Travel insurance when on vaccine trial

Rose234

Hi, I have been asked to participate in a vaccine trial. I've looked around to see if taking part in a trial needs to be declared on travel insurance and there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer or anywhere to add it to the form. There is no question about research trials on the insurance declaration, I don't know if I'll have a placebo or the vaccine and the trial wouldn't involve any overnight stays in hospital or any medical intervention, just monitoring for a year. Has anyone had experience of what to do in this situation? Thanks.

silvercar

When I took part in a vaccine trial, I didn’t even think about its impact on travel insurance. In the same way that travel insurers don’t ask for a list of recent vaccines, I wouldn’t have thought it relevant.

elsien

I would contact them directly to ask the question so they can ask the underwriter. There is a big difference between a proven and approved vaccine, and a clinical test trial.

Although steps have been taken to make sure it shouldn’t happen again, do you remember that drug trial that went horribly wrong a few years back? Travel insurance providers may have that at the back of their mind.

Woodstok2000

It's not an issue - if they ask about participation in trials then you need to answer honestly, but if they don't ask then you don't need to raise it proactively.

See the statement here for more details:

https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/resources/clinical-trials-and-travel-insurance/

user1977

Travel insurance providers may have that at the back of their mind.

They need to actually ask about it though. If it's not treatment for a medical condition then I can't see that it's caught by the normal type of questions.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81926638#Comment_81926638

They normally ask about any condition you have suffered a symptom of, anything you have taken medication for and any time you have seen a medical professional. A vaccine would arguably be a form of medication and would suspect it was administered by a medical professional (appreciate in covid times non-medical professionals were administrating vaccines).

The devil will be in the exact wording of the question as some may tie it back to a condition where others will be open so any medication would need to be declared.

Can certainly see some insurers being twitchy. Never done a medical trial, beyond the pay that some offer for being involved do they offer an indemnity for side effects that weren't declared? A number of my clients have written medical trials insurance but never looked into if its liability or a business interruption type thing, suspect it's the former.

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81927050#Comment_81927050

The trial that I did compared a new vaccine with the existing vaccine, the new one was more effective (at preventing infection). The trial was specifically to look at side effects from the vaccine. The vaccine had already been tested and approved, this was a final stage trial. The purpose was to see if by introducing the better vaccine, the side effects were going to put people off being vaccinated. The pay wasn’t that great, I think 3 clinic visits plus 3 telephone conversations and I received about £400. My motivation was to get the vaccine as I wasn’t eligible under the current NHS programme.

twopenny

The responsibility for getting the correct cover is on you. They do not have to ask you every possible question.

A phone call or email would be the best way to clarify. They will want to know what it's for and potential side effects.

Not covering for it and you have an accident they could refer to the drug as causing you to be at fault. And not declaring it will negate the contract.

They won't take into account the placebo because they have to judge the risk factor to work out cover.

Aren't there questions about whether you have had a hospital appointment recently or expecting one. Any medication you are on?

user1977

They do not have to ask you every possible question.

Uhh, they do, there's no expectation (in consumer contracts) that the policyholder needs to think about risks the insurer hasn't asked about.

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81927607#Comment_81927607

CIDRA says differently, they cannot cancel a policy for non-disclosure if they did not ask about it at quote stage. They also cannot rely on generic "tell us about anything else relevant" catchall questions.

They can have terms that exclude certain claims and not ask about them (eg pre-existing conditions of non-travelling relatives) and yes that is your responsibility to understand the policy in your personal circumstances and decide if the policy is relevant.

Failure to declare a condition/ medication would normally be treated as a disclosure issue and so falls in the scope of CIDRA above.

twopenny

Interesting Real name. I'm obviously operating on what I was told by my insurance a while ago and hadn't heard of the change.

It's a good change and makes more sense to the consumer. It's good to hear.

I'll check out that site and read it tonight.