Cancer patients 'priced out of travel'

CANCER patients are being “priced out” of holidays due to “inflated” travel insurance costs for patients, a charity has said.

- ELLA PICKOVER

Maggie's cancer support charity said patients and those in recovery are “frequently” refused cover or quoted unaffordable premiums.

This means that patients, and those in recovery, are forced to travel without insurance or skip trips altogether.

As well as missing out on holidays they are also unable to visit friends and family abroad and avoid business travel, Maggie’s added.

The charity has called on Treasury minister Emma Reynolds to help tackle the travel insurance prices faced by people with a history of cancer.

It is calling on ministers to work with travel insurance companies, the Financial Conduct Authority and cancer patients to get a “fairer deal” for insurance.

Josh Cull, from Bournemouth, was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour in 2021 when he was 25.

After his treatment, he decided to visit south Asia with his fiancée and brother but could not find a travel insurance company that would cover him for a price he could afford.

“My cancer was completely unexpected, especially as I was so young, and initially I was told I only had three months to live,” the 28-year-old from Dorset said.