Trip Travel Medical Insurance Reviews - if you ever had a claim

[NerdGjerd]

If you have ever had to file a claim for Travel/Trip Insurance or International Medical Insurance (Or any other Camino related insurance) during your Camino or other international travels, can you please reply with the company name and how the claim process went?

I have found many threads discussing insurance, but only a couple posts from members who have had actual claims. If there is already a thread on this, please link. I have found other posts where Allianz claim was great. Another where Master Card included coverage was great. Another where a credit card company was totally fraudulent and foot dragging.

Thank you.

 

[trecile]

I broke my wrist last year in Portugal, which required two surgeries and a few nights in the hospital. The insurance that I bought from AXA reimbursed me 100%. My regular health insurance didn't provide any coverage while I was abroad, so the AXA insurance was my primary coverage. I did have to wait several months to receive the payment, but it was a fairly smooth process.

 

[J Willhaus]

Yes in 2019 I filed a claim with the company that we purchased travel insurance from. I think it was Allianz. My stepfather had a life threatening condition and emergency surgery and my parents asked me to come home early from Spain to help with his care (I am a nurse.) It took a few months, but I was finally reimbursed for some costs of changing my ticket.

 

[NerdGjerd]

Thanks for the replies already! I am torn between hitting the like button and the sad button. This may be a painful thread. Good to know 2 good reimbursement experiences so far.

 

[trecile]

BTW, I used Squaremouth.com to compare policies and buy my insurance. I specifically looked for one that provides primary medical coverage.

Travel Insurance - Compare the Best Quotes & Buy Online

Squaremouth helps travelers quote, compare, and buy travel insurance. We help every customer to find the best trip insurance for the lowest price.

www.squaremouth.com

 

[J Willhaus]

Un related to the Camino, I have known people who had strokes or heart attacks overseas on vacation and paying for that are out of pocket or paying for repatriation of remains would be impossible for me without some coverage.
Edited: Age at the time of coverage also is a factor in the premium cost.

 

[WalkingLester]

A fun fact I learned just before my last camino is that if you want to have preexisting conditions covered you must buy the insurance near the date you pay for plane and hotel reservations. That is, if you wait until just before your departure date to buy travel medical insurance, it may not cover illnesses related to preexisting conditions.

 

[J Willhaus]

A fun fact I learned just before my last camino is that if you want to have preexisting conditions covered you must buy the insurance near the date you pay for plane and hotel reservations. That is, if you wait until just before your departure date to buy travel medical insurance, it may not cover illnesses related to preexisting conditions.

That is true. It is cheapest and most comprehensive when you book your transportation. For us that means when we buy our airfare. The first Camino we didn't know that and had to pay nearly twice as much a few months layer.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I have been involved with two claims, in both cases the after hours emergency contact help line refused to provide advice after hours. In one case the company was Allianz in the other case I cannot remember. You may be referring to my posts when you commented about an incidence of fraud by an insurance company employee and that was definitely Allianz.

The claim where I can't remember the insurance company name was a claim for two friends travelling together and one of the friends was a very nervous traveller and disliked travelling alone and made a point of buying her flight tickets together with her friend but chose a different travel insurance company. Her friend had an accident, made a claim and her company decided to fly the friend home on a more direct flight. I was on the same trip but on a different ticket that already included the more direct flight.

My associate asked for my help to make a claim on her behalf so that she too could be on the more direct flight. This happened on a week end and the direct flight left early Monday morning. I phoned the emergency number and asked for permission to change my associate's flight and was told to call back on Monday during business hours. Of course that was too late. Fortunately I had emailed the insurance company at the time of the accident and had received a reply acknowledging that a claim was likely and giving (I thought) authority to act and as there was only one single ticket left on the more direct flight and my associate was in a huge panic that she would be left on her own I purchased that ticket at a highly inflated rate and emailed the insurance company telling them what I had done.

When we returned home later on Monday I phoned the company and asked to make a claim, they sent a form which my associate filled out but the company refused the claim. I then threatened to take the claim to the insurance ombudsman and quoted their email reply which I interpreted as giving prior authority to act. The company then accepted the claim and paid in full.

