Saga cancelled annual travel insurance.

Boohoo

Hello.

My 71 year old dad has a yearly travel insurance with Saga and renewed it again in April this year.
He is on the same medication for 3 years and has had no other illness apart from what he has delclared to saga so there is no change there.
Well he has booked and paid for a 10 night holiday in Majorca in October. Last week he got bad cold which was hard to shift so went to his GP and told him he has a chest infection and gave him anti-biotics.
The tabs are working so in conversation with a mate 2 days ago he was told he should tell his insurance of any changes.
He called them yesterday and after going through his details the bloke told him that the computer came back saying he is ok to go in October as it has been paid for but when he lands back in the UK his insurance will be cancelled. The bloke was very miffed why a chest infection would void his policy and he said if my dad had gone away and not told them and anything happened he would not of been covered.
Has this thing happened to anybody else and what can he do to another policy with somebody else as he has now been turned down by 1 company.
Vince.

Quentin

He needs to get them to confirm in writing why they have taken this action then take it from there.

If unhappy he can appeal and escalate that via their complaints procedure.

Buzby

It is pretty unfortunate, but as he's now hit 70, underwriters are unwilling to accommodate travellers due to the higher risk factor. Add to this the double whammy of having to disclose that he has had both insurance cancelled AND had insurance refused he will have to persevere in finding replacement cover.

He will probably not be able to purchase an annual policy, but he should be able to purchase standard term insurance covering him for 7-28 days whilst out the country (provided of course, he doesn't go skiing!).

Quentin

Buzby wrote: »

It is pretty unfortunate, but as he's now hit 70, underwriters are unwilling to accommodate travellers due to the higher risk factor........

Ignore this ill informed doom.

(Saga don't have upper age limits)

Whatever the reason (which he needs to find out) it won't be age!

Boohoo

Thank you for replying.

Buzby as for being 70 or over he has had an annual travel policy with Saga for 3 years and was 71 when he renewed/took out his policy in April.
He will wait till next monday before he rings them as his course of anti-biotics will end and he should be ok. We just wanted some advice on what to do or say to them when he rings up as we are dumbfounded as why a chest infection would make them cancel the policy. Will he get some of his money back as the lad said ring back after his holiday and "discuss" the matter as he was not sure.

Vince

burntcookie

Buzby wrote: »

He will probably not be able to purchase an annual policy, but he should be able to purchase standard term insurance covering him for 7-28 days whilst out the country (provided of course, he doesn't go skiing!).

There are many travel insurance providers that now offer annual travel insurance with no upper age limits so he will be able to find cover.

If Saga do cancel the policy after his holiday in October, try Free Spirit as they cover most medical conditions. https://www.freespirittravelinsurance.com

emmell

I am interested to know, if you do have yearly travel insurance, do you have to inform the insurance co. everytime you you feel ill and visit the Dr?

ML.

Quentin

When you have an annual policy you have to give the "declaration" regarding any existing conditions at the commencement of the policy (or renewal) and when booking each trip.

jonesMUFCforever

emmell wrote: »

I am interested to know, if you do have yearly travel insurance, do you have to inform the insurance co. everytime you you feel ill and visit the Dr?

ML.

Most travel policies will have a list of ailments that you do not have to declare.
Problems arise when a new condition could have an adverse reaction on an existing condition.
If not sure always ask is my motto.

Boohoo

Hi all.

Just to update you on a few things.

My dad went on holiday and had a great time.
He called Saga yesterday and asked about them when/why they are cancelling his policy and was told that they have not cancelled it but as he had a chest infection it related to his heart somehow and as he has angina that was why there was a problem with the policy.
After asking why his policy was to be cancelled he was told that is not and never was to be cancelled but all his existing medical conditions that he declared when taken out the policy through the screening process will not be covered from the day he 1st called them about the chest infection which was before the holiday started so while he was on holiday he was not fully covered but she told him that if had been hit by a car he would bee covered as long as he didn't have an angina attack and fall in the road he was covered.
He was never told all this when he rang them to tell of the chest infection so he was not happy. As for the policy it is still valid for the next few months but will not cover him for what he has delclared to them and if he wants to he can cancel and get a refund on unsed part as he is not going away again for 4/5 months i think he should cancel.
The moral of all this i think is check with the insurance company as it could have been a very expensive way of finding out you are not covered.

Boohoo

dacouch

Boohoo wrote: »

Hi all.

Just to update you on a few things.

My dad went on holiday and had a great time.
He called Saga yesterday and asked about them when/why they are cancelling his policy and was told that they have not cancelled it but as he had a chest infection it related to his heart somehow and as he has angina that was why there was a problem with the policy.
After asking why his policy was to be cancelled he was told that is not and never was to be cancelled but all his existing medical conditions that he declared when taken out the policy through the screening process will not be covered from the day he 1st called them about the chest infection which was before the holiday started so while he was on holiday he was not fully covered but she told him that if had been hit by a car he would bee covered as long as he didn't have an angina attack and fall in the road he was covered.
He was never told all this when he rang them to tell of the chest infection so he was not happy. As for the policy it is still valid for the next few months but will not cover him for what he has delclared to them and if he wants to he can cancel and get a refund on unsed part as he is not going away again for 4/5 months i think he should cancel.
The moral of all this i think is check with the insurance company as it could have been a very expensive way of finding out you are not covered.

Boohoo

Assuming the medical condition occurred after he had taken cover AND after he had booked a holiday AND he had declared all required medical conditions when he took out cover.

In the above circumstances, Saga would have either had to offer cover or if the wanted to cancel cover eg they did not want to offer cover then they would have had to pay any cancellation costs he incurred due to cancelling the holiday.

Thats what the Ombudsman rules they should do in these circumstances prior to travelling. As you father had been away and they had not offered either of the above. Then my opinion is the Ombudsman would have ruled Saga would have had to honour any claims from the policy as they had not offered cancellation with your fathers holiday cancellation costs paid.