Travel Insurance (General)

Although mainly Florida – a lot of the info in these postings relate to general Travel Insurance & Medical Issues – worth a read – I may be able to help.

I am an Ex-Pat Brit (Hertfordshire) living and working in Florida. I work for a major Hospital group (7 hospitals and 19 urgent care clinics around the Orlando area) dealing with all you tourists that holiday here and then go home leaving medical bills behind you unpaid.

If you need to know how I can recommend a particular insurance company, then consider these points......

If your bill comes to me as a debt collector - you have 90 days before it is reported to the Credit Reporting Agencioes (Experian, Equifax & Trans Union) and then it will stay for 7 years even if you pay afterit has been reported.

Certain accounts will be refered to our lawyer to consider certain action - if this happens there is nothing I can do anymore - it is with the lawyers and you will have to deal with them.

I have submitted (on behalf of you - the traveling public) in excess of 4,000 claim a year (UK cases - for seven years) - even on a weekly basis I deal with trave insurers more than you wil ever do, more tha brokers do, and more than most people on here. I know the insurers that take more than 90 days to process your claim and therefore make you face more collection or legal activity, and I know the insurers who process quickly (legally) and therefore releive you from your legal obligation to pay the bills yourself.

As a certain poster here always questions why I recommend a certain insurer it is becaus YOU benefit in the long run by their professional claims service that pays me in a prompt and efficient manner. Othe bad insurers delay or deny your claim and then you get reported.

My job is to track you down and get the bills paid and I deal with UK insurers many times each day. No matter what your horror story is, I’ve heard them all and Brits usually have the same story to tell.

I am officially a Debt Collector, and that usually scares people. Don’t be worried, it is usual business here in Florida to use debt collection agencies. If you get a letter or call from a debt collector remember DO NOT IGNORE THEM – CONTACT THEM IN THE WAY THEY ASK – don’t assume e-mail is ok the privacy laws state we have to have a verbal confirmation or “ink” signature to confirm you are the patient or other person entitled to the information. The law is on their (or their clients) side, and in ANY case YOU the patient, are responsible for your own debts NOT your insurance company.

General advice (as I cannot speak for any insurers), I am pleased to give to you if I can't help then usually I can let you know who can help/advise you regarding any insurance problems.

See my other thread that has some useful Travel Insurance info:

Click Here for must-read information: Medical & Travel Insurance

See other threads from Martin below
(Credit Card free insurance)
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance

(Pre existing medical conditions)
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-travel-insurance#single


See link below from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth office with REALLY useful info for the traveller abroad, it has links to local Embassies/Consulate Offices around the world that will give you more local advice.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/

PLEASE - don't be an ignorant traveller - find out prior to travelling and not the "hard way" after an event happens. Especially here in Florida it can be very costly to YOU.

BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY -

Shop around (Martin recommendations are better than many others) and read the threads here, see who people recomend from their own experiences.

If you are travelling with others, let each (immediate) family obtain their own insurance - even families have secrets and they do not tell their family that they have any pre-existing medial conditions (PEMC) and should anything happen it may mean that you policy is voided by their unwillingness to let you know they have an PEMC. Mum, Dad & children to each policy - let your Aunt/Uncle or the Grandparents, in-laws, brothers, Sisters etc get their own policy. It does not matter who paid or organized the trip. (Like car insurance you would not put these family members on your policy (so their crash increases your premiums) so why do it with travel insurance?

Before you buy your insurance make sure that you have declaired any pre-existing medical conditions (PEMC) or other exclusions (Ski - watersport - dangerous sports etc) and if in any doubt call the insurance company and ask them, don't take anything for granted.

If you have declared a PEMC, when you get your policy make sure that the declared condition is noted and that they acknowledge you have declaired it. If it was to go that far, in court it is what is in the written contract (policy) not what you were told on the telephone.

IF YOU NEED MEDICAL TREATMENT OR MAKE ANY CLAIM -

Call your insurers at the earliest possible convenience, if non-emergency that means BEFORE you go to the hospital/medical facility, if you are admitted to an Emergency Room (ER) then ask the registration clerk at the hospital to call your insurance company's assistance service.

READ the documents supplied by the hospital - you just "signed your life away" in the admittance consent form YOU are now legally responsible for your medical bills and not your insurers. Full instructions shuold be given - here in Florida you are told (if only in the consent form) if you should contact any doctor's offices and the hospital's own billing department to make sure they have your address correct for billing and remember it is your responsibility to make sure your bills are paid (no matter who pays).

MAKE SURE YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM FORM IS COMPLETED -

This is a legal document that allows the insurance company to discuss your claim with hospital's/assistance companies/debt collectors etc, if you do not complete it (or any other documents from the insurers) then they will not process your claim until you supply the required documentation (including medical records and certificates from your GP).

You should inform your insurance company of any medical treatment - if you think that, for example, your excess will be more than your claim (you paid £20 for a prescription, and you have a £50 excess) you need to inform your insurers, as if there is another bill from the doctor that wrote the prescription or the hospital, then they will apply another excess as they do not know you have already paid some "out of pocket" expenses. Remember if in doubt CALL AND ASK - your insurers will tell you what your options are.

I won't keep on - if you have any questions - just ask!