If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD) you may have difficulty finding insurance cover. Having a chronic (ongoing) condition such as IBD can mean that the insurance you are offered is more expensive. This article looks at the different types of insurance, and how to go about finding the best option for you.
Do I have to tell the insurance company about my IBD?
Not all insurance companies are well informed about IBD, and they may not ask about your condition when you first contact them. It may not occur to you to mention your IBD to the insurance company when you are arranging your insurance. However, if you do not mention it, you may find that your insurance is invalid, or that you have problems should you need to make a claim.
The cover and benefits provided will not be the same from all the providers. You should be aware of this and ‘read the small print’ to be sure that the policy covers your IBD and any other needs or requirements you may have.
What will the insurance company ask me?
Most insurance companies will probably ask you questions about your medical condition in general. They may then ask you more specific questions about your IBD, such as whether you have been admitted into hospital within the last two years, whether you have had surgery, or whether you are on medication. It is possible that you may need to get a medical report from your doctor.
It may be more difficult or expensive to find insurance if you have had surgery or been admitted into hospital within the last few years. This may also be the case if you are waiting for the results of investigations. However, routine visits to consultants to monitor your condition are generally disregarded by many companies.
If you are going on holiday in the UK, you may wish to arrange for travel insurance, in case for example, a flare up prevents you from travelling or means you have to cut short your holiday. Although medical treatment should not be a problem for a UK resident holidaying in this country, cancelling accommodation and transport at short notice could mean a financial loss.
UK travellers in Europe can apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which may cover some of their treatment. However, this may not cover all the costs you might incur. The NHS recommends that everyone has full travel insurance as well. More details are available on the NHS website
Some countries outside Europe, for example Australia, have reciprocal health agreements with the UK. These agreements can cover the cost of urgent or immediate medical treatment. However, the range of treatments may be more restricted than in the NHS, and the agreement will not cover the cost of helping you return to the UK. This may mean that you wish to have a valid travel insurance policy.
Healthcare in countries without an agreement with the UK can be extremely expensive. An example is the USA. Many people feel that this makes full insurance essential. You may wish to phone several different insurance companies in order to get the best priced insurance.
Free insurance provided by a tour operator, your credit card or bank is usually unlikely to cover ongoing conditions. This will be explained in the terms and conditions of the policy. However, the insurers will sometimes extend the cover to include ongoing conditions for a modest additional cost, so it is well worth exploring this possibility.
If you are going on holiday with a group of people, you may wish to consider all using the same insurance company. If there is a problem it may be easier to change arrangements if only one company is involved. If you use different companies and then have a problem and have to cancel or change something, you may find that some people are covered while others are not.
Many insurance companies will expect you to confirm with your doctor that you are fit to travel. If your doctor advises against it (or probably would if you asked them) it could invalidate your insurance. Additional medical conditions, your age and your destination may also have an impact on your application and the cost of your insurance.
Health Insurance/Critical Illness Cover
This type of insurance usually only covers acute problems. Most companies offering private medical insurance will automatically exclude any claims relating to a pre-existing condition. This would usually include IBD and also certain IBD related conditions such as arthritis.
However, there may be a few companies who are more flexible and will look at each case on an individual basis. It may be worth ringing some of the companies on the list on our full IBD and Insurance information leaflet, to see if they can help you.
Life Assurance
There are several different types of life cover, such as mortgage protection, term assurance and flexible whole life plans, and you may find it helpful to discuss your requirements with an IFA (independent financial adviser) to be sure you get the right type of policy for your needs. Life Assurance companies tend to look at applications on an individual basis. You may find that the price of your policy is related to the severity of your disease, and that you are more likely to get insurance if your IBD is well controlled.
Income Protection
Although it is possible to arrange income protection to cover unemployment due to redundancy, liquidation or bankruptcy, any sickness or disability cover usually excludes any pre-existing conditions such as IBD.
Further Information
Various sites on the web have useful information about different types of insurance which can be accessed without taking out a policy with the company. These include, The British Insurers Brokers Association: www.biba.org.uk
Although the internet is a valuable source of information, it is often more effective to talk to an independent financial adviser or to phone the individual insurance companies to actually arrange your insurance cover. Talking to a ‘real person’ helps the insurers to see what you need, and give you the best policy.
If you have any further queries please call the Crohn's and Colitis UK Information line on 0845 130 2233. The line is open Monday to Friday from 10am – 1pm (excluding Bank Holidays). There is an answer phone service outside of these hours.
For more information see our IBD and Insurance information leaflet.
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