Travel insurance with Crohn's disease

redmazzy

I am travelling to India for a month over Christmas. I have recently had suspected IBD, which I am still waiting to be diagnosed properly. It doesn't cause me too many problems if I eat carefully and avoid alcohol. However, I did not realise the amount of hassle I would get by trying to travel to India with pre-existing medical conditions. I have had ankylosing spondylitis for 20 years, the IBD is very recent. Obiviously I cannot get insurance without a diagnosis, this is in the pipeline. But I would also need my GP's support, I'm pretty sure my GP would advise against my going to India which would invalidate my insurance. I take anti TNF drugs which reduce your ability to fight serious infection, I have now decided to come off these drugs temporarily whilst I'm travelling so that I can have the full benefit of my immunity should I get ill. I can't be the first person who has travelled to India with IBD, has anyone else managed to get insured despite having IBD and did your GP support your decision?

Haylo

Sorry, can't advise about anything condition specific, but I had to look into travel insurance on behalf of someone very recently, and you may find them more helpful than you'd think, in terms of advising you what they are and are not prepared to cover.

The one thing I realise you already know, but I'll spell out anyway for others is that you MUST tell your insurance company about any existing conditions. If you do not, and if they find out (which could easily happen in the case of a claim), your insurance will be invalid.

Anyway, having got that out of the way, insurance companies vary in how they deal with pre-existing conditions, there are three main ways they use to of handle the situation.

1. Refusing to provide cover
2. Providing cover for everything except your pre-existing condition
3. Charging an additional premium

Which?, produced by the Consumer's Association, currently recommends very few best buys which are good for pre-existing medical conditions. They might be the more helpful and understanding of companies for you to contact. For single trips they recommend Karma Insurance and Golfguard, and for annual policies they recommend CIS, Intune and Saga. Unfortunately, as well as being understanding about medical conditions, these companies also have higher maximum ages, so they are quite a bit more expensive.

I wish you the very best of luck in finding a way to visit India!

EDITED TO ADD: Just realised that was your first post - Welcome to IndiaMike!

__________________
The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)