in a Bali hospital!! I personally don't think the risk is worth it. I would prob only go to NZ.

Hi nowitzkiwebb, Mycover do actually appear to cover for just about everything (with some exemptions none of which fit my situation). You just have to pay an extra $62. I've searched for problems with claiming from them, and haven't found anything much (good or bad).

My symptoms are still fairly mild, and I do plan to be very careful (but of course I know that things can happen no matter how careful I am). We went to NZ earlier this year, and plan to go to Fiji early next year. My husband and I both love Bali, and booked this trip well before I was diagnosed. And to be honest, I don't really want to live the rest of my life in fear, not wanting to go anywhere just in case. Travelling is a big part of our lives, and if I can get coverage for an extra $62, that's worth it to me.

Like I said................Roo obtained insurance two years ago and she was diagnosed two before that.

Dusty.

Im not from Australia but earlier this year I went to USA on holiday and I got travel insurance which covered my crohn's from http://www.itssoeasytravelinsurance.com/

It cost a bit more than my boyfriends insurance but it was worth the piece of mind. Also because my boyfriend took his insurance with them - if I was taken ill with my crohn's they would pay for him to stay there with me. When I was looking I found that if my boyfriend took insurance with a different company to me they wouldnt pay for him to stay with me if I was ill. just something to think about!

I didnt have to claim from them (luckily) so cant comment on what they are like in that respect.

xx

Hey Georgiegirl. That's good to hear. I'll look into it as well. Have a great time!

My boyfriend and I go on cruises all the time. We always get the insurance just in case something happens while I'm gone. And if not for that, if I can't go, my Doc will write a note. Then they give us a refund.

Always worth the money!

Update - as it turns out, mycover won't cover me cause they consider a colonoscopy to be surgery (???). BUT...SCTI (southern cross travel insurance) does not consider a colonoscopy to be surgery, and I am covered. They're charging $150 premium ($227AUD for hubby and myself), but I consider that money well spent.

Hope this helps anyone else looking for insurance in Australia or NZ...

Does that mean if i have had a hemicolectomy i wont be covered cuz it is surgery?

I think so. But most of the insurers based the surgery question on different lengths of time. Some were 6 weeks, some 6 months and some 2 years. So I guess it depends how long it's been between surgery and when you travel.

When Roo travelled it was about 2 years post surgery (hemicolectomy) and she was approved by Cover-More. She was also taking Azathioprine (Imuran) daily.

Dusty.

Covermore rejected me as I was on Imuran, same with any insurer who uses Mondial to do their medical assessments. SCTI asked if I had EVER had any abdominal surgeries for Crohn's. I checked and if I had answered yes, they wouldn't have covered me.

So I guess it depends on your situation. Mycover was only interested if you've had surgery (which apparently includes a colonoscopy) in the last 6 months.

I just wish there was a nice comparison site for insurance for people like us! It took me hours to manage to find someone to insure me!

That sux georgie. It's even more of a pain when someone with the same condition and meds gets covered but another person doesn't! Argh!

Like you said, it would be good to have a comparison site!

Dusty.

I've had UC for about 25 years and, touch wood, it's never been sufficiently bad to make me think twice about travelling. I take enough drugs to see me through to the end of a trip in case of a flare up, and away I go. I guess the situation is a bit different for people whose condition may require hospitalisation.

In my business life I've done a lot of work with travel insurers and, in general, the equation is reasonably simple for them. If a person has a medical condition that poses a risk that the person will need hospitalisation when they're overseas, they're unlikely to offer cover in relation to that condition. Their general position is that travel insurance is for unexpected events: if a person has a medical history that poses a reasonable risk of requiring treatment when they're travelling, the event wouldn't be completely unexpected.

Put another way, if your condition makes you nervous about the risk of having to meet the cost of going into hospital when you're overseas, you can understand that an insurer may be unwilling to carry that risk for you.

Life insurance is another interesting one. When I applied for Life cover many years ago, and declared my history of UC, I had to offer up my whole medical history for the underwriters to examine and make a call on whether I was a risk they were willing to take on. In the end they did, with an additional charge to cover the risk of the UC leading to bowel cancer. The irony for me is that the surveillance my specialist has in place - colonoscopies every 2 years - means I probably pose a much smaller risk of being killed by bowel cancer than the average man in the street.

The life insurance underwriting process was an investment of time that the life insurer made to secure my premiums (they and I will be hoping that this will be for many more years to come). Travel insurers can't really make that investment of time in underwriting because the typical holiday travel insurance policy is only worth a few dozen dollars. Consequently, they tend to take a much more black-and-white view on cover for pre-existing conditions, which can appear to be arbitrary and frustrating.

