Declined Life and Critical Illness Cover

GBNI

My OH and I have just bought a house. We applied for life and critical illness cover from Aviva. Filled all the forms in, provided Doctor's details etc. They wrote to say they were requesting my medical records (not sure if they requested OH's)

Got a letter yesterday to say they are declining my application, but will accept my OH! Who smokes, drinks a lot more than me and has a high risk job.

I'm no sure what steps to take now or where to try to get insurance. Should I request my medical notes from the doctor? I have no life threatening conditions, but do have medical confitions but these do not affect my day to day life.

nonnatus

I would firstly request to see whatever your GP sent to Aviva to make sure it was entirely accurate!


Once you've had a good look at the Information Aviva based its decision on, you'll have a better idea of how to proceed.


Sounds like a mistake has been made somewhere...


Good Luck!

ACG

Im assuming you have either had a medical condition/have an ongoing medical condition and/or have close relatives that have had a condition which is seen as hereditary? They're not just going to decline you for the sake of it.

Did you arrange for cover through your lender or a broker? If through the lender then speak to a Mortgage or Financial Advisor, they will have more options than just the one provider so may be able to get you accepted with a different provider.

If you went through a broker, have they not tried other companies?

GBNI

I have ongoing medical conditions, but they are under control and don't affect me day to day. As far as I am aware there are no hereditary conditions within my family.

I will phone my doctor and see what they can provide.

It was the mortgage lender gave us the initial quote and then the extra forms to fill in.

I'm worried now that any premium is going to end up being sky high!

InsideInsurance

Is it your GP that manages your condition or are you under the care of a consultant?

You can ask to see a copy of the report the GP sent but they may well charge you for this - mine wanted £60 to share a copy with me (which is the same as what they can charge under the DPA for recent records)

I had a similar issue in being declined post my GP report but the insurer did say it was due to my pre-existing condition. Given my GP had to look up my medical condition and medications in the book when I registered I never had faith in him providing a knowledgeable response in the first instance.

In my situation I got my consultant to write a report in connection with the condition and submitted that to the insurer with an appeal (along with switching insurance advisor) and managed to get it to change from a decline to a tiny loading.

Still don't know what my GP wrote as I refused to pay £60 after he'd already been paid a couple of hundred to write it by the insurer

GBNI

Gp, in fact, I do not currently take medication for anything and haven't done in a long time! I am not happy about this at all I have to go to the surgery and fill in a form to request the details.

ACG

I have seen cases where a GP has completed a form but it was not the clients GP it was someone in the same surgery - they both had differing opinions on something meaning the case was declined until it was resolved. In the end it was easier to just go to a different provider.

dunstonh

I too have seen poor information supplied by GP in cases that really left the insurer no choice. I have also seen miscommunication and misreading of information. So, you cannot rule out these. In these cases, the adviser will usually get them sorted.

A bank is typically one of the most expensive ways to buy life assurance. You should seek out a local independent. Make them aware of the issues and they should be able to offer better service, hopefully get you cover and be of better value.

GBNI

Should I go on ahead and try and get quotes elsewhere then? As goodness only knows how long it will take to get the information from the doctor!

kingstreet

AIUI can Aviva write to your doctor, explaining the reasons for its decision and the doctor explains them to you.

I suggest you ask Aviva to do this, otherwise you'll come out of the doctor's still guessing.

ACG

It sounds like you went through a bank?
Speak to a broker, you may not get any better terms but its worth a try.

You may find you get premiums loaded or an exclusion for certain conditions but you will only find out once a few different providers have been tried.