General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips

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insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
18 Posts
bellybally
2012-11-21 19:06:10
went to benidorm in september- will try and keep this short. slipped a disk in back was in agony- went to clinic de benidorm- had the xrays- injections, morphine patches. -, Showed them my passport- insurance details They phoned insure and go_i heard em on phone to them.(insure and go silver- zero excess). no probs signed a document off i hobbled- bk nxt day for more injections- paid a fortune for medication. again signed a form (for injections) toddled.off again. didnt bother going again as was in so much pain injections didnt seem to be working (was injected in bottom)???? should have been into spine according to my doctor- so no wonder they were not doing much for me -plus i only had 3 more days to go- so just stayed in bed- and prayed i could walk by the saturday.

Once home- went to see specialist- all getting sorted.

Today i receive a letter from insure and go- wanting to know all details - said they had received an invoice from the clinic (Well im sure the clinic will have enclosed all details )- when i travelled- who with- dates- illness- treatment- ni number- if i had an ehic card- if its a re-accuring illness as they will be contacting my doctor-(no iv never had a slipped disk- but have had trouble in past with back- pain etc..) proof of travel blah blah.- wanted to know all this before they coughed up.

Why? is this a new thing? years ago when son ended up in hospital we just paid excess and heard no more. is this a new practice/ and what happens if they refuse to pay the clinic? - because they wont be getting anything off me if they try going down that road.(not like im there now and needing treatment)- and the cheeky ***** didnt enclose a s.a.e :) wanted me to send off recorded delivery- what cheek!! Wont be using them again- if anyone can suggest a good insurance provider who wont hassle you - after making a claim- i would be grateful.

Anyone else had this

thanks belly
Reply
Jay Trip
2012-11-21 20:06:37
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Insure and Go are one of the better insurance companies believe it or not.
It seems that every illness,Xray,Scan,tests or any health problem you have had over the last few years has to be disclosed.
Maybe because you had suffered from back pain before and didnt tell them is the reason they are taking some time to sort it out.
I dont know if you are a member of ICR but I was shocked to read today of a couple we know being landed with a £7,000 bill because of a scan earlier this year not being disclosed.
All the insurance companies contact your doctor when they receive a claim so they must sift through all your records to find something that could be related.
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cyprus100
2012-11-21 20:37:07
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
I think most/all insurance companies where there is lower back pain involved want to know the in's and out's of a duck's bottom before they make a decision to settle. Not just travel insurance companies....
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bellybally
2012-11-21 20:43:50
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
hi jay-cyprus

Thanks for your replies

Thats terrible- about that poor couple being landed a 7,000 bill.

Bet they try and wriggle out of payment because iv not declared having trouble with my back in past (altho not an illness- just pain)- they never asked to declare any aches or pains - would have been there all bleeding day filling the form out.- oh god just remembered got referred to a specialist last year and had 8 sessions with an ostiopath (but no scans or xrays). Iv not slipped a disk before- (unless its already "slipped") but as iv not had an xray or scan over here - who knows?

Hows it work then jay? Obviously they have not paid the clinic yet-(hence the letter-) so I wouldn't owe them would I? (insurance) would i then just receive a bill from the clinic in benidorm if they wriggled out of stumping up?

thanks belly
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Jay Trip
2012-11-21 22:35:24
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
You will probably get a bill from the clinic if the insurance dont pay up.
How they will go about retriving the cost if you dont pay I dont know.
I had to tell my insurance about a problem I had with my back 20 years ago when I lifted a patient off the floor and hurt my back. :yikes
We were insured with Insure and Go but I changed to Staysure because they had an excess of only £65 whereas I&G was £150.
It really is a minefield and I have watched the programme about the Clinic Benidorm which is a private clinic.
The nearest Public hospital is in Villayosa.
I have just read on ICR that someone trying to arrange insurance for there mother has had a printout if all her illnesses since 1954!
The trouble is when speaking to the Medical screening people they are just ticking boxes and really havent a clue regarding medications especially the ones that are given for preventative measures.
I hope you get it sorted as I know someone who was insured with I&G and they took seriously ill in Turkey last year and they were excellent.
Its just a shame you hadnt declared your previous back compliant as they would have paid up no bother.
Good luck. :tup
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mobile fitter
2012-11-22 18:59:13
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
bellybaby, in the Key Facts of Insure and Go,s policy booklet it states that " if you have in the last TWO YEARS had any treatment for NEUROLIGICAL PROBLEMS you must declare them" this could include lower back problembs! We use them every year for our summer holiday but it takes ages to make sure that all the OH ,s pre-conditions are declared including all medication that she takes.I hope you get sorted out soon

Regards
Alan
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Sunaddict
2012-11-22 19:43:17
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
This is not hassling you, it is normal procedure. Of course the insurance company want all the details, and they will check these with your GP to see if you have had any treatment, referrals etc for the problem before, or if the current problem is possibly related to any previous problem.
If previous problems have been declared, and the insurance company has endorsed your policy saying they are covered it shouldn't be a problem. If they haven't been declared the insurance company have the potential to refuse to cover the bill.
When buying a policy you need to read the medical declaration wording very carefully, and make sure you declare everything that falls in line with what they stipulate.
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doe
2012-11-26 15:10:07
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Yes I agree this is a pretty standard process nowadays.

