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Insurance Availability for Patients with PF.
Recently a comment was left on my Pulmonary Fibrosis News column about travelling from a fellow patient, and his question was a good one! He asked about insurance for patients living with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and how to obtain travel insurance when planning a trip. Moreover, he asked if this was even possible since PF is a life-threatening lung condition…
I thought I’d post this discussion topic on the forum and invite as many people as possible to contribute their experiences when it comes to obtaining travel insurance as a patient with IPF/PF.
Did you have insurance prior to your diagnosis that is still valid for travel despite now having IPF/PF?
Have you obtained insurance successfully since IPF/PF diagnosis? If so, what type of insurance was it – through a bank? Travel agency? Credit card?
I’d love to hear from people who have found an answer or resolution to the question of how to successfully travel with insurance since being diagnosed with IPF/PF. I know it will help others as well, as this question is posted frequently to various discussion topics online.
Thanks in advance for sharing!
Charlene. -
8 Replies
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I had got insurance after diagnosis. It seems that the main problem would be if you are on oxygen. If not, it did put me in a more expensive category, but did not seem to be a problem to get it.
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Hi Zach,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience about obtaining insurance despite IPF. Really interesting to learn that supplemental oxygen may be the caveat to obtaining insurance, I didn’t even think of this when my friends were asking me about it and it would make sense to me, especially insurance to travel by air. I’m lucky that I’ve flown many times with my POC because I had insurance to travel before I got sick, but I’ll keep your tidbit of information in mind when discussing this with people in future. Thanks again for sharing!
Charlene.
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Have had PF for approx 2 years now. Have travelled by air 4 times with no problem getting insurance , all be it at a higher price thru my CAA.
Just had to answer the medical questionnaire.
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Hi Bob,
How is the sunny south? Have been thinking of you as Canadian winter temperatures plummet into the negative double digits this week! Hope your time in Florida is going well and you’re enjoying the warmth!
Thanks for sharing your experience about obtaining insurance through CAA. This is a good place for Canadians to look for sure re: obtaining insurance. Great to know about the questionnaire as well 🙂
Hope you’re keeping well!
Charlene. -
Hi. We have just looked into travel insurance for my husband with IPF. He was covered at a higher rate, but were told he would not be covered if he was on oxygen. They said it is very difficult to find anyone who will cover a person on oxygen, as they have had calls from people who were searching.
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Hi Eleanor,
Thanks so much for contributing to this topic thread, I know it is of interest to many people on the forums. Were you able to secure travel insurance for him through a company you’d accessed before, or one you had prior to his diagnosis? I know this can sometimes be a challenge, as can getting coverage when you are on supplemental oxygen. Thankfully the insurance I use to travel (and I occasionally use oxygen) is linked to my credit card and student loans, which I’d secured before I was diagnosed so I have been able to maintain and use this for travelling after my diagnosis. Apparently my employment travel insurance will cover me as well. Hope you’re able to enjoy some vacation before he is placed on oxygen and no longer able to get coverage with that company. Wishing you both well!
Warm regards,
Charlene. -
, thanks you
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You’re most welcome @best-chuois, I hope you’re finding the forums helpful 🙂
Take care,
Charlene.
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