Insurer using a non disclosed pre existing condition to reject an unrelated claim

katejo

I am checking possible holiday insurance policies at the moment and will have to declare pre existing conditions. In one case, the website states that failure to declare a condition will cause them to refuse the first £5000 of any payout whatever the reason. I would understand this if the payout were related to the condition but is this legal if they aren't connected eg. someone fails to declare migraine attacks and then develops appendicitis abroad? I

Are there any reviews of holiday insurers which actually give feedback on the insurer's willingness to pay out? I only ever find ones from customers who haven't actually needed to claim!

agrinnall

Just declare any conditions and then you don't need to worry about it. I don't know why people try to overcomplicate things.

leylandsunaddict

Declare everything in line with the medical questions they ask then you've no need to worry. Once declared you can then decline cover if you want to. Your policy will be endorsed with what you've declared and have covered, and what you've declared and declined cover for.

bluenoseam

agrinnall wrote: »

Just declare any conditions and then you don't need to worry about it. I don't know why people try to overcomplicate things.

Because there are people in this world who do not wish to pay the price of insurance for what they have - admittedly because in some cases it's laughable, but most are just too cheap. For the most part that'll never be a problem, but when it does become a problem they're often the ones kicking up a fuss about it.

You're asked routinely on travel insurance documents if you have any or have had any medical conditions - honestly it's that simple, if you say no when you have, you've lied, period.

Voyager2002

katejo wrote: »

I am checking possible holiday insurance policies at the moment and will have to declare pre existing conditions. In one case, the website states that failure to declare a condition will cause them to refuse the first £5000 of any payout whatever the reason. I would understand this if the payout were related to the condition but is this legal if they aren't connected eg. someone fails to declare migraine attacks and then develops appendicitis abroad? I

Are there any reviews of holiday insurers which actually give feedback on the insurer's willingness to pay out? I only ever find ones from customers who haven't actually needed to claim!

That website is unusually generous... when you take out insurance you declare that you have given details of all relevant information (including previous conditions), and if you are found to have lied then the insurance is invalid. So in that situation, most companies would refuse to pay out anything, for whatever reason, and the law allows this.

Yes: some reviews do tell you how claims were handled.

rustyboy21

At the end of the day, They are a business, you approach them, for cover for emergencies, they give you a price( which is a fraction of what they would pay out if you needed the cover) and you accept it. They can decline, so can you. If you have lied to them, why should they help you, you wouldn't help someone else.

If you want cover for peace of mind, then declare everything to them. Yes the chance is that your premium will go up, but if you fall ill whilst away, you will be covered. Or decline cover for that illness, keep the premium down and cover the payment if you have an issue whilst away yourself.

Otherwise, keep your mouth shut, fall ill whilst away, but don't expect the taxpayer to pay for you, when for a few quid, you would have peace of mind.

I know what I do, have an easy life, not evading the issue by lying.

PeacefulWaters

Is it legal? Until somebody challenges it legally (unfair contracts legislation), yes.

beedeedee

Your GP can provide a list of medical "events" in your life.....if you can't remember.
I have often wondered though, if you've had something like a gall bladder removed, or a hysterectomy etc and therefore no longer have a "condition", do you need to declare these? sorry these are poor examples....Say you've had some problem, which has been fixed and is unlikely to recur - should you still declare it?

meer53

beedeedee wrote: »

Your GP can provide a list of medical "events" in your life.....if you can't remember.
I have often wondered though, if you've had something like a gall bladder removed, or a hysterectomy etc and therefore no longer have a "condition", do you need to declare these?

I bought travel insurance last week. I had my gall bladder removed last year. I answered all the medical screening questions, i have hypertension and osteoarthritis, there were no questions about previous operations so i never mentioned my gall bladder. As it's been removed, i don't expect the have any problems with it !

bluenoseam

beedeedee wrote: »

Your GP can provide a list of medical "events" in your life.....if you can't remember.
I have often wondered though, if you've had something like a gall bladder removed, or a hysterectomy etc and therefore no longer have a "condition", do you need to declare these? sorry these are poor examples....Say you've had some problem, which has been fixed and is unlikely to recur - should you still declare it?

Yes, you do. As much as there's no likely chance of anything happening related to those events, there exists the chance that secondary factors stemming from them will. So for example I've had certain treatment for a condition that's fully cured & signed off on, however it affects areas of my body which can have catastrophic effects. For all that medical condition is no longer a factor in my day to day life, the side effects of getting there are & as a result I must declare it or risk voiding my insurance. Say I was in Paris & some eejit casually decides to crash into the taxi I'm in I could be in serious trouble - so it's best to declare it.

Other conditions, so for example I've had an ingrown toenail are the types of conditions they're not bothered about, but I'd say anything requiring hospitalisation would do. (For these purposes hospitalisation is more than 24hrs spent in hospital)

EssexExile

meer53 wrote: »

I bought travel insurance last week. I had my gall bladder removed last year. I answered all the medical screening questions, i have hypertension and osteoarthritis, there were no questions about previous operations so i never mentioned my gall bladder. As it's been removed, i don't expect the have any problems with it !

I cancelled my holiday last year because of my gallbladder, the insurance company happily paid out (well, perhaps not happily). In August I had it removed, I'm now getting pain again where my gallbladder used to be! That's going to be an interesting conversation with the insurers next time!