Travel Insurance for Cancer Patients and relating ...

[Jules_68]

This journey began due to me not being able to acquire medical insurance due to my cancer and kidney dis-ease, so began my quest to see if traveling to France, Europe would be a dream come true or as my sister said "you've missed the boat", suck it up. See "Covermore" for assistance and peace of mind when traveling. They automatically cover Breast,Prostate,Kidney,Bowel and Colon cancers. All other cancers or pre-existing conditions require assessments however most are covered and your premium will be higher, however peace of mind when traveling. I have also checked with the financial ombudsman to see if below company is registered and YES they are legitimate. Fax: (02) 9202 8001 Phone: 1300 72 88 22 Email: enquiries@covermore.com.au Mail: Private Bag 913, North Sydney, NSW, Australia 205 This is not a paid advertisement and opinions are of mine alone. As for the boat comment from my sister, well I have a plaque at home that said "If your boat hasn't come in, swim out to it"........ God Speed Steve Jobs and thank you for my apple.......eve would be jealous.

[SILLY]

Your sister doesn't sound very compassionate or is she just using humour to deal with it?

[caring_partner]

Covermore only automatically cover you for the cancers if you haven't had chemo in last six months and have no secondaries.When we applied for assesement a year ago to travel to America my husband had bowel cancer with mets in liver and they wouldn't cover him at all even if we were prepared to pay a higher premium. We just got cover from another insurance that covered everything else except anything to do with his cancer.We decided to take the risk and hope if anything did happen we could pay Qantas to get us at least back to Sydney for treatment.

[Jules_68]

Hi Caring Partner, Yes I did notice they had clauses for cancer. I do fit the cover for cancer as my kidney cancer was contained, I don't know how, it was 10cmx8cm. I believe I am lucky and blessed. Also chemo and radiation do not work on kidney cancer so no complimentary therapy after surgery. How was your holiday to America......exciting and were you able to push cancer to back of your minds and have some fun and make memories? That is important for my husband and I to make memories.. We are planning a stopover at USA....probably "LA".....I can't wait but first I need insurance. As I lost my right kidney to cancer and my left kidney is functioning at between 35-33% or creatnine is 158. Any serve reaction, food poisoning will knock me around, so I need the insurance mostly for kidney dis-ease. My doctor told me to travel now while still healthy and not on dialysis. So we are making it happen.....hubby working as much overtime as possible.... Jules

[Jules_68]

Hi Silly, My Sister is very weak with emotions and puts a hard shell around her....she was diagnosed with systematic lupus when she was 30yrs, she is now 40. She had to sell her home and live with mum as she cannot work anymore.....she is in a lot of pain physical and emotionally.....and has become very bitter. She is now a carer for mum as well. However, I do not feel sorry for her...I help where I can, but get on with life. Mum doesn't want to go anywhere for drives or m/tea's, lunches.....I cant help her, only mum can help mum, same with my sister.....I invite her to the movies or lunch but she never accepts, it get lonely some times not have a sister but I substitute with friends. Susan's exact words about herself were....I wanted to travel more, meet a man and have children but I got sick instead......I missed the boat.....that's life. Susan did say, that she didn't want to be a downer on my travels but thought she should let me know the downside......She also said, "you'll never work full time again" so "you should be paying off your mortgage as fast as you can".......I was going to answer with "I might not be around when I'm 60 due to my kidney failing, so I'm going to enjoy life now, not wait until the mortgage is paid off....." but it would have fell on deaf ears...... It's more about her.....than me traveling Silly........I try very hard not to take it on board......Also Mum told me that I had to be "mature" about my decision to travel overseas and that I should use my imagination and visit the world by "google earth"....if I couldn't get insurance. They are consumed by FEAR for me I believe... My Sister and Mum have always reflected THEIR concerns negatively with anything that I DO........ They didn't even look at the travel book with me and see what tour we were doing in france? Where is the happiness for me and "good on you Jules" enjoy it, it will be the trip of a lifetime".....It's because of THEIR FEARS.....not mine. Anyway, I always say to myself, when you are transitioning from life to death......it is the memories you take with you.....not money, I know money makes life easier however it's not the be all and end all and my hubby and I are very adaptable......I believe all us cancer patients are all adaptable. Jules

[SILLY]

Not planning any travel ,lost interest since cancer.Did go to Fiji between surgery and radiation. Interesting to know about insurance in case we decide to go overseas in the future. Jules, it's sad about your mum and sister but understandable.You are making the most of your life so good on you.

[Jules_68]

Hi Silly, I'm in awe of you going to Fiji between surgery and radiation....I have only great thoughts that you enjoyed yourself as much as you could during that time.......Did you do any sightseeing on top of "getting away and relaxing".....? We went to Melbourne for 3 days, 6 weeks after surgery. My girlfriend from high school and I had made contact after 26yrs apart through Facebook..... and planned this holiday in January 2011.......Trish was then diagnosed with melanoma in February and then I with kidney cancer in March......I was sooooo great to catch up, but we were both very exhausted from travel and excitement.......and talking tooo much. It's interesting when faced with cancer or life threatening situation how we react........For me, it's been a gift 75% of the time though....I was trying to make everything "perfect" in my life, from body to house this is "BC" before cancer....then cancer came and I was still trying to make everything perfect....then it clicked, why am I doing this? So looked within and started counseling. I have come a long way since March and further more to go... I have always chased the dream of marriage/children and pay out a mortgage since early 20's, like my mum and dad and always thought that I had my retirement to travel.....I have found a beautiful marriage, however after 2 miscarriages in my 20's, my babies were not meant to be....So now that I'm working through my child/adulthood, multiple surgeries and hysterectomy/endometriosis and now kidney cancer......I'm able to release and realise that NOW is the time for expanding my horizons......before dialysis. We are going to USA and Abu Dhabi as stopovers and london/france. We are self driving Chateaus,Chocolate, Champangne and Battlefields Tour. We will be away for around 3 weeks I think....I'm very excited. We hope to have the trip paid for before we go, so when we come home, I can start planning the next Tour, Canada I believe......We also want to do the Ghan and Indian, I have always wanted to go to Broome.......but keeping these for when I'm older as don't need travel insurance within Austrlaia..... Well I have chatted on haven't I........Oh forgot to say that I'm planning a trip to Bathurst next year for 50yr anniversay....I reckon Brock will be there.....my hubby not into V8's but he said he is happy to go.....I'll have to make it a camping experience for him so it's a win/win for both of us.... Take care Silly Jules

