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Do you have to declare new medical conditions after you've got travel insurance?

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  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 3,772
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    photome wrote: »
    Are you sure?

    If it's a yearly policy and you don't have the condition at the start of the policy

    I thought the same as you ,but when I called to tell my insurance company of a new treatment they didn't want to know until renewal

    Maybe I misunderstood though

    Yes I am sure. In 2015 I had an annual policy. In July I broke my wrist. This didn't stop me going away in September or October but i did have to declare it. I was told that I was covered for my 2 autumn trips without paying a premium but would have to pay a bit more if i booked another trip before the policy expired (even though my wrist was full healed by then).
  • Fromply
    Fromply Posts: 174
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    I received the same letter from Staysure and duly complied. I am 72 and my policy because of pre existing conditions cost £950 for the year.

    I notified them of changes to my health and medications - mostly improvements. No reductions in my premium, but they charged me a £10 administration fee - I protested and they reduced it to £5. I continued to object and asked them to cancel my policy and issue a pro rata refund (which they said at the beginning of the call they could get a manager to authorise in circumstances where additional charges were not accepted). They refused and said that I could pay the admin charge and remain covered, or cancel my policy but receive no refund. In the end I paid the £5 and submitted a formal complaint to the company.

    I was called back about the complaint and through a 40 minute discussion it was made clear to me that in order to remain covered, I (and everyone else - it wasn't specific to me) was expected to call them after EVERY visit to the doctor, and to pay a £10 administration fee (plus whatever they hike the premium by, but of course, no reduction if my health improves and risk decreases). At my age, that makes no practical sense at all. We used the specific example of visiting the doctor to have a Flu Vaccine and I was told categorically that if I didn't notify them of this (and pay the admin fee), then my policy would be invalid if I were to make a claim.

    What I dont understand (and they couldn't get me to understand) was that I bought insurance for 1 year - if new conditions come up within that year, why do I have to firstly declare it, and secondly pay more? That's what I paid a small fortune in insurance premiums to cover - unexpected health problems!

    As it stands - I bought travel insurance for a year - declared everything I could possible think of, which isn't easy and I'm sure I got some non important things wrong (I'm not a doctor and its not easy understanding, remembering and explaining conditions) - paid to update them, but have zero confidence that in the case of a claim being required they wouldn't find an unreasonable technicality to avoid paying. There is no way on earth I intend to renew my policy with them (or come to that anyone else - I'm sure all the insurance companies are the same). Quite simply I don't believe insurance works any more!
  • EssexExile
    EssexExile Posts: 6,110
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    Fromply wrote: »
    ...but have zero confidence that in the case of a claim being required they wouldn't find an unreasonable technicality to avoid paying.
    I was worried last year as I had to cancel due to gallbladder problems & I knew I had gallstones & hadn't told them. The doctor didn't help by referring to them on his bit of the claim form! I had my defence all sorted out in my head ready for the argument, then they went & paid the claim in full without a word. That was Columbus Direct.
    Tall, dark & handsome. Well two out of three ain't bad.
  • Katiehound
    Katiehound Posts: 7,513
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    I was very impressed with Explorer travel insurance. I had to make a claim -due to replacement knee- which came out of the blue (consultant knocked the wind out of my sails!)
    OK- loads of paperwork for the claim but their claims agent approved it within 5 days of getting the info. I was well impressed. Think they paid up in about a week- 2 x cancelled cruises.
    That was an annual policy with pre existing conditions.
    Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
    If you found my posting helpful please hit the "Thanks" button!
    Many thanks
    -Stash busting: 337 in 2022
    Stash busting: in 2023. 120 doggy duvets, 24 shopping bags, 43 dog coats, 2 scrunchies, 10 mittens, 6 bootees, 8 glass cases, 2 A6 notebooks, 59 cards, 6 lavender bags,36 crochet angels,9 woven bones, 1 crochet knee blanket, 1 lined bag,3 owls, 88 pyramid pouches = total 420...£119.50 spent- £114.50 earned= total spend £5. Total earned for 'Dogs for Good' £546.82

    2024:23 Doggy duvets, 24 pyramid pouches, 6 hot water bottle covers, 4 knitted beanies, 1 crochet angel= 58 £61 spent!!! already
  • Fromply wrote: »
    I received the same letter from Staysure and duly complied. I am 72 and my policy because of pre existing conditions cost £950 for the year.

    I notified them of changes to my health and medications - mostly improvements. No reductions in my premium, but they charged me a £10 administration fee - I protested and they reduced it to £5. I continued to object and asked them to cancel my policy and issue a pro rata refund (which they said at the beginning of the call they could get a manager to authorise in circumstances where additional charges were not accepted). They refused and said that I could pay the admin charge and remain covered, or cancel my policy but receive no refund. In the end I paid the £5 and submitted a formal complaint to the company.

