Travel Insurance

[RunMartin]

Does anyone know when it is possible to get travel insurance (I am 3.5 months post AVR - mechanical). This is so I can go on holiday abroad (from the UK). Does anyone have any recommendations for UK travel insurance companies who deal with people who have mechanical valves. I have tried an Internet search but it is difficult to find anyone who has real experience in this.

Thanks
Martin

 

[Ross]

Might try and send Shezagirlie a PM. She would certainly know.

http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/member.php?629-ShezaGirlie

 

[Jkm7]

In the U.S., we can purchase travel insurance at the time we place our first deposit (Payments) for any upcoming travel. If we write that insurance within specified time limit (often 10 - 14 days), all pre-existing conditions are covered and we don't have to make any statement about any conditions we might have. If we write the insurance after their specified time limit, pre-existing conditions are not covered.

Among the insurance carriers many people use are companies such as Travel Guard, Travel Ex, Access America, CSA and many others.
There is a website called insuremytrip.com which compares many of them.

I have no personal knowledge of what companies may permit people from other countries to book with them but it might be a place to start investigating. I once wrote to www.insuremytrip.com with questions and received return e-mails almost immediately.

I have never personally used that site to actually purchase insurance but know many that have.

In U.S., it is no problem getting travel insurance despite our health issues.

 

[njean]

I agree with Jkm7. My husband & I will be going on a cruise in a few weeks & I made sure to tell our travel agent to tack on the travel insurance for both of us. I think it cost us about $89 each which I didn't mind paying at all.

Are you using a travel agent for your trip? You might want to give a travel agency a call.....they may be nice enough to divulge the info without charge??

 

[RunMartin]

Thanks for the replies. I looked on the British Heart Foundation website and they have a list of possible insurance companies:-

Link to BHF website

I have phoned a few up. Some want 12 months with no hospital proceedures and others want the OK from a doctor to say I am fit to travel. None have mentioned cost yet!. Looks like I need to visit my GP.

Thanks
Martin

 

[RunMartin]

One person I spoke to said there probably needs to be a big hospital close by to wherever I was thinking of going to.
This seems very restrictive especially if I was thinking of touring a country.

 

[acr]

I used Flexicover www.flexicover.co.uk (I think). I had my op in March and we went to Spain for 10 days in August, insurance cost me about and extra 10 quid, which I was amazed at. You have to do an online screening which is quite straightforward. Turns out I was double covered as we have one of these clever bank accounts (HSBC Plus) that includes extra benefits including worldwide travel insurance. Again you have to call 'em and go through a screening, but they covered me with no problems.

Ade

 

[Jkm7]

Big hospital nearby?
That rules out being able to cruise.
Wow..... very restrictive. Hopefully as you do more research, you'll find something better.
Good luck.

 

[RunMartin]

I used Flexicover www.flexicover.co.uk (I think). I had my op in March and we went to Spain for 10 days in August, insurance cost me about and extra 10 quid, which I was amazed at. You have to do an online screening which is quite straightforward. Turns out I was double covered as we have one of these clever bank accounts (HSBC Plus) that includes extra benefits including worldwide travel insurance. Again you have to call 'em and go through a screening, but they covered me with no problems.

Ade

I am going to see my GP today to see if I am fit to travel. I still have a appointment with the surgeon in 5 months. I was not discharged by the surgeon as the cause of my irregular heartbeats had not been looked at by a cardiologist at that point in time. I have since see a cardiologist who did a stress test and said they would probably go away in time and I am ok to do what I want. I am also going for a 24 hour heart monitor test next Thursday. This was arranged by another cardiologist from a different hospital and was initiated by the cardio rehab team who are based closer to home - on the hospital that did the op (it seems so complicated, i.e. I have two cardiologist who do not talk to each other looking at me). All this seems to be making the travel insurance more difficult.

Thanks
Martin