Travel insurances

Mezza51

I have been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in the bone. Lesions in hips & neck of femur.  Other lesions in the thorax but not necessarily breast cancer.

My Oncologist has advised that it’s ok for me to travel nationally and internationally.  

Can anyone advise which Travel Inurance company has the most understanding method of assessing loading rates and exclusions.

Jen001

I've just taken out a policy with 1Cover for an cruise in April, all on the internet and they have included my BC in my policy.  

Cheers, 
Jen

Jen001

Sorry, should have included this in the previous post.  All Clear Travel Insurance also cover all medical conditions.  I haven't used them before, but did get a quote online.  

Hope these help. 

Cheers, 
Jen

ElaineG

HI Mezza

I went skiing in Jan.  I had good comprehensive insurance for myself and 2 children with Medibank Private.
I have multiple bone mets and last yr had 2 total hip replacements in May and then bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction in Sept.  I was on aromsin and affinitor for the trip - so when asked all the Q's - like does your Dr know?  I said yes, in fact she had given me her blessing!! Was asked if I had any need for pain killers - no, and other relatively easy q's that were fine to answer.  The "funny" question was - "is it terminal?" - to which I replied well, we're all terminal....
But no, not in the short term!  The key thing was that I felt very confident that had I injured myself from a skiing incident/collision that was from a snowboarder for example going into me - I would have been covered even though the pre-existing cancer etc. was all documented.  Had I required medical intervention - as long as my oncologist was able to say that the incident did not occur FROM or as a result of my cancer mets - then indeed I would have had been covered.
I felt very confident with this.
Probably a little too much..... because I did have a funny incident where I actually had mild concussion so had to rest for ONE day - but I skied all the other 28 days!!
Good luck
Regards, Elaine

Mezza51

Hi Elaine,

Thanks so so much for your message.  You’re amazing!  So pleased you were able to go skiing, with the knowledge that you were covered by insurance. Like you, my oncologist has given the all clear for me to travel and positively encouraging it..We were in Japan about 18 months ago, thigh not skiing, such a wonderful country to visit. Can’t wait to go back.  We travel quite a bit and I have no intention of cutting that out of our lives.

However, Not having much luck so far with travel insurance. Tried 1Cover, as suggested by Jen, but on the basis of my answers to their questions re pre-existing conditions, they’ve declined to offer any cover, even with a loading! Same with RACV.

i think the issue is my response to the question “are you having ongoing treatment” which included chemo, radition & oral chemo.  As I’m starting in KisQuali this week together with Femara, which I’ve been on since my diagnosis about 3 weeks ago, I have answered “yes”.  But when I looked on the Novartis’ (company supplying the drug) website, it just refers to KisQuali as the “first hormone based therapy...”

So.... On Monday when I contact other companies including Medibank Private that’s how I’ll answer those questions.

One more question please, did Medibank Private impose a loading to cover your Mets?

Best wishes

mer 

brightspace

Hi Mezza lots of posts already so do search..here
Some of us with mets have used Covermore . they cover most things for us except the medical due to mets issues
Depends which countries you visit as Australia gov has reciprical medical hospital..ie NZ Great Britan and som e Scandivanian countries

ElaineG

Hi Mer - no, there was no additional loading cover re the mets per se, but just an additional loading for the 3 of us because of skiing - fair enough!
Good luck
BTW don't think name or type of drug is that critical - its just that you are mobile/independent, able to travel without heavy duty painkillers (morphine etc.) & sane (ha ha - in a grumpy mood!!).  I think the key is that our MBC is currently stable and being managed - they really don't need more info then that - less said the better (bc it is recorded) but as long as you've disclosed where the mets are etc. then it is all above board, should you be in any type of accident that requires medical intervention.

Regards, Elaine

Mezza51

Hi Elaine,
Hope you’re well.  Thanks for the follow up.

I had a great meeting with one of the Jane McGrath nurses today. Feeling more positive, received my supply of KisQuali (Ribociclib) today waiting for an all clear on ECG.

Haven’t pursued the insurance today.  When I tried to apply for insurance from 1Cover on Saturday, I could only applied online.  When I completed the questions regarding treatment, meds etc my application for travel insurance was completely rejected!

Can you let you know whether you applied online or spoke to someone at 1Cover. 

Thanks Elaine.

ElaineG

Hi - sorry for delay.  My insurance was with Medibank.
Regards, Elaine

Mezza51

Hi again Elaine 

have handed the quest over to my husband,

He has tried Medibank Private, but still gets completely rejected!  It just doesn’t make sense.  

Can i I ask if you applied for this cover online or spoke to a “person”?

this is so frustrating.

however, I’m still largely sympton free and have started my Hormone targeted therapy of Ribociclib, to which I’m not having any untoward side effects. 

Any further info would be appreciated!

Best wishes

Meryl

JuMuKu

Thanks to you all for expanding on my knowledge about your attempts to obtain travel insurance. I tried last year and found the experience most demoralising.
Mer, can you  please say a bit more about what you initially 'wrote' about  Kisqali and Letrozole.  I'm on both, and the literature I have from Novartis on Kisqali describes both medications as an  'endocrine-based therapy'. 
Best wishes JuMuKu

Mezza51

Hi JuMuKu
Hope you’re well. Yes travel insurance is quite disheartening, especially to the USA & Canada.  The good news is that there are countries in Europe that you can get cover for at a premium which includes Mets.  
I do wish there was a different word for this condition, that doesn’t carry so much negative connotations, given current very successful treatment regimes.
back to travel Insurance, Medibank Private & YouGo will provide cover but excludes Mets.  
Allclear Insurance will provide travel Insurance to Europe, covers Mets @ a Premium of $1800 for 23 Days in October ( covers my husband & me).  A company called Vero Insurance may provide cover depending on submission of assessment questionnaire together with a questionnaire completed by your oncologist.  
Re Letrozole & KisQuali, I was told that it was hormone targeted therapy, however, on Novartis’ website it referees to it also as oral chemotherapy.  
I have an appointment with my oncologist on a Friday so I will try to clarify this with her.  I’m in my 1st cycle of KisQuali, no side effective effects so I hope my bloods & ECG are fine. 

Hope this helps.
Best wishes
Meryl

JuMuKu

Thanks so much Meryl.
That's very helpful.
Be well and happy.
JMK

Cate64

I just got a quote from All Clear.... $2732.... for a 2 week holiday........

They all will cover me for everything else except anything to do with the BC or the mets.............. which @ElaineG seems to be the same with your TI from your post, you were covered for everything as long as the Onc said it was not related to the mets??? did I read that correctly??