C-sections - warning to those with Standard Life Healthcare policies

[howdidthishappenthen]

After 3 years of paying in, I finally qualify for a claim on my policy - a private C-section for a breech presentation at 37 weeks. Obviously you don't 'qualify' until 10 working days before the procedure (carried out at 39 weeks). So there's only a few days to find a consultant and hospital that can fit me in - not easy, but now done.

72 hours before the procedure, I discover that the Kensington Wing of C&W won't admit me unless £3.5k is paid up front. C&W is on my 'approved' hospital list, but Standard Life couldn't give a flying fuck - they only pay on on invoice after the procedure. I haven't got £3.5k.

Standard Life's answer - oh well, you'll have to wait til you go into labour then do an emergency section on the NHS. Good luck!

Wankers..

Laying out money upfront is quite normal with private insurance policies, and TBH most medical policies (mine included) will not cover anything maternity or pregnancy related - so I think the fact that they are prepared to pay afterwards is quite encouraging.

Besides you don't need to wait to go into labour and have emergency C-section, for breech delivery can get scheduled C-section booked in advance on NHS, although you need to speak to someone about this pretty urgently.

My 3 year old son recently need an operation to remove an infected pre-auricular sinus - the insurance company (CIGNA) refused to pay saying it was excluded as it was a birth defect. Tried to argue saying that needed removed as it was infected not because he had it - but they wouldn't budge. We had the procedure done on the NHS in the end and it was fine, main downside was that we didn't have any say when it was.

Interestingly, there was a change recently to insurance policies and their cover of maternity/pregnancy issues. Most excluded anything - including medically necessary procedures like in your case. But now, under sex discrimination legislation, they can no longer refuse to treat medical issues that arise during pregnancy just because you are pregnant as it would be considered sex discrimination.

I realise this doesn't help your particular issue, but just wanted to debunk the myth that many have now that nothing pregnancy related is ever covered.

That;s interesting IlanaK, so for things like hyperemesis and pre-eclampsia you would now be covered by private medical ?

howdidthishappenthen have you tried any other hospitals in London? How about the Queen Charlotte? They have private patients and if I remember correctly I had to pay aroun £1k up front before my birth. Their private patients number is 020 3313 3925. Good luck