? over pre-existing conditions - any loopholes?

jones78

Hi everyone
REALLY need some advice, I have free BUPA cover with work, and recently had to have a hopsital test done. When I phoned them, they said as I'd only been with the scheme a couple of months I would need to have a full medical report done, and assessment of whether or not I was eligible.
The test I was having was partly related to a pre-existing condition from last year, and I had experienced symptoms before my cover began- therefore according to the policay rules, likely to be not 'eligible'. I couldn't be bothered with the hassle of getting doctors report etc and ended up just booking it myself - and forking out £700!!

Are there any policies that allow for pre-existing conditions? It's not a serious condition I have, but something had a minor op. for last year. I may need to have this minor op repeated this year and I'd been keen to find out ways I can save money if I have private treatment.

Please help!

Thanks for reading
M.Jones

*MF*

Hi ... I may be wrong, so wait and hopefully other members will reply as well

- but to the best of my knowledge it is likely that you will face the "pre-existing" hurdle wherever you look - it is not that one cannot clear the hurdle in many cases, it depends on the nature of the condition, it depends on treatment received, on how long ago the treatment was given etc etc - and obtaining details of your past medical history and potentially a full medical is the process used to decide - whether you have cleared it or not.

rheme

Hi

Suggest you check what level of cover you have got. They do differ and I understand that pre-existing medical conditions is one of them, along with level of excess, amount paid for each night in a NHS hospital.

BUPA do offer cover for pre-existing medical conditions and it may be that you could pay the extra to increase yours.

Suggest you talk to your employer and give BUPA a call.

Also if you are having any treatment and you do have an excess on your policy make sure that the period of time covering the treatment does not fall when the policy is renewed otherwise you will have to pay the excess twice (once for one claim year and once for the following claim year).

Good luck.

jones78

Hi both
Thanks for your replies, I may give BUPA a ring then and see if I could pay an additional amount for pre-existing cover. I didn't realise I could do that, it just seems to me to be a get out clause for these companies to not fork out any cash! Will keep you posted on what happens...
Jones78

davidxxuk

Hi, can you tell me what the outcome was? Did bupa cover you for pre-existing?

girl-in-a-hat

jones78 wrote: »

Hi both
Thanks for your replies, I may give BUPA a ring then and see if I could pay an additional amount for pre-existing cover. I didn't realise I could do that, it just seems to me to be a get out clause for these companies to not fork out any cash! Will keep you posted on what happens...
Jones78

Hi Jones,

I'd be very suprised if BUPA allowed you to make additional payment - if they do, it'll be a fairly hefty payment as the policies that accept pre-existing conditions are the most expensive because of the higher risk for the insurer.

Most corporate schemes have a moratorium style underwriting which means that you can't claim for any pre-existing conditions until you've held the policy for a certain amount of time, often 2 years so you may be able to claim for pre-existing conditions at some point.

HTH

G-I-A-H

Brize

davidxxuk wrote: »

Hi, can you tell me what the outcome was? Did bupa cover you for pre-existing?

It's unlikely that the OP will report back now given that the original post dates from 2008, but I can tell you that Bupa would not have covered the pre-existing condition, even for a loaded premium.

girl-in-a-hat wrote: »

Most corporate schemes have a moratorium style underwriting which means that you can't claim for any pre-existing conditions until you've held the policy for a certain amount of time, often 2 years

It's a little more complicated than that. In order for a pre-existing condition to regain eligibility for benefit under a moratorium, it needs to go for a continuous two-year period without presenting symptoms or requiring advice, treatment or medication. There is one fixed two-year moratorium available on the market, but it's subject to eligibility criteria.

Medical insurance is a complex product and should always be bought with specialist advice.

cds333

l am experiencing a similar problem of a claim being rejected because of the pre-existing condition get out clause.

l moved employers and my new employers was late setting adding me to their policy- 2 months. My old employers policy was full eg no pre-existing get out and but new employers was not.

Despite expert medical opinion that it is not l have had to refer to Financial Ombudsman which has taken 10 months so far! An agent of Financial Ombudsman suggest to BUPA a a settlement and found in my favour. BUPA have appealed this therefore we await the main/senior decision.

Crazy given that the clock is ticking regarding inconvenince and further costs of fixing the problem.

One observation - l may be wrong but isn't BUPA saving lot of potential costs hiding behind the pre exisiting condition get out. Even if the Fin Omb. rewards in claimaints favour they have still saved the costs of the claimaints NHS bills. Talking with the Fin Oms office they don't reimburse the NHS!!