Holiday insurance - don't book your holiday until you take out holiday insurance which covers you for a pre-existing medical condition. Most standard policies do not and if your travel agent states that you will be covered under their insurance policy, ask to see a copy of their full policy. The cost of treatment for a person with kidney failure can be extremely expensive abroad, especially beyond Europe.

HOLIDAY INSURANCE COMPANIES

FREE SPIRIT TRAVEL INSURANCE
Address: Stansted House
Rowlands Castle
Hampshire
PO9 6DX

Telephone: 0845 230 5000 Fax: 023 9241 9019
Website: http://www.free-spirit.com
Profile: Free Spirit provide comprehensive holiday insurance cover for renal patients. Their Medical team (who are familiar with renal problems) will discuss your medical condition and needs with you in order to provide a quotation.

LEADING EDGE TRAVEL INSURANCE SERVICES LTD.
Address: The Business Centre
1-7 Commercial Road
Paddock Wood
Tonbridge, Kent
TN12 6YT

Telephone: 01892 836622 Fax: 01892 836622 Email: sales@leadedge.co.uk
Website: http://www.leadedge.co.uk

Profile: Offer travel insurance to UK residents up to 40 years of age. Do not charge extra to cover passengers with a pre-existing medical condition, although restrictions to cover may apply.

LEISURECARE INSURANCE SERVICES LTD.
Shaftesbury Centre,
Percy Street,
Swindon,
Wiltshire,
SN2 2AZ

Telephone: 01793 750661 Fax: 01793 750661 Email: leisurecare@it-adviser.co.uk

Profile: Cover from UK to EU countries only for people aged 59 ears or younger, and who reside in the UK on a permanent basis.
Can include extra cancellation cover if on transplant waiting list.

Telephone: 020 8313 3353 or 0208 313 3900 Fax: 020 8313 3353 or 0208 313 3900 Email: admin@ourway.co.uk
Profile: Cover for medically or physically disadvantaged UK residents up to 60 years or age. All accompanying family and friends must be insured under the same policy. Link to their site or contact them for further details of terms and conditions.

MEDI-COVER TRAVEL INSURANCE
Lumbry Park
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 3HF

Telephone: 0870 735 3600
Website: http://www.medi-cover.co.uk

CITYBOND TRAVEL CONSULTANTS
Citybond House
21 Station Road
London
SE25 5AH

Telephone: 0208 771 6431

TRAVELCARE LTD
68 High Street,
Chislehurst,
Kent,
BR7 5AQ

Telephone: 0800 181532

Note: Free Spirit, Medi-Cover and City Bond were mentioned in an article in The Guardian (26.02.02). To read the article, click here.

Form E111
The UK has reciprocal health service agreements with other EC member countries(as well as some countries outside the EC). You need to take an E111 form with you if you are to benefit from these reciprocal health service agreements. Possession of the E111 form will entitle you to free or reduced cost emergency medical treatment in specified countries.

The E111 form can be obtained from your local Post Office. In order to be valid the form needs to be filled in and signed by you and stamped at the Post Office (you will need your passport with you). Do not forget to take the form with you when you travel. The form is valid indefinitely, unless a claim is made on it or you are no longer ordinarily resident in the UK.

• E111 does not provide cover should you or any members of your family need to fly home urgently, nor if you need to return from holiday because a transplant kidney becomes available.
• Keep your E111 in a safe place, eg, with your passport.
• Always keep a photocopy of your E111 form with the original - especially important for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.
• You can use the same E111 for as long as you remain resident in the UK (but you will need to apply for a new one if any dependent children leave school).

Please note: because the reciprocal health service agreements do not always cover the full cost of treatment, it is always advisable to have insurance even when travelling around the EC.

MASTA
Address: MASTA
UK Wide

Telephone: 0908 8 224100 (calls charged at 60p per minute) Fax: 0908 8 224100 (calls charged at 60p per minute) For more information visit Website: http://www.masta.org

They provide up to date health and travel news and can supply an individual health brief according to your itinerary, including details of recommended vaccinations, etc.

In association with MASTA, Boots are also rolling out travel clinics in selected Boots stores throughout the UK. All Boots Travel Clinics provide the professional service you can expect from a MASTA Associated Travel Clinic. Visit their website to find the nearest clinic:www.masta.org/travel_clinic/index.html#boots

BRITISH AIRWAYS CLINICS
Address: British Airways
UK Wide

Telephone: 01276 685040 Fax: 01276 685040 For more information visit Website: http://www.britishairways.com/travelclinics

Offers travel advice whether travelling by land, sea or air. Receives up-to-date information on 84 different health hazards in more than 250 countries, which means advice can be tailored to your individual itineraries. Immunisation advice and vaccinations are available.There are branches throughout UK - call or visit their website for details of individual branches

Further reading
Health Advice for Travellers, a booklet published by the Department of Health contains comprehensive information on the E111, as well as the E111 application form (also available from Post Offices). It also details what is covered by reciprocal arrangements for healthcare abroad, tips on avoiding health risks and information on vaccinations required for visits to certain countries. Available, free of charge, by calling 0800 555 777, or go to the Department of Health Website