Summer Travel ? Insurance for Pumps?

Traveling with diabetes

Now that the summer season is upon us, have you considered the importance of insuring the insulin pump that you or your loved one is wearing?

Can you imagine your 18-year-old Type 1 daughter calling you from Thailand to tell you she?s lost her insulin pump?? What if your husband has accidentally left his insulin pump in the hotel sports gym (disconnecting for a good reason) but now it?s gone missing?? And what if your pump has been picked up by your 2-year old son and thrown in a pool of water?

One mother contacted me today because her daughter is traveling to Thailand with a group from school as a year-end summer trip.

?What happens if her pump is stolen? Or is she loses it?? What if she drops it and smashes it to pieces??

It?s a topical subject.? Earlier in May, 16-year old Savannah Barry, traveling with school classmates was forced by the TSA to walk through the body scanner at the Salt Lake City Airport (Utah) on her way back home to Denver, Colorado.? (See the story here.)? Her pump was damaged beyond repair, and TSA was, for the most part, silent. ??They were not prepared to speak on the subject (or buy the young woman a replacement.)

The fact is that these kinds of episodes with the TSA happen a great deal.? In fact, traveling is never easy and the insulin pump ? a device intended to make life with diabetes better ? can be damaged, lost or stolen at any moment?especially when you least expect it.? (FYI, do not expose your pump to any form of x-Ray ? including the Body Scanner or the scanner belt (where you place your shoes and bags).? Animas has a guide here for insulin pump strategies at the airport.

Fortunately for Miss Barry and her family, Animas sent her a replacement pump free of charge, but this is not standard protocol.? What is?? What kind of insurance offers the right kind of coverage, if any?

Close to the edge!

None of the insulin pump manufacturers offer insurance for insulin pumps.? Nor do any of the manufacturers offer advice on what kind of insurance a patient should buy to cover their insulin pump.? Fair enough.? Apple computer doesn?t tell me to insure all the computers in my home.? The only difference here is that insulin pumps save lives.

Warranties for insulin pumps are usually good for four years but DO NOT cover the following:

Medtronic:? 1. Damage results from any attempted changes or repairs performed by any party other than Medtronic.? 2. Damage results from an event beyond the control of Medtronic. 3. Damage results from negligence or improper use.? 4. Warranty may vary based on international locations.

Animas goes even further:? 1. Changes or modifications to the pump by the user or any other third person after the date of manufacture. 2. Service or repairs performed by any person or entity other than an Animas-authorized service person. 3. A force majeure or other event beyond the control of Animas.? 4. Accidents, negligence, misuse, or abuse of the pump by the user or any other third person, including, but not limited to, improper storage of or physical abuse such as dropping or otherwise damaging the Animas insulin pump. 5. Normal ?wear and tear,? including but not limited to cosmetic damage such as scratched display lenses and/or scratched paint

OmniPod: ?1.Changed or modified by any person or entity other than Insulet Corporation. 2. Serviced or repaired by any person or entity other than Insulet Corporation. 3. Damaged by an act of God, misuse, abuse, negligence, accident, wear and tear, unreasonable use, or by other causes unrelated to defective materials or workmanship.

At the beach with the pump - risky environment

Medtronic as it turns out are the good guys in this discussion.? They will offer any Medtronic pump user a free loaner for 90 days regardless of the problem ? such as loss or ?theft.? However, after 90 days, you are on your own.? (Information from the Medtronic USA Customer Service hotline).

Medtronic also offers a loaner pump program for traveling, but neither OmniPod or Animas do.? At $800 for the OmniPod PDM (Personal Diabetes Manager) compared to $8000-10000 for the Medtronic or Animas Pump ? it?s difficult to understand OmniPod?s tough policy.? For Medtronic pumpers, the travel loaner program costs $50 (the cost of shipping the pump to your home or office) and you are charged $3600 if you lose the loaner.? See here for instructions.

In terms of household insurance coverage, a pump won?t be covered by most policies unless you are prepared to make an upgrade, which will raise your premium.? Call your household insurance policy contact for more information specific to your coverage.? Some policies will cover for loss, damage and theft inside and outside of the home while other policies will only cover inside the home and other policies won?t cover any medical devices.? If you live in the UK, then you are lucky.? There is one company ? developed by the mother of a type 1 child ? which provides insurance coverage specifically for insulin pumps called, Insurance 4 Insulin Pumps.? Check it out.

Travel insurance policies normally will not offer coverage for a medical device.? It?s worth checking your policy or credit card insurance ? such as American Express for details.

Health and Travel Insurance Tips

Finally, if traveling abroad and this is especially intended for young adults on a summer holiday without adults or for those on a GAP year, keep the following to mind:

• Purchasing a Travel insurance policy to cover illness, loss and theft is essential, regardless of the lack of insulin pump cover.? There are risks when traveling with diabetes, and hospitalization for DKA or infections are frequent.? Often, if traveling in remote areas, transport is essential and often costly.
• Medical coverage varies from country to country.? Find out all you can before traveling.? Home country Embassies located in destination countries will offer you all the information you need.? (US Embassy site here.)?
• Find out what your medical insurance covers and doesn?t cover when you are traveling or are abroad.? Make sure that your pre-existing condition will always be covered no matter where you go.

Don?t allow diabetes to prevent you or a loved one from having fantastic travel experiences, but be prepared and informed before you go.? Happy traveling this summer!? (Post your vacation photos to diabetes 24-7 Facebook wall!)

Tagged as: Travel

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