Travel insurance

[Hi-1964]

I have told my travel insurance providers about my PAF and pay a small premium for the year . January I attended TIA clinic and was given Apixaban as he could not say I had or hadn't had a small TIA even after scan showed no evidence . I have told my insurers that I now have to take another medication they asked if it was to do with the AF I said yes . I'm not sure if I should have informed them that I may have had a TIA ? Any ideas

[BrettonLass]

I suspect that you should, but I am no expert in insurance matters.

[Hidden]

Yes, most definitely. You should disclose all medical details when dealing with insurance companies.

[Hi-1964 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I will it's just I can't say I did have Tia because it's not definite I did !

Consultant said he had to prescribe Axipaban because of the AF

[Hidden in reply to Hi-1964]

The problem here is that TIA will be mentioned in your records. You need to speak with your insurers

If you did need to make a claim , even completely unrelated, and an undisclosed condition is revealed, then the insurers could use this as an excuse not to pay out as many people have found to their cost.

[PeterWh in reply to Hidden]

Agree completely with Yatsura.

[Annekw]

Better safe than sorry ,you could end up with an insurance bill that will be void through not declaring your TIA !

[Hi-1964 in reply to Annekw]

Thing is its no definate it was a TIA

[PeterWh in reply to Hi-1964]

That's even more of a reason to declare.

[Bob56]

Sorry, as an ex insurance broker,I have to agree with the previous posters. If there is any likelihood of your medical records showing or mentioning a TIA then you should disclose it as a material fact. As it stands the rating of your insurance may not alter as you have already disclosed your medication. As I said in another post, different insurers use different medical rating engines to determine how they respond to these things, but better to be safe than sorry..i have died several new medications to the list lodged with my insurance company and they are still insuring me fully. In some ways they prefer to insure controlled illnesses which are, hopefully, being well managed than people who they know nothing about walking around unprotected.

[seasider18 in reply to Bob56]

They must pick up on past conditions that we have forgotten about. How far back can they get if you have moved often and had different doctors and hospitals.

I was having a procedure in a different part of the country and they asked for a list of medications prescribed and previous history. There was a cardiac condition on it that I do not have and I queried it. My GP said it was a historical condition reported by Kingston Hospital and in view of my medical history since then was obviously wrong and he would remove it.

[PeterWh in reply to seasider18]

They go back to birth sometimes. Your GP will gave the whole file of your notes from birth since they gat sent from one doctor to the next. Each hospital keeps their own records and nowadays, in nearly all cases, all hospitals in a CCG can access your notes. Also many GPs can now access the electronic notes of hospitals within their CCG and where services are split across CCGs (eg nearest hospital is in a different CCG due to geographical road access) they can often access both.

The rate of computerisation varies significantly from GP practice to GP practice and from CCG to CCG. In quite a few areas they have scanned all the patient's GP notes in. With hospitals it varies considerably including from consultant to consultant. With some hospitals when you went back to the hospital they scanned all your old notes in when they recalled them. Some just add electronic information for new visits and some continue adding to old notes.

With my heart hospital everything in EP world is input to the computer straight away except dictation of letters. In heart valve specialist area of same hospital everything is still written in hand log books. Not sure if that is transferred (how or when).

Within the last few months health secretary announced that the 20 year plan was 100% computerisation and access by all hospitals. Tony Blair's government tried to go down that path but failed spectacularly both in terms of computer systems and massive overruns in cost. Some CCGs are using parts I believe. however new initiative is much more likely to be successful and costs go tens of time over because technology and storage is a quantum leap forwards now than 10 to 15 years ago.

[seasider18 in reply to PeterWh]

Yet I have had a problem getting letters from my ophthalmologist appointments.

[Beancounter Volunteer]

Hi Hi-1964

You have to inform your insurers of change of medication alone, as well as any potential test results, the problem here are people have said, is this is a "material fact" as far as insurers are concerned and failing to inform them could leave you uninsured.

In these cases always better to be certain they know, ideally by putting it in writing to them, any small increase in premium will be worth the peace of mind.

Be well

Ian

[PeterWh in reply to Beancounter]

And the key thing is it is the INSURANCE COMPANY's interpretation and definition at the time of the claim that is the overriding factor as to what is a material fact. The onus is then on YOU to prove that it wasn't (including any fees that you incur obtaining reports, assessments, etc) and your only recourse is to one of the ombudsmen or equivalent or the courts (unless you can get one of the newspapers to take up the baton.

Also worthwhile noting that if they give you the OK or any wrong information then they are liable even if it is outside of the policy.

A reminder is to ensure that you write down the time, date and name of the person you speak to because that way you can insist the insurance company provides a copy of the discussion (some companies are planning to keep telephone conversations for 25 years).

[seasider18 in reply to Beancounter]

They are wary of any medications that you have been on for less than six months.

[Hi-1964 in reply to seasider18]

I have told them that I have been prescribed a new medication they said they didn't need to know the name of it as it was to do with my AF which I have already told them about

[PeterWh in reply to seasider18]

Depends on what it is and what it is for and the patient!!!!

[Hi-1964 in reply to PeterWh]

Apixaban I asked if they needed name.

I will ring them and tell them all and hope they don't charge a fourtune

[PeterWh in reply to Hi-1964]

I didn't need to know!!! However I am sure that they will be happier that you are on an anticoagulant.

Hi's response reminds me of an interesting point that someone who was in the travel industry told me, circa 15 years ago) if you have a particular condition there are a standard list of medicines that you are expected to be on. If you aren't then you need to advise why if they don't ask you specifically when medication you actually take. One of the problems you can get is some insurance companies skimp and use GPs, often retired, and they are not necessarily up to date, particularily in specialist areas or areas wher things have moved on in the last 10 years or so. After all GPs are generalists and for that matter many cardiologists are really good but not 100% up to date on specialist areas (eg AF, heart valves, etc). some others pay more and use the leading lights in an area. However that is becoming an issue because many consultants do not want to be taking money from insurance companies or drug manufacturers because of an actual or a perceived conflict of interest.

[Hi-1964 in reply to Beancounter]

I have rang insurers they won't cover me for the conditions even thou was covered for the AF before !!!

[Beancounter Volunteer in reply to Hi-1964]

Hi Hi-1964

I'm sorry the insurers have turned you down, but better to find that out now, and not after a large medical claim where you would be left with the bill.

You will find cover, follow any of the threads on here for travel insurance and you will get many recommendations

Be well

Ian

[Hi-1964 in reply to Beancounter]

Thank you for tor reply I have now got cover and at a reasonable cost for the year so now feel I can go and enjoy my holidays .

[Emsysy]

All material facts must be disclosed. Non disclosure can lead to a repudiation of any claims or indeed cause the policy to be voided 'ab initio'

[Lainie2875]

What you have to think is if you don't declare you may as well have set fire to the premium you have paid as you highly likely won't be covered anyway.

There's no point even taking out insurance if you don't declare everything.

Search around as I am sure you are doing it will cost you more but it's just not worth the risk.

I am going away for a long trip in the USA but luckily have good cover that I have declared everything on so I feel safe to go.

Good luck