Do visiting relatives from UK need travel insurance?

[tui6]

Hi. My Dad has had a lot of health issues in the last year resulting in a cardiac bypass. I have made a few enquiries and it seems very hard for him to get travel insurance ( and if he could get it very very expensive). So I am wondering if he came to visit NZ say on a 3 month stay would he be ok without travel insurance. Has anyone else had the same problem? As I understand it any emergency care would be covered by the reciprocal agreement. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated because the hardest thing for us about a move to NZ is leaving him in the UK and I am not sure I could make the move if he couldn't visit us in NZ. Would be great to get advice and find out what others have done.

[Duncan74]

Biggest problem with no insurance is the flight. Any problem midway and either HK or LAX and you're in trouble. And of course that also assumes that if the worst happens he's ok to stay here as repatriation from NZ to the uk would be prohibitively expensive. there are special policies which you may consider Check the British Heart Foundation website or give them a call.

[Mamee & Co]

MY inlaws are currently thinking of doing the same thing due to the cost. We know that they are covered for emergency care out here under the reciprocal agreement but I am concerned about anything happening en route via HK and also if there was a long lasting problem (EG after effects of stroke) while here.

[langers]

And what about (hypothetically) if someone died, how would you repatriate the body, it's an extremely costly business?

Insurance is essential if you travel and you'd be mad not to have it

[frootbat]

If you're going to risk having them visit without insurance, I would be very careful about what 'emergency care' covers. e.g if your dad has a known heart condition which he needs treatment for in NZ, it might not be classed as an emergency since it could have been anticipated, whereas if he fell down a hole, he'd be covered. Nor would you want him to be taken ill on the plane and end up in an LA hospital, now that would be expensive. Also, I have a doctor friend who does overseas repatriation work, for which he is very well paid, so I imagine the total cost is massive.

[walshy]

excuse my ignorance, but could they not just be buried in New Zealand instead of repatriation?

[Mgee]

I echo Frootbat: emergency care isn't the same as the level of care to which your parents are entitled in their home country, and if they fall ill, any existing conditions may cause that it's not seen as emergency care in the first place. Even in a case of an accident or a sudden onset of illness, emergency care usually involves only the absolutely necessary measures to keep the patient alive, anything related to recuperation and convalescing isn't included. From the NHS pages (http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...countries.aspx (bolding by me):

Travelling outside the European Economic Area (EEA)

The UK has only reciprocal healthcare agreements with the non-EEA countries and territories listed below.

If you're visiting any of these countries and need urgent or immediate medical treatment, it will be provided at a reduced cost or, in some cases, free. The agreements do not cover the cost of returning you to the UK (repatriation) or routine monitoring of pre-existing conditions. The range of medical services in these countries may be more restricted than under the NHS. Therefore, ensure you have a valid private travel insurance policy when travelling to any country.

It's very hard to estimate what a day in hospital really costs because in your home country you're almost never charged the whole price due to government subsidies or insurance. A day in an intensive care unit can be up to five figures per day, a day in a normal ward several thousand dollars per day etc. Also if you're only eligible for emergency care, the patients are likely to be sent home/repatriated as soon as possible so that the country in question can avoid the costs of potentially lengthy aftercare. In many cases arrangements are made to send the patient home by an air ambulance i.e. an ambulance plane, and as you can imagine, the costs are just unbelievable: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-...vel-insurance/

A friend of mine suffered a sudden onset of pulmonary embolism (he had no identified risk factors for it) whilst travelling in Central Asia. After a few days at a hospital, he was repatriated by an air ambulance to his home country in Scandinavia. Luckily for him, his insurance paid for everything as the total cost of him falling ill was near 300 000 euros!

Even a costly travel insurance is SO much cheaper than needing medical care in a foreign country. Also don't forget that travel insurance usually also covers things like cancellation of flights (also in case you fall ill), personal belongings against theft or loss etc.

[Duncan74]

I don't think the point of this thread was really "Can I save £100 by not getting the insurance". If it's anything like my parents then it's "My parents have been refused cover, or offered cover that excludes almost everything that they are likely to have a problem with, how can they come at all". For example, my dad's had a couple of heart attacks and a double bypass several years ago. Policies for him simply exclude heart conditions. So there's still that risk of incurring several hundred thousand pounds of fees if he has a 'funny turn' on the plane. So the choice for many is to travel on no insurance or not travel at all.

[chickadee]

So the choice for many is to travel on no insurance or not travel at all.

Well put, Duncan.... So, it's a gamble. right?

[Duncan74]

Well put, Duncan.... So, it's a gamble. right?

Only a gamble if you choose to travel......