Saga Travel Insurance

pamjon

pamjon

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Just had my renewal from Saga My last years quote was £638 this year they £722 . I rang them and after a long discussion got it down to £669. We do have a few medical problems but having used Saga in the past in hospital in France. Saga pay the hospital upfront they even gave us a refund of 7 days missed holiday of £70.
I thought I would shop around so rang Good to Go and asked them the question, "who pays up front you or me"? They replied that I would have to pay the hospital first then claim it back off them!!
So I then said what if I have not got enough money on my card? They said I would have to contact their emergency department.
Why would anyone want to go through all that worry when you are worried enough about your spouse or yourself.
Beware!!
PJ
 
I've claimed off Red Pennant many years ago, didn't have to pay anything upfront
 
I had a big claim using LV ( due to hospital admission) last year. Only had to pay the excess (less than £100) to the hospital on discharge. The rest settled with hospital direct by LV.
 
That is why we have stayed with Saga for quite a few years. As said before my wife was taken into hospital in France for a week. Saga took care of everything.
We also have motorhome ins and breakdown with them. Twice I had to call them out for blowouts, both occasions no problems.
Although Saga use the RAC Breakdown instead of the AA the usual RAC restrictions do not apply ie for large vehicles. They may be a little more expensive but you get what you pay for. Piece of mind.
PJ
 
Moonraker 2 said:
The biggest problem with insurance is that you don't really know the pitfalls until you use it. Would you not get help in France with the global insurance card for the eu?
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The GHIC card, presumably that is what you are referring to, does indeed provide healthcare cover in France, just as the prevuious EHIC card did.

However the big risk is the risk of repatriation for which you do need travel insurance to cover the potentially huge cost.
 
Just renewed last week with LV with pre-existings, £366. Ouch. Policy lapsed in October last year and that was only £121 when I took it out, with same cover and same pre-existings. It's getting a dear job. I did get other quotes, but for me LV were still the best with up to 90 days per trip which many companies would not provide.
 
jann said:
You only get the same free treatment that the locals get so you can still have a bill even without needing repatriation
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Also, the GHIC covers only emergency treatment, I believe. I'm sure the UK Government website makes this clear and that it also stresses the need for private Travel Insurance

Steve
 
jann said:
You only get the same free treatment that the locals get so you can still have a bill even without needing repatriation
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To clarify, you are entitled to the same level of medical treatment as the indigenous population. In some cases a payment may be required.
 
Canalsman said:
GHIC covers all medical treatment not just emergency treatment.
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From the UK Government website (my asterisks):

'The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get *necessary* state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.'

AND:

'The UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. We advise you to have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.'


What your card does not cover

A UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:

being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation)
treatment in a private medical facility
ski or mountain rescue

We advise that you have a UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) and private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

What your card covers

You can use your card to get state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK (sometimes called "medically necessary healthcare"). This includes things like:
emergency treatment and visits to A&E
treatment or routine medical care for long-term or pre-existing medical conditions
routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth
You'll need to pre-arrange some treatments with the relevant healthcare provider in the country you're visiting – for example, kidney dialysis or chemotherapy – as it's not guaranteed that local healthcare providers will always have the capacity to provide this care.
Whether treatment is medically necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you're visiting.
Not all state healthcare is free outside of the UK. You may have to pay for treatment that you would get for free on the NHS, if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you're visiting.
Before travelling, you should check the state-provided healthcare services in the country you're visiting and any potential charges you may face.

What your card does not cover​

A UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:
  • being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation)
  • treatment in a private medical facility
  • ski or mountain rescue
We advise that you have a UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) and private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

Steve
 
Last edited:
pamjon said:
Just had my renewal from Saga My last years quote was £638 this year they £722 . I rang them and after a long discussion got it down to £669. We do have a few medical problems but having used Saga in the past in hospital in France. Saga pay the hospital upfront they even gave us a refund of 7 days missed holiday of £70.
I thought I would shop around so rang Good to Go and asked them the question, "who pays up front you or me"? They replied that I would have to pay the hospital first then claim it back off them!!
So I then said what if I have not got enough money on my card? They said I would have to contact their emergency department.
Why would anyone want to go through all that worry when you are worried enough about your spouse or yourself.
Beware!!
PJ
Click to expand...
Thank you for the important advice pamjon.
We have been paying similar amounts for a few years to insurance companies. Last year we opened a Nationwide account which for £15 a month gives a year's travel insurance, worldwide including USA. We had to pay about £150 extra for being over 65, plus wife with heart attack and stent, me with Pernicious Anaemia. Like all the others it seems they won't cover us after 80 yrs old.
So, this year we are looking at Lloyds Bank which has various chargeable accounts and one of them does not ask any extra for pre-existing conditions. I think it is £30 a month. This of course includes breakdown cover for car and motorhome.
I will also look at NFU Mutual. You don't have to be a farmer with them, and so far as I know, they will still cover you over 80 yrs old, as is my father in law who is with them. For car insurance, NFU charges me £83 / month (there's no extra to the base premium for paying monthly instead of in one go) to cover my £60,000 motorhome and my £8000 Mercedes car. When our travel insurance comes due we will be looking at Lloyds and NFU.
 
Thank you all for all the replies. This was just to let you know that Insurance Companies you have to pay first. Thank you Marchie for clarifying the card.
Gasgas, we tried NFU a few years ago and they would not cover our Motor Home for breakdown as they use the RAC but strangely Saga also use the RAC but do cover the MH and we are under 3.5 ton.
Our breakdown and MH Insurance last year with Saga was £400. When my wife was taken into hospital in France she was transfered by ambulance from one hospital to another which there was a bill for but Saga paid. She was taken to a private hospital but this was out of hands we had no choice. The treatment at both hospitals was superb. She had a very large private room in the private hospital and had excellent care (and food). I was also given a ticket so I would not have to pay for the carpark. You wouldn't get that here.
The first hospital allowed me to park in the carpark over night for nothing and even asked if I was hungry.
Thank you again to everyone.
PJ
 
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