Florida Medical & Travel Insurance Info B4 You Go!

stingyscot

Such useful info, thank you. We were planning a trip to SW Florida, as we have done many times in the past, but were deterred because of anxiety about medical insurance. There has been so much in the press about insurers refusing to pay out as a result of an unrelated and long-past 'pre-condition' unintentionally undeclared - do you have to state every single visit to a GP, even for, say, athletes' foot or a sprained ankle? I am terrified that I may inadvertently forget some trivial ailment, and in the event of a claim the insurance company will trawl through my medical records and use it as an excuse not to pay for a totally unrelated event.

traceya89

Thanks for a very informative posting. Very useful for people who visit Florida regularly.

Boro_zz

zolablue25 wrote: »

Hi FH Brit

I notice that you have made no mention of AA insurance (the car people!). Is this because you don't have any experience of them (which could be a good thing) ? We always get our travel insurance from them

The AA is a broker, so you need to check the actual insurance company on the policy.

supermum4

Hi FH Brit how does columbus direct fare, do you have any dealings with them? hopefully not lol thanks

Chr155yc

Thanks F H Brit.

We go to Florida on a regular basis and last year we insured ourselves with Marks & Spencers. Are they a good one, if not we will change when it comes up for renewal.

Keep up the good work.

Angelina1

Hi

We go to Orlando about 2 times in a year. The insurance information you have given is invaluable. Thank you for all the information. Could you please give your opinion on AIG (American International Group) as they are now the new underwriters for Direct Travel Insurance. Our annual family policy is up for renewal for Direct Travel Insurance and am now looking for new Annual insurance.

Thank you

smevs

Hi FH Brit

This has been a most interesting and informative thread so thankyou for that !!

We're already booked to visit Florida in October 2009 (can't come soon enough) and I took out an annual £40 travel insurance only yesterday (doh !) with Columbus Direct. Primarily this was to cover us against cancellation etc for our flights and villa (just in case) but I guess, from what you've said, I probably need to review that this time next year when it comes to selecting a policy that covers our actual holiday.

I'm interested in your response to the question on how trivial a 'condition' should be to be declared, or do we just give the insurers all of the information and let them decide ?

Also, in your experience, (hope you don't mind me asking but .....) who would you buy your travel insurance from if you were travelling from the UK ??

Thanks again !!

equityman

We had an experience with the hospital at Weston.Florida last January 07 when my wife had a gallstone slip out and drop into the bile duct causing sickness and immense pain.This was half way through a 2 week cruise around the Caribbean for our 40th wedding anniversary and fortunately the ship docked at Florida ....the next stop was a desert island ....when the ship's doctor suggested she go to a hospital for a check up on this bad pain like severe indigestion as Gaviscon and tablets didn't do anything! She was admitted to a ward room at the Clinic after various scans ,xrays etc and tests showed this 1/2 inch gallstone lodged in the pipework .A procedure done the next day to push it through was successful ! She was in 3 days and the surgeon was about to remove the gallbladder in a couple of days - which we refused to have in USA as my wife could get home to Uk for an NHS job. I had to vacate the ship quickly with suitcases to a hotel for the duration and make several phone calls to the insurance company in UK and to home to get latest GP's notes faxed to the insurance company.My phone bill at the end of the week came to £200 and the hotel was £300 .I had to pay for flights back to UK at £1200, Food and taxis in Florida came to £200.The insurance didn't payout for any of this or the hospital bills which amounted to £14500.00 (after negotiated discounts with the chief cashier!!!) as my wife had been to the GP with pain something similar the month before! I paid the USA hospital bills to two separate USA banks - each bank cash transmission costing about £16 a time.This nightmare was finally over after about 8months as we were in dispute with the insurance company - finally going to the FSA ombudsman who got the cruise fare re embursed only .
My advice is tell the insurance company who you are insured with of any pre existing conditions before going abroad.It may or may not help your claim - as we all know they will not pay if they can help it!

FH_Brit

LizardKing

Try - britishflorida.com or ujnews.com - both good info.

Do not get travel insurance you'll need an ex-pat policy - most insurers do these - travel insurance will not cover you for permanent immigration.

check that the shippers have good enough cover for your property and that it covers until delivery/pick up not just for the sea freight part of the journey

FH_Brit

Zolablue25

The AA is not an insurance company - their insurance is arranged by Drakefield Insurance and their assistance company is Intergroup Claims Services Ltd in Farnham - both I have dealt with and are good policies and reasonable at claim handling.