Travel Insurance, pre-existing conditions. HELP!

lr1277

I have 3 or 4 pre-existing conditions and I mentioned them all when I got the insurance. It was from John Lewis and was about £140 for an annual policy (for a single man). They also cover problems around the ash clouds.
I chose John Lewis partly because they are very good to deal with.
Their policy is underwritten by Axa so you could also try them.

The problem you have with not declaring the existing conditions, say your mother trips and falls, then the information about the operation comes out, the insurance company will try to get out of paying on the basis the fall may have been an after-effect of the operation. Then you will be liable for all bills and so be prepared to sell your house/assets.

So whilst you might think the trip was nothing to do with any of your mother's previous conditions, the insurance company will link the two situations together and try to get out of paying on the basis you didn't tell them.

huckster

clkaz wrote: »

thanks, shes 43 so not eligible for ageuk, free spirit want £400 :eek:

comumbus direct was £60 with medical conditions covered but they have terrible reviews.

But atleast they are covering the medicals, rather than going without the cover. As long as the info declared is totally accurate, then I cannot see a problem. Columbus underwrite many policies, so will get some bad reviews. Not many people go online to praise companies.

Where problems happen with Travel Insurance for pre-existing medicals, is where the doctors records do not match what has been declared. It would probably be a good idea for her to get hold of a copy of her records with her GP and hospital docs. This would be useful to know whenever she talks to anyone regarding medical history.

bishop_stoke

Our daughter has a congenital heart problem (or rather had one) that has been corrected by surgery. We tried several of the big names, including Post Office but they all either wanted to send her for a medical or just quoted ridiculous prices for cover.

Having looked on the British Heart Foundation's website we were directed to call Orbis Insurance Services, 01424 220110 who are charging £49.00 for all 3 of us (daughter/my partner/myself). Thats for a two week holiday in Spain. We used them last year as well. Orbis are just the broker, the policy is through Tokyo Marine and specialize in people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Hope thats useful.

clkaz

bishop_stoke wrote: »

Our daughter has a congenital heart problem (or rather had one) that has been corrected by surgery. We tried several of the big names, including Post Office but they all either wanted to send her for a medical or just quoted ridiculous prices for cover.

Having looked on the British Heart Foundation's website we were directed to call Orbis Insurance Services, 01424 220110 who are charging £49.00 for all 3 of us (daughter/my partner/myself). Thats for a two week holiday in Spain. We used them last year as well. Orbis are just the broker, the policy is through Tokyo Marine and specialize in people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Hope thats useful.

cheers, I will check them out!

Also, see when claiming, do we deal with the broker or the policy people?
i.e. if i was to get insurance via john lewis, would i be dealing with axa or john lewis in the event of a claim?

lr1277

I have never made a claim on my travel insurance, but unless told otherwise, I would claim through the people from whom you bought the policy, whether that be John Lewis or Orbis.

janarchy

My mother, 75, managed to get travel insurance, with pre existing conditions, to cover trip which begins next week, Thursday. She took insurance out February, cover starts after the cooling off period. In March, a routine clinic for one of those conditions, peripheral vascular, revealed the need for an operation (specialist reckoned earlier angiogram pre bypass e had blocked one artery, as the block was so localised and everything leading to it so nice and clear,and he operated about two weeks later. This is not an "unplanned" hospital admission as it has risen from a routine clinic check. We kept insurers in the loop, because any change of circumstances must be notified, and were told that exclusions would be likely, but to get back once procedure complete and outcome known. Usual long delay in recall to the clinic but the upshot she is now declared vascular disease free , fit to travel, letter signed by consultant, and procedure 100 per cent successful. :j
However, when we called insurers, All Clear, we were told they could not cover her now to travel, via an Avanti policy, as the hospital admission had weighted it against her. They could not refund the insurance paid,some £140, as she had been covered since it was taken out. Would they cover her with other pre existing(ie not peripheral vascular) included ? No. For anything else, loss of luggage, tripping up, mugging? No. Any money back at all? No. However, All Clear, which stresses it is not a broker, but avanti is one of its suppliers, said it would see if it (ie all clear) could cover my mum. The rep, who had consulted her supervisor throughout, and also claimed to have talked to avanti, too, then quoted £580 for single trip with pre existing covered, and £180 for not covering pre existing conditions.
My mum's off to see her son next week, so it's not like a formal holiday (ie cancel a hotel, flight etc,) but a celebration of his 50th. I would still be travelling so we can't cancel the apartment. If she cancelled her side of the hol (and this was never even mentioned as an option by the insurer as a result of what happened) the most she would get back is her flight but.... she's 75 so the excess is £150 which negates that, too.
So it's lose the insurance money paid, and get no cover at all, or fork out close to £600 for a fresh policy? She pointed out it would be easier for her to pay for him to come over, put him up in a top hotel,:rotfl:and then throw in a couple of hundred spending money, and she'd still be better off than buying that policy, or having a damn good week here in Britain.
They said they would ask avanti again if there was anything that could be done. But here's the thing: you ring any of the numbers quoted in the so called avanti policy and they all pick up with the words "All Clear insurance services." I finally found avanti's number proper and she called it yesterday and they had no record of her policy because, as the rep said, all clear act on a franchise basis, so details would not necessarily relay back to Avanti. She tried to help but the conditions still ruled my mum out for cover, So, as a result of a procedure which has improved her health , considerably, insurers wont cover her. These policies dont seem to be worth the paper they are printed on. YOu hear constantly of declaring all conditions, updating all developments, and it's all in the interests of the insurers, not the clients.

huckster

It is all a bit late now to try to resolve this. The Insurers represented by Allclear obviously believe the risk of travelling is too high, based on the information they have. I suspect that even if it were possible for them to consider a full report from her consultant, this would not be done before Thursday.

It is true that they don't have to refund the premium and there is nothing in your post to say that Allclear have done anything wrong. But I can understand your frustration about the current situation.

I think unless you can submit a full consultants report to Allclear (for further consideration) or another Insurer to obtain the full cover at a reasonable cost, it may be better for him to come over. I don't think it would be sensible to travel without getting full medical cover.

christabella7

My son has a heart condition and I've always used Columbus Direct. Thankfully he's never needed to claim, (touch wood!) so I can't comment on that.

huckster

christabella7 wrote: »

My son has a heart condition and I've always used Columbus Direct. Thankfully he's never needed to claim, (touch wood!) so I can't comment on that.

Claiming is often the problem. If any Insurer finds out that the medical information provided differs from what is on the patients record held by GP or consultant, then this can prove to be an issue. It is therefore extremely important that anyone declaring medical issues is 100% accurate. If in doubt, it is advised to obtain a copy of patient records, to reduce the risk of providing inaccurate information.

christabella7

What happens if you claim for something else e.g. a broken arm or something that has no connection with a pre existing medical condition? Would that be a problem?