Hi all.

I took out a world wide annual travel insurance policy with xxxxxx insurance.

Since taking out the policy I have been diagnosed with a condition that they would not ordinarily cover.

I can't really make much sense od their rules and regs.

Am I likely to be fully covered as I had no idea I had the condition before I took out the policy or is it like car insurance where if circumstances change you must tell them?

Cheers.

Hi Sobeit

Welcome to CAG

I think you need to inform them now, if you do have to make a claim, they would just void the policy because you have breached the T & C's of the policy by not informing them of a change in your initial medical declaration.

Because it is an annual policy, there is a clause stating that you would have to tell the Insurers of any change to your medical situation before any trips. If you did not tell them before you booked a trip, they would not cover cancellation due to the medical issue. If you went on a trip, you would not be covered in relation to this medical condition, because you went on the trip knowing of a potential issue.

So yes you need to let the Insurers know and they either cover your condition with possibly an increased premium or they say they cannot continue the policy. If you have not had any claim on the policy, they may refund you for unused part of the year if they have to cancel, although not all Insurers issue a refund.

Seems a bit unfair, but the risk situation has changed from what you disclosed at the time you bought the policy. Therefore the premium that the Insurers charged you did not take into account this risk and the Insurers have not had the opportunity to evaulate this risk which is now known to you.

There have been some FOS complaints on this type of situation, which are worth searching their site for. You are probably best to make sure you have cover for your medical condition, rather than trying to resolve via a complaint after the event.

Thanks for the replies.

My holiday is in August and was booked well before diagnosis.

UB, you say If you did not tell them before you booked a trip, they would not cover cancellation due to the medical issue does that mean I would be covered for this trip?

I have only paid the deposit so far.

Cheers.

From their website:-

'Your duty of disclosure

Your insurance is based upon the information you have provided to us and you must ensure that all such information is complete and accurate, and that any facts that may influence the insurer's decision to accept the policy and what terms are applied must be disclosed.

Failure to disclose material information may invalidate your insurance and could mean that part, or all, of a claim may not be paid.'

Some FOS reading for you.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/49/annual-travel-insurance.htm

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/64/64-travel-insurance_cases.html

Suggest that you speak to the Insurers about the medical diagnosis and also register a possible claim for cancellation costs. If they won't cover you for the trip, then they will have to consider paying you for the cancellation, even though at this stage cancellation is not known. When you arrange a new policy covering your medical condition, they will cover you for the trip, but of course they won't cover the cancellation because you booked and were insured elsewhere before you had the diagnosis and obviously before arranging the new policy.

Hope this makes sense. Current policy ok to cover cancellation risk as diagnosis/tests/awareness of medical condition was before you booked the trip and if they can't cover the trip, any new insurance you arrange will cover risks associated with the trip, provided that you declare all relevant information and they accept risk.

rebel.

I did see that bit and I have complied fully with their terms at the time of taking out the policy.

UB.

That's the sort of literature I was looking for.

I think I get the gist.

It looks like I may be covered for cancellation but as I have only paid the deposit it wont be much of a return minus the excess.

I will have to tell them my change of circumstance and see what they say.

If they wont cover me then I'll ask them for a refund. You never know.

I have little chance of getting insurance at the mo as I'm waiting for a follow up procedure and don't have a full diagnosis yet.

The problem is that the balance is due soon and if I haven't had my follow up by then I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

If I cancel, lose my deposit and then get given good (ish, it wont be great either way) news I'll swear.

On the other hand if I pay the balance without insurance and it's not good news then I'll swear a very lot, twice!!

Thanks thus far both.

Edit; just had a read again of those case histories.

Most of them seem very similar to my situation.

Even if a company inserts certain terms and conditions they must be deemed to be fair should a claim arise.

The policy that you have will cover the deposit and all other sums you are legally liable to pay for the trip. You will need to furnish the Insurers with the information about the total amount they could be liable for, which will be the t&c's of the booking you made. They will also require details of your GP/Doctor, so they can ask questions about your medical history, when you became aware of this medical condition etc.

You should probably ask the opinion of your doctors, as to whether they would recommend that you cancel the trip. The Insurers will be interested in the answer, because normally with holiday booking cancellations the nearer you get to the trip, the more the contract requires you to pay. Therefore Insurers would be keen if there is a good chance of cancellation for the decision to be made as early as possible.

UB.

I agree with all you say (I think )

The insurers can ask all they like, it was the same day that I took out the policy (around 8:30 in the morning) that I was going to the doctors (around 10:30).

As far as I was concerned I was going for a routine appointment but the doctor decided I needed to see a specialist 'just in case'. Even he said that he didn't think there was any cause for concern.

Unfortunately, two weeks later, there was.

It could look a bit fishy to the insurance company but those are the facts.

The reason I bought the policy on that day was that I'm self employed and busy at the moment. As I was taking the morning off work to go to the doctors I thought I'd take advantage.

I'm obviously not legally liable for the remaining balance at the moment but I just can't get the full diagnosis at this time.

The two things, my next investigation, and the date the balance becomes due look like they may cross.

That's the problem.

I would take the advice of the consultant as to whether I should travel or not but in the mean time I may have to pay the balance of the holiday.

If the insurance company have to cover me by law then that's fine but if I have bad news I don't particularly want to have to start arguing with them.

I'm not opposed to a good consumer scrap ordinarily but if I get less than good news I'd rather not.

