Hi everyone,
I very seldom post on this site but I do lurk most days and try to keep in touch with how everyone is doing.I am celebrating 6 years of CML this week and 5 years of being on Glivec with very low PCR's.I keep fairly fit,I walked 11 miles yesterday,seldom miss a day off work and cope with the usual side effects without too much distress. In all life is good.I know how lucky I am.
However, I have enrolled to do some voluntary work out in India next summer and feel I should try to get travel insurance to include my CML. I usually have an annual policy which covers everything but my CML but this time I thought I'll get a quote. Has no-one told the insurance underwriters about Glivec? So far as they are concerned they seem to think if you haven't had a BMT you are a very serious liability.The quotes I am getting are ridiculous. Has anyone on this sight complained to the Insurance Ombudsman?
best wishes to you all
Jenny Freeman
You are here
Travel Insurance, a moan!
Y A H O O O !!! Y I P P E E E !!!
Number #1025 in the Zero Club
Zavie
Please write me and tell me your story.
Zavie
Zavie Miller (age 68)
Ottawa, Canada, dxd AUG/99
INF OCT/99 to FEB/00, CHF
Gleevec since MAR/27/01 (400 mg)
CCR SEP/01. #102 in Zero Club
2.8 log reduction Sep/05
3.0 log reduction Jan/06
> 4 log reduction Nov/06
zmiller@sympatico.ca
Hi Jenny
Know what you mean, I tried evrywhere, but always the same, covered for everything except anything that could be attributed to cml. Talk about hitting one's head against a wall, so we can assume that even if you catch a cold, the insurers will state that it is due to cml and not pay out. I have thought for many years that insurance was the biggest legal fiddle ever, and licensed by HM Government !
Sounding a bit bitter, but with due cause I think. Enough of this misery, defeat them all and keep smiling and be happy
Have fun
Keith
I haven't been through this renewal horror recently but I got very upset last time with many insurers. The same insurers seemed to cover some people with CML but not others with CML.
Most of the travel insurers use independent medical screening companies. It is those companies that are hopelessly out of date and poor in their CML related methodology. In relation to CML, I have been asked for example, "Has the tumour grown in the last 12 months?". When I pointed out CML has nothing to do with tumours, I was told that their computer system lumps many "cancers" together and that I had to answer the question! I refused because giving a misleading answer (like "no") could later lead to the insurer declining cover when a claim arises. A different organisation I spoke to explained how the medical screening worked in their system. It is like a computerised credit scoring system for a loan - no discretion if you exceed a certain score. On this particular system I was told if you were over a score of 8, cover was declined. If you had not had a BMT, that in itself scored 2, irrespective of the fact you were stable and living a normal life on Glivec. I seem to recall that being over 60 also scored 2.
I obtained travel cover last time with Age Concern (you do not have to be old to get cover from them!). I am not sure if they will cover someone who is working rather than someone on holiday but it might be worth a try. Here is the link: http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/insurance.asp
Good luck.
David
I have just been trying to get cover for a trip to Spain. The insurance company used by Cheltenham and Gloucester, will NOT cover CML under any circumstance because of the high cost of replacing the drugs if they are lost. There was no room at all for discussion, but at least I got a reason. Perhaps this does need to go to the ombudsman for investigation.
pennie
I was fortunate enough to take out annual travel insurance with the Royal Bank of Scotland Group in August - and was diagnosed with CML in September. Good timing :-) AT least I got something right!!
I rang to ask about covering CML and was asked 4 questions - had I had a terminal diagnosis, was I flying against medical advice, was I travelling to obtain medical treatment, was I awaiting/had I had hospital admission. When I said 'no' to every question, the very nice man on the other end said I was covered.
Now I know CML in my case is not classed as a pre-existing medical condition because I took out the policy first, but it might indicate that RBS is worth a try for travel insurance. RBS also covers TEsco insurance and a few others.
Good luck - I hope this helps.
Janet
Might I suggest that you look very closely at the terms and conditions.
In most cases they stipulate that if there is anything major changes with your health then you must notify the insurance Company. Failure to disclose might invalidate the insurance.
I know because I was DX with CMl in August 2004 and had annual travel cover with the Nationwide. They offered to cancel my holiday and pay the caneclationcharge or cover me without CML. I thought this was off, so I wrote to the Ombudsman and he found that they were well within there rights as per the terms and Conditions. I got a rebate and got insurance through Freedom.
So plesae check the policy carefully. I am sure we would all be pleased to hear that you are still covered.
Good Luck
Steven Davies
Thanks for the warning and I will indeed check the terms and conditions - but that was also the reason I rang them and I made it very clear I had rung to declare that I had CML. And as I said, that very nice man said I was still covered after asking the 4 questions I mentioned in my previous post. So fingers crossed I am OK. But I will certainly read the small print again and thanks for the advice.
Janet
Like everybody else I had dreadful problems trying to get insurance for routine holidays abroad. Even though I have been PCR undetectable for 9 months.
Eventually I got in touch with
JD Consultants
44, High St.
Farnborough, Kent BR6 7BA
Tel 01689 859102/850333/858812/856551/851145/856984
e-mail insurance@jdconsultants.co.uk
The lady there was brilliant and gave me and my husband annual travel insurance worldwide for 120.00 for 2, which is good in anybody's books. This excludes winter sports, but I rarely venture more than a paddle, so no problem.
There are no stupid questions, I would urge anybody to try them.
Happy Christmas everybody and a peaceful healthly 2007 to you all.
Des
I spent the best part of a year in a bitter battle with various insurance companies until I approached a broker. She recommended Norwich Union who were offering travel insurance with home and contents insurance.
They gave me a reasonable quote which effectively meant that I got worldwide, multitrip cover for about £120. This covers my wife and self (I am 67) and includes the USA. The policy specifically includes the fact that I have CML. I understand that the policy will go on regardless of age as long as my medical condition does not change and, of course, I go on paying the premiums. Johnh
Nullum
I am travelling to UK and South America this year (I hope). I mentioned it to at least three doctors and all supported the idea, so it was a shock to me to have my 'pre-existing condition' declined by a travel comapny. I am on a search for a company who will cover me. Any suggestions?
Penny Nullum
I have just opened a bank account with Nat West. This is called the ADVANTAGE GOLD current account. It costs £12 a month but you get- Mobile phone insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty on electrical goods, Identity Theft protection and most importantly TRAVEL INSURANCE COVER for me and Carol including CML.
I was asked 4 questions relating to pre existing conditions. I am now covered worldwide and so is Carol after her spinal/neck fusions.
I suggest if you are interested ask Nat West for a brochure on this account then before opening an account phone up the travel insurance section. Get a reference number and when they say you are covered then open the account. Its cheap at half the price.
Good luck.
Nullum
Hello Des
Thank you for your tip. I contacted JD Consultants from Australia. They replied to me, which was nice of them, but were unable to help. Travel insurance seems to be available only to people who are resident in the country. As far as I can tell, after making many phone calls, it is not possible to have a pre-existing condition with the word "Leukaemia" in it covered in Australia. There is no medical assessment. However, cover excluding the pre-existing condition is available.
Best wishes
Penny Nullum