    I was called back about the complaint and through a 40 minute discussion it was made clear to me that in order to remain covered, I (and everyone else - it wasn't specific to me) was expected to call them after EVERY visit to the doctor, and to pay a £10 administration fee (plus whatever they hike the premium by, but of course, no reduction if my health improves and risk decreases). At my age, that makes no practical sense at all. We used the specific example of visiting the doctor to have a Flu Vaccine and I was told categorically that if I didn't notify them of this (and pay the admin fee), then my policy would be invalid if I were to make a claim.

    What I dont understand (and they couldn't get me to understand) was that I bought insurance for 1 year - if new conditions come up within that year, why do I have to firstly declare it, and secondly pay more? That's what I paid a small fortune in insurance premiums to cover - unexpected health problems!

    As it stands - I bought travel insurance for a year - declared everything I could possible think of, which isn't easy and I'm sure I got some non important things wrong (I'm not a doctor and its not easy understanding, remembering and explaining conditions) - paid to update them, but have zero confidence that in the case of a claim being required they wouldn't find an unreasonable technicality to avoid paying. There is no way on earth I intend to renew my policy with them (or come to that anyone else - I'm sure all the insurance companies are the same). Quite simply I don't believe insurance works any more!

    You need to find a decent insurance company if they're insisting that you notify of every visit to the GP (which I seriously doubt that's what they meant) and charge admin fees. A flu jab is not a change in health either. Neither necessarily is a visit to the GP.
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 3,772
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    Katiehound wrote: »
    I was very impressed with Explorer travel insurance. I had to make a claim -due to replacement knee- which came out of the blue (consultant knocked the wind out of my sails!)
    OK- loads of paperwork for the claim but their claims agent approved it within 5 days of getting the info. I was well impressed. Think they paid up in about a week- 2 x cancelled cruises.
    That was an annual policy with pre existing conditions.

    Interesting. You must have had previous symptoms such as pain in your knee. Had you declared them to the insurer?
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 3,772
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
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    Fromply wrote: »
    I received the same letter from Staysure and duly complied. I am 72 and my policy because of pre existing conditions cost £950 for the year.

    I notified them of changes to my health and medications - mostly improvements. No reductions in my premium, but they charged me a £10 administration fee - I protested and they reduced it to £5. I continued to object and asked them to cancel my policy and issue a pro rata refund (which they said at the beginning of the call they could get a manager to authorise in circumstances where additional charges were not accepted). They refused and said that I could pay the admin charge and remain covered, or cancel my policy but receive no refund. In the end I paid the £5 and submitted a formal complaint to the company.

    I was called back about the complaint and through a 40 minute discussion it was made clear to me that in order to remain covered, I (and everyone else - it wasn't specific to me) was expected to call them after EVERY visit to the doctor, and to pay a £10 administration fee (plus whatever they hike the premium by, but of course, no reduction if my health improves and risk decreases). At my age, that makes no practical sense at all. We used the specific example of visiting the doctor to have a Flu Vaccine and I was told categorically that if I didn't notify them of this (and pay the admin fee), then my policy would be invalid if I were to make a claim.

    What I dont understand (and they couldn't get me to understand) was that I bought insurance for 1 year - if new conditions come up within that year, why do I have to firstly declare it, and secondly pay more? That's what I paid a small fortune in insurance premiums to cover - unexpected health problems!

    As it stands - I bought travel insurance for a year - declared everything I could possible think of, which isn't easy and I'm sure I got some non important things wrong (I'm not a doctor and its not easy understanding, remembering and explaining conditions) - paid to update them, but have zero confidence that in the case of a claim being required they wouldn't find an unreasonable technicality to avoid paying. There is no way on earth I intend to renew my policy with them (or come to that anyone else - I'm sure all the insurance companies are the same). Quite simply I don't believe insurance works any more!

    Have a look at the questions asked by Insure & Go. They are pretty specific about what you have to declare.
  • Katiehound
    Katiehound Posts: 7,513
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    katejo wrote: »
    Interesting. You must have had previous symptoms such as pain in your knee. Had you declared them to the insurer?

    One of the medical conditions declared was arthritis as it had been diagnosed 8 years earlier from an X ray.
    However I did not have drugs, patches, resurfaced joints, walking aids etc- all on the health questionnaire. ...... and yes , of course I had pain! but I struggled on.
    'Good' knee started playing up so I asked for an X ray- but for both knees. Then referred to consultant- cancelled holidays as soon as I heard what he said- and told insurers what had happened.
    Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything!
    If you found my posting helpful please hit the "Thanks" button!
    Many thanks
    -Stash busting: 337 in 2022
    Stash busting: in 2023. 120 doggy duvets, 24 shopping bags, 43 dog coats, 2 scrunchies, 10 mittens, 6 bootees, 8 glass cases, 2 A6 notebooks, 59 cards, 6 lavender bags,36 crochet angels,9 woven bones, 1 crochet knee blanket, 1 lined bag,3 owls, 88 pyramid pouches = total 420...£119.50 spent- £114.50 earned= total spend £5. Total earned for 'Dogs for Good' £546.82

    2024:23 Doggy duvets, 24 pyramid pouches, 6 hot water bottle covers, 4 knitted beanies, 1 crochet angel= 58 £61 spent!!! already
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