Holiday Insurance

[Grannie G]

I have just tried to book a holiday with our regular Tour Company, one that specialises in holidays for people over 50.

I have been told they are unable to provide insurance cover for my husband as he is taking anti-depressants.

What a shock. It now means holidays are out for us now, too.

 

[CraigC]

Hi Sylvia,

I've seen this issue pop up before. There are definitely specialist insurance companies that cover dementia etc. A friend of mine just had the same problem with epilepsy and found a specialist company who gave cover without question.

We also nearly had to cancel a family holiday ourselves as a company refused insurance for our daughter because it was less than a year since her recovery from pneumonia - you can imagine how much we all needed a holiday. I know what toads insurance companies can be!

If you check out the following factsheet it has some information on travel.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/After_diagnosis/Driving_and_travelling/info_travelling.htm

My guess is that a quick call to the helpline tomorrow and they will give you a few pointers and specialised companies to contact! I'd also phone a few more insurance companies, some have a totally different attitude than others!

Kindest Regards
Craig

 

[Skye]

It does seem strange. I know the company allow people with dementia to travel with them, although the dementia isn't covered. We've travelled with them in the past without problem.

I don't know why anti-depressants should make a difference, surely they mean that the depression is controlled?

But you can still travel with that company if you have your own insurance, so it's worth shopping around.


Try this:

Sorry Hazel, this link is naming a Company and is against Forum rules

Love,

 

[Skye]

Try this:

Sorry Hazel, this link is naming a Company and is against Forum rules

Sorry about that, I thought links were OK!

If anyone's interested, they can PM me.

 

[Tender Face]

What a shock. It now means holidays are out for us now, too.

Several thoughts on this, if I may express some of them .....

1) If taking anti-depresants were a precursor for insurance companies not covering holiday travel - what hope for the non-dementia masses who require prescription treatment for depression?

2) It's sad if 'holidays' are out ..... but for many even a 'day out' is problematic ... and requires much careful planning if feasible at all

3) I believe there is a time in life to simply 'accept' and work creatively around ....

As example, my mother's dementia means she will never be 'covered' for flying out to see her friends in Greece, my husband's cancer means we can never plan financially for insurance/assurance covered situations .....

Such is life, we have to make the best of it ....

Insurance companies love 'good odds' - perhaps sometimes we have to take the risk that we are not 'covered' for every eventuality ...... and go with it anyway .....

I hope you find some means to give yourself and hubby a 'holiday' - but perhaps redefine 'holiday'??????

Karen, x

 

[Brucie]

Sorry about that, I thought links were OK!

Hi Hazel,
Yes this is a confusing area.... and one that I want to clarify to all our advantages as soon as I can. For the moment, the TP Rules say

3.4 Messages must not contain advertisements or references to products or services except with the prior written consent of the Alzheimer's Society.

In this context a link may be considered a reference, so until I get agreement to vary the Rules - and I do believe they are too restrictive at present - we are playing it ultra-cautious.

Links are fine when we want to use copyrighted materials - in that situation we can use a link instead of quoting a poem, for example.

 

[Grannie G]

Those taking Anti-depressants per se, no mention of dementia, are no longer covered by this insurance company for travel.

A couple of years ago, we were prevented from taking a coach tour with a major tour company, also because my husband was taking anti-depressants. At that time, we did not know he had Alzheimers.

There will be companies I`m sure, who will cover him, on payment of a higher premium.

If not, I`ll just have to accept it. I`m getting quite good at accepting things.

Take care

 

[Brucie]

The last holiday I had with Jan was our last holiday together.

We had flown out together, and it was great. There were some problems on the holiday - Jan was having problems with her contact lenses and one tore, in her eye, and we had to get her to hospital.

After that her confidence went.

Prior to flying home, I asked the holiday rep to ask Virgin if we could have 3 seats together so she had lots of space for the 10 hour flight. I explained the situation to her. The rep turned white and said "for goodness' sake don't tell the airline about it - they may refuse to take her back at all!" So the compromise was to tell them she was scared of flying, and that was fine. We got the 3 seats.

After that, there was no way I would put her through it again.

Quickly after that, even short drives in England became a problem, and those too were gone.

 

[Skye]

Hi Hazel,
Yes this is a confusing area.... and one that I want to clarify to all our advantages as soon as I can. For the moment, the TP Rules say
In this context a link may be considered a reference, so until I get agreement to vary the Rules - and I do believe they are too restrictive at present - we are playing it ultra-cautious.

