Re. holiday medical insurance/Insure & Go's refusal to define 'Treatment'

DomRavioli

katejo wrote: »

There is no need to be so disagreeable and rude. My query with the insurer was perfectly reasonable given that another insurer had made a clear distinction between monitoring medication and 'treatment'. I received a further email from them today to confirm this. The condition which I asked about is hereditary. I have always needed to take the medication and have it monitored but no other treatment is required.
It is crazy that someone who doesn't bother to have their medication reviewed doesn't need to declare the condition because they have had no hospital appointments in the past 2 years while the person who does have the review might get charged extra for doing so.

The very fact you need to take medication for a condition, hereditary or acquired, is treatment.

And actually they do need to declare the condition under most policies - although it is unlikely to impact on premiums. All conditions must be declared to be covered.

It isn't rude, or disagreeable. It is basic common sense.

katejo

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Except that the medication might relate to something different: the condition in question might have meant that changing the regime of medication would have been wise. (Presumably the medication relates to something that has either been declared separately, or is listed in the general policy conditions as not affecting cover.)

The condition in question does NOT fall into the categories which all applicants must declare (eg. heart conditions). I only have to declare it if I have had a hospital referral in the past 2 years. Therefore I declared it but have not had any additional treatment other than what my GP provides as repeat prescriptions. I wanted to answer the question accurately so needed to know what Insure & Go meant by the term 'treatment' (compared to the other insurer which has given me a definition).

DomRavioli

katejo wrote: »

The condition in question does NOT fall into the categories which all applicants must declare (eg. heart conditions). I only have to declare it if I have had a hospital referral in the past 2 years. Therefore I declared it but have not had any additional treatment other than what my GP provides as repeat prescriptions. I wanted to answer the question accurately so needed to know what Insure & Go meant by the term 'treatment' (compared to the other insurer which has given me a definition).

Actually - your hereditary condition is pre-existing therefore needs to be declared. Failure to do so would likely invalidate any policy you have or may have in the future.

Treatment, as stated includes medication (regular or acute), therapies or others as designated by an allied healthcare professional or clinician. A repeat prescription IS TREATMENT. Any form of medical intervention is treatment. I don't know how you're not grasping such a basic concept. If you didn't take it would you get sick?

katejo

Actually you are wrong there. I suggest you look at Insure &Go medical questions. When I bought a single trip policy earlier this year, I did try to declare the same condition but the rep didn't want to know. He said that their criteria had changed. They only wanted details of hospital referrals. They have 4 groups of more serious conditions which must always be declared but mine isn't one of them.

DomRavioli

katejo wrote: »

Actually you are wrong there. I suggest you look at Insure &Go medical questions. When I bought a single trip policy earlier this year, I did try to declare the same condition but the rep didn't want to know. He said that their criteria had changed. They only wanted details of hospital referrals. They have 4 groups of more serious conditions which must always be declared but mine isn't one of them.

No, you should always declare. It is called good faith, and forms part of the contract. If they aren't interested then that is their prerogative - but you should always declare.

And the majority of insurers do wish to have all known pre existing conditions. Insure and Go wanted to know about my disability and there are numerous threads on different websites about people who did not declare and then had their policy invalidated.

So your unique case shouldn't be used as an across the board approach - this thread will come up in google and this post is for the benefit of all those who look, not just you OP.

katejo

DomRavioli wrote: »

No, you should always declare. It is called good faith, and forms part of the contract. If they aren't interested then that is their prerogative - but you should always declare.

And the majority of insurers do wish to have all known pre existing conditions. Insure and Go wanted to know about my disability and there are numerous threads on different websites about people who did not declare and then had their policy invalidated.

So your unique case shouldn't be used as an across the board approach - this thread will come up in google and this post is for the benefit of all those who look, not just you OP.

I am fully aware of the usual requirement to declare.

So why did the Insure & Go rep refuse to note the condition concerned. I queried it and asked for it to be included but he insisted that it wasn't required. When my documents arrived in March, it wasn't there. For that reason I was quite pleased to have had the review appointment this time so that I would need to declare it.
When did you insure with Insure & Go? Their policy changed between Jan 2015 and March 2016.

Perhaps an Insure & Go Rep could comment on this (if there is one on MSE)?

DomRavioli

katejo wrote: »

I am fully aware of the usual requirement to declare.

So why did the Insure & Go rep refuse to note the condition concerned. I queried it and asked for it to be included but he insisted that it wasn't required. When my documents arrived in March, it wasn't there. For that reason I was quite pleased to have had the review appointment this time so that I would need to declare it.
When did you insure with Insure & Go? Their policy changed between Jan 2015 and March 2016.

Perhaps an Insure & Go Rep could comment on this (if there is one on MSE)?

Seen as I don't work for them, I don't know why. Mine was October 2015, but mine isn't a hereditary condition, so isn't likely to be the same as yours. It seems very strange that they didn't note it, but if they're happy then you have to take them at their word - just make sure you get it in writing from them that this isn't declareable so you've covered yourself in any situation.