travel insurance declaration for Implanted Loop Recorder

[Gingy70]

I have an implanted Loop recorder, though in the last year it has not picked up anything and arrythmia is not on my medical records. I am making a declaration to Allclear for travel insurance and am unsure of how the ILR counts. Am I awaiting the results of tests? Allclear will not tell me and say it is up to me to make the judgement! Any experience or guidance welcomed!

[Happyrosie]

I’m not entirely sure what your question is.

The insurer asks a question and you must answer it truthfully.

So, are you waiting for the results of tests? Only you know the answer to this not the insurer.

If you are not waiting for the results of tests then your answer is “no”. What other questions have they asked that you’re not sure of?

[Gingy70 in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you for taking the trouble to ask for clarification. The question is whether the implanted loop recorder itself counts as a 'test'?

[Happyrosie in reply to Gingy70]

I understand. If the recorder is permanently implanted and reviewed annually, or whenever, then that could not be viewed as a ‘test’. Just my view though. But you’d need to explain to them that this is what it is.

An insurer cannot price the risk unless they know what the risk is. So if you are awaiting the result of a test, then no-one knows the result and the risk is impossible to determine.

An analogy. You have your blood pressure tested regularly. An insurer would not, I think, say that they would have to wait until next month’s test is done.

[Gingy70 in reply to Happyrosie]

Many thanks for your helpful comments

[Gingy70 in reply to Happyrosie]

Many thanks for your helpful comments

[Rosie1066]

I declared my Pacemaker recently and cheapest quote I could get was £255 for a one week trip. My friend, same age as me an no ailments got hers for £70. Wish I hadn’t declared it now as I never have any problems with it.

[devonian186 in reply to Rosie1066]

Were you going together to the same place? The US for example can be more expensive than the EU, as will be cruises.

[Rosie1066 in reply to devonian186]

Yes, we are going on the same trip in June to Spain and France.

[Stent2024 in reply to Rosie1066]

Our insurance was always low . Now I’ve had to declare the stent I have fitted , it’s sky rocketed , even though I didn’t actually have a heart attack . Unfortunately if you don’t declare it and god forbid something happens on your holiday , you won’t be covered .

[Gingy70 in reply to Stent2024]

That is very useful thank you.

[DodgyTickerMum]

Hi, I had an I.L.R fitted about 6 wks ago. Just seen this advice on the B.H.F site re travel insurance. As with any insurance, if you were to have a health issue whilst abroad and it came to light that you have an I.L.R and hadn’t advised the Insurer, they could turn around and say it was ‘non disclosure of a material fact’ and refuse to reimburse you for any treatment received.

Personally, I wld notify them, but explain you haven’t yet been diagnosed with any specific condition. I suspect you’ll have to call them to discuss, as no doubt an online form will only permit yes/no answers!

Hope you get on ok.

B.H.F info.

[Gingy70 in reply to DodgyTickerMum]

I am grateful for that thank you

[sturon]

The best professional to ask is your GP. In the unlikely event of you needing to make a claim it is your GP who completes the medical part of the claim form. We asked our surgery for a written conformation of what we needed to declare. They may charge for this but worth it as reassurance.

[Gingy70 in reply to sturon]

I will contact the GP. V. useful thank you.

[L8Again]

Given that you have been fitted with an ILR as a means of providing the clinician with the evidence needed to come up with a diagnosis, then it would be a very risky ( and possibly expensive) strategy not to play it straight with any insurance company. It is up to the insurance company’s underwriter to assess risk. It can only do that with full disclosure by the person seeking insurance. If necessary, the underwriter will seek advice from its own medical advisers.

[Gingy70 in reply to L8Again]

Sage words. Thank you

[Scotsman53]

I'm getting one in a few days, it seems very clear to me that it's part of an ongoing investigation, if I had no symptoms I wouldn't be getting it and the results from it will inform a diagnosis.

[Gingy70 in reply to Scotsman53]

Interesting to learn of your experience

[Buddy00]

a loop recorder will be classed as a test as it’s used to diagnose problems , and you will be awaiting results. I have a yearly echocardiogram to monitor my heart due to several heart conditions and this is classed as ongoing treatment. The helplines are not very helpful as they will not offer any advice at all. The onus is purely on you to make sure it’s correct. I wish you could submit your gp medical records and then they quote you. I always feel like they are trying to catch you out.

[Gingy70 in reply to Buddy00]

Thank you. That is very helpful

[EdtheDead]

Declare absolutely everything. We have an annual All Clear Policy and every visit to a GP or Consultant, no matter how irrelevant it may be, is declared. Not all decelerations to All Clear result in an increase in Premium but it's vital you miss nothing out. After taking out the policy we'd forgotten to mention the 2 bouts of Covid we'd had in 2021 so rang to check. Yes, they did need to know. Since we took it out I've had to ring them to add GP visits and the small matter of a Gall Stone I'd forgotten about as well.

[Fem51uk]

I went with Avanti travel insurance last year I have an ILR insitu. I declared two visits to a&e in the last 12 months and still having tests/investigstions. My policy was still a very good price. I couldn’t travel due to illness that was related to my arrhythmia, disclosed by myself when taking policy out and my claim was accepted and paid out. I couldn’t fault Avanti.

[Gingy70 in reply to Fem51uk]

I shall contact Avanti and see how they repond to me. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[Fem51uk]

No problem I hope you manage to sort it out

[Fministry]

hi Gingy70. My partner had an ILR fitted recently. Not diagnosed with anything and rarely has any symptoms. Very rarely gets feeling faint attacks. Allclear said they would not cover him as he has no diagnosis. He may never have one because there might be nothing wrong with his heart! Puts him in impossible situation re travel insurance. Going to get a GHIC card. He has normal travel insurance but they won’t cover it either. I would like to know if anyone has got travel insurance with a loop recorder AND no diagnosis. Good luck