Should I declare a past medical condition?

[wessie]

I specified all my ailments and medical history, then i called to check something so they ran through the quote again, so i asked the question about medical history

The statement i got back, we use this to determine if its needed to be declared

https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving/find-condition-a-to-z

If it says it must be declared to DVLA, then you need to tell us, if not needed to inform DVLA, then we dont need to know

net result , all the conditions i'd listed were removed as they were non reportable to DVLA

that might be the case for a motoring policy but this thread is in the travel insurance section which uses a catch all criteria as detailed above in relation to the medical expenses cover whilst on holiday

 

[Santa-2512]

that might be the case for a motoring policy but this thread is in the travel insurance section which uses a catch all criteria as detailed above in relation to the medical expenses cover whilst on holiday

Ah i see,

When i had my last travel insurance policy , they gave me two options , declare my past conditions and have them covered , or declare my past conditions and not have them covered

i chose the former

 

[Wapping]

If in doubt, today’s BBC newsfeed, carries the news of a woman facing a £50,000 bill for ‘buying the wrong (ie buying the cheapest) policy’ and not declaring a serious medical condition.

Allowing for exaggeration, let’s halve the number to £25,000. If you want to gamble, increase your credit card limit…. You might well need it.

 

[EPG_19]

When my wife was working as a medical secretary they had a case of a male in his late 30' s who was diagnosed with terminal cancer , as he had life insurance and mortgage cover he thought that at least his family would be looked after.

Typically insurance requested full medical records and then refused to pay out, the reason was 10 years previously he had one high set of blood pressure readings which he had not declared, he would not have even known as it was put down to white coat syndrome ie nerves for having a medical and high readings were never repeated.

So a non smoking non drinking healthy male dying of cancer had his claims refused, it went to the Insurance Ombudsman and eventually it was paid BUT in the means time he died and the family almost lost their home and got into considerable debt.

This was not a one off incident either and more the norm.

All of this was for one anomally which the bloke did not even know about, if you know of a medical issue and decline to declare it then on your own head be it

I suspect there is more to the story as a one off blood pressure reading does not constitue a medical condition, pre existing or current.

 

[Neil W]

I suspect there is more to the story as a one off blood pressure reading does not constitue a medical condition, pre existing or current.

No exactly as posted, three gp's at the practice had to go to bat for the patient and it wasn't the only similar case.

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

I’m afraid that sweeping statement is manifestly untrue.

If in doubt, see the number of threads on this forum alone, that start:

”I have crashed me awsome”

Then, two minutes later, somebody will chip in:

”Feckin’ rip-off, they don’t pay”

Then, usually a week or so later, the OP pipes up:

”Well pleased with me pay out. More than I was expecktin”

PS See also the number of threads where people recommend telling lies to their insurer, usually to bring their ‘rip-off’ insurance premium down.

Last year I had a heart attack the day before I was due to fly out on a city break. Ambulance, hospital, diagnosis, fixed, allowed to recover and home within the week. Super service from the NHS. So, having ruined my Wife’s 60th Birthday treat, I thought I’d claim the unrecoverable losses back from our travel insurance. This policy was with Allianz through our bank. Obviously they requested information about costs and the like and included a questionnaire for my GP to fill in and sign. The questions were basically “When did you see him? When did you tell him he couldn’t fly? When did you originally diagnose his ailment? “
All quite reasonable, as their T&C’s require a doctor to confirm. It is important to note that this is “a” doctor, not particularly “my GP”
However, as I’d not seen my doctor prior to my heart attack and certainly not been told I couldn’t fly, I enclosed the medical release from the hospital, signed by the operating doctor (surgeon) with the date on and confirming he had seen my medical record and I had no prior history.
So you think that would suffice, right?
No. Claim refused.

 

[GreatScot]

Last year I had a heart attack the day before I was due to fly out on a city break. Ambulance, hospital, diagnosis, fixed, allowed to recover and home within the week. Super service from the NHS. So, having ruined my Wife’s 60th Birthday treat, I thought I’d claim the unrecoverable losses back from our travel insurance. This policy was with Allianz through our bank. Obviously they requested information about costs and the like and included a questionnaire for my GP to fill in and sign. The questions were basically “When did you see him? When did you tell him he couldn’t fly? When did you originally diagnose his ailment? “
All quite reasonable, as their T&C’s require a doctor to confirm. It is important to note that this is “a” doctor, not particularly “my GP”
However, as I’d not seen my doctor prior to my heart attack and certainly not been told I couldn’t fly, I enclosed the medical release from the hospital, signed by the operating doctor (surgeon) with the date on and confirming he had seen my medical record and I had no prior history.
So you think that would suffice, right?
No. Claim refused.

Did it end there or did you contest their decision? What was their reason for refusal? From what you say you had a good case for claiming and the claim being met.

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

Did it end there or did you contest their decision? What was their reason for refusal? From what you say you had a good case for claiming and the claim being met.

You ever dealt with the ombudsman? Apparently it’s not “unreasonable” for Allianz to insist that my GP signs a form about events that he has no direct knowledge of and ignore the hospital doctor.

 

[Mr Bean]

If, for example, I don't declare that I've been diagnosed with high BP and on ramipril (that's me), and I trip, breaking my pelvis, would my claim be denied, even though the claim is completely unrelated my high BP?

 

[EPG_19]

No exactly as posted, three gp's at the practice had to go to bat for the patient and it wasn't the only similar case.

Shite legal team then.

3 GPs for Patient in a civil case??? Hmmmm

 

[Neil W]

Shite legal team then.

3 GPs for Patient in a civil case??? Hmmmm

It was settled by the Insurance Ombudsman , but not before the patient had died not knowing if his family was ever going to get paid out, the family were right in it having lost their main wage earner and were very close to losing their home.