Travel insurers wanting answers - British Heart Fou...

British Heart Foundation

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Travel insurers wanting answers

bozzle profile image
13 Replies

Hi, new here and I hope someone can help.

Holiday in USA at end September booked and insured. No medical history declared as there was none.

Chest pains end May. GP & consultant think Angina but am awaiting an angiogram.

As required, I have notified insurers who want a definitive answer as to whether I am fit to travel. Is this usual and how can the GP say for sure at this time?

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bozzle profile image
bozzle
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13 Replies
NathanBlau profile image
NathanBlau

I may be being pessimistic but I would imagine that you might not get cover for this undiagnosed issue.

Hope you find a way around this situation

NoerLuton profile image
NoerLuton

America is extremely expensive for medical cover anyway. I doubt many insurers would want to support you. My suggestion would be talk to your GP and work out a way to get the refund on your holiday paid so far. Then choose any place apart from Northern America and declare your predicting condition to the new insurers.

The best type of insurance is an annual one with a major company such as Norwich union / AXA. You’re covered for the whole year and need not worry if a condition develops after the purchase of the insurance

halman56 profile image
halman56

Hi Bozzle

Your enquiry seems more 'Policy based' than symptom specific. The fine print on the terms and conditions of Insurance, Travel Insurance in particular is historically mired in confusing if not contradictory detail.

For more specific clarification of your enquiry I would recommend that you contact the Insurance Trade's professional body

The British Insurance Brokers' Association

They have very comprehensive information on all aspects of cover and an excellent 'Topic' search feature.

Contact them on:. biba.org.uk

Have a great holiday 😊

scubascuba3 profile image
scubascuba3

You are covered once you purchased the travel insurance (different to annual travel insurance), if unfit to travel, the insurance company should refund you. If you are fit and have an issue when in USA you should still be covered, but read the policy carefully and discuss with insurers. Either way the insurers are liable. Go to ombudsman if they try to wriggle out of paying, then small claims court if necessary.

daisy2311 profile image
daisy2311

I was in the same predicament last September...I managed to get insured via one of the insurers recommended by BHF....If you can get insured, I would think that you would have to take out a new policy...I found that 'regular insurers won't touch things like this. I think I cried when I found an insurer who was understanding and offered cover...it was a very stressful time.

mcc19and64 profile image
mcc19and64 in reply to daisy2311

Daisy can you give me the name of insurers you used ? I'm post stent and just finishing Rehab program feeling good !!! Want to do 3rd Oz trip in 2 years (without Angina as baggage) but need cover ... just in case.TIA David

daisy2311 profile image
daisy2311 in reply to mcc19and64

Hi David, it was Goodtogoinsurance.com I was only travelling to Europe. However, give them a go and I wish you good luck. Failing that, I would recommend using the BHF list of recommended insurers - I worked my way down the list until I found one that would insure me. I just have to start this whole fiasco again which I am not looking forward to ☹☹☹

BobbyN profile image
BobbyN

I posted 2 months ago, hope this may be of some use to you. I managed to get a letter from my Cardiologist stating that he was happy for me to fly but my Insurance company didn't want it:

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

stevejb1810 profile image
stevejb1810

Not unusual. The insurance company will be doing a balancing act here. You were low risk when you took out the policy and now you are probably regarded as high risk. Insurance companies hate uncertainty and you have just given them a big dose of it. I'm not sure how they stand legally however, since at the time you took out the insurance you gave all of the information in good faith and things have changed since, I think they are obliged to honour that insurance.

bozzle profile image
bozzle in reply to stevejb1810

Thanks to everyone who responded. I am not looking for another insurer and have read the small print of my current policy - which is why I have informed them, as required of the occurence of a medical problem.

I am concerned that my GP may feel he cannot commit to a definite response based on so little diagnostic evidence.

I will ask him on Thursday for his decision.

Kimstyles profile image
Kimstyles

I’m in USA now with travel insurance , I did inform the travel insurance company . i of every thing even three bout if uti my hubby shingles . Inform them of every thing especially your GP visits . as they will pull down your GP recourds

, my nephew went to Bali his mum did his insurance but didn’t know he had a bout of tonsillitis . He 28 healthy he hadchest pain whilst their his insurance wouldn’t cover him as he hadn’t declared tonsillitis’ and antibiotic my Sil didn’t know this . and t infection of throat , a small percentage can cause heart infection , !!!! my SUL had to send over £20000 before the hospital would look at him .

I declared all my heath problems replaced valve Warfarin high cholesterol , it cost me fortune , but one week before leaving GP found blood in my urine the insurance said they wouldn’t cover me , they needed a diagnosis and fit to travel from a Dr , which lucky we were able to do ; nothing hectic just post bladder inflammation and being in Warfarin didn’t help . But didn’t get ithe diagnosis till the day before . I said I wouldn’t go with out cover as I didn’t want to bankrupt the family .

Talking to American out here they told me health issues is the biggest cause of them being bankrupt .

GeeMan profile image
GeeMan

Hi Bozzle,

I massively sympathise with you on this one and I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I suspect you may find it very difficult to get insurance while your condition remains under investigation.

I travel to the states for business on a regular basis and am in the middle of an investigation for a heart arrhythmia. I have no other conditions to speak of and take no medication other than a small dose of Beta Blockers while I am being monitored.

I’m due to travel in the next two weeks and as my condition only materialised in the last three months I thought it wise to let my travel insurance company know what’s going on. They subsequently cancelled my insurance on me and flatly refused to cover me. They stated that their reasoning is because I remain un-diagnosed and awaiting an outpatient appointment and further tests.

I made 5 calls to other insurers late last week and none of them will cover me and with a pending trip to the USA and a short holiday to Spain at the end of September it leaves pondering the level of risk if I decide to travel.

Some insurers are sympathetic and may cover you for a single trip but I’ve heard that this can be as expensive as the holiday itself.

I wish you good luck

Driver11 profile image
Driver11

had cardiac arrest ( consultant stated that there was no underlying reason for it although I do have an ICD fitted now) in September and flying to Florida next month. have gone with Staysure , one company would not insure me as I could not give a reason for my cardiac arrest !

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