Travel Insurance - Specifically for Sleevers.

[AlphaEcho]

Hi,

Has anybody found an online travel insurance website or comparison website that specifically has "Gastric Sleeve" as a pre-exisiting medical condition option?

I have found plenty of sites that have either "Gastric Band" or "Gastric Bypass" as pre-exisiting medical condition options, but none that have "Gastric Sleeve" as an option - are we still to revolutionary for the insurance industry?

Many thanks,

AE.

 

[Dilligaf]

Insurance companies must work differently here in New Zealand: I had to declare my cardiomyopathy as a pre-existing condition and pay a loading on that but couldn't get cover for the gastric bypass because it had been less than six months since the op. However, they said once six months has gone by I'd be covered and it wasn't classed as a pre-existing condition.

 

[top_kat]

try insure and go, they cover a whole range of things,

 

[AlphaEcho]

Hi,

try insure and go

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately they don't have "gastric sleeve" on their list of medical conditions. Like everywhere else they have banding or bypass. It seems that all the insurance companies use the same list of "medical conditions" which don't include us "sleevers".

What does annoy me though is that they put a medical loading of £35.68 on for banding or bypass surgery, I guess sleeving would be the same. I'm almost tempted just to select "bypass" but knowing how insurance companies work they will use any excuse to get out of paying up if needed.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

AE.

 

[top_kat]

my insurance for my son and me, with my declaring my band only cost me £24 it's worth calling them though rather than just checking their website as they often will put it under cover on a specific quote

 

[AlphaEcho]

top_kat,

Thanks for your suggestions, but I believe I have just cracked it. Looks like I was being too specific, as I put "gastric" in as a medical condition and it was there it came up with, bypass, banding, etc but not sleeve.

Thinking outside the box a bit I resorted to that well worn word "obesity" and low and behold it was happy and asked the same questions as it would do if you had selected for example - gastric band. Those being:

Have you ever had medical or surgical treatment for your obesity?

and

Do you use a machine to assist your breathing while you sleep?

So as far as I'm concerned I've answered the questions truthfully without having to state exactly what surgery I had. Seems this works for loads of insurance comparison websites and I've now found myself a decent looking quote for later in the year.

Hope this may help any others.

AE.

 

[top_kat]

sounds good but do make sure it actually covers it,n when I looked for my band I had to find one where it was specifically identified

 

[tealovingsleever]

What cover would you need for a sleeve?! Nothing goes wrong unlike a band.

 

[triedeverything]

I'm going to Portugal next week for a fortnight.. I'll be 9 weeks post-op by then.. hadn't even considered checking my travel insurance will be ok? We get travel insurance automatically with our bank account. Not sure if I should phone the bank and mention it or not..I'm kinda hoping nothing will go wrong?

 

[AlphaEcho]

sounds good but do make sure it actually covers it,n when I looked for my band I had to find one where it was specifically identified

I'll definitely read the small print to make sure, but thinking about it logically, the questions they ask relate to "medical conditions".

Obesity is a medical condition whereas Gastric band, bypass etc. aren't medical conditions they are forms of treatment.

I think by honestly answering the question and saying I have had surgery for obesity should be as far as you need to go. If they thought it was a risk then there is nothing to stop them asking additional questions, like what kind of surgery have you had, etc. but they don't.

AE.

 

[LessofLisa]

Why would you need to declare bariatric surgery?? Am I being thick here?

 

[goofy07]

Why would you need to declare bariatric surgery?? Am I being thick here?

You have to declare everything because if you do need treatment for anything and have not declared they will void your insurance which would be a nightmare We went to USA last year and I had to declare my balloon what with getting older and now having a bypass dread to think how much it will cost next time!!!

 

[Mazza]

What cover would you need for a sleeve?! Nothing goes wrong unlike a band.

Seriously of course things can go wrong.

One or all of the following conditions and bariatric surgery complications are possible following all types of weight loss surgery procedures, as well as all types of bariatric procedures.
Potentially serious complications

Surgical:

• Perforation of stomach/intestine or leakage, causing peritonitis or abscess
• Internal bleeding requiring transfusion
• Severe wound infection, opening of the wound, incisional hernia
• Spleen injury requiring removal/other organ injury
• Gastric outlet or bowel obstruction

Pulmonary:

• Pneumonia, atelectasis (collapse of lung tissue), fluid in chest
• Respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs)
• Blood clots in legs/lungs (embolism)

Cardiovascular:

• Myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure
• Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats)
• Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)

Kidney and liver:

• Acute kidney failure
• Liver failure
• Hepatitis (may progress to cirrhosis)

Psychosocial:

• Anorexia nervosa, bulimia
• Postoperative depression, dysfunctional social problems
• Psychosis
• Death

Other complications (may become serious):

• Minor wound or skin infection/scarring, deformity, loose skin
• Urinary tract infection
• Allergic reactions to drugs or medications
• Vomiting or nausea/inability to eat certain foods/improper eating
• Inflammation of the esophagus (esophagitis), acid reflux (heartburn)
• Low sodium, potassium, or blood sugar; low blood pressure
• Problems with the outlet of the stomach (narrowing or stretching)
• Anemia, metabolic deficiency (iron, vitamins, minerals), temporary hair loss
• Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, cramping, malodorous stool or gas
• Development of gallstones or gallbladder disease
• Stomach or outlet ulcers (peptic ulcer)
• Staple-line disruption, weight gain, failure to lose satisfactory weight
• Intolerance to refined sugars (dumping), with nausea, sweating, weakness

Whilst some of these risks are more likely to occur just after the op, its very far sighted to say nothing goes wrong.

AlphaEcho, I hope you manage to find a good policy and have a fantastic holiday!

 

[tealovingsleever]

I've never been told to worry about anything once the staple line is heeled. Maybe that's the NHS for you!

 

[Mister]

Hi
You have to let all travel insurance companies of ANY mefical treatment or hospital visits, some even need to know of doctors visits. My "free" insurance through the bank made me pay £45 for diet controlled diabetes 2 years ago,and a futher ammount this year for sleep apnea. I would bet my bottom teeth you would not be covered. Its up to you to tell whoever insures you I went to insure and go for a few extra quid and feel secure.

 

[AlphaEcho]

As much as I don't like having to declare it, it's just not worth the risk. I heard from a reliable source that an insurance company refused to cover someone who broke their leg on holiday because they hadn't declared that they suffered from high blood pressure!

It's not the bariatric surgery that has loaded it for me, last year I had some heart palpitations just before I was due to go on holiday. Thanks to my other half having private health insurance through their work I was covered and got more tests than I ever thought possible, all to tell me that my heart is in perfect condition. Having to declare that has pushed my premiums up to around the £100 mark for my holiday in the USA later this year.

Going to have an afternoon crunching some figures and trying out loads of websites to see how low I can get and still get the cover I want.

Thanks everyone for your input in this.

AE.