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Insurance issues

I have a slow form of cancer. In particular, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia. I might have had it for several years, apparently, but I was diagnosed last year after an attack of pleurisy.

Anyway all that is background. I have been charged extremely large increases in holiday travel insurance - e.g. £60.81 for a 5 day trip to Barcelona. A trip to Mexico (counted as "North America") for three weeks cost £376.29.

(These were the best prices I could find after a bit of requesting quotations).

Previously I was charged £24.18 using Which? 's best buy for a year's travel for the 'whole world'.

Last week, I was told by Prudential that my condition is not worthy of an 'impaired life' annuity with the AVC which I saved with them over the last 7 or 8 years. i.e. they are not prepared to offer me an increased annuity even though I have a 'supposedly' serious condition. I assume that they think that I might last at least another 20 years on this basis.

Should I contact the Ombudsman to question this last decision, do you think?

John

Reply to
John E
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You first need to understand and establish whether the condition:

a) increases your likelihood of becoming ill on any one day, and therefore increases you chances of needing hospitalisation, or repatriation

and

b) shortens your expected life-span

The travel insurance company have an interest in (a) and (b), the life insurer only in (b)

tim

Reply to
tim.....

I'd forget the insurers appearing high up on the best buy comparisons, as they are more likely to shy away from anything percieved as remotely 'difficult'. Whenever there's a less than standard requirement, it's worth using a specialist broker. The various self help organisations will be able to help as I'm sure it's a FAQ. See -

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Reply to
Daytona

Thanks for the comments. I'd guess that my particular condition is very unlikely to cause me to become ill on a particular day, but I understand that the US medical companies (in particular) insist on doing all the basic checks before treatment (which includes such things as a CT scan) - which bumps the price up. However, that does not apply in Spain, so I suspect I was ripped off there.

The life insurer was (hopefully) right!

John

Reply to
John E

I'd forget the insurers appearing high up on the best buy comparisons, as they are more likely to shy away from anything percieved as remotely 'difficult'. Whenever there's a less than standard requirement, it's worth using a specialist broker. The various self help organisations will be able to help as I'm sure it's a FAQ. See -

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Reply to
John E

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