Links are fine when we want to use copyrighted materials - in that situation we can use a link instead of quoting a poem, for example.

Thanks for clarifying that Bruce. I'll be more careful in future.

 

[Grannie G]

On top of the anti-depressant drawback, insurance companies increase the premium for those aged 75 and over.

So the euphoria my husband felt at being entitled to a free TV licence, has paled into insignificance.

 

[Helena]

There are specialist companies who will specifically cover after Cancer ops

others who cover for heart conditions

others who accept the over 75 s............this co name has 4 letters and does lots of oldies holidays

Go to a good independant Insurance Broker and they should be able to find cover

 

[Grannie G]

Thanks Helena,

The 4 letter company which does holidays for `oldies` [I`m glad you didn`t say wrinklies] will cover those aged over 75, but not those on anti-depressants.

But your tip about a good insurance broker is helpful. I`ll definitely follow that up.

 

[jenniferpa]

This is going to be absolutely no help to you Sylvia, but I just wanted to say I empathise. About 15 years ago we changed our medical insurers (because as we're in the US we have to be insured) and right at the end of the process they suddenly decided they wouldn't cover me because I was on anti-depressants. I got nowhere with them, even making the point you made: that surely a treated depressive was less likely than an untreated depressive to get ill, and furthermore, since I was being treated, I was in regular contact with doctors so that things were likely to be picked up at an earlier (and cheaper) stage. All to no avail. However, my doctor went incandescent on them, and pointed out how discriminatory this was, and they caved. As I said, no help to you, but this is a worldwide phenomena.

Love

Jennifer

PS. Apparently Which publishes a review of holiday insurance in March which highlights pre-existing condition coverage. You should be able to find it at a local library. Also Age Concern offer travel insurance.

 

[Grannie G]

Hi jennifer, You just don`t realize all these things until they hit you in the face. I suppose it`s like everything else.

The man from the holiday company asked why Dhiren was on anti-depressants, and I said `because he is depressed`. Do you think I blew our chances?

 

[Tender Face]

The man from the holiday company asked why Dhiren was on anti-depressants, and I said `because he is depressed`.

Forgive me for smiling at your style!

[/QUOTE] Do you think I blew our chances? [/QUOTE]

I'm absolutely appalled at this, to be honest. Trying to empathise here Sylvia, with considering taking my mother away on any kind of holiday (which is almost out of the question anyway) ..... suppose I hadn't had the 'wherewithall' to badger for a diagnosis, (thanks to support from TPers) ..... suppose she hadn't been one of the lucky ones to have been prescribed Aricept ..... presumably I could now take out holiday insurance for her on the basis undiagnosed and untreated is OK?

Honesty is not the best (for insurance) policy, huh?

Sorry, not much help ... just becoming more bewildered at the discrimination that exists in our anti-discriminatory society........

Karen, x

 

[Grannie G]

Karen, There is no problem with insuring my husband for his Alzheimers. The problem is his depression. Honestly !

 

[Skye]

I can endorse that, Sylvia. John and I have been abroad twice a year for the seven years since his diagnosis, and have never had problems with insurance.

The only thing stopping us doing it again this year is John's nocturnal incontinence.

 

[Tender Face]

Karen, There is no problem with insuring my husband for his Alzheimers. The problem is his depression. Honestly !

Sylvia - if you would only read what people are saying before reacting ....

That is EXACTLY my point .... there are enough depressed people here who DON'T have Alzheimers .... it's a pertinent point you have raised - if only you realised you had raised it ......

Karen

 

[KenC]

Hi Sylvia,

My wife rang our insurance company a few weeks ago because we thought we needed our insurance renewing, only to be told that, as I was still on the mediaction the renewal would be doubled.
This I found hard to believe but it is true, and we have used the same company for at least two years and they knew that I had Dementia with Lewy Bodies and was on Meidication. So why change now?
It has been suggested that we re-apply somewhere else without telling them about the illness which does not make sense. We had a holiday in Skye last week, for the second year running, and enjoyed it quite a lot so perhaps we just have to stay in this country, it may well be cheaper.


Best Wishes

Ken

 

[Skye]

Glad you enjoyed Skye, Ken. There's nowhere better if the weather's good, and last week it was beautiful.

Let's hope we get more good weeks, it's cold again here now.