To think my insurance should cover me nearly dying?!

@biscuitsandbooks First reputable insurers do NOT require you to notify anything that has ever been in your medical records, that's nonsense. If you/ your relatives have insured with companies that specify that more fool you. If you/they have had claims refused did you use the Ombudsman?

Secondly there is legislation about unfair contract terms in this country. I've never insured with a company that would ask for my entire medical history but if I had and had a claim refused for something minor I'd go to the Ombudsman and argue irrelevant and unfair contract term. The legislation about this requires you to disclose what a "reasonable consumer" would declare. Incidentally the HRT claim was being looked at again in the only report I could find. I'd declare it as it's medication if I was on it but wouldnt expect to pay much more to have it included.

If you lie when taking out insurance then yes the Ombudsman will decide against you. But there have been cases, not currently on the website, where the Ombudsman has ruled against companies who refused a claim for something in the medical history the ombudsman agreed a reasonable consumer would not have considered it necessary to declare.

So - having tried to provide some reassurance - the thing people need to be concerned about is getting drunk. That can invalidate your travel insurance. The one time I've had to claim on travel insurance for a hospital visit abroad they were very keen to test for alcohol. However the claim was paid without a complaint being needed since the amount of alcohol that had been consumed was small.

Yes, ultimately it depends on the policy and what OP was asked when she took it out. It does all sound very odd, though.

I guess some do! Others seem to ask for anything in the last 12 months, anything you are under a specialist for.

'but disclosing all health issues is the norm with travel insurance'
That's surely the crux of it. IBS is not a health issue for the OP. It's also a functional condition or a diagnosis of exclusion. She had some minor symptoms years ago and no specific diagnosis was made, at least not with her knowledge. No one can possibly be expected to remember every single occasion they have seen a GP. Any insurance company trying to wriggle out of paying on this basis is simply trying to wriggle out of paying.

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I think if they ask specific, unambiguous questions then obviously they must be answered correctly but I’m assuming they're not expecting you to volunteer old, vague information they haven't asked for. Year’s ago I had a critical illness insurance. Having read up on it over the years it seems it can be a difficult insurance to get a payout for. I got my payout very easily so I must have filled in my forms accurately.

This

I am an insurance lawyer and we do not have the full history from the OP.

This ^^
It’s absolutely correct. As @Cyclebabblesays put a complaint in to the insurer and then, if the insurer does not resolve, to the FOS. You MUST do it in this order or the FOS will reject your submission.

I'm sorry that this has happened, OP. My DH had a ruptured appendix abroad and it was horrible. I contacted our travel insurance at the time, who assured me that they would pay out. In the end, the overseas hospital unexpectedly refused to actually charge us so we didn't have to claim.

Yanbu to expect a payout in these circumstances. I really hope you get it sorted, and that you make a quick recovery.

When it comes to claiming, insurers will ask to see your medical records. If it turns out that you haven’t included things, they will deem that as a non-disclosure. Whether it will result in them refusing to pay or not probably depends on the company, but it’s always better to be overly honest than to think “ah, that won’t matter”.

Ultimately insurance companies exist to make money - so if they can avoid paying out, they will.

Today DH has just booked us a 5 day trip to Italy through a Travel Agent. They would not insure him as he had an MRI last week due to arthritic knees! I have countless medical issues all under control with medication but it worries me about getting adequate insurance.

For insurance purposes everything even if benign. This is what I do on e mail so there is a paper trail. E mail everything however random so that they have nothing to use against you!

Many insurance companies require you to tell them about anything you’ve been to a doctor about, even if it didn’t lead to a diagnosis. It’s all in the small print unfortunately.

I agree that insurance companies like to avoid paying out but disclosing all health issues is the norm with travel insurance.

It’s awful. This is health insurance for you. Why we should be so grateful for the NHS and that we don’t have these battles getting everyday care.

Travel companies have been stung by so many con claims that they tend to refuse claims if they can.

