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Holiday Insurance HELP !


whisturx

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As my wife had acute angina last April resulting in a stent being fitted and pills for life, our annual holiday insurer Direct Travel have refused to cover her for anything medical on renewal of our policy.

I did expect an increase on our joint premium but obviously they only insure 100% fit people who are unlikely to claim !!

 

Anyone have the same problem and some suggestions of companies that are likely to insure us. Must be somebody else with a stent out there ?

 

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The annoying thing is I declared the stent and medication etc. to the insurance company in April 2010 as the policy is due for renewal in Feb 2011. Tthey did not increase the premium and informed me I was fully covered. Now on renewal they will not insure my wife. She has had a clean bill of health and completely discharged.

Need to be 100% fit to get insurance !!

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Guest JudgeMental
whisturx - 2011-01-21 5:33 PM

 

Need to be 100% fit to get insurance !!

 

 

Thats is a nonsense, the first thing they ask you when applying for insurance is if you have been admitted to hospital in last 2 years *-)

 

I have some health issues but this year was the first time my insurer refused to cover me. That is simply the way it is? criteria change, and you have to look elsewhere and unfortunately probably pay substantially more as well!

 

there has been some useful threads recently try a forum "search"

 

here are 2 that I remember:

 

https://miatravelinsurance.co.uk/miaonline/

 

http://www.staysure.co.uk/travel-insurance

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try asking for cover excluding the stent,

 

and good luck, I always think it's a bit of a rip-off,

they only insure on safe bets

 

but if Direct Travel are connected to Direct Car Insurance then they may simply refuse to touch any thing 'non-standard' it's how they keep their prices down

 

B-)

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As others have posted try

MIA Insurance, Staysure, Allclear travel

Also try:- Free Spirit  www.free-spirit.com & Chartwell www.chartwellinsurance.co.uk

Those named above all

 specialise in pre-existing Medical Conditions, but each have differing load ratings for each “condition”.

 

So one may be substantially lower for one condition, but expensive for another. So you need to check who is the best Insurer for your wife’s specific condition.                                                                                     Also be prepared for an initial shock, if you select the Insurer with the highest "loading" for your wife's condition. Best remember you still have a hoice of others.

Or a comprehensive list available here:-   http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/travel-insurance/pre-existing/medical/conditions/

In my experience is that Saga & RIAS fall somewhere between a "standard" Insurer & the specialist pre-existing Medical Condition Insurer. So they may or may not be able to provide the same level of cover as the Specialists.

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Try the following.

http://www.the-insurance-surgery.co.uk/travel_insurance.php

They do not insure you but direct you to companies relative to your condition, in my case this meant an increase in my insurance for trip to USA of 0% as the company covered me under standard conditions, in the case of a work mate his wife who has epelepsy only paid a small increase.

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Many thanks for all the leads. I have tried Saga so far and the premium is about £100 increase on last years Direct Travels £65 for annual cover.

If my wifes "incident" had happened abroad and incurred vast medical costs I could see their reason for refusal of cover. Quite happy to take £600 over 10 years and no claims !!

Thanks again.

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We have insurance with Manor Insurance, they also have cover for pre-existing conditions. OH had a single bypass in March 2006, annual travel insurance due May 2006, cost us about £140 that year. On their website there are actually a few "examples" of who they quote for, and it includes "74 year old Mr X who had a stent fitted"

 

Link: http://www.travelinsured.co.uk/pre_existing.htm

 

Ina.

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Try Aviva (used to be Norwich Union Direct), although they may not take a new customer with an angina history. Most firms just say no when I say I have angina, but we have had travel insurance with Aviva for a number of years at a very competitive cost. Yet to see this year's quote! I had a bypass in 1991 and have had angina in varying degrees since, controlled by drugs and not waiting for hospital appointments or tests. So far we have not had to make a claim so have a good insurance record. We have annual European insurance, but I think USA or further afield would be a different story.
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Hi

Don't know if you have private medical insurance but if you have then travel insurance is no problem. I had 3 stents fitted 3 years ago by BUPA and in a Bupa hospital. We have travel insurance from Bupa which comes free with the private health and they accept me with no problems/conditions whatsoever. On saying that why should they?-they fitted them so technically they are saying I am 100% fit now.

