What should I say to travel insurance?
Posted by Holly2317@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 12 comments
I purchased a travel insurance policy last month for a trip in September.
The other day I had a possible allergic reaction at midnight (my throat felt funny and the roof of my mouth developed red patches) which sent me into a panic so I called 111 and was advised to go to urgent care and so went to my local A&E.
They checked my throat and confirmed there was no airway restriction and gave me medication for the inflammation on the roof of my mouth. They said it was either a possible allergic reaction or a throat infection.
I’m much better now but believe I should still be informing my travel insurance. The issue is I’m not sure what to tell them as it was unconfirmed what caused it and the doctor has said no follow-up required.
any help would be much appreciated!
iilovecats2008@reddit
You’re right to think about informing them, but this is one of those situations where wording matters more than the event itself.
Insurers are usually concerned with whether something becomes a “known medical condition” that could affect your trip, not just that you had a one-off incident.
If there’s:
- no confirmed diagnosis
- no ongoing symptoms
- and no follow-up required
then in many cases it doesn’t actually change your risk profile in a way they care about.
Where people get caught out is either:
- over-declaring vague symptoms
- or not declaring something that later turns into a diagnosed condition
Did they give you anything in writing about the cause, or was it left as “possible reaction vs infection”?
MountfordDr@reddit
Unless you have been officially diagnosed with a condition that goes into your medical records then you don't need to. That is the first thing the insurance company will check should you ever make a claim.
Reddit____user___@reddit
Do you own an EpiPen ?
Holly2317@reddit (OP)
No I don’t
Reddit____user___@reddit
This reaction could well be a handy forewarning that you feasibly might suffer an anaphylactic response to something in future.
I think you should definitely consult your gp and obtain an EpiPen to keep about your person, especially for when you travel. 🙂👍🏻
Re the insurance, I would personally check with them as there’s now a history that you can’t ignore or deny. And you’d not want to void your cover obviously.
kimba-the-tabby-lion@reddit
Just tell them the truth. The thing is, they will happily take your money without any checking, but if you make a claim, they will check. God forbid you have an allergic reaction in USA, and get rushed to ER, getting an emergency tracheotomy on the way $$$$$$$$$$
I've had a silent TIA - symptomless, only shows up on MRI but puts me in a higher risk group for stroke. I tell travel insurance. It's more expensive, but still quite affordable.
RealisticL3af@reddit
Hi, I don't work in travel specifically but I work in insurance.
What do you hope to get from this? What are you claiming for? Your travel insurance would be used to claim if you had to use hospital services in the other country. You can contact them or read through your policy wording/schedule and see if there are any exclusions or endorsements relating to illness or infections contracted.
Check what is actually covered on the documents. It is possible down the line illnesses are covered, but you would need proof of this. For my medical insurance they don't even accept prescriptions or receipts, it has to be a specific note written by the dentist/pharmacist/whoever.
Any questions please let me know and I will try my best.
Holly2317@reddit (OP)
Just wanting to make sure I do everything I need to to ensure my insurance remains valid
DonkeyWorker@reddit
🤖 "This is a common but important situation. When it comes to insurance, the golden rule is utmost good faith—meaning it’s always better to over-disclose than to give them a reason to void a future claim. Here is a breakdown of how the user should approach this: 1. The Duty to Disclose Most travel insurance policies have a clause requiring the policyholder to notify them of any change in health that occurs between purchasing the policy and the departure date. Even if a formal diagnosis wasn't reached, an A&E visit is a significant medical event. 2. What Exactly to Say The user should be clinical and factual. They don't need to guess the cause; they just need to report the event. They can say: "I am calling to update my medical declaration. On [Date], I attended A&E following a suspected allergic reaction or throat infection. I was treated with [Medication Name] and discharged. Doctors confirmed no airway restriction and stated no follow-up is required. I am currently symptom-free." 3. Possible Outcomes No Change: Since it was a one-off event with no follow-up, the insurer will likely just note it on the file with no increase in premium. Small Premium Increase: If they view it as a "newly diagnosed" allergy, there might be a nominal fee to cover it. Exclusion: In some cases, they might say they won't cover claims specifically relating to "allergic reactions" for this trip, though this is less likely for a single, unconfirmed episode. Why Disclosure is Vital If the user goes on holiday, has a severe anaphylactic shock, and the insurance company sees an A&E record for a "suspected allergic reaction" from April that wasn't declared, they could refuse to pay the entire medical bill (which could be tens of thousands of pounds abroad). Summary Checklist for the User [ ] Check the Policy Wording: Look for the section on "Changes in Health." [ ] Gather Facts: Have the date of the A&E visit and the name of the medication prescribed ready. [ ] Call or Update Online: Many insurers allow you to update medical screening via their online portal. [ ] Get Confirmation: Ensure they receive an updated "Medical Declaration" or an email confirming the change has been noted. "
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Lessarocks@reddit
Tell them exactly what you told us. I can’t imagine for a minute that it will affect anything because it’s not an ongoing condition. However, it’s very important to tell themEVERYTHING. If you had to claim on your insurance, even for an unconnected issue, they could refuse to pay out on the grounds you did t tell them everything.
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