New cancer diagnosis and insurance

MickeyDreaming · 4 Sep 19, 09:04 AM

Hi everyone,

I’ve gone undercover for this as sensitive and haven’t told many people but I need your help sooner rather than later.

I have recently been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I am undergoing treatment.

We are booked to go to WDW next year (I will have finished chemo with a good few months spare) and have made some minor adjustments such as changing to a smaller resort. My medical team are using it as the goal posts for my treatment to make sure we get there as a family. We’ve been recently and going back in 2021 and I don’t want to cancel the holiday if I am well as I’d be happy sat on a bench all day as long as I could see the castle! I’m happy to miss out on things as I’ve done them before and can always do them again.

This is where I’m stuck... I took out insurance just before I booked our flights but I had been to the doctors about the cyst in my breast and was on antibiotics. Obviously this cyst was much more sinister and here we are. I haven’t updated them as I wasn’t sure if my insurance was now void? Reading the small print suggests that it is, however, I just didn’t think being on antibiotics was relevant at the time.

Failing that, would I be able to take out new insurance covering my cancer and would that cover my flights even though I have already booked and paid for them in full? Even though it would be a loss of money, I prefer this option as could get a better insurance but I just need to know that my flights will be covered.

Thank you all for keeping me sane during this time!

Sorry just to add- how would I go about new insurance because I will have finished my current treatment and be on different medications but I have no idea what they will be in a years time, why is this so complicated! Or do I wait and get insurance when I know what’s going on and risk the flights?

sasperella · 4 Sep 19, 09:52 AM

I can be of no help at all re insurance but just wanted to wish you well.

Disney_time · 4 Sep 19, 10:12 AM

Since you are happy to be upfront with your insurance, why don't you at least phone your current insurer to see if they will continue your insurance for a supplement.

The worst they can do is refuse to cover you and then they will (prob) refund your premium.

Then you would need to look elsewhere. There must be places who can advise on what companies to try, for example Maggie's Centre or Macmillan or your local Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist.

Good luck with your treatment - the prospect of a holiday is the very thing to get you through it.

ClaireNJ · 4 Sep 19, 01:55 PM

Wish you well & a great holiday with your family, I’m sure you’ll get it all sorted, an expert will be along soon

mummabluberry · 4 Sep 19, 03:13 PM

All the very best with your treatment and recovery. Your holiday (and planning for it) will be the best tonic ever.
A member of my family was recently diagnosed with cancer and we contacted our travel insurance company who were extremely unhelpful and basically suspended the cover. We are due to travel at the end of November and we obviously needed to sort out insurance before paying the balance on our holiday.
After surgery, the cancer was completely removed, thank goodness, but the original insurance company would only resume the cover for a ridiculously un-affordable sum so with the help of other dibbers and some research of our own, we got a much more reasonable quote of £386 from Free Spirit insurance company. I know that cancer sufferers and survivors manage to get insurance cover from more empathetic companies who have greater knowledge and experience in this field and I recommend checking out the Cancer Research website as they do publish a list of specialist insurers.
Wishing you a complete recovery and a fabulous holiday. xxxxx

Gemini157 · 4 Sep 19, 04:27 PM

We had booked our last Florida holiday before I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the end of 2016. My surgery was in January 2017 and I started my radiotherapy after our early March holiday.
Having the holiday to look forward to helped me. My surgeon just said as long as you have 6 weeks post surgery you will be healed,so go for it. We were going 9 weeks post op.

I'm sure you will have a lovely time MickeyDreaming, and it will do you good.

I used InsuranceWith, which was started by a lady who herself had had breast cancer.

Take care, and come back and tell us all about your holiday

SunbreezeFL · 4 Sep 19, 05:14 PM

I had chemo last year and had to cancel two holidays because of my treatment. All that was required was a doctors statement to say that I could not have known that I had cancer at the time of booking and my GP did this for me stating that my diagnosis date was the earliest date I could have known.

I got insurance through admiral this year - I have other medical issues as well as the cancer diagnosis and it’s fairly reasonable. Luckily my annual insurance covered me until my treatment ended but I did get a couple of quotes which were very high in fact some just won’t insure you if you are having active treatment but were much more reasonable once I completed the active treatment.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment and enjoy the much deserved holiday at the end.

MickeyDreaming · 4 Sep 19, 08:13 PM

Brilliant thank you all so much! Today I found out my oncologist is going to WDW the same time as us so that gave me a huge boost that she understood how amazing it was.

I will call my insurance and see what they say and at least contact the others for some advice as well. Thank you all again!

Gemini157 · 5 Sep 19, 06:10 PM

Lots of luck MickeyDreaming

4 Sep 19, 09:04 AM	#1
	4 Sep 19, 09:04 AM MickeyDreaming New Poster (2)
MickeyDreaming New Poster (2) Join Date: Sep 19	New cancer diagnosis and insurance Hi everyone, I’ve gone undercover for this as sensitive and haven’t told many people but I need your help sooner rather than later. I have recently been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I am undergoing treatment. We are booked to go to WDW next year (I will have finished chemo with a good few months spare) and have made some minor adjustments such as changing to a smaller resort. My medical team are using it as the goal posts for my treatment to make sure we get there as a family. We’ve been recently and going back in 2021 and I don’t want to cancel the holiday if I am well as I’d be happy sat on a bench all day as long as I could see the castle! I’m happy to miss out on things as I’ve done them before and can always do them again. This is where I’m stuck... I took out insurance just before I booked our flights but I had been to the doctors about the cyst in my breast and was on antibiotics. Obviously this cyst was much more sinister and here we are. I haven’t updated them as I wasn’t sure if my insurance was now void? Reading the small print suggests that it is, however, I just didn’t think being on antibiotics was relevant at the time. Failing that, would I be able to take out new insurance covering my cancer and would that cover my flights even though I have already booked and paid for them in full? Even though it would be a loss of money, I prefer this option as could get a better insurance but I just need to know that my flights will be covered. Thank you all for keeping me sane during this time! Sorry just to add- how would I go about new insurance because I will have finished my current treatment and be on different medications but I have no idea what they will be in a years time, why is this so complicated! Or do I wait and get insurance when I know what’s going on and risk the flights? Edited at 09:07 AM.

4 Sep 19, 08:13 PM	#8
	4 Sep 19, 08:13 PM MickeyDreaming New Poster (2) Thread Starter
MickeyDreaming Thread Starter New Poster (2) Join Date: Sep 19	Brilliant thank you all so much! Today I found out my oncologist is going to WDW the same time as us so that gave me a huge boost that she understood how amazing it was. I will call my insurance and see what they say and at least contact the others for some advice as well. Thank you all again!