observer Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Seems Insurance Companies have a cursory approach when first accepting you as a risk; but if/when you claim, employ all their investigatory powers to rule your claim invalid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 A specific experience that you would like to tell us about Observer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 but that has nearly always been the case. they ask a few generalised questions about the car and then a few more about your present health, like "got everything you were born with" answer yes and you have insurance. have an accident and it's "well you did not tell us you were going bald that nullifies your claim straight away and I'm afraid that means you are liable for the full excess, now then next years insurance sssshhhhh gonna be a bit more than this years sorry but that's the way it is" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 I think Obs is refering to the TV programme last night. Only saw a bit of it but the bits I saw were a shock. One lady was diagnosed with breast cancer but had a health insurance policy which was supposed to give financial support in illness. However the insurers would not pay out as she hadn't mentioned in her application that she had been given antidepresants years before (and only for 3 months) after her doctor thought she was sufferinging post natal depression. She contacted the insurance ombudsman who found in favour of the insurers even though taking the tablets had obviously not caused her cancer. Another lady finished up in hospital abroad with a blocked colon (or similar). She bought her holiday insurance online and ticked all the relevant boxes. She disclosed her heart problems and other medical conditions at the time but turns out she too forgot to mention something. Athough the insurance company did agree to fund the money to get her home where she sadly died 10 days later..... the insurers refused to cover her hospital bill leaving her family owing a whopping ?100k So guess it's worth checking your medical records from years ago just incase there is something you have forgotten about before taking out insurance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Some years ago I took out a business loan and was advised to take out insurance against my inability to repay the loan under unforeseen circumstances...I fell ill with Menieres some time later and had to cease trading. I thereupon made a claim on my insurance for the loan. They turned me down because I had been treated for vertigo some FOUR years earlier and the insurance company claimed that it could have been the onset of the illness. I was desperate and approached Doug Hoyle for help. He really did his best, for which I'll always be grateful, but it made no difference...the barstewards still wouldn't pay out. Had it not been for the great she-devil being in a reasonably well paid job we would have lost everything...job...home...any savings we had. When asked, when purchasing anything new, especially electronic equipment. if I'd like insurance for that purchase it takes me all my time not to clock the shop assistant. Insurance companies are notorious for wriggling out of their responsibilities towards the policy holder and I now avoid them whenever possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 8, 2009 Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 It certainly make you think eh? These companies are quick enough to sign people up. Surely any past medical condition could be 'used' by them as a possible onset of a latter illness which results in a claim but at the time of signing up how on earth would you or indeed any doctor know what may/may not happen in the future based on a past illness. For example if you get swine flu now and are treated with prescribed Tamiflu, you then take a health insurance policy out in 3 years but don't mention you had the flu years ago... then 5 years later develop a debilitating respiritory condition would your policy be null and void ? It is open to all sorts of consipicy thories. Saying that HOW DO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES FIND OUT Surely due to data protection they have no access to anyones personal medical records... or do they ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2009 Your correct Diz, I was referring to that prog: seems the Insurance Companies are happy to take you on without many questions, until you make a claim, then all their resources are then marshaled to avoid a payout. No doubt eventually, they'll find their way into realms of our personal data records, in which case, many folk will become un-insurable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 only ever had one experience with a loan and that was for my car. took out loan protection and had to make use of it when i stopped working due to illness. they did pay out, but what a palaver it was. every month the money for the loan would be taken out of my bank account (direct debit). i would have to send a doctors note to the loan insurers, who then authorised that the payment could be paid back into my account. this sometimes meant that my account went overdrawn as there was about three days between money going out and money going in. i eventually came to an agreement with the bank to get an overdraft that covered twice the cost of the loan payment for that eventuality and save me the bank charges for being overdrawn and them the cost of sending me letters to inform me of that fact. as for electrical goods insurance i always ask how long the item is insured for. if they say three years ( which is usually the amount of time these things run for) i then say good so in three and a half years if the item fails then i can claim. usual answer to this is no it is only a three year policy. i then point out that there is a twelve month warranty from the manufacturers and that any insurance for three years should start once that has expired. "er i dont think it works like that sir" ok forget the insurance then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safeway56 Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 [ Saying that HOW DO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES FIND OUT Surely due to data protection they have no access to anyones personal medical records... or do they ? I don't know what the position is now with the Data Protection Act but they found out through my GP that I had been treated for Vertigo. It was around ten years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Data sharing is now big buisiness, with money involved - most companies when you ring them up, can bring you up on their screens - and will soon be able to tell you what you had for breakfast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 9, 2009 Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 I don't eat breakfast so I should be ok I suppose if you have openly disclosed your details to a company then they may well finish up being data shared but I certainly don't think it's right that companies can access your personal medical details directly via your GP when even close family members aren;t allowed to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2009 Information = power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 10, 2009 Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 Gosh I do have POWER after all then I knew it !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2009 It's a relative concept of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 I don't eat breakfast so I should be ok They might say that you failed to declare possible anorexia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 but I certainly don't think it's right that companies can access your personal medical details directly via your GP when even close family members aren;t allowed to Don't you have to sign a form giving them permission to access your records Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 I don't eat breakfast so I should be ok They might say that you failed to declare possible anorexia. I very much doubt it Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 but I certainly don't think it's right that companies can access your personal medical details directly via your GP when even close family members aren;t allowed to Don't you have to sign a form giving them permission to access your records But why would anyone sign a form allowing any Tom, Dick or Harry working at an insurance company access to their private medical records Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Think "permission to give access" to medical info is on the claims form, so withholding it may affect the claim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted December 11, 2009 Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Oh I see.... Only ever claimed for three things in my life. 1 stollen car 25 years ago, 1 break in 10 years ago and a damaged car when some idiot drove into it outside my house 6 years ago. ALL the other smaller thefts, vandalism, damage and the likes I've always just reported to the police then sorted myself as it's quicker and easier and I've never claimed on my house insurance for any accidental damage or general loss. Does sort of make me wonder why I have everything insured actually... including the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted December 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2009 Perhaps an insurance policy to insure your insurance?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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