Returning home due to death of elderly parent/s

[petunia]

Our parents are frail, and aged 86 and 87. Has anyone had any experience with an insurance company that would cover costs associated with having to fly home in the event of their death?

My head is exploding after trying to compare travel insurance policies in regard to the hypothetical situation of having to cut our 10 week Canada/USA trip short in the event of the death of a parent/in-law. We have a Oneworld Award trip in J, (thank you QFF members for helping me with this trip of a lifetime), which involves flying to Chicago/Toronto (hiring car to drive around Maritimes)/train Montreal New York/fly NY to Vancouver/fly Seattle - Junea/ cruise Inside Passage Alaska/ fly Vancouver -Hong/Kong - Perth. So although the flights are QFF, I have had to pre-book 10 weeks worth of accommodation, train & boat tix, car rental etc.

I know it's also very important to make sure we've got good medical cover for ourselves in USA/Canada. Have previously used QBE (credit card insurance) for our own medical claims and had no problems, but a bit nervous about a claim in relation to the death of a parent at home aged 87.

 

[Pushka]

It is something I grapple with too. I am not sure Insurance covers any costs.

I just have my mother left. I see her at least weekly. Our family has agreed that if any of us are overseas when the final step happens that most likely people will not return for the service if that presented significant challenges as we have all done everything we could for her while she was alive, which for her is more important. It was Mum's idea to do this.

I'm not sure that it will play out that way should this happen. When we were away last year she had a heart attack and stroke a week before we were due to come home. Obviously she came through. Unfortunately she stresses out while we are away and last time was the shooting down of MH. She had the stroke a couple of days later after being agitated with MH downing.

 

[petunia]

That is indeed a very sensible way to view it. My mum is in a nursing home, and the scenario as you've described would be fine with my family who are a practical lot. But my husband's parents - we would definitely return. I'm not so concerned about the cost of a new flight home, but covering the cancellation costs of the unused portions of our trip.
Hopefully the need won't arise, but this is a much longer trip than we usually have, and the chances of a parent's death are higher.

 

[Pushka]

That is indeed a very sensible way to view it. My mum is in a nursing home, and the scenario as you've described would be fine with my family who are a practical lot. But my husband's parents - we would definitely return. I'm not so concerned about the cost of a new flight home, but covering the cancellation costs of the unused portions of our trip.
Hopefully the need won't arise, but this is a much longer trip than we usually have, and the chances of a parent's death are higher.

We are indeed a pragmatic family. Our solution may not work for others. My SIL is an intensive care nurse. She has seen much. My mother is in a nursing home now too after the stroke. It does remove a lot of the stress in making sure she is comfortable. MrP's parents passed away several years ago. Funerals are not for the lost one but for the remaining people. As Mum is the last older person then we have no one else to "comfort" but ourselves.

 

[love_the_life]

A colleague had news that her MIL had passed away just as they were to board in Sydney for an overseas flight to visit their daughter in the UK (they had even gone through security). In their case they elected to travel as there was a large family here. As well, the MIL had been in ill health and they were advised that their travel insurance would not cover any cancellations as it was considered a pre-existing condition. Doesn't matter that it is not the traveller, it is close relative and that is enough to preclude payment. If it was an accident or similar might be different.
My mother is quite elderly (92) and is still in her own home so every time we travel it is a worry. With 4 siblings it would depend on whether it was easy to return quickly.

 

[cove]

Tricky times when the outlaws move into their nineties and have to stop driving but want to stay in their home. We have shortened our away times on trips and we are prepared to get home fast. There is no insurance that covers the flight changes that I know about but it is a twice in a lifetime for Mrscove as my parents are gone.
Have a reserve fund to get you home fast.

 

[N860CR]

I'm fairly sure at least a few insurance companies won't cover you if the person in question is older than 85.

If your 30 year old sister dies in a car accident etc they will, but an elderly relative is a negative.

 

[Pushka]

My mother is quite elderly (92) and is still in her own home so every time we travel it is a worry. With 4 siblings it would depend on whether it was easy to return quickly.

Yes, I did think of you with QM2

 

[petunia]

Thank you all for your sage words. This discussion has also brought home to me the importance of being contactable by family members while overseas. There will be a brief period while on Alaska State Ferry when we will have no phone/internet.
I recently went to Vietnam and my mum in the nursing home said "I don't know what I'd do without you - and don't make me find out!" (I am the only daughter with four brothers). Which made me realise that while we worry about them, no matter how old we are, they also worry about us.
OK, we will make a contingency plan seeing as it looks that realistically there would be no insurance cover should the dreaded scenario happen while we're away.