BTW, the airline flying the more direct route had oversold their economy class seats and so when we arrived at the departure check in I was told that I would have to sit in Business Class while my associate and her friend were seated separately from each other in economy. I asked if my associate could have the business class seat as it was her ticket but was told No, as I had used my credit card to buy that last overpriced ticket I was the only one who would be upgraded. I then asked if the injured friend (skull fracture) could have the business class seat and was again told No. Moral of the story, if your travel party must buy an overpriced ticket at the last moment and you are confident that you will be reimbursed by your travelling companions then use your credit card to buy that ticket because you may be the one upgraded if the flight is oversold.

 

[motero99]

In 2019 10 days before starting my Camino,I had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my bladder. After a number of weeks walking without issues, I had bladder problems a day past Leon. Travel Guard denied my claim for coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Thank goodness the medical services cost only 300E.

 

[Former member 102963]

In 2019 10 days before starting my Camino,I had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my bladder. After a number of weeks walking without issues, I had bladder problems a day past Leon. Travel Guard denied my claim for coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Thank goodness the medical services cost only 300E.

Did you declare your pre - existing condition?

 

[motero99]

Did you declare your pre - existing condition?

There was no questionnaire when I purchased the insurance. After I submitted the claim they sent me a request for medical records from my GP in the states and a notice that there would be no coverage for anything related to a pre-existing condition. At that point it was not worth pursuing further.

 

[Former member 102963]

Ah

There was no questionnaire when I purchased the insurance. After I submitted the claim they sent me a request for medical records from my GP in the states and a notice that there would be no coverage for anything related to a pre-existing condition. At that point it was not worth pursuing further.

Ah ok. Strange one. Pre existing conditions nearly always need to be noted, also any undiagnosed symptoms. Similarly any issue post buying a policy needs to be revealed to the insurance company. Glad it all sort of worked out!!!

 

[JerryStroebele]

Last spring I bought the high end medical coverage from Travel Insured International because I am old and have heart problems. When I returned from the Camino Frances to Madrid for my flight back to the US I tested positive for the Covid. I was double vaxxed and double boosted and did not feel sick at all. I did have a scratchy throat but I often catch a cold when traveling in Europe. I should not have dismissed that. Anyway, on testing positive I immediately called the insurance company. The lady said I have noted your claim, keep receipts of all your extra expenses. I booked an AirBnB studio apartment ($1200) for 11 days, changed my return ticket (+ $900) and "self isolated". I tried to save my food receipts but they were usually just small cash purchases, and I did not get any taxi receipts to and from the Covid testing facility. But I claimed the taxi's anyway. I filed my claim in June and in November received a check for everything I claimed. Ironically, my reimbursement was based on travel interruption, not medical. To file a claim for medical costs I would have first had to try to get reimbursement from my health insurance. The two Covid testing costs (positivo!! followed by negativo 9 days later were less than $100 so I didn't bother. (I hate paperwork.) I have Travel Insured International coverage again for my return to the Camino next week. Buen Camino

 

[WalkingLester]

Last spring I bought the high end medical coverage from Travel Insured International because I am old and have heart problems. When I returned from the Camino Frances to Madrid for my flight back to the US I tested positive for the Covid. I was double vaxxed and double boosted and did not feel sick at all. I did have a scratchy throat but I often catch a cold when traveling in Europe. I should not have dismissed that. Anyway, on testing positive I immediately called the insurance company. The lady said I have noted your claim, keep receipts of all your extra expenses. I booked an AirBnB studio apartment ($1200) for 11 days, changed my return ticket (+ $900) and "self isolated". I tried to save my food receipts but they were usually just small cash purchases, and I did not get any taxi receipts to and from the Covid testing facility. But I claimed the taxi's anyway. I filed my claim in June and in November received a check for everything I claimed. Ironically, my reimbursement was based on travel interruption, not medical. To file a claim for medical costs I would have first had to try to get reimbursement from my health insurance. The two Covid testing costs (positivo!! followed by negativo 9 days later were less than $100 so I didn't bother. (I hate paperwork.) I have Travel Insured International coverage again for my return to the Camino next week. Buen Camino

That you received reimbursement because your trip was interrupted due to COVID is a key point. I wonder, with the relaxation of COVID rules, whether you would get reimbursed today?

 

[cl102554@aol.com]

We bought our insurance from Allianz at the time we purchased our air tickets from Delta at Delta checkout online. A few days walking after Condom last September, my sister and I both came down with COVID. We immediately cancelled all of our forward reservations and got an apartment in Agen for 8 days to isolate. Agen being the closest bigger city. Allianz paid everything we submitted to them. The claim process was easy and straightforward, done on their app. Allianz gets our future business! The claim was processed within 2 weeks of submission.

