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Travel insurance - thumbs up to Lloyds TSB

3 weeks on from DX, I'm starting to get myself organised and tell insurance companies things they need to know, etc.

Having read lots of people's nightmares with travel insurance, I was expecting Lloyds TSB to not cover me at all. I have their travel insurance that comes free as a benefit with one of their current accounts (Lloyds TSB Private Banking - same benefits as premier banking).

I was pleased that whilst they wouldn't cover any claims directly arising from CML (I didn't expect that they would) they will still extend full cover for everything else. They also will review the policy in a year and may allow CML to be brought back within the scope of the policy.

I suspect that for my next few trips I will get some specialist cover to cover the 'what if' scenarios, but I guess for others who are more experienced with CML, this might be useful.

David

there are many insurance companies, (hsbc amongst them) who will cover every scenario except cml. Initially, when diagnosed almost 10 years ago, I was really concerned about the necessity of covering cml whilst abroad. I then decided that a fortnight here or there was not likely to incur any acute mishap related to the cml . I decided that if my cml was so advanced that I would need medical help in the next two weeks, I shouldn't be straying from HH anyway. It seems incredible that my cml is not covered but my husband who is diabetic has full coverage. A diabetic is much more likely to need emergency help (hypos, stroke, cardiac problems, DVT), whilst cml is so slow in advancing anywhere there are likely to be lots of warnings before medical intervention is needed. Also if an E111 card is carried, medical help for any event is covered throughout the EU, although repatriation is not.
Patients should however be aware that insurance companies, like the law, are an ass, and will try to adapt any situation to suit themselves.
For those newbies, just diagnosed and wondering where life is heading, I was diagnosed April 2003, achieved MMR within 6 months and have been almost undetectable since then. I have been medication free for almost 4 years now, so hang in there, there may seem a lot of clouds ahead, , but cml is like being in an aeroplane, get through the clouds and it can be blue skies all the way. Hang in there.

Hi Des...I absolutely agree with everything you have said. I am also very pleased that you have finally updated us on your trip into the unknown- i.e Stopping therapy.
4 years TFS (treatment free survival) is amazing and an wonderful example of what can be achieved.

Many congratulations,

Sandy