Travel Insurance refusing to payout

squirrelsey

Hi guys,

I am being pursued for medical expenses after I broke my finger in the states and my travel insurance is refusing to pay. I wonder if anyone can give me some advice on what my rights are regarding the matter.

The story is as follows, last year I went over to the States for initially 6 weeks, staying with a good friend of mine who lives over there. I decided to extend my stay by a few more weeks. I tried to extend my travel insurance policy but found out it easier to just take out another policy with a different company instead.

Unfortunately not long after this point I had a silly accident (nothing more than tripping up in the apartment) and managed to break my finger doing it. I got my finger checked out etc at the hospital there, they gave me a splint and sent me on my way.

On my return to the UK I found out from my travel insurance that they had decided not to pay for the medical treatment. There reason for this is that in their terms and conditions the policy is only valid if it is taken out before the policy holder has reached their destination.

So now I am left with a bill of around $2k and I am being pursued by a company called credit suisse.

I wish to fight the insurance company’s decision not to pay as I feel they have no good reason not to. Does anybody know what my rights are and how to go about this?

Thanks, Mike

GwylimT

I would think that they are well within their rights to uphold the terms and conditions of their policies, I'm sorry but this is most likely a lesson for you to read what you are actually paying for.

On a holiday in my early twenties my mate broke his leg without having travel insurance, this was before emergency departments were legally obliged to treat those without insurance as well.

jackieblack

GwylimT wrote: »

I would think that they are well within their rights to uphold the terms and conditions of their policies

I agree.
These are standard t&c on most travel ins policies AFAIK, in fact the only one I've heard of that allows you to take out while already overseas is worldnomads.com

Presumably you agreed to the t&c when you bought the policy?

dacouch

The vast vast majority of travel policies which have a definition of "Trip" to be along the lines of when you leave the UK until you return.

If you take out cover after you've left the UK then the policy is not normally valid. hence the refusal of your claim

marliepanda

They have every good reason. You broke the terms and conditions. Same with every insurance policy.

Yes many will try to get out of paying out, but this is handing them a reason on a plate. A perfectly reasonable one.

Valli

Would the OP be able to get a refund of the premium paid?

(just wondering)

katejo

Valli wrote: »

Would the OP be able to get a refund of the premium paid?

(just wondering)

I suppose it depends on whether he told the new insurer that he was already abroad when he took the policy out. What was the reason for refusal to extend the original policy?

mattyprice4004

So you took insurance out, didn't read the terms and conditions and now want to complain because you didn't stick to the terms of the policy?

An expensive lesson - but it's an important lesson nonetheless. Next time read everything though before passing your money over.

pinkshoes

If you phoned them up to take out insurance and specifically told them that you were already abroad, then they need to cough up.

if you didn't, it was up to you to read the t&cs...

visidigi

I go on holiday...no insurance... I fall over and injure my finger. Its painful, but bearable...I take out insurance and then go to the emergency department.

I get treated, and I go home.

when looked at from that perspective can you see why insurance policies by default don't allow you to apply when you are already there?

Sorry, but you tried to save a buck instead of extending a policy which would have covered you.

As for Credit Suisse...big financial organisation...the sort of organisation that aren't going to take lightly to you not paying.

squirrelsey

Thanks for the advice guys.

The annoying thing is that I did read through the T&Cs but somehow missed that the bit about having to still be in the UK (I was too busy checking that they would cover me for any accidents caused when skiing) but I do feel that they should have made it more clear.

I was already a few weeks into the new policy when the accident happened so it should be obvious that I wasn’t trying to con them.

Does anyone have any experience dealing with credit suisse? If i have no choice but to pay for the medical cost then fair be it. However they are demanding payment now and I am not in a position to afford it at the minute.

I know it’s not much but can I claim a refund on the policy? As technically they have sold me something that is not valid.