Mike Pollard on BBC Radio Jersey

I heard Mike Pollard on BBC Radio Jersey today. The presenter, Roger Bara, gave him an extremely easy ride over the cessation of the reciprocal health agreement between the UK and Jersey.

(1) UK Visitors, if they need special services involving a hospital stay apart from Outpatients will be treated first (without consideration of whether they can afford the treatment) which he rightly said was the moral position to take.

He did not say how they would be asked to pay the final bill, and what would happen if they had no suitable travel insurance, or indeed, if they died over here. Would there be an option to pay the huge sums involved by installments? What if they were on low wages, or unemployment benefit? I am sure this is being worked out, but it would have good to have more details, especially as it seems that procedures only began to be worked out after Jim Perchard failed to negotiate a continuation of the reciprocal agreement, which was late in the day.

Did no one think it likely he might not have success, especially given Dawn Primarolo's tendency to be intransigent over EU tax harmonisation applying to Jersey when she was Paymaster General? "Red Dawn" is not known for her ability to compromise, and her robust way of speaking (she once compared the House of Commons to Holloway Prison)!

(2) He said that insurance for Jersey people travelling to the UK was being sorted out, and comprehensive travel insurance packages would be available even for exceptional cases. He was not pressed on the JEP article just the day before which reported Daphne Minihane as noting that there simply was no travel insurance available for those over 79.

That is a shame because a search of insurance policies revealed that most go only up to age 79 (and no more than 90 days at a time), but I finally tracked down several which go to 99 years old. Giving details would have been more reassuring that just saying "ring this number for help" which is what he did.

http://www.financialmatters.org.uk/insurance-for-over-65/

Travel insurance over 70 UK companies

Although in the past it may have proved difficult for seniors to get holiday insurance over 65 (i.e. 70, 75, 80 and beyond!) for their travel or holiday plans. Nowadays however, there are many companies, brokers and websites offering travel cover, some with no upper age limit, some with age limits of 90-99 years old.

Direct Line will cover over their 70 birthday and provides solid medical cover on single trips.

Check out Marks and Sparks as they have no upper age limit for holiday insurance whatsoever.

Churchill offers holiday insurance over 70 years old. Churchill not only covers the over 70s but will cover seniors until they are 99 on holidays abroad.

American Express has been a provider of travel and holiday insurance for a number of years and offers comprehensive cover up to the age of 79.

With travel insurance from the Post OfficeT, you're guaranteed high quality holiday cover at great prices for the Over 75s.

Insure For Travel Insurance - For single trip insurance insure for all will cover any UK resident of any age!

Links:
http://www.financialmatters.org.uk/insurance-for-over-65/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/what-a-shame-red-dawn-was-false-dawn-1150392.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Primarolo