Travel Insurance & Declaring Pre-existing Conditions

mustoep

Another question from me :-)

Here's the situation my ex is in.

GP Surgery rang and offered a free medical. Multiple times despite him feeling fine and saying he wasn't really interested. It was more hard-sell than double glazing! I've since found out they get paid for these medicals (wonder how GDPR impacts on them!). Anyway, he eventually went along, had his blood pressure taken (all fine) and blood samples taken. Two weeks later they said he had slightly raised cholesterol and the nurse suggested he take statins because 'everyone takes them these days'. He did, but felt awful on them so went back and the next nurse said he could stop them as 'it wasn't that high anyway' and she would have just made him aware so he could change his diet rather than put him on statins. So he stopped them and changed his diet. Now, when completing the Travel Insurance forms online, they ask questions about having raised cholesterol and being prescribed medication, then charge an additional premium. Had he not gone for that medical, he wouldn't have to declare the condition so how is 'knowing' making his risk any higher than another person of the same age - and the fact he was prescribed medication was due to the personal opinion of one nurse. Very annoying! Is it right that a Travel Insurer can ask such basic questions and price as a risk, without the opportunity to further clarify that the GP wasn't seen as a result of any problems and the medication was prescribed as a precautionary measure rather than as part of a treatment plan for a medical incident? Everything is so online these days for convenience that I don't know if speaking to a specialist travel insurer would be better - or who to contact in any case!
Thanks for any advice.

tacpot12

It is right that an insurer can ask about known medical conditions, and any prescribed medicines.

Your ex should not have declared that he was taking a prescribed medication as the nurse had said he could stop them - he wasn't being prescribed them any longer.

It your ex wants the cheapest insurance, he needs to get his cholesterol down to what is regarded as normal by the medical profession. Yes, NHS GP Surgeries are incentivised to conduct pro-active health screening, but this is good as it allows people to make lifestyle changes to avoid the problems of heart disease and diabetes, rather than having to take strong medication.

The one complaint that your ex has, and he should refer this to the practice is that the nurse suggested he take statins because 'everyone takes them these days'. If this is correct, then the nurse needs retraining. Not every one that takes statins these days should be taking them, and the NHS has a duty to only prescribe them where there is clear medical need.

Quentin

tacpot12 wrote: »

Your ex should not have declared that he was taking a prescribed medication as the nurse had said he could stop them - he wasn't being prescribed them any longer.
.

The question normally asked is regarding any treatment during the last x years - meaning that it does need to be disclosed if that is the question the insurer asks!

EdGasketTheSecond

If he is no longer on medication then I wouldn't declare anything.

System

Be very careful when declaring , my daughter had an accident in Kenya the first call I got was from a nurse asking about her health . I had declared everything including dyspraxia which made no difference to her insurance. She did say had I not declared it all they would not have paid out . A £34 policy covered various expenses totalling almost £18k .

JosephK

Problem is that the insurance question, for both raised cholesterol & blood pressure, tends to be along the lines of "Have you EVER had...". Which means, even if it's back down to normal, you have to declare forever that it has been raised at some time.

Browntoa

You can ring safesure " off the record" and they will tell you

cryptoking18

You should take good care while declaring pre-existing condition you might get trouble when you have a claim if you have not declarfed pre-existing conditions

comeandgo

Of course you must declare it. It's in his medical records.

EdGasketTheSecond

Digressing a bit; nurse suggested to me that I should take statins because then I can 'eat anything I liked'; she said she takes them. Only problem was the nurse was absolutely huge! I declined as have heard some bad experiences with statins; just need to cut down on the chips.

csgohan4

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Digressing a bit; nurse suggested to me that I should take statins because then I can 'eat anything I liked'; she said she takes them. Only problem was the nurse was absolutely huge! I declined as have heard some bad experiences with statins; just need to cut down on the chips.

Change surgeries, what a lot of rubbish

there are different statins with lower risk of Side effects

people with high cholesterol have a high risk of furring of their plumbing, They need more than diet, also exercise. Risk of heart attacks and strokes are very real. Ignore statins and lifestyle advice at your peril.