As I said if you have BUPA cover, just extend it to cover travel insurance F.O.C and problem sorted. If not check out BUPA cover against the cost of your increased premium for travel insurance-it may be a better overall option in case she needs any more treatment. Cover is also worldwide by the way

Mike

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Thanks once again for all the suggestions. Originally when in full health we were paying £70 for an annual policy from Direct Travel. I have had varying quotes from £129 to £165 from insurance companies listed in your replies.

But having sent a rather "snotty" email to Direct Travel regarding their cancellation of my policy and a suggestion of referring the matter to the Insurance Ombudsman (they do exist !), I have had a phone call this morning.

So say, I had a trainee first time who has been reprimanded and of course they will re- insure for £102 !!

So thanks all, and it pays to complain!

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whisturx - 2011-01-25 1:50 PM

 

Thanks once again for all the suggestions. Originally when in full health we were paying £70 for an annual policy from Direct Travel. I have had varying quotes from £129 to £165 from insurance companies listed in your replies.

But having sent a rather "snotty" email to Direct Travel regarding their cancellation of my policy and a suggestion of referring the matter to the Insurance Ombudsman (they do exist !), I have had a phone call this morning.

So say, I had a trainee first time who has been reprimanded and of course they will re- insure for £102 !!

So thanks all, and it pays to complain!

 

 

Well done a good result

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whisturx - 2011-01-25 1:50 PM

 

Thanks once again for all the suggestions. Originally when in full health we were paying £70 for an annual policy from Direct Travel. I have had varying quotes from £129 to £165 from insurance companies listed in your replies.

But having sent a rather "snotty" email to Direct Travel regarding their cancellation of my policy and a suggestion of referring the matter to the Insurance Ombudsman (they do exist !), I have had a phone call this morning.

So say, I had a trainee first time who has been reprimanded and of course they will re- insure for £102 !!

So thanks all, and it pays to complain!

 

Dont forget that even though they have agreed to reinsure you this time, next time you enquire elsewhere, there is usually a question along the lines ' have you ever had insurance refused....' The strict answer to that must be 'yes' even though they changed their mind. Could be a nasty trip up in the future trying to get insurance, and possible claim rejection . Beware.!!!

 

tonyg3nwl

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Do read the small print very very carefully. I have had firms say they were delighted to insure me and here's the cover note, only to find that they had actually excluded anything cardiac related. In one case I got my money back after some argument and in the other my husband pointed out that they had also sent a cover note with my declared conditions on it as covered! A bad case of one hand etc.
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  • 9 months later...
Guest 1footinthegrave

I can understand to a degree the OP's consternation, but providing insurance is all about risk, and that's what keeps the prices lower for the majority to cover for the unexpected. My cover has gone up considerably since hitting 65, am I surprised, no. They know and I know I'm getting closer to my box as each year passes,so of course I'm more of a risk.

To be honest though I think this whole industry is in need of clarification BIG time, every policy I have taken out leaves me wondering if it's worth the paper it's written on after attempting to wade through the small print :-(

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Guest JudgeMental

I have a fair few conditions and insurer refused to renew this year even though no change my end *-)

 

after a lot of frustrating searching and phone calls, I at last found that MIA would cover, and unlike anyone else included USA and Caribbean in their worldwide policy..... could not believe it, and no exclusions either

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Guest JudgeMental
flicka - 2011-10-30 8:57 PM

 

Hi Eddie

I think most regulars on the forum have some idea of your problems, so without asking specific medical conditions or actual cost

Could you advise if MIA were competitive vis a vis your previous insurer.

 

Thats hard as its difficult to compare.. but family policy had been around £120 (for 4 of us) but now £300 (for 2 of us) kids 18 now so have their own policy. Considering I could not find cover from anyone I tried, and had more or less given up, I dont think that is half bad especially as it has no restrictions on me.....

 

we usually have a long hall winter break to break up the tedium of our awful weather (Thailand/India/amercia/Caribbean etc....) so worldwide cover weas pretty important. Others where even refusing yearly European cover, and only single trip offered at over £200 for a month in Italy! so MIA VERY reasonable in comparison...

 

 

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