Breast cancer - and travel insurance??

[bazzaw]

My wife and I are in the middle of a fight with breast cancer - and we won't be going travelling anywhere for at least 6 months. But just wondering if anybody here has been down this road and how it affected travel insurance. ?? 

[Ondine]

I don't know Bazzaw but all the best to you and your wife.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Bazzaw, I'm not sure whether it will have an effect in the first five years as we didn't start cruising until I was past that milestone but there was no extra cost from then on. Realistically there shouldn't be as breast cancer isn't usually something that flares and requires immediate treatment. 

 

Please pass on my best wishes for a full recovery to your wife. I'm a ten year survivor. 

[Docker123]

Best wishes to your wife, and to you supporting her.

 

My (online) experience when declaring cancer is that it then triggered a host of questions related to surgery dates, chemo, radiation and any other active treatment. 
 

Mostly risk management rather than blocking from insurance.

 

As I was about 2 years post active treatment, they did not exclude cover.

 

But the premium sure did go up.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by Docker123

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

My wife and I are in the middle of a fight with breast cancer - and we won't be going travelling anywhere for at least 6 months. But just wondering if anybody here has been down this road and how it affected travel insurance. ?? 

I am sorry to hear that Barry. All the best to Christine. 💘

[possum52]

Best wishes to you both Barry, I hope your wife will recover well.

 

Leigh

[onlyslightlymad]

Hi Barry,

I had Stage 4 melanoma.  With travel insurance I am still covered for everything except melanoma.  Our first few trips were to the Uk or Aus because we have reciprocal medical arrangements with those countries.  My husband still prefers to travel between Air NZ ports so they if I got sick he could get me home quickly.  So, once you are through the treatment phase you are probably covered but possibly not for breast cancer.  

[Porky55]

My first cruise was 4 years after my breast cancer diagnosis. When we came to that question on travel insurance I decided I didn’t need to even declare it as I had received a radical solution for my BC.

What you do about the insurance will depend on who you insure with and is something you can both decide when it is time, next year.

And treatment now is very advanced, with high success rates. I am now 17 years clear. 

Hugs and best wishes to both yourself and your wife  during this intimidating  journey. 🤗

 

Rose 🌹

Edited February 9, 2021 by Porky55

[MMDown Under]

28 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Hi Barry,

I had Stage 4 melanoma.  With travel insurance I am still covered for everything except melanoma.  Our first few trips were to the Uk or Aus because we have reciprocal medical arrangements with those countries.  My husband still prefers to travel between Air NZ ports so they if I got sick he could get me home quickly.  So, once you are through the treatment phase you are probably covered but possibly not for breast cancer.  

My friend's husband had advanced brain cancer, but wanted to visit NZ again.  Of course, he couldn't get any travel insurance.  However, his specialist advised him to still go, as she'd be there on holidays, so he went and had a memorable holiday in NZ.

[MicCanberra]

All the best for the treatment and recovery.

As mentioned by others, generally your insurance will cover everything except for anything related to actions or after affects due to the breast cancer or it's treatment. 

i.e. lose your bag, or cruise cancelled, still covered. Requires treatment in hospital due to reaction to medication for treatment after having breast cancer, not covered.

[NSWP]

Good luck with it Barry Bazzaw, at least with breast cancer you have a chance of survival. Alas my wife had no chance.

[Porky55]

3 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

All the best for the treatment and recovery.

As mentioned by others, generally your insurance will cover everything except for anything related to actions or after affects due to the breast cancer or it's treatment. 

i.e. lose your bag, or cruise cancelled, still covered. Requires treatment in hospital due to reaction to medication for treatment after having breast cancer, not covered.

Exactly, couldn’t have said better myself!

[Porky55]

12 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Good luck with it Barry Bazzaw, at least with breast cancer you have a chance of survival. Alas my wife had no chance.

Les, fortunately (or also unfortunately) breast cancer is very high profile  - research and funding wise - often to the detriment of far more severe types.

My heart goes out to you often. 🤗

Rose 

[bazzaw]

Thank you all for the replies so far - my wife has done very well , firstly with a double mastectomy and now completed the first 3 months of her chemotherapy. So far - apart from her now being balder than me - she has had no side effects at all.  

 

[Aus Traveller]

9 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

Thank you all for the replies so far - my wife has done very well , firstly with a double mastectomy and now completed the first 3 months of her chemotherapy. So far - apart from her now being balder than me - she has had no side effects at all.  

 

Please pass on my best regards. 💘

[bazzaw]

Thanks Evon

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Thank you all for the replies so far - my wife has done very well , firstly with a double mastectomy and now completed the first 3 months of her chemotherapy. So far - apart from her now being balder than me - she has had no side effects at all.  

 

Good news, there are some great wigs and head coverings available through support groups, helps with self esteem as well as limiting sunburn and/or heat loss.

[Aussieflyer]

On 2/9/2021 at 5:04 PM, bazzaw said:

My wife and I are in the middle of a fight with breast cancer - and we won't be going travelling anywhere for at least 6 months. But just wondering if anybody here has been down this road and how it affected travel insurance. ?? 

Mongrel of a thing but take heart. I had chemo and radio for CaRtBr when I was 37. That is now over 30 years ago. 

Some travel insurance will not cover any cancer related events but routine things like broken bones from falling down stairs (as long as not drunk) are fine. As it is a very recent event you may not be able to cover for cancer though there are a couple of companies that do specialise in medical cases. Best idea is to read the PDS for any possible ones carefully to check what is covered.

All the best. I know what it is like.

[Aussieflyer]

On 2/10/2021 at 11:43 AM, NSWP said:

Good luck with it Barry Bazzaw, at least with breast cancer you have a chance of survival. Alas my wife had no chance.

It's a b@ of a disease and takes many randomly. Hugs to you. I know it must be hard.

[Porky55]

2 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Thank you all for the replies so far - my wife has done very well , firstly with a double mastectomy and now completed the first 3 months of her chemotherapy. So far - apart from her now being balder than me - she has had no side effects at all.  

 

That’s great news Baz - treatment is so different today to even 15 years ago. Now, the chemo is very directed and much less ingesting of the old “cocktail” of chemo ingredients. 

Continue with the good vibes and great results.

Cheers, Rose

[Roger88]

My grandmother had breast cancer while leaving in LA. California is like a number one region by the number of cases. It took her 2 years of therapy to save the body and get rid of the disease. Wish everyone stay healthy and avoid heavy sun baths 

[mr walker]

Good advice provided by so many on your question.

 

I just post to wish you both all the best with it.

[NSWP]

On 2/11/2021 at 7:27 PM, Roger88 said:

My grandmother had breast cancer while leaving in LA. California is like a number one region by the number of cases. It took her 2 years of therapy to save the body and get rid of the disease. Wish everyone stay healthy and avoid heavy sun baths 

The sun damage is done in our youth. But saying that my late wife was never a sun worshipper, but the Big C got her last year, almost every organ in the lower body got the big C, 6 months after diagnosis, finality and it was not pretty. Chemo, surgery, no chance.

 

47 years of marriage gone. Life is hard now.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by NSWP

[Porky55]

NSWP - this must be a hard thread for you to post on.
To anyone that has been touched by the Big C - either personally or as a companion, carer, child of -  🤗 💕🙏 always.

[NSWP]

34 minutes ago, Porky55 said:

NSWP - this must be a hard thread for you to post on.
To anyone that has been touched by the Big C - either personally or as a companion, carer, child of -  🤗 💕🙏 always.

Thanks, i should avoid cancer threads, but just adding support.🙏🌈
 

Buenos Noches.

Edited February 13, 2021 by NSWP