Jim

I'm going on a cruise in April 11 and I bought extra cover for a pre-existing condition (Crohns) and the lady on the phone said that if I were to be put on immuno-suppressants that I wouldn't be covered for the Crohn's. Well at the time I bought my policy I wasn't on immunosuppressants, but guess what a few weeks later I was! So it appears I am not covered now. Have considered cutting my losses and cancelling that policy if I can find one that will cover the Crohns and immunosuppressants. It sux really...just my vent!!! Might look at SCTI...thanks for the tip!

Hi Vicki, talk to the insurer first and explain that at the time that you bought the policy you were not on immuno-supressants, but now you are. This may make a difference. Otherwise, ask if the policy can be cancelled since the pre-existing condition can no longer be covered (and you just know that any little bug you pick up they will blame on you being on immuno-suppressants).

If they won't cover it, I would definitely switch - I've been on a few cruises and the medical costs on-board are so ridiculously expensive that it would be worth it.

An extra $150 premium is money well spent in my book. I'm in Bali now (which begs the question what am I doing on this forum!!!) and not having to worry about medical issues has made it a much more stress-free holiday!!!

I am currently looking at insurance now. Travel agent recommended Covermore but it doesnt look as though they will approve me due to op in last 12 months (hernia repair), and medication changes within the last 60 days.

At this stage Mycover is looking good. They will approve pre-existing condition as long as no surgery in the last 6 months. they dont require a doctors letter or assessment and dont even ask what the condition is. So it apprears as long you dont have one of the automatic exclusions you should be ok.

Just wondered if anyone has had to make a crohn's related claim with any of the insurers and wondered how they went. I dont want to go without cover for pre-existing condition and just dont think the risk is worth it.....

but I so want to go on my trip to ......EUROPE!!!!

Oh and has anyone being able to get a refund for cancellation of flights, tours etc if they became sick before they left, with or without the cover for pre-existing condition.

Hi Lulu, can't help you there. While I always get insurance, I've never actually used it. Very jealous that you're going to Europe though - hope you have a fantastic time!

I too had some troubles getting mine. Changed to remicade 6 days before I left for mexico and if it was 7 I would have been fine. They said theyd cover me unless it was crohns related. Cost me $32 CDN for the week.

I am making a claim for medical expenses from my last tour of the USA, specialist in NYC and drugs.... hoping my insurance company are understanding about the fact that my disease cajme out of remission while I was over there.

I very much doubt it Andy, as it is a pre exisiting condition they will be unlikely to pay up regardless of the fact that it was in remission when you left on your trip. My policy actually states that long flights, time differences etc can cause conditions to come out of remission and recommend you get cover for a pre-existing condition.
It didnt cost much extra and I can now go away knowing that if anything happens, crohn's related or otherwise, I will be covered.

Just booked travel insurance for 2 months time for USA with its so easy travel insurance. Covered me despite 3 recent hospital admissions. No problem with the fact that I have only just started azathioprine few days ago or that I am having 2-4 weekly consultant reviews.
They didn't even ask for a list of my medication. They are recommended by the scottish patients association. Got the number from Vickiec's post above...thanks for that !!
Fingers crossed we can go...had to cancel same trip last year.

call up the insurance place you are most likely fine and don't need any special coverage. My credit card company covered emergency health care and evacuation for my crohn's when i went to Scotland last week. I end up getting extra because i want delay insurance and gotten through STA travel.

I think my travel insurance is all good as it was organized by someone very together (not me), and is apparently very comprehensive.

I travel a ton, and before i got on my fiancee's benefits, I made sure to maintain my AAA membership just for their insurance... (BCAA, in British Columbia where I live).

They offer a one year, up to 30 days away, pre-existing condition international travel insurance for about $70 -- only clause is that you can't have had any flareups or abnormal symptoms in the previous 2 weeks. For an extra $10, you can reduce that to 7 days.

Hi Georgiegirl,
wow, thanks for all your info! I'm making notes! I'm in Adelaide and thinking about a Bali trip... Had a recent colonoscopy and the prep caused a blockage - apparently i have a stricture - so subsequent scopes have to have extended prep...oh the joys!
After that experience I have been having second thoughts about the trip, wouldn't want to end up needing a Dr over there, even tho my symptoms are mild atm (on MTX).
As I'm a newbie to all this, I didn't even consider the travel insurance sagas that may lie ahead.
Really appreciate your post and hope you had a great trip!

kg

knocked back

Just found out that there is no point applying for travel insurance compensation for my health problems in NYC, coz it's a pre-existing condition....I was going to use that money to buy an ounce of good cannabis, which is the best medicine I have come across. Bummer.