 

[lalaone]

Very good question, and great responses for many different circumstances.

For travel cancellation claims, I’ve only had one (March 2020) but can recommend RoamRight. It took 5 months, with back-and-forth documentation, but happily resulted in a full refund. For pre-travel cancellation outside of COVID circumstances, friends have endorsed Allianz and USAA.

For health scares abroad, after you’ve started travelling, if there’s one thing I would encourage, it’s to see a medical practitioner ASAP if something doesn’t feel right. For both care (you) and documentation (insurance). The worries about coverage for pre-existing conditions are unfortunately very real, but the most important thing is your health and safety

I’ve seen many threads on this forum which attest to the high quality of such visits and treatment along the Camino de Santiago. Having been to one such clinic (which taught me to wrap a hurt ankle and dispensed a packet of anti-inflammatories – all free of charge) I am grateful to say that it is my experience as well. My situation was minor, thankfully, but everything I've heard and read leads me to trust health providers along the Camino for circumstances small and grave.

This lesson was brought home by a family member who was afraid to seek medical treatment abroad last year, despite having purchased very good travel insurance. The fear was at least twofold: 1) visiting a clinic or hospital in a foreign country (language concerns, etc, not understanding all the symptoms herself, plus general panic over where to go or what to do); and 2) worries that the visit would not be covered under insurance. Unfortunately, this month-long delay culminated in a pulmonary embolism on the flight back home, despite weeks of increasingly scary warning signs, followed by an acute emergency and weeks of hospitalization right after arrival.

Fortunately, our family member is better now and on the mend. But you can imagine how, in conversations since, we’ve urged her to utilize that overseas travel insurance next time (she is finally cleared to fly again), figuring out claims and all the rest later. It was a close call which perhaps could have been avoided. As a result, I would encourage absolutely anyone to look after their health first, letting the very understandable insurance concerns wait for later! Hopefully the companies mentioned above will be good options to set your mind at ease from the beginning. Sorry for the long answer, and above all wishing all the best! Best wishes for a very buen Camino.

 

[Susan Peacock]

I haven't filed a claim, but did do a lot of research and gathering people's experience.Ultimately, because I travel a bit I ended up buying annual insurance from Allianz (that covers me anytime I am more than 100 miles from home. So some of the things I gathered when doing my research:
Most credit cards offer some type of Travel insurance but not Travel medical insurance. The Travel Insurance would be for delays, lost luggage and other types of travel costs. The high end credit cards with significant annual fees do sometimes have a health insurance benefit. For me I was most concerned about significant health cost in case of accident or illness and/or the cost to bring me back home or repatriate my body. This would require me to buy travel insurance with coverage for these items. As others have mentioned it is important to buy this coverage when buying (or within 14 days) your travel. There are other caveats about including all unreimbursable cost when your policy, so read the fine print.
Also, be sure to check how long you are covered on a trip. Some limit you to 30 days.
I suspect that the issue of claims success is often related to the fine print.

 

[TaijiPilgrim]

This summer I filed a claim on my annual policy from Allianz. It was one of the very few annual policies available for travelers over age 70. While in Porto preparing to begin my Camino Portuguese, I suffered an acute aorta dissection that resulted in emergency surgery followed by 8 days of intensive care, a week of regular hospital care, and 2 weeks of outpatient services. My claim was for "trip interruption" and it took over 2 months to process with follow-up calls and requests for more receipts and paper. Allianz said they had a big backup of claims which caused the long delay in processing, but I thought they could have been quicker as the claim was straightforward. I would use them again, but I do stress the importance of having lots of documentation in order.

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

I haven't filed a claim, but did do a lot of research and gathering people's experience.Ultimately, because I travel a bit I ended up buying annual insurance from Allianz (that covers me anytime I am more than 100 miles from home. So some of the things I gathered when doing my research:
Most credit cards offer some type of Travel insurance but not Travel medical insurance. The Travel Insurance would be for delays, lost luggage and other types of travel costs. The high end credit cards with significant annual fees do sometimes have a health insurance benefit. For me I was most concerned about significant health cost in case of accident or illness and/or the cost to bring me back home or repatriate my body. This would require me to buy travel insurance with coverage for these items. As others have mentioned it is important to buy this coverage when buying (or within 14 days) your travel. There are other caveats about including all unreimbursable cost when your policy, so read the fine print.
Also, be sure to check how long you are covered on a trip. Some limit you to 30 days.
I suspect that the issue of claims success is often related to the fine print.

