Travel insurance question - cheerful!

Savvy_Sue · 11 July 2005 at 6:12PM

I am trying to arrange travel insurance for my 18 year old son, who is about to spend a few days in London with friends following by 10 days in France. The day before he goes to London I am scheduled to have surgery. Although it's not very likely, there is always a risk with anaesthetics etc that you go to sleep and never wake up. So I would just like to check whether that means I should answer Yes or No to this question:

"Have you, anyone to be covered by this insurance or any 3rd party on whom the trip depends, been advised as a result of a medical condition, not to travel or made aware of any medical reason why your holiday may be cancelled, disrupted or cut short?"

I think No is OK, because I'm not a 3rd party on whom the trip depends, and it really is only in the event of my death that he'd have to cut his trip short, and even then - being particularly cheerful - I'm sure my DH would try to arrange the funeral for after he got back (we're talking 2.5 weeks for the whole trip).

Any views from you insurance experts? Or shall I phone the providers and double check?

telly-addict · 11 July 2005 at 8:25PM

Probably not the answer that you want, but I think that your son would have to disclose details of your operation. Here's a link to a relevant article on the FOS (Financial Ombudsman Service) website - in particular, look at the section about cancellation:
http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/7/july-travel.htm

Without wishing to ask for the details of your condition, it may possibly depend upon the type of operation. If you're going under a general anaesthetic, as you say there is always a risk of complications (however slim they may be). In the event of a claim, the travel insurer would certainly be within their rights to ask the question about your son's knowledge of your condition, etc.

It's really not worth that aggravation and the "possibility" of the claim being turned down. Better to be up front about it and then to be pleasantly surprised if the insurer chooses not to impose any terms or conditions.

The above philosophy would be equally applicable to either a single trip or annual policy.

Hope that this helps.

Savvy_Sue · 11 July 2005 at 11:04PM

Thanks. I guess my best bet is to email them (doubt there'll be anyone there answering phones at this time of night and even less likely that I can string a coherent sentence together!)

My son doesn't understand why I think he needs insurance ... :rolleyes:

Edit: have just thought, I would happily settle for a policy which excluded claims related to my health, as long as he was covered should he break a leg, lose a tooth, or fall under a bus!

telly-addict · 12 July 2005 at 7:15AM

Savvy_Sue wrote:

Edit: have just thought, I would happily settle for a policy which excluded claims related to my health, as long as he was covered should he break a leg, lose a tooth, or fall under a bus!

Agree that a travel insurer should be able to exclude any claims related to your health by means of a simple endorsment to the policy, so that the premium and remaining cover is unaffected. We have had to do something similar on our own annual travel policy.

Savvy_Sue · 13 July 2005 at 12:10AM

telly-addict wrote:

Agree that a travel insurer should be able to exclude any claims related to your health by means of a simple endorsment to the policy, so that the premium and remaining cover is unaffected. We have had to do something similar on our own annual travel policy.

Well, an email to them gave the same reply as you (personally I don't think the question is very well worded!) and talking to them on the phone didn't get me very far, so I ended up getting a different policy which doesn't have a cancellation option at all, and saying 'No' to the question. When the policy arrives I'll phone and advise them of our particular circumstances and see if they want to issue an endorsement.

I'm quite happy to have insurance without a cancellation option for him: he's staying with friends once he gets to France, helping some friends move house, so for me the key thing is that he is covered for illness and accident once he's there!

Bossyboots · 13 July 2005 at 7:49AM

I have had a read through of the link posted above and I do not agree it should be disclosed. You are not a party to the holiday or the policy. It does not say anything about disclosing medical conditions of family or anyone else unconnected with the trip as far as I could see.

If it was me, I would not disclose it but if anything untoward happened not claim on the policy either for cancellation or curtailment.

I am really pleased to hear that you have a date for your op. I hope it all goes okay. Have you posted somewhere the date so we can be thinking of you at the relevant time.

telly-addict · 13 July 2005 at 7:56AM

Bossyboots wrote:

I have had a read through of the link posted above and I do not agree it should be disclosed. You are not a party to the holiday or the policy. It does not say anything about disclosing medical conditions of family or anyone else unconnected with the trip as far as I could see.

All a bit academic now as Savvy-sue has gone elsewhere for travel insurance, but I still think that the operation was disclosable (and the insurer seems to have agreed). Not because it was a medical condition per se, but because it was a potential reason for holiday cancellation.

