Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

Happy New Year Everyone,

I need some help from those of you who have been here a while.

I have pursuaded my elderly parents to come out the US to visit us in the summer. The problem is I now need to work out how medical insurance works.
Are they better looking for a UK based travel insurance, or can I get a short term policy here?

The problematic/expensive bit is that my Mum has Alzheimers and a pace maker, so I know insurance might be a problem.

Any help / advice greatly recieved and appreicated.

:)

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My parents travel insurance is provided via their credit card.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

I would suggest a UK based travel insurance is best, if only for the fact it would include the cost of repatriation if necessary.

In the past I have found SAGA or the Post Office to be more willing to insure people with preexisting conditions than others, but they were not cheap.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My Mum used the Post Office last time she visited but at that time she didn't have any pre-existing conditions.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

You don't say how old your parents are...the older they are the more difficult it is to find companies that will insure them to travel to the US. 3 years ago I had great difficulty getting insurance for my MIL to travel to the US for just over 2 weeks...she was 83 with several health issues...including cardiac.

The only company I found was AllClear. It was costly but they were the only company that I could find that would insure her. Please note if meds are changed or there is another diagnosis the insurance company may cancel the policy.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My dad is 74 and in perfect health. My Mum is 70 and has the medical problems - the quote from Saga was over £900!!!!

Thanks for the tips, I'll get them to check the Post Office and Allclear.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

I found when a person hits 70 travel insurance to the US becomes more and more difficult to obtain and a lot more expensive. It seems to get worse every 5 years of increase in age.

I paid around that amount...MIL had DVT, diabetes, cardiac problems including high BP and high chol. She came over for Christmas and NY 3 years ago...it was a special time as my FIL had died earlier in the year...they had been married for 60 years. I am so glad we were able to sort out the travel arrangements...she had a lovely time and often talks about it. My daughter got married earlier this year...sadly she didn't feel up to making the journey.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

There might be some more suggestions to try here...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ins...avel-insurance

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

Did say it wasn't cheap. One visit to a hospital would cost more than that.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

You won't get any US short term medical insurer to offer your parents insurance.

A good travel insurance from the UK is the only way to go.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

Saga is definitely not the cheapest. There are sites like squaremouth where you can compare different companies.Maybe a local insurance agent might be able to help. However with your Mother's health problems, it will be about double the normal rate.

My father-in-law was 85 when he came over last and he cost him more than his ticket but he didn't want to miss his eldest grand-daughter wedding. He had no health problems then but still had a tough time finding a travel policy that would cover him and he couldn't do online. Unfortunately it has turned out to be his last trip as he has recently been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

I think my parents are insured through Barclays.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My mum is in her mid 70's and she in the past has used Barclays through her credit card, AA and the post office.

I can't remember which she last used but I think she also got a quote from Tesco's, might even have used them. I posted about it at the time, she last came over last April for a couple weeks.

Wasn't cheap, about the same cost of the ticket.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My Mum is in her 70's and has used a few different insurances, the bank, her Dh's Police club thing, the post office. Lots of different places to get quotes from.

Re: Medical Insurance for visiting parents?
 

My mom visits every year for about 6 weeks. She's now 83, and it's getting more and more expensive and difficult to find insurance. I leave it to my bro to find it, but I think last year it was around $800. I think it's going to get really hard after 85 ... . But as long as she's up for it, I'll pay it because once she can't come here, I'll have to go there and there's no way I can go for more than a week or so (and I'd rather not go at all); since she's retired, she can hang out for weeks here, and just loves being in the sunshine!

She has some minor health issues (amazing for 83 - I can only hope I have such luck!) and her insurance specifically excludes coverage for issues relating to those.