Travel insurance late night illness claim

soolin

This exact scenario occurred with a friend of mine. Major issues at night with V and D and with a flight due the next day- they phoned 111 in the night  and a duty doctor eventually phoned them back several hours later (it was obviously not deemed an emergency  especially as friend has a declared issue with an auto immune disease that can cause different stomach issues).

Was told not to report to a GP surgery in case of infection but given general advice about rehydrating crystals and keeping up fluids and told to phone GP on the next working day or go to A and E if things got worse. 

Just under 2 days later phoned GP who asked for symptoms and general health - told them not to attend surgery but again to go to A and E if things got worse.

Made an insurance claim which did take months and months to sort out as they kept referring to the existing issue that had been declared ( no idea why as it was fully declared and nothing to do with this incident) , friend had to supply the medical contact details several times as they kept asking for the same thing, insurers also requested full access to medical records. Paid out in full eventually. 

My friend admits that in normal circumstances they probably wouldn't have phoned 111 and just managed it themselves or contacted the GP on next working day if it hadn't started easing , but realised they would need some sort of 'proof' for insurer. As it was 111 were quite helpful as they gave the usual common sense answers- but also found an open chemist out of hours where rehydration crystals could be bought if needed. 

twopenny

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

katejo

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

soolin

katejo said:

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

Without any diagnosis who knows whether it was contagious or not or can pass judgement whether or not someone can travel or not? In this case I suspect the insurance company are still going to need some sort of proof that this wasn't just a change of mind on the holiday. 

Hoenir

cymromanchester said:

Hoenir said:

The insurance company is going to require proof before entertaining any claim. They won't backtrack if that's the terms of the policy. 

And the best way to get that proof? A broken leg, or a heart attack, would have a record .... this situation, when it is an illness you would not normally visit a GP with, and with the time of day, you couldn't anyway ... having never made a claim in the past - was thinking this can't be a unique occurrence and if there is an approach to take?

Sometimes it is what it is. Insurance doesn't neccessarily cover all risks. The greater the cover required the higher the premium set by the underwriters. The issue then is that the majority of people couldn't afford it. Travel insurance being relatively cheap. 

katejo

soolin said:

katejo said:

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

Without any diagnosis who knows whether it was contagious or not or can pass judgement whether or not someone can travel or not? In this case I suspect the insurance company are still going to need some sort of proof that this wasn't just a change of mind on the holiday. 

Yes I am fully aware of that. I would be in a dilemma as to whether to travel and be responsible for infection of others. I think the insurance company takes advantage of clients on this. They know we will have difficulty in 'proving' the illness in time. I wouldn't cancel a trip unless genuinely ill. 

Hoenir

katejo said:

soolin said:

katejo said:

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

Without any diagnosis who knows whether it was contagious or not or can pass judgement whether or not someone can travel or not? In this case I suspect the insurance company are still going to need some sort of proof that this wasn't just a change of mind on the holiday. 

Yes I am fully aware of that. I would be in a dilemma as to whether to travel and be responsible for infection of others. I think the insurance company takes advantage of clients on this. They know we will have difficulty in 'proving' the illness in time. I wouldn't cancel a trip unless genuinely ill. 

Would you delay your return journey home in the same circumstances ? 

soolin

katejo said:

soolin said:

katejo said:

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

Without any diagnosis who knows whether it was contagious or not or can pass judgement whether or not someone can travel or not? In this case I suspect the insurance company are still going to need some sort of proof that this wasn't just a change of mind on the holiday. 

Yes I am fully aware of that. I would be in a dilemma as to whether to travel and be responsible for infection of others. I think the insurance company takes advantage of clients on this. They know we will have difficulty in 'proving' the illness in time. I wouldn't cancel a trip unless genuinely ill. 

Slightly off topic but there is also the issue of whether any cover would be extended purely due to contagion risk. There are notifiable diseases in the UK which I suspect would cause you legal issues if you travelled knowingly expecting that other people may well get infected, but generally there is no 'law' to say that you absolutely cannot travel with an illness that can be spread. 

katejo

Hoenir said:

katejo said:

soolin said:

katejo said:

twopenny said:

Wise after the event but I've been in a couple of situations where something has happened before a flight.

When D&V I took tablets (which I always have with me) before the flight and made it both times. Miserable but dealt with the effects of prolonged sleep after I arrived.

Do try customer services but to be fair would you pay someone money without proof?

I think you may find that the T&Cs will explain what they expect in the case of a claim.

With D and V it could surely be an infectious Norovirus so one shouldn't travel. 

Without any diagnosis who knows whether it was contagious or not or can pass judgement whether or not someone can travel or not? In this case I suspect the insurance company are still going to need some sort of proof that this wasn't just a change of mind on the holiday. 

Yes I am fully aware of that. I would be in a dilemma as to whether to travel and be responsible for infection of others. I think the insurance company takes advantage of clients on this. They know we will have difficulty in 'proving' the illness in time. I wouldn't cancel a trip unless genuinely ill. 

Would you delay your return journey home in the same circumstances ? 

Probably not because it would be better just to get home and 'isolate' if needed. Not the same as starting a group trip and spreading infection to others in the group. 

silvercar

One way round would be to make an appointment with your GP a few days later to discuss ongoing symptoms. You could then use that as evidence of the initial incident. The insurer may well write to the GP for confirmation and the GP would be able to report that the patient sought advice etc. That should be sufficient proof for the insurer.