Travel Insurance

Nanna8, talking of cruises, a friend of mine had an accident on a cruise ship recently, and was charged £60 for the use of a wheelchair to get from cabin to medical office, then charged a further £200 only to be told to rest for 24 hours and they would be fine!

I am 83 with controlled blood pressure. The quotes I got for travel insurance for a three month visit to Australia earlier this year were equal to the cost of the air fare!!! I decided to use my banks travel insurance, even though I had to change my account to a monthly fee one, pay a supplement for my age, and also a supplement as my holiday exceeded the standard 30 days and it still worked out a lot cheaper than any of the other quotes. I am with Nationwide Building Society.

Travel insurance has become horrendously expensive. The older you are, the worse it is. If you go on a cruise it is particularly high- partly because so many are American owned and the medical staff onboard are presumably under an American system. So I’ve been told.

Have you tried payingtoomuch ? I got this off the MSE website and used them in 2023 when I went to Australia for three months. They were the cheapest for me and I was 77 at the time and had multiple problems plus had open heart surgery in 2022. I tried several comparison sites for my trip back to Oz
in October and goodtogoinsurance was the cheapest. This was under £500 for cover for three months again. Good luck getting a better price and have a wonderful time.

We have found Insurancewith the best for travelling to Canada with pre- existing medical conditions.

Thanks everyone for your advice . As you say you only know how good the insurance is when, if necessary, you test it! I will get a few more quotes and then get on with it and pay out! Thanks all

Good price for USA.
I have a lot of preexisting conditions and have tried several companies.
Staysure are often recommended but I found them expensive and inflexible. Holiday Extras cancelled our insurance 2 weeks before a holiday when DH had to have an x-ray despite him being perfectly fit to travel.
Last month we used All clear which cost £300 for a week.
I'm going to go with a packaged account with nationwide now. It works out cost effective even with the monthly fee and supplement for health conditions. Plus they use Aviva who I've heard good reports about.
It's not just about the premium. More important is how they handle a change of circumstances or a claim.
Most insurers use the same couple of claims handling companies.

In 2023 ours was £800. So yes, that is cheap.

I have a similar cover Grammaretto. It adds £50 for each long term health condition. £300 for two weeks in America sounds cheap

I also pay for a platinum card at my bank which is supposed to cover world travel and car breakdown cover.
I haven't put either to the test yet but keep paying the premiums.
I did go to NZ last year when I was 75 but not tried US.
I suppose £300 is what it will cost.
Enjoy your time with your son.

From what little I know, that price sounds good.
If I had needed to, I would ask which Company the quote was from!

The US has always been more expensive than lots of other places.

300 sounds about right for your ages and health conditions

USA is think of a number and double it! Thats why the destinations offer Worldwide, not including USA or Canada and a separate heading for Worldwide inc USA,
I’d deleted the USA for this year, as I didn’t think I’d get the chance to go again, but I’m off to New York later this month! 🍎. I’ve taken a separate single trip policy with Virgin at a cost of £115 just for a 5 night stay. I’m 74 with controlled high blood pressure.

I think £300 for two weeks is pretty good.

The USA is one of the most expensive countries for medical treatment. Even something like a urinary infection can rack up a bill of a thousand or more - consultation, tests and medication.
£300 isn’t out of the way when you add in age related risks and existing conditions.

I have a worldwide policy with my bank and have to pay an annual supplement due to age and conditions to include certain countries- the USA being one.

Sounds very cheap to me! One week in Morocco cost us £850. Mind you DH is 87, under cardiology, had diabetes, (now gone as he has lost three stone,) having cancer follow ups, high bp, and I have a skin condition which I have to declare and insurance company don't understand! We would never be able to go to US again.

Unfortunately, because your OH is 70 that alone will rack the cost of travel insurance up! Also, you have rightfully declared medical conditions which will also impact on the cost too.
I can’t recommend any companies although I do know one to avoid - not going to put that on a public forum so if you wish to know OP you can PM me.