Cancer and Travel Insurance

[PringlesQueen]

My friend has just this week been diagnosed with cancer.
She is due to go on a group coach trip to Germany next week. Does anybody know if her travel insurance will be invalid? She has not yet had any treatment.
I do not wish to ask my friend about her travel insurance. Unfortunately I do not know the name of the travel company that the coach trip has been arranged through, so cannot ask them directly.
Sorry for such sketchy details, but hopefully somebody be able to offer some advice.
(This question has also been published in Body and Soul and Insurance categories)

[KARL]

Normally the criterion on validity of any insurance is that unless there was a case of non-disclosure of pre-existing conditions/circumstances then the insurance remains valid. The way you describe the situation your insured friend had no reason to think there was anything wrong at the time of taking out the insurance. However, insurance companies generally have a very depressing record of trying extremely hard to wriggle out of any deal (policy) that they have entered into. Some people feel distinctly discouraged from relying on insurance even though there often/usually is little alternative. From my experience (and that of others), if the insurer in question or the underwriter is/are any part of AXA then you have about as much chance of support from prayer as you have from the policy.

[boxtops]

If there is any remote likelihood that your friend will need medical treatment when she's away then she needs to tell her insurer - if she had no idea she would be diagnosed when she took out the policy, then (IMO) as Karl says she should be OK, but even if she was still going for tests when she booked the holiday it should have been declared. Perhaps she did? However, when our family members have been diagnosed, the cost of travel insurance has rocketed - it all depends on the individual and their prognosis. Is this something your friend would realise, do you think? - just curious as to what you might plan to do, to advise her. Time will be of the essence - perhaps the best step would be to contact the tour operator, if she is part of a block policy which they have organised.

[boxtops]

^^ PS our family experience was some time ago, so my own info may be somewhat dated re critical illness travel cover.

[ladyalex]

I think your friend is caught in the modern day equivalent of Morton's Fork.
If she doesn't tell the insurance company about her diagnosis then the likelihood is that it will not cover her for anything whether it be cancer -related or not. If she does tell them then it will not cover her for anything related to the cancer ( or anything they consider to be related to the cancer) and they'll probably put her premium up.
Perhaps one of the cancer charities might have some advice on their website ? Your friend cannot be the first person in this position.

[ladyalex]

Have a look here, it looks helpful :

http://www.macmillan....gtravelinsurance.aspx

[237SJ]

That shouldn`t be a problem. If she has a EH1C card, regardless of her travel insurance she will be entitled to emergency medical treatment in another EU country