Travel Insurance-Heart Valve Repair loading

SurreyRoger

We have an annual travel insurance policy and an considerable loading is added because my wife had a Heart Valve repair. This was 3 years ago and the only medication she is taking is soluble aspirin daily which is consider by the Insurance company as a prescribed medicine. I am also informed the loading is the same for a travel insurance purpose for a heart valve replacement . Surely the latter is far more serious and requires stronger medication Warfarin etc.I fully appreciate that for the first year a loading would be necessary for a heart valve repair but after over 3 years I would have thought this should be reduced as she has annual hospital check ups and she is told everything is fine regarding her heart, especially as no claim has been made during this period. is it just my insurance company or is this the common practice in the industry.

maman

I don't know enough about the conditions to comment specifically but in general terms you're probably right.
The people you speak to at the insurance companies obviously follow a flow chart /script prepared by actuaries so it's not possible to explain the circumstances properly. It reminds me of 'computer says no '.
We have a very efficient GP who makes full use of tests and referrals and that can cause problems. If he chose to send us away to buy our own paracetamol then the insurance people wouldn't mind.

isplumm

Hi

Have you tried https://www.insurancewith.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAjuPRBRBxEiwAeQ2QPpNOT1EHbTGbWyMYARxb9uM3mn5BSjCUgLi6tbXUNngJslnDK-JFXBoCHvoQAvD_BwE

they offer travel insurance for people with medical conditions - my wife was quoted £900 for travel insurance - but using them we paid £90 odd pound for an annual policy.

Mark

Manxman_in_exile

maman wrote: »

I don't know enough about the conditions to comment specifically but in general terms you're probably right.
The people you speak to at the insurance companies obviously follow a flow chart /script prepared by actuaries so it's not possible to explain the circumstances properly. It reminds me of 'computer says no '.
We have a very efficient GP who makes full use of tests and referrals and that can cause problems. If he chose to send us away to buy our own paracetamol then the insurance people wouldn't mind.

Yes. Following an abnormal ECG at my GP's surgery a couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with a particular condition. Fortunately my cardiologist told me that it was of "no clinical significance", did not require treatment and that I was OK. When 'phoning our travel insurers my particular diagnosis is not "available" on their menu. IIRC, they discussed it with their "medical" team and selected a broader "benign" diagnosis that apparently included my condition. Whether that is correct I don't know, but as we kept a record of the conversation, I was happy to go with that.

slinga

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Yes. Following an abnormal ECG at my GP's surgery a couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with a particular condition. Fortunately my cardiologist told me that it was of "no clinical significance", did not require treatment and that I was OK. When 'phoning our travel insurers my particular diagnosis is not "available" on their menu. IIRC, they discussed it with their "medical" team and selected a broader "benign" diagnosis that apparently included my condition. Whether that is correct I don't know, but as we kept a record of the conversation, I was happy to go with that.

I was told by my cardiologist that ECGs done at GPs surgery are really not worth the effort or cost for most people.
Most times they print out 'abnormal ECG' although a cardiologist would just bin that.
Make of it what you will.
My cardiologist is Harvard trained and has written many papers. Make of THAT what you will.

PeacefulWaters

slinga wrote: »

I was told by my cardiologist that ECGs done at GPs surgery are really not worth the effort or cost for most people.
Most times they print out 'abnormal ECG' although a cardiologist would just bin that.
Make of it what you will.
My cardiologist is Harvard trained and has written many papers. Make of THAT what you will.

My employer's chief executive was Harvard educated.

He bankrupted the company!

Manxman_in_exile

slinga wrote: »

I was told by my cardiologist that ECGs done at GPs surgery are really not worth the effort or cost for most people.
Most times they print out 'abnormal ECG' although a cardiologist would just bin that.
Make of it what you will.
My cardiologist is Harvard trained and has written many papers. Make of THAT what you will.

Well, FWIW, my cardiologist confirmed that my ECG was abnormal but had no clinical significance. And I could tell from my GP's reaction (after the ECG was done I was told to wait as he needed to see me and he was unusually serious for once) that there was an issue. He also advised me not to google it!


My wife has had an ECG by the same technician and that was normal.


You may have been told what you claim, but I doubt it's true.


(Having said that, I'd rather GP ECGs throw up false positives rather than false negatives).

Gee_Whiz

My travel insurance company have loaded an additional premium for a Heart Valve Repair which was undertaken 4 years ago. St Georges Hospital Tooting where the operation was performed have told me at each annual check up that everything is working normally and from their point of view my heart is in normal working order, My only medication is a daily dispersible aspirin. What I cannot understand is why my travel insurance company insist a Heart Valve repair carries the same risk as a Heart Valve replacement. which amongst other things also requires much stronger medication