Community Forums

emuller1 · 02-20-2019, 10:56 AM

I may have to reconsider my plans to retire this year and winter in the southern US. I am wondering if this will be economically possible as I was just diagnosed with melanoma cancer. I would like to know if any Canadians snowbirds have run into this situation and how it affected your insurance rates.
Reconsidering the travel not the retirement.

60sumtin · 02-20-2019, 01:03 PM

So sorry to hear about the diagnosis. A friends father had a similar thing happen to him 20 some years ago but I don't know the details or how things have changed since then so its best I not speculate. What's important is you focus on getting your health back and I hope the doctors can determine the proper course of action to take. Take care.

luckyd · 02-22-2019, 12:20 PM

My DW was diagnosed with cancer. She had surgery, chemo, radiation.
She was given the "all clear" and we decided to resume snowbirding.
We used Pacific Blue Cross for our travel insurance and they said as long as she was three months clear there was no problem. We came back and found she had cancer nodules on her left lung. Another operation. Again given clearance and once again spent winter down south. Check with your insurer to see what they are willing to do. They might tell you they will cover you for everything except the existing condition.
Everyones story will be different.
My DW never regretted our years of travelling, but to each their own.
Hope all goes well with you. Don't quit living.....in all ways.

moisheh · 02-22-2019, 08:11 PM

Try applying online to a few carriers. When you get to the quiz you may find that Melanoma is an exception.
Good luck.

Mr_D · 02-22-2019, 08:43 PM

My late wife never got to retire. Took in her daughters 2 kids when the daughter died on Aug 13 2008. My wife had put in her retirement papers on Aug 1st 2008. She rescinded her retirement and kept working. Anyway they diagnosed the DW with liver inoperable liver cancer and a month later terminated her. She got lucky and got a liver transplant July 4th and died 48 days later of Graft Vs Host disease which destroyed her bone marrow. She worked for 33 years and died before she got to enjoy retirement.