Take a look at the link to the FOS website article in my earlier post. The duty of disclosure is very wide-raning, I'm afraid. Better to check with an insurer at the outset rather than have a claim turned down at a later stage.

Savvy_Sue · 13 July 2005 at 11:09PM

telly-addict wrote:

All a bit academic now as Savvy-sue has gone elsewhere for travel insurance, but I still think that the operation was disclosable (and the insurer seems to have agreed). Not because it was a medical condition per se, but because it was a potential reason for holiday cancellation.

Take a look at the link to the FOS website article in my earlier post. The duty of disclosure is very wide-raning, I'm afraid. Better to check with an insurer at the outset rather than have a claim turned down at a later stage.

It's this kind of thing which makes me quite wary of internet insurance generally. Anything at all out of the ordinary just can't be catered for at the outset. Tonight I've been talking to my car insurer to get my DH down as main driver, while hanging on the phone I kept being offered the chance to alter my policy online but I thought no, I need to talk to you, there won't be a box to click to say "I'm probably going to have to surrender my licence on medical grounds but I should get it back again without restrictions!" Actually I haven't yet told the insurer that, just said I won't be able to drive, need to check with the medical team exactly what to say.

I've still gone through moneysupermarket for this travel insurance, and it seems it's the moneysupermarket website which filters people out this way rather than the individual insurers. But the insurer I was going to go with wasn't that helpful when I spoke to them by phone, so I went with another who were offering a 'no cancellation cover' policy, which for this trip fits my son's needs. I haven't yet declared my situation to them, waiting for the policy to arrive by email. And since I don't want cancellation cover, I think my situation is irrelevant. But I plan to declare it anyway!

Thanks for help and advice - yes Bossyboots I'll be back on the health board soon to give you the date!

telly-addict · 14 July 2005 at 9:02AM

Savvy_Sue wrote:

It's this kind of thing which makes me quite wary of internet insurance generally. Anything at all out of the ordinary just can't be catered for at the outset. Tonight I've been talking to my car insurer to get my DH down as main driver, while hanging on the phone I kept being offered the chance to alter my policy online but I thought no, I need to talk to you, there won't be a box to click to say "I'm probably going to have to surrender my licence on medical grounds but I should get it back again without restrictions!" Actually I haven't yet told the insurer that, just said I won't be able to drive, need to check with the medical team exactly what to say.

Agree that internet insurance is an excellent way to take out straight-forward insurance, but I personally prefer to be able to take to someone if necessary. Internet insurers manage to keep their premiums very competitive by reducing their overheads and ensuring that the risks that they take on fit within their "underwriting box". It's a really a matter of horses for courses.

Savvy_Sue wrote:

I've still gone through moneysupermarket for this travel insurance, and it seems it's the moneysupermarket website which filters people out this way rather than the individual insurers. But the insurer I was going to go with wasn't that helpful when I spoke to them by phone, so I went with another who were offering a 'no cancellation cover' policy, which for this trip fits my son's needs. I haven't yet declared my situation to them, waiting for the policy to arrive by email. And since I don't want cancellation cover, I think my situation is irrelevant. But I plan to declare it anyway!

If you're not looking to take out cancellation or curtailment cover, then I don't think thatyou need to disclose your medical condition. This isn't material to the cover that your son is taking out. An insurer can only expect you to disclose what can reasonably deemed to be material facts - otherwise we would have to tell them everything!!

Savvy_Sue · 14 July 2005 at 7:47PM

telly-addict wrote:

If you're not looking to take out cancellation or curtailment cover, then I don't think thatyou need to disclose your medical condition. This isn't material to the cover that your son is taking out. An insurer can only expect you to disclose what can reasonably deemed to be material facts - otherwise we would have to tell them everything!!

That's what I thought. Mind you the policy hasn't yet arrived, so I can't say I'm too impressed. It's supposed to come by email within two working days so there's another day for them, but if it's not here by the time I get home from work tomorrow it doesn't leave very long to chase it! Grrr.

nearlyrich · 14 July 2005 at 10:38PM

If your son is going to France has he got an E111? You can get the form from the post office. I am sure everyone knows what it is but just in case it is a form which entitles a UK citizen to reciprocal health treatment in Europe, so if, God forbid , he does break a leg he will be able to get it fixed for free. My son broke his arm the day I came out of hospital after a major op so I understand your concern, at least he wasn't abroad at the time.

Travel insurance question - cheerful!

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