Travel Insurance & New Medical Condition

Blink_Eden

Hi All,

What is your experience of taking out travel insurance and then getting a new condition.

I took out an annual policy with Columbus Direct, and this week I have got a nail infection and am on anti-biotics. I am flying to Florida tomorrow so thought I better tell them in case in gets worse whilst I am away. (it is getting better so I don't think it is a problem).

They have said that it is a new condition so I have to declare it and have charged me an extra £5 on my premium.

I thought that seeing as it wasn't an exisiting condition when I took out my policy that I would be covered for it for any impact it had on my travels during the period of cover.

Is this normal practice with travel insurance?

T&C's

a) We will not pay for any claim arising directly or indirectly as a result of a medical condition (see Definitions Applicable to the Whole Policy) suffered by you, unless declared to us, agreed by us on your insurance
schedule and additional premium paid if required.
b) You must notify us immediately you become aware of any change regarding your health. We will not pay additional costs incurred following any change in medical condition, unless this has been declared to and
accepted by us in writing.
c) We will notify you in writing of any amendments to your policy conditions and advise you of any additional premium that may be required. In certain cases we may be unable to offer cover.

I assumed that a) applied to existing conditions when insurance taken out and that b) applied to new conditions. I guess c) would cover it - but what is the point in taking out insurance against things going wrong and affecting your trip if they can then turn around and say "pay more" or "we won't cover that".

:mad:

neilbond007

my experience with travel insurance is the b'stards never want to pay out.
i got an ear infection in jamaica. cost me $180 for the doctor call out charge and the medication.
insurance refused to pay. i've got private medical care at work and they paid out with no quibbles!

jonathanrichardson69

sounds a little it unfait, but if it was something much worse, and your holiday was ruined, you would be annoyed if you had not rang them about the new condition and then paid the extra fiver. in the grand scheme of it, you probably did the right thing by paying them,

lisyloo

I totally sympathise.
I don't think they should be able to make changes like this after you've taken the policy.

However if those are the rules, then you have absolutely done the right thing by informing them as you'd be covered if you couldn't fly or needed treatment.

Quentin

Blink_Eden wrote: »

Is this normal practice with travel insurance?

Virtually no 2 policies are the same.

That is why we should read the policy being offered and be sure the conditions are acceptable before they become binding!

Blink_Eden

Quentin wrote: »

Virtually no 2 policies are the same.

That is why we should read the policy being offered and be sure the conditions are acceptable before they become binding!

true, true, but I do wonder - if I had broken my leg a week before I went away, would they say that it was a new condition and that I had to pay a premium before they would cover me for cancelling my holiday?

Not going to let it get me down though, lots of sun coming my way and I will consider it a lesson learned for next time.

Quentin

Blink_Eden wrote: »

if I had broken my leg a week before I went away, would they say that it was a new condition and that I had to pay a premium before they would cover me for cancelling my holiday?

If it was an accident, then cancellation would be covered.

If it was due to an undisclosed bone condition, then the claim would be rejected. There would be no possibilty of paying an extra premium after the event!

Blink_Eden

Quentin wrote: »

If it was an accident, then cancellation would be covered.

If it was due to an undisclosed bone condition, then the claim would be rejected. There would be no possibilty of paying an extra premium after the event!

But I got my infection by accident as well, it wasn't a pre-existing condition when I took out the insurance! I'm still confused as to why some things are covered as soon as you take out your insurance, but other things aren't.

To extrapolate my "broken leg" scenario. Say I broke my leg, was recovered enough to holiday and the Dr said so. Would I have to declare this and pay an extra premium before my trip?

Don't worry Quentin, I don't expect you to have all the answers, and am not picking an argument with you, I just find it strange that if you take out insurance and then a new condition arises, they can say that you have to pay an extra premium before they will cover you for it

Quentin

Blink_Eden wrote: »

To extrapolate my "broken leg" scenario. Say I broke my leg, was recovered enough to holiday and the Dr said so. Would I have to declare this and pay an extra premium before my trip?

Yes, you would have to declare it. The extra premium would seem likely too.

You are mixing up two different sections of your policy.

1) If you break your leg just before you go, then the accident is covered under the cancellation section.

2) If you break your leg and go on holiday, then need to claim for something related to the broken leg, then the claim would be rejected unless they had agreed to accept the condition prior to your departure.

Quentin

Blink_Eden wrote: »

I just find it strange that if you take out insurance and then a new condition arises, they can say that you have to pay an extra premium before they will cover you for it

They don't all say this.

In your op you asked:

Is this normal practice with travel insurance?

To which you have had an answer.

Your policy has this condition, and you accepted that condition when you took out the policy!

Blink_Eden

Quentin wrote: »

Yes, you would have to declare it. The extra premium would seem likely too.

You are mixing up two different sections of your policy.

1) If you break your leg just before you go, then the accident is covered under the cancellation section.

2) If you break your leg and go on holiday, then need to claim for something related to the broken leg, then the claim would be rejected unless they had agreed to accept the condition prior to your departure.

I see where you are coming from, and I have no problem with declaring it, but it is the "extra premium" part that bugs me. In the example above I don't see why you should pay an extra premium because you happened to break your leg before the trip.

I have taken out insurance to cover me against incurring unexpected costs whilst on holiday. As this infection was unexpected and not pre-existing, I expected it to be covered.

Apparently if I had caught my infection whilst on holiday then I would have been covered for all costs during my holiday without any change to my premium, but because I caught it before my holiday (although still during the period for which I was covered), then I cannot claim for any costs during my holiday without paying an extra premium.

Another scenario: If I had the infection and the Dr said you can go, but you will have to visit a Dr whilst you are out there, otherwise I advise you to cancel - would I have to pay the extra premium if I went, but pay no extra premium if I cancelled and get to invoke the cancellation?

(Cheers for your input Quentin, it is good to have people show you the other side of the argument )