1Cover - requiring pre-payment / going hard on pre-existing conditions?

The OP didn’t think they had anymore-existing conditions, but that didn’t stop the insurer - allegedly - wanting to do some digging.
I'm happy for them to dig for evidence. However, they have to understand that in the absence of evidence in the moment, they should never exclude cover for the insured. If they later discover it is a pre-existing then chase the insured.
 
One assumes that this "code" of conduct is common for 1 cover, begs the question :
How many innocents abroad have been crucified that we do not know about.

Disgraceful conduct...shame….

Otoh.. latent conditions are probably a source of difficult to measure risk for insurers
 
I'm happy for them to dig for evidence. However, they have to understand that in the absence of evidence in the moment, they should never exclude cover for the insured. If they later discover it is a pre-existing then chase the insured.
Yes absolutely, if someone hasn't been honest that's completely reasonable. But in the middle of the emergency support (that has been paid for) must be provided and then they do their due diligence if appropriate.

Not assume guilt at the outset.
 
One assumes that this "code" of conduct is common for 1 cover, begs the question :
How many innocents abroad have been crucified that we do not know about.

Disgraceful conduct...shame….

Otoh.. latent conditions are probably a source of difficult to measure risk for insurers
It would seem to be common, we've heard from a number of people who are still fighting claims unsuccessfully with 1Cover.

We were also contacted by another media outlet who were already investigating 1Cover which will air early this week. It appears that more is about to come to light.....
 
Half the world has controlled hypertension it's absurd that it should not be automatically covered by 1cover. As pointed out most do it automatically from what I've seen.
Agree @Aussie_flyer
Though after reading of a recent case where insurance company was delaying payment as the patient in question had a stroke and Insurance (not 1Cover) said her hypertension was a contributing factor, I now declare controlled hypertension in pre existing questionnaire.
Shouldn't have to but I do.
 
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This is the list of questions I had to answer on 1cover questioning on disclosed hypertension:

High blood pressure
How many medicines does your doctor advise you to take for high blood pressure? • 1
Has your dose been increased or have you been prescribed a new tablet in the last 6 months? • No
Have you ever been a smoker? • No
Have you been advised to take medication to lower your cholesterol? • No
Same for me @Pushka , apart from taking cholesterol lowering medication, I do get covered and pay the $45 admin fee.
 
Who do you insure with pls @Flyfrequently?
The only reason I keep my Westpac Platinum Credit Card (Mastercard) is for the Travel Insurance - underwritten by Allianz @Happy Dude.
You can do an over the phone or online assessment for $45 admin fee.
I have never had to make a claim, that is always the test with any insurance!
You can DM if you have any specific questions.
 
I have never had to make a claim, that is always the test with any insurance!

100% correct! Until you have to claim something significant you are just going off the fantasy of peace of mind that insurance companies love to spin. When it hits the fan you will very likely have to fight like hell to get the right outcome. But that’s part of the business model - screw people as much as possible because likely most will just accept it. 🤬

Does anyone think for a second that the couple in this story (and now members of the forum) would have got 1Cover to pay without involving the media?
 
Well, we had a major claim with TID several years ago involving a motor bike, hospitalisation and surgery in Thailand and then repatriation back to Australia. They were fabulous.
 
I use westpac card insurance too. Had to claim a few years back when I smashed my shoulder up while in South Korea. They were really good, helped us all the way home. Only thing is they wouldn't allow operation there and we had to come home. If it was critical of course that would be a different case. Organised transport both ends, sorted flights etc. Also paid the bill for the emergency treatment while in SK.
 
Well, we had a major claim with TID several years ago involving a motor bike, hospitalisation and surgery in Thailand and then repatriation back to Australia. They were fabulous.

