A pre existing condition or not?!

Lulu58

I have just started ringing round for an annual worldwide policy for myself and my partner. We are off to New York shortly and will be going long haul for Christmas.

In 2007/2008 my partner had a bad stomach bug which required hospital visits, treatment etc., but no overnight stay, inpatient and so forth. He was given the all clear summer 2008. The treatment etc took quite a toll on his body and in Sept 2008 he was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Since then he has continued to improve and had no real CFS symptoms for the best part of a year.

Is this termed as a pre existing condition for insurance purposes, ie do we have to declare it or am I making hard work out of this, ie I tend to openly tell them and let them decide what to do about it? Is it something worth covering as he is 100% better now?

Similarly, I have a couple of discs in my low back which give me grief. Every so often they flare up and I see I see an osteopath and take anti inflammatories. Occasionally I have had MRI scans to check that everything is ok, ie that the discs haven't got worse.

Again, is this termed a pre existing condition etc?

Many thanks

luci

Yes both of those would be classed as a PEMC and you should declare them and let the insurance companies decide if they are relevant or not.

Incapuppy

Yes - or rather just give the full information to the insurers and they will advise you if they will be able to cover these conditions for you.

Don't forget to declare your travelling companion's PEMCs to your insurer and vice versa, and also those of any close relatives for whom you might need to cancel/curtail a trip if they became ill.

Lulu58

Thanks for getting back to me. I was reading about PEMC on this website and it suggested that you can choose not to have things covered. What does that really mean in terms of my original post?

Incapuppy

Lulu58 wrote: »

Thanks for getting back to me. I was reading about PEMC on this website and it suggested that you can choose not to have things covered. What does that really mean in terms of my original post?

It means that if you fall ill before travel and need to cancel, or if you are ill while you are away then your insurers will be looking for any way they can to relate what is wrong with you to any prior illness so that they do not need to pay a claim.

Travelling without cover for PEMCs is extremely foolish IMHO.

zzzLazyDaisy

I have a number of pre-existing conditions - including a spinal problem and FMS (similar to CFS). All my conditions are well managed and haven't needed treatment in the past 6 months. My insurer (lloyds tsb) covers all my conditions and an annual policy is only about £60. You don't have to have a bank account with them, but you do have to phone as they have to make a note of the conditions.

For what it is worth, I would never travel without cover for my conditions - I have twice in the past had to claim for cancelled holidays, and the insurer has paid up with no problems.

Lulu58

I've just been quoted around £200 by Direct Travel which was a bit of a shock!! Now looking around for a better quote.

Thanks for the posts, much appreciated.