Travel Insurance

[Melfuzz]

I am suffering at the moment from a fast heart rate with slightly high blood pressure. Still getting tests on the whole thing. Have had no previous history of heart problems.

How hard will it now be for me to get travel insurance. I am going in just over two months and worried about it.

[Keith]

Well you'll be able to get it, it's just how much it will cost.

I know some people may disagree, but first of all, I'd make sure to declare it when you speak to the insurance company. If you don't you'd get the insurance, but if anything happened, even if not related to the heart/bp, they may try and squirm out of paying and with US medical expenses, you don't want ANY wiggle room for the insurance company.

I suspect all you can do is phone a few companies and ask :/

[Melfuzz]

Hopefully I will get the all clear soon its just a suspected virus it only started a month ago and i have always been healthy before. Just nervous being so close to my holiday.

[Keith]

yeah know what you mean :/

I reckon you explain it to them just like that... 2they think it's a virus but I thought I better tell you"

[arcamalpha2003]

I'd go with keith.

When the wife had her operation on her shoulder the other year we had to declare it, and it ended up that if she had had an accident there and that shoulder was damaged we would not be covered.
Even if it came to her ending up in hospital, we would not have been covered for returning flights on other dates.
Wife doesnt do many coasters, so we took the chance, after declaring it to the insurers, lucky enough we were ok.
Insurance companies do not want to pay out, end of story, and as such will find any way to wriggle out.

Bill.

[babybelle]

Becuase of my duaghters pre-existing medical conditions we always declare this to the travel companies. We also declare my husbands asthma - just in case. I used a company for going to Greece last year and the supplement to cover both my daughter and my husband was only £25 over and above the travel insurance policy (which cost about £70 for the family). I can't remember the name of that particular firm but next year we plan to use Columbus Direct - their number is 0800 083 9503

[LindaB]

You could try the post office. They cover pre-existing conditions at extra cost. I used them for my daughters pre-existing condition and they were'nt too expensive. I had to cancel our trip because of her illness and they paid up in full within 5 days.

[ukwdwnut]

i have also been told the postoffice is pretty good for TI, and competetively priced too :D

i'm gonna try them next trip :D

[tweenie123]

I'm waiting to have my gallstones removed! and always have an annual policy. A lot of companies wouldn't cover me which I was surprised at as it's relatively minor surgery. I eventually got a policy with Direct Line and the supplement was about an extra £60. They were extremely helpful and the policy came through the next day.

[arcamalpha2003]

I'm waiting to have my gallstones removed! and always have an annual policy. A lot of companies wouldn't cover me which I was surprised at as it's relatively minor surgery. I eventually got a policy with Direct Line and the supplement was about an extra £60. They were extremely helpful and the policy came through the next day.

Whether it is relatively minor surgery to us or the surgeons who carry out the operation insurance companies can be very fickle.

The wife had a plate put into her shoulder, would you believe that the insurance company tried to say that this would weaken the shoulder? even though her consultant, the guy who carried out the operation, he does these operations every day, said what the insurance company said was a load of old tosh!

So if the wife happened to trip over while we were in orlando, and as we all do, put her hand out to break her fall, if she broke her collarbone on the side she had the operation the insurance would not pay up! because according to them the operation had weakened the shoulder!
But if it was her leg she broke they would pay up!
Insurance companies simply do not want to pay up.

Bill.

[Andy B]

I feel I must defend the principals of insurance. Most large companies do not 'simply not want to pay up' but you have to realise that the with the cost of insurance so low at its most competative, that the companies do not have the time to rate each individual if they do not conform to a norm. For those who do not fit in to the basic template then individual consideration is required and this takes time and costs more. You may get refused cover by some companies but these are those set up to deal with high volume business on low margins.

As a principal do not hide any matters which would be relevant as it is far more costly to have to find the payment of hospital payment in the US rather than the increased premium.

Finally for those who bash insurance companies how many know people who inflate claims exagerating the value or claiming for items not damaged or stolen.

[Bazemerald]

Why is there a competetive market in insurance ??? Thats the question I ask...Do they all want to protect us...I don't think so. Easy money for them as far as I can see. To me they are bookmakers...and you don't see the bookie losing too many times.
The odds are stacked in their favour.
Why do people exaggerate claims...because...insurance companies under value claims ?
Just my opinion :)

[Andy B]

Sure Insurance companies want to make money but so do all companies, even Disney is not a charity ($8 for parking!). The average insurance company is very well run if the total of expanses and claims is less than premiums received, profit mainly comes from investments and with low returns on interest and stock markets in recent years they have been thinner than the heyday of the 1970's and 80's.

As someone who has been in insurance for some time I an tell you that those who have major claims are very grateful of having insurance, I used to have to deal with claims for companies and individuals and the most hassle was the dealing with small claims and the easiest was large fires and thefts when people appreciated the real value of insurance. I had to deal with a claim for lost baggage on a trip but on investigation found out that the receipts for purchase of clothes were either forged or stolen as blanks and that there were five similtaneous claims from the same address or with similar names. Companies have to investigate claims to make sure that they are legitimate and that average policyholders do not get cheated. This is a response to the problem, not causing it insurance has been around for over 200 years I don't think there was an attitude at the start thinking they would undervalue claims as it was a group of like minded busineses grouping together, they only needed to adopt a suspicious attitude when the first fraud was suspected and unfortunately that has become too common but gladly not all encompassing.

Just ask the people of Boscastle and Carlisle if they think Insurance is worth it.

The premiums of the many pay the claims of the few, each individual cannot expect to pay in premiums what they claim over their lifetime when a small number of people make livelyhood saving claims which get their house or business back in order.

However you get what you pay for, cheap insurance is cheap for a reason, it may be excess or restrictions or willingness to pay claims. like most things stick to a well known name. The big boys may have three or four times as many complaints but they probably have three or four hundred times as many clients.

TELL ME YOUR BUSINESS AND LET ME PICK IT TO PIECES WITHOUT AND BASIS

[Bazemerald]

Looks like I have upset someone...That wasn't my intention...your points and facts you state are no doubt true...I have no doubt that there are fraudulent claims. You say I pick on insurance without any basis...well that aint true...I am sorry that you are taking this so personally, but remember others do have opinions and some of those are based on personal experiences.

[Melfuzz]

Thanks for all your advice.

Good news I have got my insurance. I didnt realise before but I had insurance free with my bank account.

I got my diagnosis today physiological sinus tachycardia which basically means my heart beats faster than normal peoples.

I called them today and I do not have a pay an excess.

Yipee!

[Andy B]

Not upset but dissapointed. Yes you may have opinions based on experience but one bad experience does not mean the whole industry is bad.