Travel insurance with undiagnosed symptoms
I am sure that there will be many on here that are already aware but just in case!
My wife has recently experienced some pain in her hip-she has a long history of hip issues- and visited the GP who has decided that she needs to an X-ray which will take about 7-10 days to be done.
As we have travel insurance via a Nationwide account I decided to check with them what the situation would be, as we are hoping to holiday in April, to be told that they would not provide cover for any undiagnosed condition, which I can fully understand.
I decided today to look around, as some insurers give the impression that they will cover undiagnosed conditions, just in case we got to a point where she was still 'undiagnosed' , but felt well enough to travel,to find that not only will cover be unavailable but also that any other pre existing conditions will also no longer be covered.
Whilst we would not wish to go away unless we could be sure that we could enjoy the holiday in the discussions it became clear that a visit to a GP is seen as something that should be notified to your insurers, whatever the reason for that visit, and that if that visit was linked to a pre-existing condition then failure to notify the insurer would mean that any cancellation cover would be void.
It seems that whilst you can get cover for a wide range of pre-existing conditions, even if awaiting surgery, once you have an 'undiagnosed', such as "lets send you for a test/x-ray etc" then you may have a problem.,
Comments
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I can't see how they would refuse cover for "undiagnosed conditions" as by definition the insured person is quite likely to be totally unaware of them. If they refuse this cover then if you go on holiday believing that you're perfectly fit and have a heart attack then they would be able to refuse cover. Just the sort of circumstance you would need it!
It's a bit like Schroedinger's cat......
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I suppose as consumers we want insurance to cover all risks but insurance companies want to avoid all risks!!! You raise an interesting question. Yesterday I went for an X-Ray on my knees. I know I have a problem with my knees as they hurt!! However it does not mean that I will have anything done to those knees anytime soon so where does that leave me? You wife might be in a similar situation. Once she has the results from the X-Rays she will no doubt have a discussion with her doctor. Its from that point and what happens next that will be of interest to the insurance company. Perhaps reassurance from the doctor that a person is fit enough to travel might help. I could be wrong but I think that Red Pennant might be a bit more open minded in such circumstances? If a condition is excluded from cover, for example awaiting a knee replacement, you have to weigh up the risks yourself whether not being covered for that condition is likely to put you in increased danger of something going wrong whilst on holiday. I think I would want to know what is not covered and tie them down to specifics. I am thinking along the lines of having a fall or an accident unconnect with the diagnosed problem but involving that part of the body. You certainly need some clarity on that. Good Luck.
David
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Hi ValDa/David, so far as I am aware from the discussions that I mentioned it is the time between visiting the GP and being told what it may be. It seems that many pre existing conditions are not an issue for example should it mean that she needs surgery that’s no problem as she can get cover.
The problem seems to be that, to take David’s example, you would not be covered if you have an undiagnosed problem-his knees-and that this would also render cover for other pre existing conditions void.
As I said the main thing for us is will Jean be able to enjoy her holiday, otherwise there is no point, so its not travel at all costs. I can fully appreciate why you can’t get cover for an undiagnosed condition but did not realise that a simple visit to the GP could lead to you losing cover that you already have and, in many cases, will have paid extra for.
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In 2009 we went on holiday to Italy between two types of scan to diagnose a condition that required quite major surgery. We informed our insurers and it was not an issue as we opted not to have this condition covered, as it was not one that could become an acute issue, and all existing cover remained valid.
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On the basis of the duck test – "If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck" I could give a diagnosis, based on her past history and symptoms, and whilst this was mentioned to the GP his position is he agrees on the most likely cause but that we can’t assume to let’s get some x-rays- so we are now in the ‘undiagnosed’ arena.
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Given that you are going in April hopefully you will still have time to get the results and settle the insurance issue from there? There is always the alternative of a different insurer. Personally I have found Nationwide something of a rip off merchant as far as charging extra for medical conditions. They wanted to impose a £255 surcharge when I last enquired.
David
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Hi David, yes the hope is that the medical situation is clearer and it will then be a case of do we still wish to go.
I have not had to pay any additional premiums before, the cover comes as part of a Nationwide Flex Plus package, but we will need to speak to them once we know the diagnosis.
A quick online check today with another provider was giving a single trip price of £55 and an additional premium for someone awaiting hip surgery of £75
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Whilst this may be a generalisation, my understanding is that packaged benefits such as insurance with a bank account are often what one might call very generic insurance.
try a more specialist insurer, possibly (if you are of a certain age!?) one who specialises in that market. We have found Staysure very good for being clear about what is covered and what isn’t, with a consultation with a nurse by phone if there’s any doubt.
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Are we all getting overly risk-averse here( like the Insurance companies)? We do at least have an EHIC to fall back on. We are looking for cover if something should break/fall off whilst on holiday. If we felt a heart attack/stroke etc was highly probable we most likely wouldn't go in the first place.
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When I was arranging Red Pennant insurance a couple of years ago I had had a biopsy for a skin cancer on my nose but not had the results.and I was told that I would be fully insured except my nose and to let them know when I had the results, where upon if all was well my nose would be insured too.
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Agree totally. I have every bit as much confidence in the state health services of the major EU countries as I have of the NHS. As for the often quoted concern 'repatriation' ......I would not be in any desperate hurry to return to UK, and indeed If seriously ill I would prefer to stay where I was. For anything less serious I can always buy an air ticket if I choose.
Yes, there might be some costs involved depending on the country, but these would not be life-changing and are a risk I am willing to take.
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A great many people would not know in advance when either a heart attack or stroke is going to develope, and regarding EHIC, I believe that ambulance personnel in Spain, in particular, are more inclined to take their patients to a private hospital rather than an NHS type hospital, and apparently the private hospitals wont accept EHIC, which is all the more reason to ensure we have good travel insurance.
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Having been with Staysure before opening our Nationwide account that provides our current cover I decided to call them this morning and it is Staysure that made the point that a GP visit should be reported to insurers and that all cover for pre existing conditions would be void.
We opened the Nationwide account having compared what was provided and the cost of other insurers as it compared very favourably and came with other benefits of use to us.
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Hi All, a couple of points. It was Staysure that made It clear, in a phone call this morning, that not only could you not get cover for ‘undiagnosed’ conditions but that a GPS visit without a diagnosis-such as being told that you need other test/X-rays etc-would constitute being ‘undiagnosed’ and any other cover for pre existing conditions would be void.
I was totally unaware of this and felt it worthy of mention.
We have no intention of travelling before a diagnosis, due to the potential problems from what we believe the issue to be, but as many people on here are not in the first flush of youth there may be times when they may have felt it best to get something checked out without any idea that it could cause an issue with our cover.
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We use the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance (CSPA) travel Insurance. They do not ask any questions about your state of health and the worldwide cover is less than £300 for a couple for 12 months. Previously we had the generic bank supplied policy but when we reached 70 the questions were asked and the fact that I had a heart attack 18 years ago weighed heavily against me, not to mention taking statins etc, The CSPA policy is underwritten by AXA at present and is open to anyone who is receiving a pension from the public sector.
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Hi Landy, I have looked at the website and as you need to be a CSPA member, that is be a serving or ex Civil Servant, it is not available to me.
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