Travel Insurance and new undiagnosed (but not really) condition

DiscoPistol

I'm absolutely certain that this isn't the first time this has happened (albeit my rudimentary search found no results) so I'm after experiences as well as advice if that's okay.

We're heading off on holiday on Friday and booked our insurance back in January when we booked the trip.

Recently I've had some issues that my GP decided to send me off for a scan (I was having side pains and it was just precautionary). This happened last Tuesday.

During the scan, I was surprised to find out that I had gallstones (according to the sonographer).

I called my GP surgery receptionists today who could only tell me that there was an 'abnormality' and I would need to talk to the GP for further information, Next appointment due when I'm back from my holiday 

I've asked for a phone call from an e-consult but I'm not holding my breathe.

I'm assuming that that the only thing that I can tell the insurance company is that I'm undergoing investigations for side pain (assuming I don't hear back anything more concrete)

Should add that I don't have any pre-existing conditions (other than this one)

Thanks is advance

elsien

Yep. Happened to me last year – they want a proper label. You need to tell them that you’ve had the scan and are awaiting the results. If you can get information from your GP beforehand with a definite diagnosis, then that would be preferable because the insurer want to know exactly what the notes say.

Without a label best case scenario is that they exclude whatever it is you’re having tests for and anything connected either directly or indirectly. Worst case scenario is that they don’t want to insure at all. 

TELLIT01

Contact the insurer, tell them you had a scan and were told at the hospital that you have gallstones.  Add that you are waiting for the GP to confirm it.  See what they say.

Seasalt3

Have you got the NHS app? Your results from the scan may be on there.  I always find that's the quickest way to find out.

maman

Same thing happened to DH. Sonographer told him loads of people have gallstones without being aware. I'd tell the insurance company much what @TELLIT01 suggested. 

SiliconChip

It's unfortunate that it's happened so close to your departure date. 

I was diagnosed with gallstones after being blue-lighted to hospital, confirmed with a MRI scan on day 3 of a 4 day stay for investigation. I was advised to have my gall bladder removed (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), which was eventually done 9 months later (my initial operation date was 3 days before the first Covid lockdown, when all non-essential operations were cancelled in anticipation of the need to fill hospitals with Covid patients). 

I was due to fly to New Zealand 3 months after the diagnosis, and while my insurance would probably have covered operation costs had they been required while I was away the big issue for me was what would have happend if I had another attack of cholecystitis while in the air - having experienced the pain while I was in a position to dial 999 and have an ambulance at my door within minutes and being given morphine shortly after that I really wouldn't want to go through it when it could be many hours before getting to the ground and access to a hospital. 

I was in a more fortunate position than you as I had plenty of time to get a diagnosis and discuss options with a consultant before making the decision to cancel the holiday and make a claim on my travel insurance, which was paid in full.

katejo

DiscoPistol said:

I'm absolutely certain that this isn't the first time this has happened (albeit my rudimentary search found no results) so I'm after experiences as well as advice if that's okay.

We're heading off on holiday on Friday and booked our insurance back in January when we booked the trip.

Recently I've had some issues that my GP decided to send me off for a scan (I was having side pains and it was just precautionary). This happened last Tuesday.

During the scan, I was surprised to find out that I had gallstones (according to the sonographer).

I called my GP surgery receptionists today who could only tell me that there was an 'abnormality' and I would need to talk to the GP for further information, Next appointment due when I'm back from my holiday 

I've asked for a phone call from an e-consult but I'm not holding my breathe.

I'm assuming that that the only thing that I can tell the insurance company is that I'm undergoing investigations for side pain (assuming I don't hear back anything more concrete)

Should add that I don't have any pre-existing conditions (other than this one)

Thanks is advance

Where are you due to go and how long for? Do you have a GHIC card? If you tell your insurer, they may exclude ALL health cover because of 1 undiagnosed condition. Do you feel well enough to risk going?

sheramber

If you don’t tell your travel insurance company and need to claim for a medical condition  the company will request a medical history from your GO .
So they will find out and may void your claim for not telling them about it.