I am considering using the travel insurance associated with my credit card. It's valid for 90 days, and I will be away for 65 days. It covers overseas emergency medical, including COVID-related. Need to be aged under 76 years though. I asked a similar question in a Facebook group and one respondent had put in 2 claims successfully. Note, I am in Australia, bank is NAB and insurance company, Allianz Global Assistance.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

…... I would use them again, but I do stress the importance of having lots of documentation in order.

I too had occasion to make an Allianz claim for hospitalisation in a private facility in Portugal - it was the nearest and I was in dire need. Fortunately, the hospital knew the ropes and supplied me with a lot of paperwork needed for the claim. It was a slow process after I got home, but the result was satisfactory.

 

[lt56ny]

I am an American citizen living in Mexico. I use Mapfre Insurance for every camino. I do not know if you can get it in the United States or not but it is worth checking out. Twice I had medical issues on my caminos. Once I had bronchial spasms which required me going to clinics 3 times and getting an inhaler and other medications. The second time I had a misdiagnosed gastrointestinal disorder that was misdiagnosed before I left for Spain. I went to two clinics and a hospital in Zafra before I was properly diagnosed in the hospital in Merida. Each time I went to a medical facility I just showed them my policy paperwork and all I had to do was sign when I was leaving. I never paid a penny. I probably ended up spending about 60 Euros in total for both caminos for meds. I brought the receipts home and gave them to my agent. In about 6 weeks I received a wire transfer from the Mapfre into my Mexican bank account with a full reimbursement. I thought in 2022 my insurance payment for my camino would go up alot. It only went up about $30US. I am soon to be 69 and get their best travel insurance which also covers flights etc and I pay about $300 for 2 months worth of insurance. I have to specify which countries I will be traveling or things slow down quite a bit in terms of service and I am not covered in the United States.

 

[donalomahony]

I haven't filed a claim, but did do a lot of research and gathering people's experience.Ultimately, because I travel a bit I ended up buying annual insurance from Allianz (that covers me anytime I am more than 100 miles from home. So some of the things I gathered when doing my research:
Most credit cards offer some type of Travel insurance but not Travel medical insurance. The Travel Insurance would be for delays, lost luggage and other types of travel costs. The high end credit cards with significant annual fees do sometimes have a health insurance benefit. For me I was most concerned about significant health cost in case of accident or illness and/or the cost to bring me back home or repatriate my body. This would require me to buy travel insurance with coverage for these items. As others have mentioned it is important to buy this coverage when buying (or within 14 days) your travel. There are other caveats about including all unreimbursable cost when your policy, so read the fine print.
Also, be sure to check how long you are covered on a trip. Some limit you to 30 days.
I suspect that the issue of claims success is often related to the fine print.

Absolutely check the 30 day limit. Point well made above.

 

[NerdGjerd]

I called my Blue Shield of Calif HMO people today. They say I'm covered for any medical emergencies including evacuation to hospital (but not back home). I was surprised. So maybe all I need is good trip insurance. Thank you all, i think this is a very educational thread with how your claims processes went.

 

[Former member 102963]

Absolutely check the 30 day limit. Point well made above.

It’s all about the fine print. Maximum trip stay (often varies by age), residency, declared conditions, undiagnosed symptoms, stopovers on route, etc.

Worth also checking what being away for 30 days or more does to your home insurance policies!

 

[Atlas Traveler]

I've had multiple travel insurance claims. My parents were in a car accident and hospitalized for 2 weeks while visiting Panama. My brother became ill with spinal meningitis in Vietnam. My nephew lost his wife in a car accident and had to repatriate her body back to the U.S. My father having to cancel a $50,000 pre-paid cruise on the Queen Mary 2. My best advice is to work with an insurance agent. It may be more convenient to purchase a policy online, but when you have to utilize the insurance, you want a point of contact that can help you or you will most likely have to explain your story every time you contact Travel Guard, AIG, Allianz, or whoever your carrier is because you will talk to a different person each time you call. A seasoned insurance agent will submit your claim and then follow up on your behalf until your claim has been processed. If the insurance agent specializes in travel insurance, then they have contacts at the home offices to expedite your claim as well. You pay the same premium whither you purchase directly from a carrier or from an insurance agent. I have a couple recommendations of agents that have helped me with large travel insurance claims.

