Do I need to tell my travel insurance about this? Potential post op infection

[ThatLadyLady]

I had a sinus operation just over ten weeks ago. I told my travel insurance company and they said that as long as I got the all clear to travel, it was fine and didn’t affect my insurance.

I got the all clear and let my insurance know, and I was covered for a trip I took about four weeks post op.

I now have an ear infection which could be related to the operation, or it might not be. Basically my GP isn’t sure whether it’s because of post op swelling in my sinuses causing a drainage issue, or if it’s just an ear infection that’s popped up. I’m on antibiotics and not planning to travel for another few months yet, but do I need to tell them? The antibiotics are working but in my GP’s words, it’s a matter of waiting and seeing if it reoccurs to see if it’s a post-op issue or just something random.

I would. Insurance companies are buggers for finding reasons not to pay out.

It just feels like it could be overkill if it’s a one off!

Would you do anything different based on their answer? If not then I would wait until nearer the time and tell them.

Yes, you need to tell them, whether it’s related to your op or not.

DH reads all the horror stories in the press about travel insurance not paying out because of some unreported trivial thing unrelated to the claim (he’s got a few health conditions and it’s a real pain) - one of the cases he mentioned to me was someone who’d had a problem while in the US turned down because of a undeclared ear infection that had been so trivial and easily dealt with that the person had completely forgotten about it.
the irony is that such things probably won’t make any difference to your premium.

You’re supposed to tell them about everything you’ve needed the doctors for anyway, though.

Well if I’m left without insurance I’m fucked because I have two trips booked (flights and hotels paid for)!

You won’t be left without insurance if you tell them about it. It will be an issue if you don’t and get sick abroad and they decide not to pay your medical bills.

How far does this go though, like do I need to tell them about the phone call I had for exam stress? Or the referral for physio that got cancelled because the issue got better?

I’m not sure, but seeing as this required antibiotics and your doctor isn’t sure if it’s a post-op complication or not, I think you really need to tell them - especially as flying can trigger ear problems.

They won’t leave you without insurance they will just raise the premiums

it is tricky because it could be a one off (if you got another infection though you definitely need to) but if you got an ear infection when abroad and you hadn’t said about this one it is likely you wouldn’t be covered

and of course you don’t need to say everything that is a one off but this could be a recurring issue

I think usually for the minor stuff it’s incidents within the last two years, but don’t take my word for that. Read the T&Cs.

You need to read your policy terms and conditions properly, and tell them about anything that that requires you to.

It’s usually any prescriptions (whether or not you collect them) and anything waiting for diagnosis. They really don’t like pending diagnosis stuff. So think carefully about what the situation is. Is it that you were diagnosed with a sinus infection, and prescribed antibiotics. Or is it that there’s a mystery situation. The latter may be a bigger issue for your insurer, so Dont inadvertently suggest that if that’s not really the case.

Unfortunately it can be as wide-reaching as that, yes. I remember a thread on here where the OP had seen a GP years ago for some short-lived stomach issues. The issues resolved themselves but unbeknownst to her the GP described them on her file as IBS. Years later she travelled overseas and in total bad luck needed to have her appendix taken out. The insurer was refusing to pay out on the basis of her not having declared that incident, even though IBS (which she may not have even had those years before) doesn't cause appendicitis.

Having read some horror stories like that, the last time I travelled I think I declared a resolved chest infection from much earlier in the year, and a period of exam stress from when I was a teen which did get referred on as suspected anxiety (again having seen horror stories of insurers blaming accidents on MH).

I’ve had ongoing sinus issues, got referred for surgery and had the surgery - I told them about this. This is potentially a post op complication but also potentially just a one off

Leave it till a bit nearer the time and then let them know whatever it is. Hopefully by then either way it will be well under control/resolved. In our experience doctors do understand about travel insurance and if they know you’ll be travelling will write down the right thing rather than something which leaves wiggle room iyswim.

If you booked these trips before the current issue then you’re covered. DH had to have investigations for suspected prostate cancer this year, we had a holiday which we had booked before any concerns or trips to the GP happened. We phoned our insurer and explained the situation that he was waiting for test results. They said we were covered but if the results came back positive the trip would have to be cancelled and they would refund the cost, because we had booked it when he was well. As it happened his results were clear so we had our trip. I had also developed high blood pressure after booking the trip and they accepted that.

Good point SoonToBe60 - an issue arising after you’ve booked the holiday is one of the reasons for having travel insurance in the first place and why the likes of Martin Lewis emphasise getting the travel insurance in place as soon as you book.

I’ve had the insurance since 2023, the trips booked a month ago and now this ear infection. I just don’t know if they’ll care?

Yes, you absolutely do need to tell them about these too.

They almost certainly won’t care if you tell them about it, just note and say thank you.
But if, heaven forefend, you’re need treatment or repatriation while abroad - there are many shocking cases which indicate that then they’ll care if you’ve not told them.

But they went nowhere? I called to try and get some sleeping pills and got nothing, and the referral got cancelled because of my surgery

You have come on here to ask, so you know it is a potential issue. You have also been to the doctors, so there is an audit trail. Just tell the insurance company! It could go very badly if you don't and you need to claim.

I’m just genuinely unsure because surely all these minor things are going to end up making my premiums unaffordable

Just gone on to ask their chatbot and it said this

If you have an upgrade in place to cover pre-existing conditions this cover lasts for 12 months.

During the 12 months you don’t need to tell us about changes to the health of the insured people named on the schedule, as we’ll provide cover for changes in the conditions you’ve already told us about, or any new symptoms or diagnoses, until the upgrade expiry date.

so I’m assuming I don’t need to?!

Let's take the physio as an example. I don't know what it was for, let's say knee pain for arguments sake. You go on the holiday, on day 3 you trip over a pavement and smash your knee, it swells up and you have to seek medical treatment. You try to claim on the insurance and they see you had a referral for physio but it was cancelled. They will argue that you didn't declare a knee issue so your insurance is invalid. It doesn't matter that the original issue was inconsequential and unrelated to your fall. That's how it works.