Insurance Medical Conditions - Shingles

Mutineering

I was discussing an annual quote from the 'market leading' UK holiday insurance company for a couple aged 68.  Under interrogation under medical conditions I foolishly, as a joke, mentioned that my wife was currently suffering from a bout of shingles. The insurer's risk engine immediately slapped £12 on the premium.  Surely having the virus now, ahead of the policy start, is going to reduce the risk of another breakout, thanks to a post-infection boost in immune response?  However,  I was told that if undeclared, shingles is a deal-breaker for claims if they find out.

silvercar

Risk of post viral complications.

maman

I had a similar conversation when renewing our policy recently. I was asked about any visits to the GP. I said surety you don't want to know about.... and mentioned a simple muscle strain I picked up dancing which was now fine . I'd only gone for advice on whether to rest or use it. Sure enough, muscle strain appears on the policy. Fortunately, it didn't add to the premium. 

eskbanker

Mutineering said:

Under interrogation under medical conditions I foolishly, as a joke, mentioned that my wife was currently suffering from a bout of shingles.

That's a very strange sense of humour you have!

Mutineering

The interrogation was the joke, shingles isn't.  I've had shingles too.  And chicken pox.  Maybe I should have mentioned that?  Or anything with the herpes virus family...  Like a cold sore? Or maybe I should have mentioned I am at elevated risk of shingles because I'm in the group that won't be getting the shingles vaccine until I'm 70?  I'm sure there must be something on their list that I haven't mentioned that could catch me out.

My point is that these risk engines ask for so much information that insurance is a burden to obtain and still remains subject to gaming and fraud.  Trust between insurers and insured is at an all time low.

Sorry, rant over!

TELLIT01

The interrogation isn't a joke, and certainly shouldn't be treated as such.  Failure to declare a medical condition, even if you don't think it's important, can result in a refusal to pay in the event of a claim being made.

sheramber

You are normally asked for anything you have seen your GP about in the last X number of years.

If you had chickenpox or developed shingles( which is caused by the dormant virus lingering in your system after you have had chickenpox) during that time then you most report it.

You must answer the questions correctly.

The consequences of not doing so can be very expensive.

DullGreyGuy

Making false declarations enables an insurer to void the policy and avoid all claims irrespective of if the declaration is relevant to the claim or not. 

In practice and insurer is not going to void a policy for you thinking its a weird joke to say you suffer from a medical condition you dont and paying an unnecessary additional premium but if an insurer finds one false fact you can be sure they are going to dig much deeper into checking all the other facts were true. 

If you want a real joke, just tell the check in desk at the airport you've a bomb in your bag... they always laugh at that one. 

flossymcfly

Quite often, following a bout of shingles comes neuralgia. This can be debilitating pain depending on where on the body the shingles appear. It can also trigger other conditions which may be lying dormant. The insurer is covering themselves to remove any liability for anything which results as a fallout from the shingles

NoodleDoodleMan

Maybe I'm dense - was your wife suffering from Shingles at the time you were answering the medical questions ?

Why would it be a joke - and why would it be foolish to reply in the affirmative if appropriate ?

heatherw_01

I am so confused why you would say your wife has shingles as a joke, if she hasn't.

If she really has, then yes you need to disclose it. Doesn't matter if it costs more, you could invalidate the insurance if you needed to claim and they found out that she had shingles without disclosing.

But if really a joke, then I am sorry but I don't understand why you would do that with something so important.