Nationwide Travel Insurance Change

[Kontiki]

We used to get free basic travel insurance with the Nationwide Flex account, I was not covered for existing conditions (have relied on the EHIC card). Had a letter saying they are changing a few things. What affects me is the age you are covered is reduced from 75 to 70, there is the option to pay for the age upgrade but that has gone up from £50 to £65. Thinking that it might be advisable to get covered including my existing medical problems, not sure how we will be treated regarding medical issues in Europe with ****** looming. I know by rights we should be covered up to when we completely leave but if you need treatment who wants to be facing an argument in a foreign country.

Changes to travel insurance age upgrade | Nationwide

 

[John H]

Nationwide cover is no good for us because they put a single trip limit of 30 days on it. In the EU we rely only on EHIC and have never had a problem. For trips outside the EU we use LV because their annual policy covers trips of up to 90 days and applies until you reach the age of 80 (after which, presumably, the premium shoots up). They also cover pre-existing conditions.

Of course, post-******, this may all change. If we leave the single market, EHIC will almost certainly disappear for us, so we may have to consider private insurance for all trips.

 

[Mobilvetta]

Nationwide cover is no good for us because they put a single trip limit of 30 days on it. In the EU we rely only on EHIC and have never had a problem. For trips outside the EU we use LV because their annual policy covers trips of up to 90 days and applies until you reach the age of 80 (after which, presumably, the premium shoots up). They also cover pre-existing conditions.

Of course, post-******, this may all change. If we leave the single market, EHIC will almost certainly disappear for us, so we may have to consider private insurance for all trips.

I have a nationwide flex plus account that covers us for worldwide travel, I also paid extra to up it for 100 day cover at a time, we both have pre-existing medical issues, I take tablets for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, my wife takes tablets for high blood pressure as well, my wife is in her 60s, we had to pay an extra £167.00 total for the annual policy and extension for 100 days at a time, I thought it was cheap, give them a call as they have different time extensions, I use to only have 66 days, but that is no longer enough.

 

[Mobilvetta]

Also I can vouch that the Nationwide insurance payout, I have had two claims with them now, I had cause to go into hospital in Thailand two years ago, the hospital dealt with them direct and all I had to pay was £50 excess to the hospital, the insurance offered some certificate of credit and the hospital just billed them direct.
Last year we had to return back to the UK early from our 2 month trip in Thailand due to my wife's father taking ill in the UK and getting admitted into hospital, I had to swiftly arrange flights for us to get back, they paid for the flights, also for the accommodation I had paid up front for and even the scooter that I had hired for the duration of our trip, we had about 6 weeks of our holiday left but had to curtail it early, they paid us out when we gave them the reciepts.

 

[John H]

I have a nationwide flex plus account that covers us for worldwide travel, I also paid extra to up it for 100 day cover at a time, we both have pre-existing medical issues, I take tablets for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, my wife takes tablets for high blood pressure as well, my wife is in her 60s, we had to pay an extra £167.00 total for the annual policy and extension for 100 days at a time, I thought it was cheap, give them a call as they have different time extensions, I use to only have 66 days, but that is no longer enough.

The extra you had to pay to get 100 days is similar to what we paid LV for their policy last time we took it out. N/W makes a great play about providing "free" insurance - and if you take short breaks and are under retirement age that is probably a benefit for you. But with the "extras" you have to pay for age and length of trip, it is no better and often worse than other providers for us oldies who want to take longer trips.