Travel Insurance Coverage - physiotherapy

irvsax

I have travel insurance already and have been informed that I need surgery on a bicep tear. My trip is October and although I will be out of a brace by then I will need physiotherapy.

The injury is a listed condition on my policy.

I am in the USA from October to January so will I be able to get any coverage on my policy do you know?

jonesMUFCforever

What do you mean by 'The injury is a listed condition..'?
Is it a condition covered by the policy or not covered?

Phone them - they will tell you and if needs be advise you of an additional premium.

Have you checked how many days you will be away and whether your policy covers you for that amount?

irvsax

I listed the ‘tendon injury’ as part of the medical injury so it is covered yes.

Yes. We are away for 89 days and the policy we took out has 90 as the maximum

sheramber

Phone your insurance company and ask them.

irvsax

Thanks all. So I did ring them and they said because I already know about it they wouldn't cover it. But isn't that the point of listing something as an existing condition when you take out the policy?

They said that they would only take it into consideration for cancellation etc. So if I have to cancel my trip because I need to have the Physio after the surgery then they would pay out for that (thousands) but not for a few Physio sessions? That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense....

Quentin

When you have any changes that the insurer is not prepared to cover then you have the choice to continue the trip with the condition (and anything associated with it) uninsured or cancel your trip, and claim for the cancellation costs

sal_III

Travel insurance generally pays for injury sustained during the travel and eventually some ongoing care like physio when you get back. Not for treating a condition sustained prior to the travel.

What might have covered you in this scenario would have been private medical insurance.

The reason why your insurer is prepared to potentially pay significantly more for the cancellation instead of physio abroad is that, those are the terms of the contract.

irvsax

Yeah, I understand the terms.. it just seems like a crazy business decision on their part, but that is their prerogative of course.

Quentin

irvsax wrote: »

Yeah, I understand the terms.. it just seems like a crazy business decision on their part, but that is their prerogative of course.

Check that it won't be just physio they won't cover

Your notification of the forthcoming operation could mean they won't cover your tendon issue at all now should it cause any problems on your trip

irvsax

Quentin wrote: »

Check that it won't be just physio they won't cover

Your notification of the forthcoming operation could mean they won't cover your tendon issue at all now should it cause any problems on your trip

Yeah I know. Although I already listed it as a pre-existing condition and paid a premium because of that. What is the point of that if they then don't cover it.

Quentin

irvsax wrote: »

Yeah I know. Although I already listed it as a pre-existing condition and paid a premium because of that. What is the point of that if they then don't cover it.

It's the OP that has changed the goalposts so that they won't cover you (maybe because it's soon before you travel)

If you want to be covered for the upcoming trip rather than go to USA and risk expensive medical bills for any emergency connected to the condition see if any specialist in pre existing conditions insurer will cover you