@octavio1996 i had discussions with life insurance and others. I made it clear there was never a formal diagnosis and the test results were concluded with no abnormalities. You’re not a doctor at the end of the day so it’s not for you to self diagnose. And it was fine. I’ve had this bs with my dog’s insurance too and we contest it also on same grounds and get it paid.

also my insurer and my health insurance both have a 5 year limit so if it’s not flared up again they can add it back to cover in insurance. Sounds like your company are being out of order. I’d complain contest, get a letter from your gp confirming it was never a formal diagnosis or you were told you don have it and that during your investigations there were no signs or suggestions of appendicitis.

we have to do that with the dog. Vet writes a letter explaining how the new thing is not related to this historic thing that is an exception.

I’ve just taken out travel insurance for a trip to the US. I knew it would cost a lot due to certain ongoing medical conditions - osteoarthritis in both knees, TIA leading to slight vision loss in one eye, high blood pressure and highish cholesterol plus some minor issues. I am no longer under any hospital or consultant for these conditions although I do take a lot of medication to keep things under control.

Before I looked online for cover, I made a list of all my medications and dates of hospital appointments and procedures in last 5 years which meant re reading various letters and reports. I used a comparison website for insurance with or existing medical conditions and chose to look at a company that I recognised rather than the cheapest.

However, when I went through the online form, I found the multiple choice questions did not allow me to fully detail my treatments so decided to phone and talk to an advisor. By going through the questions with him, I was able to ask for an explanation of certain questions and give more detailed information from which he was able to select the best response. I went into minute detail, even down to mild allergies and a skin condition which will never need medical attention on holiday as I was obsessed with not facing any problems abroad.

Interestingly, the quote I accepted via the phone call was over £200 cheaper than the one I got when going online through the comparison site! It still cost me £550 for an 8 day trip to the US but I was expecting to pay a lot before I planned my visit.

I’m now racking my brains trying to think of other visits to my gp over the years that I have forgotten about! As I’m now 65, I’m sure there will be some but the insurance company were only interested in my more recent medical history, many of the questions asked covered the last 5 years. I get very anxious when I read about people like the OP having problems with claims! I certainly would never just choose the cheapest insurance quote.

This must be what every day life for Americans is like.

Some posters seem to be insisting you have to log every concern you ever had that made you go to the GP, even when it turns out to be nothing. That can’t be right.

I did insurance gor a good few years as a nurse specialist advisor. They might turn it down if you had abdominal pain or something previously or some other gut condition but it sounds to me like they are linking it to something that wouldn't stand up in court. They often try it on.
Read the pics very carefully then start the appeals/tribunal process. I really can't see how they can link this to a previous illness. Keep going, I'm sure you will be OK.

I'm glad you checked about the HRT. Recently a woman didn't declare her HRT and was left with a huge bill after being rushed to hospital with a brain tumour. The ombudsman ruled in favour of the insurers that she should have declared her HRT. I guess it varies from insurer to insurer.

How many of us have been travelling for decades on invalid insurance because we didn't mention the Pill or HRT?

I just checked my travel insurance ( as part of an HSBC account) and like many others it specifies the last 12 months or diagnosed conditions. IBS and many, many other conditions including (surprisingly) controlled and uncomplicated diabetes, asthma, hypertension etc. So this does seem absurdly onerous.

I called up to mention my HRT ( menopause not on the list) and the call operator said that menopause is not considered a condition, just a part of life, so HRT does not need to be declared.

Good luck OP, this seems very unfair. I’m a doctor and putting ? IBS and watching and waiting with no investigation or treatment for 5 years is NOT a diagnosis.

I read this story online the other day OP. Don't know if it's any help but the insurers did at least pay out in the end.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-14487513/amp/My-insurer-wont-pay-cardiac-arrest-earache-18-months-ago-SALLY-SORTS-IT.html

Exactly. This is what I said above.
No one can possible remember every single occasion they have been to see a doctor since they were born.

Wouldn't it be easier for the insurance company to access medical notes when applying for insurance? I can't remember everything I've been to the GP for. Just as well I can't afford to go abroad.

If this means everything that you've ever been to the doctor with then they may as well just have access to our medical records before they insure us.

If you use that definition, it would seem best to send them a full copy of your medical record from the outset. Any reasonable definition of medical conditions to be declared would be current health conditions (or those that you have suffered from in the last 12 or 24 months) that increase your risk of making a claim, not a bloated tummy 5 years ago, a chest infection 10 years ago or childhood eczema.
As I have said, the insurance company are just trying to catch claimants out. There has been no dishonesty here and IBS is not linked to the appendicitis.