Do I declare Esophageal varices (no longer found) on travel insurance?

[MarkD6701]

Hi All,

I've booked a holiday for April next year and I'm looking for a bit of advice regarding my travel insurance.

Due to having a blood clot in my portal vein because of my MPN I was diagnosed with having Esophageal varices (bloated blood vessels). However, I recently had an endoscopic examination where they can no longer see the varices (which is good news).

On the medical screening it asks whether I have these varices or not. If I answer no the price can be considerably cheaper. As it'll be a year until my next appointment with my consultant I just wondered how quickly (if at all) medical records may be updated to indicate the new situation, and whether I should risk indicating this is no longer an issue on the insurance.

Has anyone else had this dilemma and if so have you spoken to your consultant about it?

Regards

Mark

[moo196]

I'd declare it, pay the higher premium and not risk tens of thousands of pounds should anything else happen whilst away. Even a broken leg may not be covered if they look at your records.Enjoy your holiday 🙂

[jointpain]

Hi Mark, you've answered your own dilemma really. As you were asked if you have varices, your answer should be no, and you have a recent endoscopy to back your answer up. My wife who has MF and while in hospital five years ago had a portal vein thrombosis, and is still taking carvedilol for it, has endoscopies which over the years have found less and less varices. So if yours have gone I wouldn't see why they will reappear sometime soon. All the best.

[Mostew]

I would ring insurance company and say you had varices but last examination showed you are clear now. But want to check no need to declare now

Check you can get copy of updated medical record before ringing .

You will then feel confident you are fully insured

[Dodders]

Hmmm, I had gastric varices due to a PVT. But I've also had, in effect, the all clear. If, definitively, you've been told you no longer have them then I would think you need not declare. If you can get a signed note from your Dr to that end than I can't think your insurer could refuse you cover in the event you needed to claim. That's only my opinion and insurers will avoid paying out if they can. Good luck either way.

[MarkD6701]

Thanks for the replies. One thing that's also come to mind, is that when I've declared that I've got thrombosis, I now wonder that if the varices have gone, then would that mean the clot has gone as well, or to at least at a level it's never going to cause further issues (I'm on warfarin)?

I'll certainly ask my consultant.

[MarkD6701 in reply to MarkD6701]

Would be great not to have to declare my PVT if I didn't have to. I had a mesenteric thrombosis, but that was resolved through surgery.

[moo196 in reply to MarkD6701]

I believe you have left declare the past medical history. I always declare my cvst of 9 years ago. History is an indicator of future risk.I'd be very unhappy to find I wasn't covered for the sake of a £20-50 increase in premium 🙏

[Wyebird]

I’m afraid I would . I have had to do something similar. Including the fact I was put on statins as a precaution even though my cholesterol is not high ( had a stroke aged 50)

They will do anything not to pay out. I do an annual policy. It safe guards me against finding anything else wrong with me🤣.

Just bite the bulletin and have a few less drinks.

[Swede]

The insurance company asks: have you ever had or been treated for...

The fact that you are checked ever so often would indicate that they might reappear. Yes, it should be decleared.

So, id you declear it?