Checking out insurance

[Telfordian]

I had heart attacks in 1996 and 2001, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2005 and with PMG this January. In the light of other messages about travel insurance, listen to my sad tale. My Saga annual travel insurance was renewed in December and I received an email on January 3 confirming that. We went ahead and planned our April-May break involving booking a package, plus ferries, hotels and a flight.

After reading comments on this site advising notifying insurers about PMG which said this had not led to penalties, I contacted Saga so that I would not be exposed to refusal of payment if anything went wrong on the grounds that I had "not declared all conditions". We have been with Saga since at leasr 2000, my heart/diabetes conditions and medication have not changed at all. We spend the holidays hill walking.

The woman at Saga said I would have to answer the medical questionnaire, then told me our policy was cancelled. However I could take out one-trip policies. This would cost some £900 to cov er our two main holidays instead of the £340 annual charge. They were still prepared to cover me for a holiday in late October with a policy taken out now.

I can get no reason why or what has caused this rejection. The computer is not that clever. This is, as far as I can see, (a) a money raising scam; (b) the abdication of dealing human to human to the rule of faceless, unintelligent computer systems.

RIAS, on the basis of an identical on-line questionnaire, has offered us annual cover.

[John_Mills]

JustTravel Cover offer a service especially for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

They are brokers so look for the best deal. Might be worth a try - a quotation will cost nothing!

Their website is justtravelcover.com

[janimaths]

Dear Telfordian,

I am annoyed on your behalf.

Shame on Saga.

I had a similar experience when Aviva would no longer insure me, because they just drew a line at 70. We live in an insurance driven society and Saga are meant to be for we older people, but it makes you wonder.

My husband, despite many more health problems than you have, was insured by Age Concern, as I now am and I find them good. I insure through the Scottish branch but there should be a link at agescotland.org.uk . As John and Susan say - shop around.

Best wishes and good luck.

Janimaths

[Telfordian]

Many thanks. Saga is now no longer a family business and is part of the banking world with Lloyds. The policy seems to be "excluse" rather than "include".

[Telfordian]

Now have annual policy with RIAS, pricier but not too bad. JustTravel offered only one-trip cover but at fair prices.