 

[NerdGjerd]

I've had multiple travel insurance claims.

Wow, I am sorry to hear about your experiences, but thank you for this advice.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I am considering using the travel insurance associated with my credit card. It's valid for 90 days, and I will be away for 65 days. It covers overseas emergency medical, including COVID-related. Need to be aged under 76 years though. I asked a similar question in a Facebook group and one respondent had put in 2 claims successfully. Note, I am in Australia, bank is NAB and insurance company, Allianz Global Assistance.

Two things if you go down this route. Firstly, if you need to make a call for assistance the first question that they ask you is for your policy number. If you are relying on your credit card insurance then there won't be an individual policy and so your policy number is your credit card number.

Secondly, I used this option in 2019 but I was concerned about the lack of paperwork and so I emailed Allianz before I left to get an acknowledgement of coverage and ended up having an email conversation with them during which I was asked and disclosed my pre-existing conditions.

 

[witsendwv]

I called my Blue Shield of Calif HMO people today. They say I'm covered for any medical emergencies including evacuation to hospital (but not back home). I was surprised. So maybe all I need is good trip insurance. Thank you all, i think this is a very educational thread with how your claims processes went.

We have a BC/BS policy that covers us while abroad, but since we are over 65 and Medicare primary we purchase a policy that will cover that portion of any claim before our BC/BS kicks in. Thankfully, we have not had to use either policy while on camino. We don't buy trip cancellation or interruption as they only thing we buy in advance are our tickets, and they are frequently pretty inexpensive. I know it may cost a lot if we had to change our tickets, but so far so good!

 

[Aguapura]

I called my Blue Shield of Calif HMO people today. They say I'm covered for any medical emergencies including evacuation to hospital (but not back home). I was surprised. So maybe all I need is good trip insurance. Thank you all, i think this is a very educational thread with how your claims processes went.

Yes, definitely start with your existing health insurance company. Medicare does not cover you overseas, but my secondary insurance, Blue Cross, says it offers the same coverage as in the US, including evacuation if medically necessary. I take the form, phone numbers, and instructions with me. Fortunately, never had to use it, but understanding what coverage I already have means I don't buy an additional policy

 

[witsendwv]

Yes, definitely start with your existing health insurance company. Medicare does not cover you overseas, but my secondary insurance, Blue Cross, says it offers the same coverage as in the US, including evacuation if medically necessary. I take the form, phone numbers, and instructions with me. Fortunately, never had to use it, but understanding what coverage I already have means I don't buy an additional policy

Since Medicare is the primary and does not pay overseas we purchase a policy to cover the portion of the bill that Medicare does not cover. BC/BS offers us the same coverage as in the US, but will pay only the amount they are required to pay after deducting the Medicare portion, and that part of the bill would be our responsibility. When we receive payment summaries from BC/BS they always pay a smaller part of the bill than Medicare, so for us it is prudent to cover that with an additional policy. As far as evacuation and remains repatriation we purchase a yearly Medjet membership since we also travel a long here in the states.

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm uninsurable A sufficiency of accumulated age, pre-existing conditions and, perhaps, an inclination to tick Zero as the value I would claim for lost luggage, curtailment or delay.

Brokers always get edgy when I say "all i'm interested is repatriation of remains".

These days I tend to check cost of local cremation against required premium and adjust my budget accordingly.

 

[witsendwv]

I'm uninsurable A sufficiency of accumulated age, pre-existing conditions and, perhaps, an inclination to tick Zero as the value I would claim for lost luggage, curtailment or delay.

Brokers always get edgy when I say "all i'm interested is repatriation of remains".

These days I tend to check cost of local cremation against required premium and adjust my budget accordingly.

Even with coverage for repatriation we carry notarized letters requesting cremation in Spain, not that either of us would mind be buried along a camino, but family may object.

 

[RRat]

I broke my wrist last year in Portugal, which required two surgeries and a few nights in the hospital. The insurance that I bought from AXA reimbursed me 100%. My regular health insurance didn't provide any coverage while I was abroad, so the AXA insurance was my primary coverage. I did have to wait several months to receive the payment, tbut it was a fairly smooth process.

