TI Denied if you don't get your shots?

[Pushka]

Thanks. It's so rare though it's gotta be a long way down the list of thoughts though when a patient comes in with a fever.

Not really. We had cause to take young teenage son to the Doctor after a trip to Bali. He had fever and persistent cough and was unwell. I knew he had bronchitis and hoped he would recover without the Doctors visit. Because I knew the sequelae to follow. Sure enuf. Doctor pulled out all stops. Sent him off to one of Adelaide’s “hot centres” where he was met at the door by 2 nurses in full hazmat outfits. Escorted straight to a filtered air cond room where he had all his blood tests done and cleared on the spot. Returned to Doctors who prescribed him antibiotics for bronchitis. Now there is one whole day gone I won’t get back.

A good Doctor will always ask if you’ve just returned from travel in unusual presentations.

 

[suze2000]

Sorry I meant, when a patient who hasn't been overseas comes in with a fever.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Reading my QBE policy I reckon it could fall under "existing medical condition"

Vaccinations wouldn’t fall under this section. That’s clearly for existing conditions, and preventative medicine for those existing conditions (for example high blood pressure).

 

[drron]

But it also means preventative actions that are recommended.So Malaria prophylaxis,hepatitis & cholera shots etc are covered by that section.People have been denied cover for ignoring the health warnings.

And for the report that started this thread a lot of travel policies exclude travel to Uganda-another reason she may have been knocked back

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But it also means preventative actions that are recommended.So Malaria prophylaxis,hepatitis & cholera shots etc are covered by that section.People have been denied cover for ignoring the health warnings.

My post was in relation to the QBE statement posted by amaroo on page one. I'm not sure vaccinations or other medication would fall within that specific wording. Vaccinations may be covered elsewhere, but it seems a bit remote for that specific section.

 

[drron]

My post was in relation to the QBE statement posted by amaroo on page one. I'm not sure vaccinations or other medication would fall within that specific wording. Vaccinations may be covered elsewhere, but it seems a bit remote for that specific section.

Well mine was also a reply to amaroo's post 15 where clause 13 specifically mentions neglecting vaccinations,malaria prophylaxis and hygiene precautions as per WHO advice.Seems to be pretty specific to me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well mine was also a reply to amaroo's post 15 where clause 13 specifically mentions neglecting vaccinations,malaria prophylaxis and hygiene precautions as per WHO advice.Seems to be pretty specific to me.

Different policies? Post 4 is QBE. Later post was for TID.

 

[drron]

Well this part of the QBE policy certainly covers it-
"or should reasonably have been aware, and for which treatment, medication, preventative medication, advice, preventative advice"
Lots of places give advice re vaccinations,malaria prophylaxis which you should be aware of.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Well this part of the QBE policy certainly covers it-
"or should reasonably have been aware, and for which treatment, medication, preventative medication, advice, preventative advice"
Lots of places give advice re vaccinations,malaria prophylaxis which you should be aware of.

If that is from the same quote in post 6, those words in bold, and the rest of the wording need to be read in context... which is defining a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition can’t be something you don’t have, and it therefore unlikely to apply to preventative medications such as vaccinations or other tablets such as anti malarials.

In context, the ‘chance of’ malaria is not a pre-existing condition. If we were to only focus on the words posted this would mean stomach bugs wouldn’t be covered because people should be aware that you can catch a stomach bug overseas. Or it would mean someone catching the flu (actual flu) overseas would be denied cover if they hadn’t had a flu shot.

The lack of vaccinations or other medication may be grounds for denial of cover... but in the QBE example this does not appear to come under the pre-existing wording.

 

[drron]

However if you are going to a malaria area there is lot's of advice that you should have prophylaxis.There is no specific advice nor shots for a "tummy"bug-except cholera,hepatitis etc.
And as far as the flu shot goes that has never been mandatory and the medical advice is that high risk people should have it not the majority of people who travel.
And as far as the original case-international travel insurance ends on arrival back in Australia.

 

[RooFlyer]

We have two excerpts from TI policies posted so far. I've checked a third, and it has no mention of 'preventative actions' / vaccinations in respect to exclusions.

