Staysure travel premium increase legal?

Narc0lepsy · 7 October 2016 at 11:31PM

My mum took out a single trip travel insurance. A few weeks before the holiday, she had a fall in which she broke a bone in her foot and wrenched her ankle, requiring hospital examination. The fall was just a trip off a step at a station - in fact the guard commented that several people had fallen off that particular step as it was on a slope. She rang the insurance company to warn them that, depending on her recovery, she may have to cancel the holiday. Happily she recovered well, and was given a positive all clear by the physio and doctor. When she rang Staysure to report this, they said that she must pay an additional £26 "in case you fall again". She asked why there was any reason she was likely to fall again - she had never fallen and broken anything before, and the fall was not due to any medical reason e.g. dizzy spells or infirmity. They insisted she had to pay or her policy would be invalid. She remarked that she regrets having informed them in the first place as it turned out to be unnecessary. They replied that, had anything happened on holiday - even if totally unrelated to a fall - and they found out that she had visited A&E or GP in the last few weeks, her insurance would also be invalid.

Does this sound legal? I can understand that if her fall was due to some medical condition they would be concerned that it would happen again and would count as a pre-existing condition, but it was just a trip over which isn't something she is in the habit of doing.

Quentin · 7 October 2016 at 11:49PM

Check the policy wording to see who is correct about whether or not a hospital visit occurring after the policy started had to be reported.

Depending on what is said she can decide whether or not to pursue a complaint.

If she does have grounds to complain then if she is unhappy with the reply or they ignore the complaint for 8 weeks she can escalate to the FOS for their adjudication at no cost to her

Narc0lepsy · 8 October 2016 at 11:12AM

Quentin thanks, I'm pretty sure that you have to report any sort of medical visit (sadly I have the annual policy with them as it was heavily discounted on Topcashback - and they keep sending letters and emails reminding policy holders to let them know of any illness, examination etc).

However my issue is that, having reported as required, then been cleared of any further medical issues and told she can go on holiday, would they be allowed to charge her extra money?

Quentin · 8 October 2016 at 11:26AM

This should be covered in the policy wording.

Usually if you have a notifiable condition after buying the policy and prior to departure the insurer has the option to say cover can no longer be provided ( but paying out on a claim for cancellation at that time) or continuing cover which may involve a premium amendment

Narc0lepsy · 9 October 2016 at 11:46PM

I understand that a premium would go up if it is a condition which may recur in the future, but surely anyone can trip over and break a bone, which then heals - she may never trip over again so why is she being penalised?

csgohan4 · 10 October 2016 at 8:21AM

Narc0lepsy wrote: »

I understand that a premium would go up if it is a condition which may recur in the future, but surely anyone can trip over and break a bone, which then heals - she may never trip over again so why is she being penalised?

The key thing is the insurers can only go on facts, they have plenty of policy holders who have not had a fall and fractured something.

Your mother is at risk as she has had a fall. That is the facts. Just like someone who has a heart attack despite preventive and ongoing treatment, still they are at risk,

Insurers can do what they want according to the contract you agreed in the T+C, buyer beware

katejo · 10 October 2016 at 2:54PM

Last year I broke my wrist. I already had an annual policy so I checked it. It said that I didn't need to report a visit to A & E but did have to report any subsequent outpatient appointment which I did. I had had such an appointment and I was told that, as I had already paid for the annual policy, I wouldn't be charged any more for trips already booked. However I would be charged extra if I booked further trips. Possibly slightly illogical as I would have fully recovered by then and had no reason to fall again (at least no more than any other person might have).

katejo · 10 October 2016 at 2:56PM

Narc0lepsy wrote: »

I understand that a premium would go up if it is a condition which may recur in the future, but surely anyone can trip over and break a bone, which then heals - she may never trip over again so why is she being penalised?

When I declared ny fracture, I was asked whether I had osteoporosis and so a higher chance of a further fracture if I fell again. I could say that this wasn't the case as I had had a clear scan a few months earlier.

Narc0lepsy · 10 October 2016 at 3:19PM

katejo wrote: »

Last year I broke my wrist. I already had an annual policy so I checked it. It said that I didn't need to report a visit to A & E but did have to report any subsequent outpatient appointment which I did. I had had such an appointment and I was told that, as I had already paid for the annual policy, I wouldn't be charged any more for trips already booked. However I would be charged extra if I booked further trips. Possibly slightly illogical as I would have fully recovered by then and had no reason to fall again (at least no more than any other person might have).

They really have us over a barrel don't they? If you were taking out a new policy, nowhere would it say on the questionnaire "have you ever broken your wrist?" Yes, it would ask if you had ever had surgery/a heart attack/an existing condition, but you could honestly say "no" to any of those. It seems double standard. As you say, you are no more likely to fall than anyone else. Just as I have never declared that I once had stitches after being bitten by a horse.........I wasn't asked. Insurance pre-questionnaires don't say "have you ever fallen over?".......

Oh well rant over, there is nothing I can do about it.

thanks for the replies

Sausages23 · 4 November 2016 at 12:46PM

I am, fortunately, extremely healthy.

This year I took out annual travel insurance with Staysure. I have had an email and a letter in the post saying that I must tell them if I am given increased medication etc etc. Fair enough, but I do not have any medications, in fact, I do not even know the name of my doctor!

This is intimidation.

I will NOT be using this company in the future. I have never been treated like this by any other insurance company.

teddysmum · 4 November 2016 at 1:56PM

It's just like someone, who has several years of incident free motoring, being involved in an accident, which was not their fault and cost the insurers nothing, having a penalty added to a policy, as they are statistically 'proved' to be more likely, now, to have another accident.

You can, of course, shop around to avoid the penalty, as insurers have different attitudes.

Also,I knew someone who had a hound, whose leg was cut by the wire of a flexi-lead, used by a stupid person who was not in control of their dog. From then on, she was unable to get the hound insurance to cover any leg problem whatsoever.; even though there could be no connection between, say, a leg tumour (in a different leg) and an accidental gash.

Staysure travel premium increase legal?

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