Resurrecting Lapsed income protection

lily10

We have a problem - any advice would be gratefully received.
My husband is self employed and has had an income protection plan in place since 1992 with Phoenix. However, with money very tight for our family and being fit and healthy he recently let the payments lapse.
He now has a worrying health issue (a 'lump') which he has had for 2 years and not done anything about but which is now causing concern - and he needs to see a doctor about.
However, being self employed in a partnerhsip in a manual capacity we are really worried about what we will do if he cannot work.
He phoned the policy provider and apparently as it is within a year he is able to ressurect the policy - they are sending the paper work through.
Our problem is that they have told us it will be 5-6 working days to receive the paperwork and what we don't know is whether if he ressurects the policy there is likely to be a problem if he goes to the doctor straightaway.
I cannot give any further details on the policy at this point as my husband has forgotten the details and doesn't really know what he might be eligible for - this will hopefully be clearer when we get the paperwork through. He knows that letting the policy lapse has been a serious error of judgement - our immediate problem is that we are caught in this awful dilemma of wondering whether he should just go straight to the doctor - or waiting a few more days for the paperwork to arrive not really knowing whether we stand a chance of getting it back in place in the hope it might cover us.
Any advice?

kingstreet

Unfortunately, the procedure for reinstating a lapsed policy includes completion of a health questionnaire designed to weed-out the kind of thing you mention.

There will (for example) be a question about future plans to visit your GP, to which he would have to answer affirmatively. Another may ask about health conditions for which you have not yet contacted a GP.

If he fails to do so and tries to make a claim in the near future, he will find his claim under scrutiny for non-disclosure.

ACG

As above, he will have to complete a Statement of Health Questionnaire.
Of which this lump will need to be disclosed, as will any appointments.

As you will have to say he has an appointment with the GP, chances are they will prefer to await the results of that appointment before they offer anything further.

Are we talking a few months here or 1 or 2 payments? If it is less than 3 payments, i believe you can just arrange a DD to take the last x number of premiums and bring it upto date.
Based on the fact you have said they are sending out paperwork im guessing it may be more than 3 payments.

dunstonh

28 days reinstatement doesnt normally involve a health questionnaire. 29 days to 1 year usually does. After 1 year its usually lapsed with no reinstatement possible.

As mentioned above, how long has the policy gone without payment?