Travel Insurance - Pre-Existing Condition

tony_cluedo

If you get travel insurance and do not specify a pre-existing condition are you still covered for everything else medical bar should something happen with that condition?

My wife takes thyroid tablets for an under-active thyroid. If she doesn't take them nothing much happens she just would put on weight gradually. If that is not mentioned is she still covered for all other medical conditions not related?

InsideInsurance

It depends on the policy. Some simply state all pre-existing conditions aren't covered and dont ask that you declare them in which case you're correct.

Some policies give you the option of providing cover for pre-existing but you must declare them. When you do they will tell you what the additional premium is and its up to you if you include it for the AP or decide to have it excluded and pay the standard rate. Not all conditions attract an AP, both mine and my wifes dont impact our travel insurance at all but must be declared on this type of policy

tony_cluedo

I had been looking at Coverwise and they don't seem to offer an option. You declare the condition and an additional premium is applied.

I am right in thinking then that if I got a policy that didn't cover pre-existing conditions or I didn't declare one then if something happens with that pre-existing condition then I'm not covered but if I fell and broke my leg or had a heart attack etc then I would be covered?

InsideInsurance

Not declaring it on a policy that you should would place you on ropey grounds. If you got away with claiming it was an accidental non-disclosure then they could charge you the AP but would have to pay the claim. If they believe its an intentional non-disclosure then they could attempt to void the policy as fraudulent even if the claim was unrelated which they may or may not get away with.

Looking at the coverwise website I see that they dont do their pre-existing conditions screening online. When you speak to them you should ask about the option of excluding cover for the pre-existing conditions to avoid the AP.

I happen to get my travel insurance "free" with 2 of my bank accounts and 1 of my credit cards. None of the companies had issues with my conditions but 2 of them wanted an AP for one of my wifes conditions but both were happy to include or exclude them (no AP if excluded)

Coverwise is underwritten by Axa and certainly Axa are willing to do excluded pre-existing (though that doesnt necessarily mean that coverwise are willing to and as they sell the policy it must meet both companies criteria)

tony_cluedo

I ended up going with American Express. They added the under-active thyroid for 6.99. Others were looking for over £30.

I think that's a limitation of the comparison sites that could catch people out. When I clicked on most of them it went striaght to a payment page with no mention of medical screening. People might just pay without realising they weren't covered for particular things.

Each company seems to offer slightly different cover that could slip you up. Car insurance seems a lot easier but maybe I'm just used to that that now.

InsideInsurance

tony_cluedo wrote: »

Each company seems to offer slightly different cover that could slip you up. Car insurance seems a lot easier but maybe I'm just used to that that now.

Car insurance is a relatively basic product and so more suitable for aggregation. The most common problem with Car is the fact that the aggregators only ask for post manufacture modifications to the car where as some insurers (eg Admiral who own Confused.com) want all optional extras declared too

katejo

tony_cluedo wrote: »

If you get travel insurance and do not specify a pre-existing condition are you still covered for everything else medical bar should something happen with that condition?

My wife takes thyroid tablets for an under-active thyroid. If she doesn't take them nothing much happens she just would put on weight gradually. If that is not mentioned is she still covered for all other medical conditions not related?

My brother and I both have the same condition (since birth). I have always declared it (I think he has too) but the insurers tend not to add anything to the price. They might just ask if the medication has been altered in the past year/whether it is regularly monitored by a GP.