The QBE one relates to existing conditions. Nothing except an 'existing condition' is relevant in its interpretation. If you don't have malaria, or didn't believe you have malaria within the periods specified, this clause could not be used to exclude coverage if you contract malaria while overseas and claim while overseas. There may be other clauses that refer to prevention etc, but this one is silent on that.

The TID one by contrast is clearly relevant to contracting malaria etc overseas and whether or not you took preventative measures etc.

I recognise that they are not intended to be equivalent clauses in different policies.

If my insurer tried to deny me coverage for, say, getting rabies overseas while not having vaccinated against it, based on some 'common sense prevention' or 'you should have known' idea, then I would point to the other policy which specifically mentions this and ask why my insurer didn't have a similar clause if that was intended?

 

[drron]

On the other hand rabies is quite rare in travellers but malaria is common and the high risk countries are known.
Each year there are 500 + cases of malaria in travellers coming to or returning to Australia.The risk is not insignificant.Travellers should be aware of that risk.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

On the other hand rabies is quite rare in travellers but malaria is common and the high risk countries are known.
Each year there are 500 + cases of malaria in travellers coming to or returning to Australia.The risk is not insignificant.Travellers should be aware of that risk.

Agree. But potential malaria is not a pre-existing condition, nor can it be excluded under the wording of QBE (or indeed most other policies in respect of defining pre-existing conditions... unless of course you have it already!)

Having vaccinations and other preventative medicine is sound advice. TID goes by the WHO list. But the aussie health site (federal government - health direct.gov.au) suggests the flu vaccine before travel. Now if that was the case, and TID decided to follow official Australian advice rather than WHO, that could mean no cover if we accepted pre-existing also included ‘don’t have, but have a chance of getting’.

 

[drron]

On the cother hand most malaria is diagnosed on return to Australia when your travel policy is no longer in effect.QBE does say for International policies that they terminate on arrival to Australia.

 

[Lynda2475]

Before travelling anywhere exotic (so anywhere that is not NZ, USA, Canada or Western Europe) I always make an appointment to see my GP (who specializes in women's health and travel medicine), I call ahead and advise the countries to be visited, and the Dr has all the WHO vaccination and medication advice printed ready to discuss.

The advice documents always indicates the mandatory (in case of places that have yellow fever), highly recommended and optional preventive vaccines, medications and practices by region within the country (i.e. recommendation for a visit to capital city is often different to those if venturing in jungle areas). For example when I went to Brazil I was only going to be in a malaria region (iguazu falls) for 2 days (and was staying in air conditioned hotel), the advice in this instance is not to take prophylaxis (due to length of time you need to take them) but rather to wear long pants/sleeves and use DEET based repellent (bushmans friend), whereas on another trip where I was in going to be in malaria region of Colombia for a week the use of prophylaxis was indicated and taken.

The doctor and I compare what vaccinations I already have had, what is recommended and then make informed decisions. In addition to having my yellow vaccination card updated (i need to carry this as it has proof of yellow fever vaccination which is needed to enter/leave many Latin american and African counties), I have the Dr issue medical advice letter to carry, which confirms that all travel meds I take with me have been prescribed and also what other preventative actions have been recommended if not a vaccine or medication. I've always done this to ensure no medication is confiscated at immigration, but now thinking it would be great for insurance claims too - to prove that advice has been followed.

My motto is always get a vaccine if it is available, you can claim back part of the costs on health insurance and its better than getting a serious illness, if going to a country with Rabies get the Rabies vaccine, you may not be intending to interact with animals, but a stray dog can bite you almost anywhere.

 

[JohnK]

And it has happened.I used to be active on Trip advisor.One of the things that gave me the irrits was a Japanese lass who told everyone travelling to SE Asia there was never a need for malaria prophylaxis.I had a real argument with her when a QLD fellow going to Cambodia asked the question.he ended up not taking anything.
Fast forward 3 months and I was working in Mackay and a very sick local was admitted after falling ill in Cambodia.Cerebral malaria was diagnosed.

Apart from the first few times going to Thailand 15 years ago I have not taken malaria tablets since.

Is the risk of malaria that high or that common?

 

[drron]

Basically not a problem in urban areas.High risk areas mainly hilly,forested border regions -Burma and Cambodia