package holiday......is insurance necessary??

[fossyant]

Deffo insurance. You never know what might happen. I never expected a ruddy volcano nor my son to get chicken pox which meant no flight home. That's two occasions we've needed it.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Just taken out insurance for a trip on the bike. I got all my pre-existing conditions covered including the osteoporosis which is the one that bothers me the most (slip trips and falls being quite a common accident not to mention numpties in tin cans). I got a refusal from Virgin, a quote for ~£200 from somewhere else and eventually the bill came down to £20 with GetGoing. I used money supermarket pre existing medical conditions in the end. Your cancer should be declared otherwise you won't be covered. Do make sure you declare all conditions correctly as the insurance company can ask for your medical records.

 

[subaqua]

EHIC guarantees you medical treatment on the same basis as the Nationals in that country (not just 'basic'). Depending on the country, the coverage will vary - it can be complete (as in the UK), or (e.g. like France) you'll have to pay hotel costs...

For pre-existing conditions, and depending on your age, I'd suggest Saga (seriously my mother swears by).

That's the theory , however the reality in lots but not all cases is often very different based on the "scare you lots programmes" on BBC etc.

Saga are good and now Mrs Sub is in the age group for using them ( she wil hate me telling people she is ) they have been competitive on other insurances

 

[subaqua]

Maybe not but it does show it happens.

 

[srw]

When my consultant told me there are absolutely no signs of the cancer I thought.......I NEED A HOLIDAY IN THE SUN (Europe).
Re insurance
......mention cancer and most companies are not interested or at £stupid money.
The consultant told me.....forget insurance....just make sure you have your card with you and no hospital will refuse you.
Now I thought....with package holidays, insurance was mandatory.
Any thoughts ??

Talk to one of the cancer support charities. At least one of them will have a deal with an insurance company specifically for people like you.

I'd only consider going abroad without travel insurance if I had upwards of£10,000 cash available if anything happened. But then I do work in the industry.

 

[subaqua]

Shows what happens?

EHIC entitles you to treatment at the same level as a local. What some TV programme shows is an irrelevance.

it shows you don't get the same Level of care as a local would expect to recieve.

and i am not a brexiteer !

but you be obtuse as is normal when you want to try and prove that you think you always know best ( when in fact you really don't)

 

[T4tomo]

You need to get some quotes and make a decision based on costs destination and situation.

If you are going to south of where local Ehic care is good and conceivably could be driven home by a family member in the event of an issue then maybe worth a risk if they want the cost of the holiday again to insure you.

If its somewhere that would involve a flight back in any event then maybe not worth the risk.

 

[subaqua]

oh FFS .

do you understand that being entitled to something does not mean you actually get it .

you can type as many words as you want and big ones too if you so please but it doesn't change the fact that there have been instances where the care recieved has not matched that that would be expected by a permanat resident of that country and has fallen far short.

I didn't have you down as an imbecile but I fear I have been wrong .

 

[ColinJ]

I remember reading one of Josie Dew's early books in which she described what happened to her boyfriend on the Costa del Sol when he was knocked off his bike and landed on his head. There was a problem getting him to a hospital in the first place. In the end I think she flagged down a vehicle and they took him to the nearest hospital, unconscious and bleeding from head injuries. The staff at the hospital were on a break and completely ignored them! I think she ended up taking him to a different hospital. Eventually, he had to be flown home.

Whatever care he was entitled to, he clearly did not get it at the first hospital!

It's a long time since I read the book so I may have got some of the details wrong, but it struck me at the time that you'd definitely want insurance cover on a cycling holiday in case something like that happened.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

you'd definitely want insurance cover on a cycling holiday

yep - very correct

 

[subaqua]

Got some evidence to back that up? You seem to be heavy on assertion and very light on facts (as well as appearing to struggle with debating without resorting to insults). Perhaps those appearing in such programmes didn't understand what they were entitled to?

Next you'll be suggesting everything you read in the Daily Wail is true,l

like playing chess with a pigeon.

you can never admit when you are in the wrong. can you.

wheres your proof that ALL those entitled actually got what they were supposed to be. oh you can't provide .

and I don't read the wail so your argument falls over . and doesn't get up.

 

[srw]

Luckily, I get free worldwide travel insurance for Mr R and I through my bank account

I'd be rather surprised if was actually free...

Possibly provided as part of a monthly fee, but free? Really?

 

[User32269]

Great news you beat the big C Dave. My mum got the all clear at 76 from breast cancer this year, terrible thing to have in your life.
Unfortunately I'm no expert on insurance, but I would strongly advise you to look for affordable, effective cover. My friend went to Ibiza a couple of years ago and, totally out of the blue, his appendix burst. It ended up costing thousands. It's not just the medical care you need to factor in, it's the costs to family members whilst you are laid up in foreign lands.
Have a nice holiday and get insured!

 

[srw]

It's part of the account which I pay a small fee for - along with a number of other benefits.

So not "free", but "paid for as part of a package of benefits". Which is what I said....

(Although Money Supermarket links to a Nationwide Account which has travel insurance and is fee-free. But the insurance cover looks pretty basic, and invites you to pay extra to upgrade, which I assume is where the money is made.)