If you did not have insurance, what would it have cost you out of pocket?

 

[RRat]

I broke my wrist last year in Portugal, which required two surgeries and a few nights in the hospital. The insurance that I bought from AXA reimbursed me 100%. My regular health insurance didn't provide any coverage while I was abroad, so the AXA insurance was my primary coverage. I did have to wait several months to receive the payment, tbut it was a fairly smooth process.

How much was the payment? Did you have to pay out of pocket at time of service. Did you use credit card or cash?

 

[trecile]

If you did not have insurance, what would it have cost you out of pocket?

I was in two hospitals - I had emergency surgery in the public hospital where I was taken by ambulance. I was not given a bill upon discharge, and have not yet received one, so I can't tell you what the cost was.

I then had another consultation and surgery at a private hospital. The total cost including the surgery, a CT scan, X-rays, an overnight stay, and all follow up care was about 6000 Euros. I put it on a credit card and was reimbursed.

 

[dick bird]

If you use your credit card for travel insurance there will be a PDS (product disclosure statement) somewhere on your bank's website. This is what they call 'the small print'. Check it carefully to see what you are covered for. You also need to check that the type of credit card you have provides free travel insurance, some of the ones with lower fees don't.

And yes, last time we did a camino the airline lost our baggage. We were insured with Covermore and they paid up promptly.

 

[RRat]

I was in two hospitals - I had emergency surgery in the public hospital where I was taken by ambulance. I was not given a bill upon discharge, and have not yet received one, so I can't tell you what the cost was.

I then had another consultation and surgery at a private hospital. The total cost including the surgery, a CT scan, X-rays, an overnight stay, and all follow up care was about 6000 Euros. I put it on a

Where is your home base? Could you have traveled home for care where your medical none travel insurance would have covered you?

 

[trecile]

Where is your home base? Could you have traveled home for care where your medical none travel insurance would have covered you?

I live in the US.
I suppose that I could have traveled home to have the second surgery, but since I had some external hardware on my arm I don't think that I would have been very comfortable. Plus, my regular health insurance would not have covered 100% of my treatment, so I would have been out of pocket a tidy sum.

 

[Former member 102963]

I'm uninsurable A sufficiency of accumulated age, pre-existing conditions and, perhaps, an inclination to tick Zero as the value I would claim for lost luggage, curtailment or delay.

Brokers always get edgy when I say "all i'm interested is repatriation of remains".

These days I tend to check cost of local cremation against required premium and adjust my budget accordingly.

Long live the GHIC card!

 

[Robo]

Just wondering, for those based in Australia, who you use for travel insurance.
I always used my company policy in the past, but they no longer cover private travel

Interesting market........
Qantas travel insurance will cost me $900 for 2 months.
The two banks I use will give me 'free' insurance.
I wonder if the free one actually works (Westpac and CBA)

 

[Robo]

Hi @Robo. I am based in Australia. I have complimentary travel insurance with my virgin credit card if I use it to buy my airline ticket.

The PDS is available for me to check the cover and terms and conditions. In my case, the insurer for the policy is Allianz and most if not all of the conditions are typical of any international travel insurance.

So, you should be able to obtain a copy of the PDS relevant to Westpac and CBA to satisfy yourself that the cover is sufficient for your needs.

While I haven’t had to claim on the policy, as it’s with a major insurer and the PDS is clearly written, there’s no reason to think a legitimate claim that falls within the terms would not be paid.

Hopefully you can save some dollars

Yes, That's the same one I got with using my CBA and Westpac card I think. Thanks

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

Two things if you go down this route. Firstly, if you need to make a call for assistance the first question that they ask you is for your policy number. If you are relying on your credit card insurance then there won't be an individual policy and so your policy number is your credit card number.

Secondly, I used this option in 2019 but I was concerned about the lack of paperwork and so I emailed Allianz before I left to get an acknowledgement of coverage and ended up having an email conversation with them during which I was asked and disclosed my pre-existing conditions.

