2014 - Page 23 of 27 - Insurancewith

Travelling with a medical condition

Travelling with a medical condition can be really daunting, but we cover 1000 of people like this every year.

When I was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, I found planning our first holiday abroad made me feel really anxious, the cancer and the treatment had really knocked my confidence, but after chatting to my Doctor I realised all I had to do was plan. So if you are planning to travel abroad and either you or a member of your family has a medical condition, your first port of call should always be your treating doctor.

Leave yourself lots of time and it’s really important to have a check list. Some of the things you will find really useful are to learn some key phrases in the language of the country you are travelling to:

Your condition
Your medication
How to ask for help in an emergency

And a letter from your Doctor could really get you out of trouble at the airport, it will explain your condition and why you are carrying certain prescription medication.
I really can’t emphasize enough the key to a stress free holiday is planning.

So if you want more information about travelling with a medical condition go to our web site Insurancewith.com.

Travelling to a hot climate with a medical condition

Travelling can be a daunting experience when you have a medical condition – you’re venturing into the unexpected. The truth is, though, we provide specialist cover for thousands of holidaymakers every year

Ensuring your trip goes without any hassle needn’t be difficult; you just need to plan ahead properly. Preparation is the key wherever you’re going, but it’s particularly important if you’re visiting somewhere with a hot climate, as there are a few things you’ll need to address.

If you’re not used to the heat, you’ll need to watch out for the following:

Sunstroke: This is when a person’s body is no longer able to cool itself (known as heatstroke) due to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. Body temperature becomes dangerously high and the effects can take hold in minutes. Symptoms include tiredness, dizziness, fainting, nausea and heavy sweating.

You can help prevent sunstroke by staying in shady areas, enjoying cold food and drinks, and avoiding extreme physical exertion.

Dehydration: This happens when the body loses more fluid than it takes in, usually through sweating. When your body’s water content drops like this, it upsets the balance of minerals and affects the way you function.

Keeping dehydration at bay is simple: you just have to make sure you’re drinking water regularly. Your intake will be higher than you’re used to at home if the weather’s particularly hot, as you’ll likely sweat more.

Insect bites: Insects, like mosquitos, midges and fleas, pose a threat to everyone travelling in hot climates, but they’re a particular concern for those with existing conditions, due to the risk of infection.

 

Most bites and stings are treated by washing the area with soap and water, and a cold compress can be used to reduce swelling. Tea tree oil is another common remedy, due to its soothing and cleaning qualities. Prevention is difficult, but covering up will certainly help. You can also buy insect repellent from your local chemist.

 

Be safe!

If you do decide to go somewhere hot this year, the general advice is to just be careful! Take all of the normal precautions – know where the closest pharmacy is, take the right medicine with you and arrange the appropriate travel insurance – and you’ll be just fine!

Flying with a medical condition

If you’re living with a medical condition, the prospect of flying can seem scary, as there are a number of issues that could occur. Don’t let that stop you from getting on that plane, though. We insure thousands of people every year who jet around the world with no problems at all – so long as you prepare and look after yourself, you too should have an enjoyable flight.

Here are some of the problems you may run into and what to do to avoid or cope with them.

Dehydration

Dehydration is a real risk when flying, especially if you’re on a long-haul flight, or have a long-term health condition such as diabetes. Not only can dehydration lead to serious health problems, it also worsens jet lag, so make sure you drink enough before and during your flight. You don’t want to feel awful on the first day of your holiday!

We recommend sticking to water, squash and juice, as they will hydrate you the most. Avoid drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, and be sure to keep an eye on the colour of your urine. If it’s dark, then you’re probably dehydrated.

Confined space

If you suffer with claustrophobia, flying can be a nerve-wracking experience. Planes are a common trigger of anxiety attacks, due to the lack of space and number of people on board. If you do experience a panic attack on the plane, here’s what you can do to help it pass:

  • Stay where you are, if possible
  • Remind yourself that the symptoms you’re experiencing will pass soon (most attacks last between five minutes and half an hour)
  • Find something comforting to focus on, such as the hands/numbers on your watch
  • Breathe slowly and deeply (try counting to three on each intake and outtake)
  • Think about something positive – anything that makes you feel relaxed will do
  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine as these can contribute to your attacks.

Disabled access

Unless you’re travelling to a very small airport, you’ll likely have to do quite a bit a walking between the check in desk and departure gate. Therefore, if you have mobility issues, it’s a good idea to book at wheelchair before your visit. This is easy to do – just inform your travel agent or airline of your requirements at least 48 hours before your flight.

For more information about travelling with a medical condition, visit our Travel Tips & Advice page

 

Travelling to a cold climate with a medical condition

Travelling with a medical condition can be really daunting, but we cover 1000 of people like this every year.
You don’t have to rule out a skiing holiday, there are just a few more things you need to consider, for example:

High altitude and lack of oxygen
The cold climate
Far more exercise than you are actually used to

A friend of mine was diagnosed with asthma years ago, she had an inhaler at the back of a drawer that she never used. When she went on a skiing holiday the combination of the cold weather, the extra exercise plus the lack of oxygen caused an asthma attack, unfortunately she lost 2 days of her holiday. A bit of forward planning by her, checking with her doctor, could have solved all these problems.

For more tips and advice for travelling abroad to a cold climate with a medical condition, visit our web site insurancewith.com

Holiday travel insurance soars for the sick

Fiona Macrae the founder of Insurancewith talks to Sky News about being diagnosed with breast cancer and how it spurred her on to create an affordable travel insurance policy for people diagnosed with cancer.

With a background in insurance, Fiona understood risk but couldn’t understand why she was deemed an unacceptable risk just because she hadn’t actually had an operation to remove her cancer, she had had her chemotherapy and was waiting for her surgery and radiotherapy, a two month break in treatment was an ideal time to fit in a quick holiday in the sun. However finding a travel insurer to cover her was impossible, Fiona found the whole process very confusing and demoralising. If she understood insurance and found the process confusing, what chance did the general public have!

It was this experience that made her determined to create a travel insurance policy for people with medical conditions that was easy to understand and affordable.

Holiday travel insurance soars for the sick
Fiona Macrae had hoped that a holiday would break up months of hospital treatments, a trip to France was supposed to take her mind off her breast cancer, but she said that travel insurance companies were intrusive or insensitive. “You’ve been through your treatment you don’t want to be telling someone constantly about it on a phone call, to a stranger, discussing personal medical information with what can sometimes be kids in call centres”.

Thousands of people needing time away are facing similar problems, many companies will increase travel insurance prices or even refuse cover for those with medical conditions. We called 10 companies to see what impact illnesses would have on travel insurance prices, 8 companies wouldn’t cover a previous condition like cervical cancer, another asked for a medical report and in the last case the price jumped from £67 to over £2037 for 10 days in New York and that was because of previous medical conditions.

Which the consumer watchdog say people are effectively black listed from getting travel insurance, “the insurance industry does need to catch up, ok if there are conditions where there is a big risk obviously that should be reflected in the policy, but people should be getting fair deals.

The cost for travel insurance varies on where you travel; it is much more expensive in say America where medical bills are higher.

Fiona says people who have had previous medical conditions should be able to travel to faraway places, and has now set up her own specialist insurance company, but accepts that the industry still has a long way to go.

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