Insurance fails to pay up.

In message , at 15:47:18 on
Sat, 2 Oct 2004, Lansbury remarked:
And the Telegraph also has elements of both:

and it also says her insurance was invalidated because she had been drinking.

What it says is: "She was also told insurance firms would not pay
because she had been drinking before the fall."

I quote from my copy of The Telegraph, (2nd of 4 paragraphs)

"Sarah Webster 18 of Cricklade, Wilts, fractured both thighs, her wrists and
skull when she fell from her hotel balcony but invalidated her insurance
because she had been drinking"

Ah, more detail in the printed one than online. Nevertheless, just
because it's printed in the paper doesn't make it true. Just like it's
no longer always true 'if the BBC said it':

"She had no insurance cover ... Medics also informed her that
even if she had taken out additional cover, insurance firms
would not have paid up because she had been drinking before her
fall."

Nevertheless, the Telegraph's story is becoming the consensus now.
--
Roland Perry

In message
, at
21:45:02 on Sat, 2 Oct 2004, Hilary
remarked:
The Post Office one (which is topical) says:

"You must be able to make the following declaration for yourself, anyone
travelling with you, a close relative or business associate who the trip
will depend on" [otherwise we won't] "cover any claim arising from that
condition unless we have agreed in writing to cover it".

The last part is the important bit. If you had skin cancer 10 yrs ago and
no recurrence they will probably still insure you. Equally, if it's
recent, they may offer you the option of either paying an additional
premium or excluding the pre-existing condition from cover.

When we've called for customers before, as long as they were stable, their
condition hadn't changed in the last 5 yrs and their medication hadn't
changed in 2 yrs, they were usually covered. Sometimes (depending on the
condition) there wasn't anything extra to pay.

And other policies aren't as flexible. Such is the marketplace. It's
also a bit intrusive for you to have to know relatives' and colleagues'
medical conditions (if you want to benefit from the cancellation clause
should they fall ill or die). But at least they don't ban relatives and
colleagues from indulging in extreme sports!
--
Roland Perry

In message
, at
09:11:45 on Sun, 3 Oct 2004, Hilary
remarked:
You don't need to ask them for a medical history - the insurance companies
say "If you could reasonably have known..."

One size doesn't fit all.

The Post Office says: "You must be able to make the following
declaration for yourself, anyone travelling with you, a close relative
or business associate who the trip will depend on."

No test of reasonableness.
--
Roland Perry

You don't need to ask them for a medical history - the insurance companies
say "If you could reasonably have known..." So if you *know* that your
colleague has been very ill/has a recurring illness then you'd need to
declare it. If there's something but they haven't told anyone about it,
then there's no reasonable way you could have known.

Hilary



Interestingly, I have a close relative (covered under the list in my annual
multi-trip policy) who has been diagnosed with cancer, AFTER I took out the
policy. Since knowing of the diagnosis I have booked travel, Would they
cover me if I needed to return ??

In message , at 09:35:30 on Sun, 3 Oct
2004, Miss L. Toe remarked:
Interestingly, I have a close relative (covered under the list in my annual
multi-trip policy) who has been diagnosed with cancer, AFTER I took out the
policy. Since knowing of the diagnosis I have booked travel, Would they
cover me if I needed to return ??

It will probably vary. The Post Office insurance (the one this thread is
about!) says:

"If there is a change in your health (after you have taken out
this insurance or booked, but before you travel) and you can no
longer agree with the declaration, you must contact the Post
Officeâ„¢ Medical Screening Line immediately on 08701 212 962
quoting Scheme code PTS1. They will tell you if the change in
your health will affect your insurance cover."

Where "you" is "every insured person".

But if they aren't travelling, and it's merely someone whose illness
might make you cancel, perhaps they'd come under the:

"If, at the time of taking out this insurance (or booking the
trip if this was later) your close relative or business
associate had a medical condition...that would include this"

Although there's no accompanying words about the Medical Screening Line,
which tends to suggest they won't negotiate.

--
Roland Perry

Much simpler to get a policy that will cover preexisting conditions.

Hilary wrote:

You don't need to ask them for a medical history - the insurance companies
say "If you could reasonably have known..." So if you *know* that your
colleague has been very ill/has a recurring illness then you'd need to
declare it. If there's something but they haven't told anyone about it,
then there's no reasonable way you could have known.

Interestingly, I have a close relative (covered under the list in my annual
multi-trip policy) who has been diagnosed with cancer, AFTER I took out the
policy. Since knowing of the diagnosis I have booked travel, Would they
cover me if I needed to return ??


Probably not, as at that point it is a pre-existing condition (i.e. you
knew about it when you booked the travel) but it's always worth checking
with them just in case.

Hilary

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...
Much simpler to get a policy that will cover preexisting conditions.


Ah but this wasn't a preexisting condition at the time the policy was taken
out. (Which was really the point of my question)

Well possibly it was and possibly it wasn't, none knows.


Hilary wrote:

You don't need to ask them for a medical history - the insurance
companies
say "If you could reasonably have known..." So if you *know* that your
colleague has been very ill/has a recurring illness then you'd need to
declare it. If there's something but they haven't told anyone about
it,
then there's no reasonable way you could have known.

Interestingly, I have a close relative (covered under the list in my
annual
multi-trip policy) who has been diagnosed with cancer, AFTER I took out
the
policy. Since knowing of the diagnosis I have booked travel, Would they
cover me if I needed to return ??


Probably not, as at that point it is a pre-existing condition (i.e. you
knew about it when you booked the travel) but it's always worth checking
with them just in case.

Hilary

In message , at 18:30:56 on Sun,
3 Oct 2004, Frank F. Matthews remarked:
Much simpler to get a policy that will cover preexisting conditions.

Available from the Porcine Aviator Insurance Co?
--
Roland Perry

"Hilary" wrote in message
...
so next time i go on a summer ibizia holiday it dont really matter
if i have
insurance or not....... if it get invalidated then i may as well
save my £40
and not buy it.

If you get drunk and
[snip]
Just try not to injure yourself or lose anything while
drinking.
[snip]

Interesting how you English equate "drinking" and "get drunk"

Miss L. Toe wrote:

"Frank F. Matthews" wrote in message
...

Much simpler to get a policy that will cover preexisting conditions.

My point is that if the policy covers preexisting conditions then there
is nothing to argue about.

Ah but this wasn't a preexisting condition at the time the policy was taken
out. (Which was really the point of my question)

Well possibly it was and possibly it wasn't, none knows.

Hilary wrote:

You don't need to ask them for a medical history - the insurance

companies

say "If you could reasonably have known..." So if you *know* that your
colleague has been very ill/has a recurring illness then you'd need to
declare it. If there's something but they haven't told anyone about

it,

then there's no reasonable way you could have known.

Interestingly, I have a close relative (covered under the list in my

annual

multi-trip policy) who has been diagnosed with cancer, AFTER I took out

the

policy. Since knowing of the diagnosis I have booked travel, Would they
cover me if I needed to return ??


Probably not, as at that point it is a pre-existing condition (i.e. you
knew about it when you booked the travel) but it's always worth checking
with them just in case.

Hilary