Sorry to hear that. I would assume that very likely there was zero room for argument with this. When there is any wiggle room at all (as the suggestion of possible existing medical condition in this thread has shown) that is when you are in big trouble. Without wishing to hijack this thread, the lower level of our house had to be gutted after black water backflow during a rain event at the start of last year. Literally half of a reasonably high end house destroyed. We are with what most would consider a very reputable insurer yet they sent out a bunch of clowns to repair it. Picture the Ryanair of builders. You would not let them within a bulls roar of your building site. It was only after 5 months of argument and more damage from their builder that they eventually agreed to have a real builder do the work, likely once they worked out that it would cost them more to go through the full AFCA process (fees, extra temp accommodation costs etc). That is their business model. Screw the customer until they fight back. Most people won’t have the time or energy and they know that. Maybe we should have an Insurance Disaster Stories thread and I can detail the whole ordeal. 😂
 
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I use westpac card insurance too. Had to claim a few years back when I smashed my shoulder up while in South Korea. They were really good, helped us all the way home. Only thing is they wouldn't allow operation there and we had to come home. If it was critical of course that would be a different case. Organised transport both ends, sorted flights etc. Also paid the bill for the emergency treatment while in SK.
Good to hear that they were helpful @Black Duck
I would rather come back to Australia for surgery.
You may have read my post in another thread that if TI won't repatriate me (or +1) in a timely manner, I have the number of an excellent service and the Flyfrequently offspring know to get us home - hang the expense (it's their inheritance!)
 
Good to hear that they were helpful @Black Duck
I would rather come back to Australia for surgery.
You may have read my post in another thread that if TI won't repatriate me (or +1) in a timely manner, I have the number of an excellent service and the Flyfrequently offspring know to get us home - hang the expense (it's their inheritance!)
As it happens, South Korea is actually pretty good hospital wise, especially with broken bones as they have a lot of skiing accidents. However it would have been a couple of weeks before they would let me fly and the language would have been tricky. We have local friends who would help but still tricky.
The TI find it cheaper to get you home as once home you then become part of the health system here with no cost to them. Quite happy though as I went to the hospital and was looked after really well and of course had all the back up physiotherapy etc.
 
South Korea is actually pretty good hospital wise, especially with broken bones as they have a lot of skiing accidents
Not sure if that is a good indicator but sounds like you got good treatment.
Did you get morphine or equivalent?

Most would think Japan is a strong ski destination:

Mrs QS # tibia
Hospital straightens the leg without any anaesthetic or analgesia apart from panadol
Puts it in a full straight leg paster cast from toes to hip.
I argued strongly that it should be split. They thought through translation that I wanted it cut off. They did not appear to understand that splitting the cast allows swelling to occur without cutting off the blood supply to the leg. Basic orthopaedic # management. Eventually they understood when a junior nurse translated. If it was a non medical patient/family and the cast not split, the patient would have got severe pain after a few hours from swelling and the blood supply to the leg stopped turning it into an extreme medical emergency. QF would also have refused carriage - it was the first thing they looked for at checkin at HND - maybe QF HND check in have seen full limb casts without splits before?.
The only analgesic Mrs QS got between the # and getting back to Australia was panadol ( they supplied) and some ibuporofen which i found at a 7-11 and lots of 🍷. When I asked about morphine they said no - I gather that is a Japanese thing.

Im putting it down to the lottery of the emergency Drs but this was not a small town.

First dose of morphine was when I got her back to Sydney 4 days later.

TI reactive not proactive. I had to organise and pay for one way QF flights in J myself because they didnt reply to my requests for same. Because of their dilly dallying the price almost doubled. They reinbursed me eventually.
 
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Not sure if that is a good indicator

Most would think Japan is a strong ski destination:

Mrs QS # tibia
Hospital straightens the leg without any anaesthetic or analgesia apart from panadol
Puts it in a full straight leg paster cast from toes to hip.
I argued strongly that it should be split. They thought through translation that I wanted it cut off. They did not appear to understand that splitting the cast allows swelling to occur without cutting off the blood supply to the leg. Basic orthopaedic # management. Eventually they understood when a junior nurse translated. If it was a non medical patient/family ......
Agree, knowledge is a powerful tool.
First dose of morphine was when I got her back to Sydney 4 days later.

TI reactive not proactive.
These are the stories we don't like to hear @Quickstatus .
Glad things worked out but stressful and very painful for Mrs QS.
You may have read about my friend who languished in a Bangkok ICU for weeks, took much advocating from us to get her repatriated.
That is how and why I have the number to get us home if need be.
 
