A worthwhile professional assessment, thanks.
Two things spring to mind in the above though:
1). Having two policies in place - does she envisage any issues with each underwriter arguing about primacy while a policyholder or his family is trying to effect treatment/repatriation?
2). The written confirmation of cover, supplementing the existing policy - this is something that needs to be copied/scanned and ensured that it is attached to the policy certificate/document in such a way that persons acting on the policy (the policy-holder/relatives/NOK etc) are aware of it.
(One of the reasons I ditched Carole Nasher was that they thought it was acceptable to change the wording of a policy document by sending me an e-mail explaining the reason for the incorrect wording)
Thanks for following up!
(1) Not a particular problem at all. Many people often have dual insurance without realising. For example, some credit card companies give 'Travel insurance' (often quite limited) automatically when the card is used for making the payment to the hotel or travel company. When making a claim, the insurer(s) will often ask "Is there any other policy in force?". If there is and you know there is, say yes and give each insurer the details of the other; they will sort it out quite amicably. For example, most Travel policies include death by accident. There is no limit as to how many times you insure yourself against your own death, so both policies would respond in full, as would any other quite separate life policy (or policies) you might have.
Whilst it’s easy to bitch about insurers, they are generally not there to waste their own time nor yours.
What would – without a shadow of doubt - be fraudulent would be to present a claim to one insurer for, say, your lost Rolex watch – lost on holiday - and simultaneously present the same claim under your Householders comprehensive policy and under your second Travel policy, thereby being indemnified three times over.
(2) It’s a good idea to give a copy of the policy (usually there is a simple summary) to someone you trust back at home, preferably with any amendments or endorsements. When you make a claim the first question the insurer will ask for is the policy number. Sometimes they won’t even start without it, quite understandably, as it’s their only way of finding YOU (and what cover you have bought) amongst maybe millions of others, some with maybe the same name, in the same town and maybe the same street! Not least, your nearest and dearest responsible adult will need to know who to call on your behalf and they can’t hold a séance too easily.
I called my Travel insurer (it was Zurich, at the time) without my policy number (I had their phone number at least) when I injured myself out for the day in France with my parents, who lived there. Zurich agreed to help me, but I had to give them my credit card number as security, until I got back to my parents’ place and could give them the number.