Once the investigation is finished and if I get the 'all clear' for the possibility of further problems I can get insured from another company that covers my condition.

It will be 3 or 4 times the amount but that's life I guess.

Ho hum!

Just make sure the GP is clear as to why you arranged the appointment and there was no previous appointment about any condition you may be suffering from. If the Insurers get any slight whiff of you knowing that you possibly had something wrong with you, they won't cover the cancellation. Check the standard questions on Travel Insurance to see whether you would have any answered these truthfully.

Don't delay telling the Insurers of the medical issue and possible claim. The policy terms will say that you must inform the Insurers within a certain period of time. I would suggest that you cannot leave it until you have had the full diagnosis. Tell the Insurers of the tests and that you are waiting for the diagnosis.

I don't know about the exact condition and whether it is likely you have to cancel the trip. You will have to decide whether you will be going on the trip or not and pay anything that is due to be paid. Perhaps your GP can offer their advice.

Just make sure the GP is clear as to why you arranged the appointment and there was no previous appointment about any condition you may be suffering from. If the Insurers get any slight whiff of you knowing that you possibly had something wrong with you, they won't cover the cancellation. Check the standard questions on Travel Insurance to see whether you would have any answered these truthfully.

 

Don't delay telling the Insurers of the medical issue and possible claim. The policy terms will say that you must inform the Insurers within a certain period of time. I would suggest that you cannot leave it until you have had the full diagnosis. Tell the Insurers of the tests and that you are waiting for the diagnosis.

 

I don't know about the exact condition and whether it is likely you have to cancel the trip. You will have to decide whether you will be going on the trip or not and pay anything that is due to be paid. Perhaps your GP can offer their advice.

Although the Insurers may well ask what the purpose of the doctors appointment was, if it was an annual check up etc it should be no problem, if the appointment was booked due to symptoms being felt it could well warrant more investigation

Although the Insurers may well ask what the purpose of the doctors appointment was, if it was an annual check up etc it should be no problem, if the appointment was booked due to symptoms being felt it could well warrant more investigation

Yes, I was just letting the OP know how Insurers think, so they can anticipate this and make sure that clear information is provided.

Ok.

I had been to the doctors many months ago about the same thing and was told it was nothing unusual (certainly nothing that you would reveal to an insurance company) and I was given something that 'cleared' it, temporarily.

I was expecting the same medication on my next visit, a bit like going for antibiotics for an illness and then getting it again, but this doctor decided it needed further investigation, he was right.

There was certainly nothing that I could have disclosed when taking out my policy unless you have to tell them every little thing like having a cough or a pimple on your nose

Anyway, I've got till the 21st May to pay the balance, a bit longer than I thought.

My investigation was meant to be this coming Wednesday.

I called the hospital and have been told that there is a shortage of appointments!!!

I was told to call the consultants secretary, they told me to ring the people that had told me to ring them, so basically they don't give a rats ass.

Time to flatten the NHS and start again IMHO.

If I was going to have an ingrowing toe nail removed then fair enough but to leave people in limbo is not right, still, I digress.

As I've got more time than I thought I'll do a bit more reading up.

What I actually need at this point is the insurance company to agree that I was insured before the event.

If my next procedure doesn't turn up any further complications then I can get insured by a different company.

If I had the results I would quite happily agree to a refund from the company I'm insured with now and go elsewhere but as I've said, no one will touch me until the procedure are over.

Catch 22

Your GP practice may be willing to chase to make sure the diagnosis is given on time, in view of your situation. Now that GP's commission these services, they may have a bit more power.

The other thought is to contact the travel company to let them know of your situation. Perhaps they may be willing to extend the date you have to pay by, so that hopefully you have the diagnosis and a decision can be made as to whether you need to cancel.

Thanks UB, I really appreciate your input.

I can try the travel agent though they are usually pretty strict on these things but you never know.

After more thinking, if the travel agent idea doesn't work, I'm pretty sure I have only two avenues.

Either the insurance company say, yes, I'm covered, then whatever happens I'll be able to claim, or I just pay the balance and see what emerges.

Even if I get the procedure done within a week (not looking promising) there is no guarantee that I would get the results in time.

Obviously I can still travel if I want and what the consultant says will influence my decision.

I would be extremely unlucky if something happened during the 11 nights I would be away.

Depends on the Travel company and what obligations they have to pay people they have bookings in your name. Travel companies often block book travel,hotels etc and they won't settle with these until nearer the travel date.

Just make sure that whatever the procedure you need to have done, that you cannot travel at all due to the medical continue. You will need a Doctor to confirm.

As a sort of funny story. I once saw an Insurance claim for cancellation by a lady because she had warts in a certain part of her anatomy and therefore she could not enjoy an important aspect of a holiday with her husband. Of course the claim was denied, because the medical condition would not have prevented her going on the trip.

I can definitely travel with the diagnosed condition as I have put the details to a different insurer.

However, there was concern over a secondary finding hence the follow up.

No insurer will, understandably, insure anyone that has a pending investigation for obvious reasons.

My current insurer will not cover my diagnosed condition, period.

I tried filling out the online form, post diagnosis, to see the difference in cost and received the same quote along with a statement excluding the declared condition.

As for the woman with genital warts.

Unless the holiday was specifically a 'hanky panky' holiday I think she was probably a tad over ambitious with her claim!!