I have a copy of the letter of eligibility and reference number all done online. No claims on pre-existing illnesses but I wasn't asked to disclose them. The confirming email also stated that if I wished to put in a claim while overseas, I needed to provide proof of eligibility which is the credit card statement which would be easy to do.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Just wondering, for those based in Australia, who you use for travel insurance.
I always used my company policy in the past, but they no longer cover private travel

Interesting market........
Qantas travel insurance will cost me $900 for 2 months.
The two banks I use will give me 'free' insurance.
I wonder if the free one actually works (Westpac and CBA)

Robo, I can't really answer your question, but I will say this. If you have any pre-existing condition that has not been declared, you may as well tear up the policy. I claimed on a policy with Allianz after hospitalisation in Portugal - very expensive. As part of my claim I had to get a medical history statement from my GP - it cost me $300, and was comprehensive. I am sure that if this had contained anything relating to an undeclared pre-condition they would have rejected my claim - it didn't. But that event (and subsequent ones in Australia) is now pertinent. After declaration, I was refused insurance last year by some companies, eg Covermore, and the one that did accept me quoted almost $3000. Fair enough, I am a risk. But my advice is don't try to cut corners.

 

[Robo]

Robo, I can't really answer your question, but I will say this. If you have any pre-existing condition that has not been declared, you may as well tear up the policy. I claimed on a policy with Allianz after hospitalisation in Portugal - very expensive. As part of my claim I had to get a medical history statement from my GP - it cost me $300, and was comprehensive. I am sure that if this had contained anything relating to an undeclared pre-condition they would have rejected my claim - it didn't. But that event (and subsequent ones in Australia) is now pertinent. After declaration, I was refused insurance last year by some companies, eg Covermore, and the one that did accept me quoted almost $3000. Fair enough, I am a risk. But my advice is don't try to cut corners.

100% agree. That's why I'm a bit 'wary' of the 'free' insurance........

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

Robo, I can't really answer your question, but I will say this. If you have any pre-existing condition that has not been declared, you may as well tear up the policy. I claimed on a policy with Allianz after hospitalisation in Portugal - very expensive. As part of my claim I had to get a medical history statement from my GP - it cost me $300, and was comprehensive. I am sure that if this had contained anything relating to an undeclared pre-condition they would have rejected my claim - it didn't. But that event (and subsequent ones in Australia) is now pertinent. After declaration, I was refused insurance last year by some companies, eg Covermore, and the one that did accept me quoted almost $3000. Fair enough, I am a risk. But my advice is don't try to cut corners.

But if you try and cut corners with any travel insurance, not declaring any pre-existing illnesses you could easily get caught. For example, I had a bike accident a couple of months ago, show doctor as I was in a lot of pain trying to walk, got an xray of hip area. No fractures etc., but who knows if I hurt my hip walking the insurance company might pin it on the bike accident as I saw a doctor and got xrays.

 

[trecile]

But if you try and cut corners with any travel insurance, not declaring any pre-existing illnesses you could easily get caught. For example, I had a bike accident a couple of months ago, show doctor as I was in a lot of pain trying to walk, got an xray of hip area. No fractures etc., but who knows if I hurt my hip walking the insurance company might pin it on the bike accident as I saw a doctor and got xrays.

This is why you need to read the entire policy.

 

[Former member 102963]

But if you try and cut corners with any travel insurance, not declaring any pre-existing illnesses you could easily get caught. For example, I had a bike accident a couple of months ago, show doctor as I was in a lot of pain trying to walk, got an xray of hip area. No fractures etc., but who knows if I hurt my hip walking the insurance company might pin it on the bike accident as I saw a doctor and got xrays.

You also generally have to declare any ‘changes’ to your health after you have bought the policy. Also worth pointing out that any ‘undiagnosed symptoms’ can make getting insurance difficult too!

 

[Aysen Mustafa]

You also generally have to declare any ‘changes’ to your health after you have bought the policy. Also worth pointing out that any ‘undiagnosed symptoms’ can make getting insurance difficult too!

I have the certificate but they didn't ask if I had any pre-existing illness, I don't, or any undiagnosed symptoms. Perhaps I should delay my annual blood test though.

 

[Former member 102963]

I have the certificate but they didn't ask if I had any pre-existing illness, I don't, or any undiagnosed symptoms. Perhaps I should delay my annual blood test though.

Well it’s a murky world and I was oblivious to all the small print in travel medical insurance until a couple of years back where I had to read the fine detail. Part of me wishes I hadn’t as ignorance was bliss but I glad I am aware as it could ultimately be costly!