 

[love_the_life]

Being contactable is important. I had a call from Mr LtL when I was at Uluru on the way back from a work trip 700km down the road into WA. Brother in Ireland had rung my mother but she did not answer. He panicked and tried to ring other family members. Closest brother to her was not answering and he wanted other mobile numbers to ring the brother (Mother is country Vic, other 2 are in QLD so not much help). The numbers I had were the same as he had, my battery went flat in the middle of it all and my boss was busy working out how to get me home if needed.
Finally got brother and he went over (45 mins drive) - upshot was that the phone was malfunctioning!

 

[TIDAustralia]

Travel Insurance Direct offers cover for additional travel and accommodation expenses if you need to return home early due to the 'sudden illness', 'serious injury' or death of a 'close relative' (terms in '' are defined in our PDS) who is residing in Australia or NZ. This would include cancellation of unused pre-paid non-refundable accommodation and travel arrangements (including frequent flyer points). We recognised in our last rewrite that this was a concern for many of our customers so we removed the age limit on this benefit.

You need to be aware that there is a limited benefit when a pre-existing condition is concerned. At the time of purchasing you may have a close relative who has pre-existing condition that is stable. When travelling they may unexpectedly require hospitalisation or pass away. In this situation the benefit is limited to $2,000 Single policy/$4,000 Family (couple). This is noted on page 33 of the PDS on our website.

As always, there are conditions and exclusions that apply so I'd encourage you to read through the PDS.

Please message me if you have any other questions that I can help you with.

 

[cove]

Thanks for the helpful summary TIDAustralia. I appreciate reading summaries by authorized company representatives that eliminate misinformation.

 

[Pushka]

Thankyou TID. Do the restrictions on pre- existing conditions for travellers also apply to elderly relatives? Its just that it would be rare to have say an 80 year old parent who would not have experienced one (eg cancer/stroke) or a combination (eg Hypertension plus Heart condition) that would make cover impossible.

Also if a parent had a stroke pre the policy issue, but recovered and stable then suffered another stoke during travel - is that covered?

This is the only thing I found about relatives:

 

[petunia]

Thanks for that information TID, time for some more homework. Much appreciated.

 

[TIDAustralia]

Thankyou TID. Do the restrictions on pre- existing conditions for travellers also apply to elderly relatives? Its just that it would be rare to have say an 80 year old parent who would not have experienced one (eg cancer/stroke) or a combination (eg Hypertension plus Heart condition) that would make cover impossible.

Also if a parent had a stroke pre the policy issue, but recovered and stable then suffered another stoke during travel - is that covered?

This is the only thing I found about relatives:

View attachment 48757

It is expected that elderly relatives will have some medical condition. What our policy says is that if the condition is stable ie, medicated, controlled, and they unexpectedly require hospitalisation or they pass away as a result of this stable condition then the limit is $2,000 Single or $4,000 Family/Couple.

I really don't like quoting the PDS verbatim but I thought it is relevant in this case. This is the section I'm referring to in the PDS under Pre-Existing Medical Conditions on p.33
You are only covered for claims which arise from a pre-existing medical condition suffered by a close relative who is hospitalised or dies in Australia or New Zealand after the policy is issued and at the time of the policy issue
you were unaware of the likelihood of such hospitalisation or death. The most we will pay in respect of all claims under all the sections of the policy is $2,000 for a single policy and $4,000 for a family policy.

 

[Pushka]

It is expected that elderly relatives will have some medical condition. What our policy says is that if the condition is stable ie, medicated, controlled, and they unexpectedly require hospitalisation or they pass away as a result of this stable condition then the limit is $2,000 Single or $4,000 Family/Couple.

I really don't like quoting the PDS verbatim but I thought it is relevant in this case. This is the section I'm referring to in the PDS under Pre-Existing Medical Conditions on p.33
You are only covered for claims which arise from a pre-existing medical condition suffered by a close relative who is hospitalised or dies in Australia or New Zealand after the policy is issued and at the time of the policy issue
you were unaware of the likelihood of such hospitalisation or death. The most we will pay in respect of all claims under all the sections of the policy is $2,000 for a single policy and $4,000 for a family policy.

Thankyou - that clarifies this well.