Glad things worked out but stressful and very painful for Mrs QS.
The funny thing is that initially ski patrol put it in a first aid splint, called a taxi. They they gave her some crutches and told her to trudge through the snow to the taxi to take her to the airport. That was about 200m to the car park. So i stepped in and asked the lodge to call an ambulance.
The practice in japan is that the ambulance comes with sirens blaring to the patient and then races to the hospital with same sirens blaring as though the patient was having a heart attack. 🤣.

Sorry, dont know about fyour friend but agree, an advocate is essential. And often is important in Australia as well.
 
Sorry to hear that. I would assume that very likely there was zero room for argument with this. When there is any wiggle room at all (as the suggestion of possible existing medical condition in this thread has shown) that is when you are in big trouble. Without wishing to hijack this thread, the lower level of our house had to be gutted after black water backflow during a rain event at the start of last year. Literally half of a reasonably high end house destroyed. We are with what most would consider a very reputable insurer yet they sent out a bunch of clowns to repair it. Picture the Ryanair of builders. You would not let them within a bulls roar of your building site. It was only after 5 months of argument and more damage from their builder that they eventually agreed to have a real builder do the work, likely once they worked out that it would cost them more to go through the full APRA process (fees, extra temp accommodation costs etc). That is their business model. Screw the customer until they fight back. Most people won’t have the time or energy and they know that. Maybe we should have an Insurance Disaster Stories thread and I can detail the whole ordeal. 😂
Potentially issues. There could have been questions about who was driving.
 
Not sure if that is a good indicator but sounds like you got good treatment.
Did you get morphine or equivalent?

Most would think Japan is a strong ski destination:

Mrs QS # tibia
Hospital straightens the leg without any anaesthetic or analgesia apart from panadol
Puts it in a full straight leg paster cast from toes to hip.
I argued strongly that it should be split. They thought through translation that I wanted it cut off. They did not appear to understand that splitting the cast allows swelling to occur without cutting off the blood supply to the leg. Basic orthopaedic # management. Eventually they understood when a junior nurse translated. If it was a non medical patient/family and the cast not split, the patient would have got severe pain after a few hours from swelling and the blood supply to the leg stopped turning it into an extreme medical emergency. QF would also have refused carriage - it was the first thing they looked for at checkin at HND - maybe QF HND check in have seen full limb casts without splits before?.
The only analgesic Mrs QS got between the # and getting back to Australia was panadol ( they supplied) and some ibuporofen which i found at a 7-11 and lots of 🍷. When I asked about morphine they said no - I gather that is a Japanese thing.

Im putting it down to the lottery of the emergency Drs but this was not a small town.

First dose of morphine was when I got her back to Sydney 4 days later.

TI reactive not proactive. I had to organise and pay for one way QF flights in J myself because they didnt reply to my requests for same. Because of their dilly dallying the price almost doubled. They reinbursed me eventually.
They gave me tramadol which was horrible-did nothing for the pain and made me loopy so stopped that. I just had panadol. Actually that was all I took the whole time. Worked fine -I suppose because I rarely use anything like that. It was a bad break, took the head off and broken into 3 plus one further down. It was strapped up and a sling to get me home.
Perth hospital did a great job so now have some metal but it is almost like before - just not quite so straight as the other arm when lifted vertically.

I did have the advantage of local friends with good English taking me to hospital so I did understand well and could ask things. It was a big town but middle of the night. The hospital had a dedicated 24 hour emergency dept just for ortho. There was a short delay before checking me - 30 minutes at most-as there had been a car accident and there were a number of children they were trying to get xrayed.

I think all up with drugs, scans etc the whole bill came to about $100 au. the insurance paid that, new airfares which they sorted out and had cars drive us to the airport and then to friends back in Perth. The car would have been supplied to bring us all the way home -some 5 hours, had I not been going into a Perth hospital.
 
The funny thing is that initially ski patrol put it in a first aid splint, called a taxi. They they gave her some crutches and told her to trudge through the snow to the taxi to take her to the airport. That was about 200m to the car park. So i stepped in and asked the lodge to call an ambulance.
Good call @Quickstatus
Sorry, dont know about fyour friend but agree, an advocate is essential. And often is important in Australia as well.
Her husband and number #1 son blindly followed the TI plan..... fortunately number #3 son then went over and relayed the actual state of the situation to me.
Sadly, she died 72 hours after getting home to ICU here in Melbourne, but we were all at least able to say goodbye.
 

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