Possibly years ago when your son was in hospital and they paid up, it would have been because he had no pre-existing conditions to declare or that applied to him. The older you get and the more things you have done like X-rays, courses of medication, various treatments, seeing Specialists etc the more problematic getting appropriate cover at a reasonable price and claiming against it becomes :(

It probably wasn't practical in this case due to the amount of pain you were quite clearly in but I would have been tempted to try and get treated by the Spanish NHS due to the reciprocal arrangements, probably because I am a sceptic who thinks insurance company's will do anything either to not pay out or delay paying out for as long as possible( they would rather the money in their bank than yours) so I would have been anticipating something like this cynic that I am. :(
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Jay Trip
2012-11-26 19:03:25
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Its a pity than when holidaymakers take ill in Benidorm they are taken to the Clinica Benidorm which is a private hospital.
The nearest public hospital where you can use your EHIC is in Villajoyosa,which is about 12 miles away.
I have been told they will only accept patients who speak Spanish as there are no interpretors.I dont know if this is true but it makes the EHCI card a waste of time if there are no public hospitals nearby.
I am having a test done tomorrow which I know when I tell my insurance company it will put my insurance up but if I dont tell them and I take ill abroad my insurance will be void.
After reading the OP I have heard of 3 incidents where insurance companies are refusing to pay out due to not being notified of any pre existing illnesses.
I think these days they want your full medical history. :(
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doe
2012-11-27 11:28:44
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Jean, I don't think they can refused to treat you just because you don't speak Spanish. One of the main points of the card is that you can se it to get treatment whilst on holiday and many people do not speak the language in Of the EU country they are visiting. It's probably just one of this rumours that runs on and on for years .

We had something happen to us in the Algarve when my son was little and needed medical treatment , we were rushed to a private clinic in Lagos, we were in such a panic we just went where the hotel organised.

They didn't have the correct facilities to treat him so we were transferred to the general NHS hospital in Faro where you get the treatment free. We didn't speak a word of Portuguese but they still treated him. we paid the clinic bill of about £500 (all they did was consultation &xray and then said they couldnt treat him) on a credit card and claim it back off
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Jay Trip
2012-11-27 18:04:57
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Hi Doe,It is very confusing as this was something we were told about speaking the language which I had my doubts as most Europeans learn English at school.
I have just phoned my insurance company this afternoon to tell them of a test I had today which I know I didnt particularly need as I havent had any problems for 18 years but still had to have it added to the policy :yikes
I am now waiting for them to get back to me to see if there is any further cost.
The girl I spoke to said if I hadnt informed them and I had needed treatment abroad regardless what for my policy would have been made void. :(
I would be off to Hurghada if my Insurance company still included Egypt but unfortunately they no longer include it in their European policy and Worldwide would cost more than the holiday. :really
It really is putting me off going abroad as apart from the OP I have heard of another 3 people recently who are having their claims denied by their insurance for not disclosing pre existing complaints going back years.
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doe
2012-11-27 18:24:46
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
I know Jay, it puts you off of travelling outside the eurozone once you start getting a few med conditions. You are even supposed to let them know if your GP changes a brand of medication, how ridiculous is that my DH takes blood pressure tablets and they changed his brand (probably to someting cheaper) and I read that you need to even inform them of something trivial like that - although I guess it would depend on the policy.

It's nightmare and I wish the OP well in getting it sorted.

I don't see how they can't treat those who don't speak Spanish as you get a lot of retirees & even some ex-pats who dont bother to learn the language but are entitled to treatment under the card.
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Jay Trip
2012-11-27 18:32:41
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
We havent been to mainland Spain for many years but are thinking of going for Christmas and New Year.
I know that they recommend you carry the EHIC with you at all times but as they havent public hospitals in the resorts it seems they just take people to private clinics or hospitals.
My sons friend is Spanish so I will make sure I have their number in my phone just in case. :tup
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northantsj
2012-11-27 19:59:10
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
My husband broke his ankle when we were in Benidorm and was taken to the private hospital behind the Flamingo Oasis. They couldn't operate immediately as he was taking aspirin but wouldn't do the op till they got confirmation from his doctor that he hadn't had trouble with his ankle before. The doctor didn't reply till the following day but they'd got him ready for the op the previous day, I had to say I'd pay by card £3,000 before they'd do it but I'd get the money back if they were satisfied with the doctor's reply. We had a nil excess on the insurance and he was in hospital for eight days and had to come home on a different plane as he needed three seats and one for me but the one we were booked to come back on was full. The whole episode cost £23,000 and the insurance paid up immediately and were so helpful arranging the transport back. I had a slipped disc a month before going on a cruise last December and when I rang my insurance to inform them (a different company) they added £170 to the policy.
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luci HT Mod
2012-11-27 20:06:50
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Jean,which company was that with? It's good to hear recommendations of companies when people have actually made a claim.
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northantsj
2012-11-27 20:26:36
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
It was over six years ago Luci but I think it was Flexi-Cover Direct I had a cancer operation six months before and had difficulty getting insurance so it was very expensive then it was my husband who needed it and not me.
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Jay Trip
2012-11-27 20:32:09
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
I was sent information from my friend who had seen an article in one of the Sunday papers of insurance recommended for people over 50 with pre existing conditions.
It was Latitude Travel Insurance which are part of Holiday extras.
I put my details in and they will insure me and my husband for £66 for a 2 week holiday.
All the companies I have used recently have been underwritten by Mapfrey which is a Spanish company.
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luci HT Mod
2012-11-27 20:35:51
Re: insure & go holiday insurance- has anyone else had this?
Thanks Jean
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