Travel Insurance - when do you have to contact them if you need hosp treatment?

Tunstallstoven

Hi all

Promise to make this my last travel insurance post!

I wondered how much they differ in their terms and conditions with regards to what you have to do if you are injured and need hospital treatment? Are they all pretty much the same or do they differ widely? I've read reviews and forum threads where people have said they were injured, went to hospital, and then weren't covered because they did not contact the insurer at the time of the injury. Obviously if an injury is bad, getting on the phone to you insurer is not likely to be the first thing that springs to mind!!!

Are some providers better than others with regards to this?

Many thanks

Max

Voyager2002

I think they all expect you to contact them so that they can approve hospital treatment and assure the hospital that the bill will be paid.

hollydays

One thing I found was-get a medical certificate from the hospital while you are there, as getting one afterwards can be very problematic . The insurance company will do very little until they get this proof.Some hospitals will only releas it to the person in person, as they're not permitted by data protection to do otherwise( so I was told)

NiftyDigits

There is usually an amount after which you need to contact them. I think mine states £500. So anything below that, you just need to keep receipts and evidence and submit them for a claim.

Tunstallstoven

Thanks for the replies.... Very helpful.

I'm just reading through a couple of policy documents... They don't like to make things easy. And they certainly have their fair share of ifs and buts!!! Not that I would expect anything different from an insurance firm, it's just a bit a reality check when you read through it properly.

PeacefulWaters

I paid $2,300 for emergency dental treatment in Nevada.

My insurer refused to pay because they didn't authorise it.

Always ring first.

nirajn123

In my experience, you can go to the hospital but will need insurance claim handler to authorise treatment before the treatment can be started.

My son fractured his hand while on holiday in Sharm last year, hotel staff were really helpful, they arranged for us to take to the hospital, after some initial checks and an X-Ray (it was quite evident that he had broken his arm), they took me to their billing department who called the insurance agent - I did all the identification etc (she explained that I do not start any treatment until she is finished with paperwork) after which point they asked me to hand it over to the hospital staff who faxed them all the documents - including estimates etc after which point the claim handler spoke to me to talk through the usual about excess etc, confirmed and faxed the authorisation and then the treatment started - took only 30 mins or so.

In my case the hotel staff was very helpful - it was a Hilton - and were expert in handling minor accidents like these, they may even get a cut from the hospital, whom they knew very well - but to be fair to them a senior staff came with us (we had an entourage of 3 cars) and stayed until late into night and left his mobile number - he followed it through with us until we reached London.

paddyrg

I think it'll matter more if you're somewhere like the US where the hospitals take the mickey. If you're based somewhere for a while, look up the good hospitals before you go - we ended up at some very grotty place when my Mrs was ill because we hadn't researched and ended up at the nearest.

nirajn123

I don't see how it matters to hospital as to who pays, in fact it is better for them if it is the insurance co. - US hospitals should particularly be better at dealing with claims as this is the norm for them

hollydays

NiftyDigits wrote: »

There is usually an amount after which you need to contact them. I think mine states £500. So anything below that, you just need to keep receipts and evidence and submit them for a claim.

Although for example, if you had to b picked up by ambulance, you wouldn't necessarily know what that would cost?