[caring_partner]

Hi Jules. Yes we had a lovely time in America and as you say made lots of good memories.It was a trip we never thought we would get to have but seized the moment when friends asked us to go with them. We had 8 weeks before they were going and decided as my husband was quite well at the time would just go for it.My husband was on chemo tablets at the time and only needed Avastin intravenously every 3 weeks. He had a lot of problems with side effects with his feet but that only meant he stayed in the hotel a couple of days resting. We had 3 weeks and stayed in Santa Monica, Toronto -went to Niagra Falls, Knoxville Iowa for Speedway racing then 5 nights in Vegas (awesome place) and 1 night in Beverly Hills before returning home.When my husband was first diagnosed in August 2009 I read somewhere that you shouldn't wait to get well to do the things you wanted to do but do them while you can. I hope you get to have a lovely holiday and make many happy memories for you and husband.

[SILLY]

I hope you have a great trip overseas. My husband and I did a 6 week trip to Europe 10 years ago and a 6 week driving trip to and around T asmania before. Otherwise we have had a few short holidays overseas. F riends who go overseas about once a year must be sick of us saying no thanks , since they are in Cambodia now and we weren't asked this time. We have done some trips with them before. I have enjoyed every trip immensely but would rather get my house and garden "perfect" these days. I am scared of having a home that cannot be maintained by either one of us alone. I felt this even BC. In Fiji we did some sightseeing .The Fijians are a happy,friendly people and yet so poor .

[swim72]

Thank you for advising that Covermore is not likely to touch me with a 10 foot pole. HBF weren't that helpful either. How discriminatory are the insurers? Ok so I know that I will have to pay the extra premium but this is nuts.

[Jules_68]

Hi Swim72, Yes, I know how discriminating the insurers can be......I have had a few quotes over the phone re: kidney cancer which has left me with renal dis-ease.......they didnt miss a beat. It's very unfair......after what we all go through, some more than others and then to have insurance say a "Big Fat NO". For me it is not the cancer but and infection? Are you the same, it's not the cancer but infections from chemo/rad? I have submitted my forms today so I will sit and wait and see what they say? If it is "NO", then the trip to France will be exchanged for the "Ghan" and Broome and maybe even the "Indian Pacific". Both would still be a trip of a lifetime. Take care Swim Jules

[Jules_68]

Hi again, Well, it seems that even though the insurance company "Covermore" will cover me for my cancer but not renal dis-ease. So this has caused many tears until I came across Medicare and RHCA. It means that my hubby and I will need to be based in the UK not Paris, however small price to pay for peace of mind with kidney dis-ease and any food poisoning...etc. Please visit www.medicareaustralia.gov.au (travelling) for countries that have an agreement with Australian Government for when overseas and seeking medical treatment. I hope this gives hope to others, it has to me. Jules

[SILLY]

CONGRATULATIONS!

[talljohn]

I'm home. I've read the above conversations with interest. After an on-line assessment, Cover-More would not provide cover for a) any cancer and b) any other existing medical condition. So after a clear CT scan in August and after paying $488 for $20K cover (for 2 of us) and ensuring I had enough left in the bank for a quick flight home should I require it, we were off. Just 8 months after diagnosis and having a right nephrectomy and right lower lobectomy and while being on Sutent, last Tuesday I returned from a tour of Egypt (9 days) followed by a tour of Italy (13 days). Thankfully, I didn't need that quick flight home and despite the "pace" of both Trafalgar tours I thoroughly enjoyed the whole 25 days that I was away. And now I'm thinking "where to next"? Do it while you can! John

[Jules_68]

Hi John, Good to have you home.......you are going to need to reply to me about Italy and what it is like????? I cant wait to try the pasta...... Yes you are right, do it while you can! Im letting myself be eaten up by fear of "what if"..... Im terrified of infections,bacteria and renal complications while away. However, if I eat sensible, drink/brush with bottled water and have a few scripts filled for the worse (just in case) well I guess I have ticked all the preventive boxes and have to release control and "just do it". We have changed our plans and are heading to Rome and Paris for 2-3weeks, August/September 2012. Jules

[Clara_Jane]

Thanks Jules. Just joined up here following a Google search for "Travel Insurance for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions". I applied to Covermore for my husband - 35yo with bowel cancer. He has just being diagnosed - so i will let you all know how it goes as the PDS says "diagnosed for longer than 6months" We are hoping to travel with some peace of mind to my sister's wedding in Sydney and then onto Bali for some time out with our 4yo son. Thanks again.

[Jules_68]

Hi Clara Jane, My fingers are crossed for you. My hubby and I are off to Paris and Germany and America this September. We are so looking forward to this, a trip of a lifetime.....we thought we had until our twilight years....then maybe not......you understand this well. Bali sounds delightful and your little one will enjoy the adventure also. Take care and keep me up to date.....Julesx

[peanutz]

Is it fair to conclude that on insurance company will provide cover for a person with terminal illness?

[Deb1960]

No, you will not get cover.