Moratorium

Full Medical Underwriting

Do I need to disclose my medical history on the application form?

No. With a moratorium there is no need to disclose any medical history as the exclusion removes all cover for pre-existing conditions for the first two years.

Yes. You must answer all of the questions on the application form as fully as possible. From your answers we may wish to impose specific exclusions relating to conditions disclosed. We may also need to contact your GP to obtain further information.

The exclusion under a moratorium policy reads:

During the first 24 months of insurance, benefit is not payable under this policy for treatment for any pre-existing condition or related condition. This is known as the moratorium period.

Pre-existing conditions and related conditions will be covered after the moratorium period if you have not received any medical advice or treatment for such conditions during the moratorium period.

If at any time during the moratorium period you receive any medical advice or treatment for a pre-existing condition or related condition, a new two-year moratorium period for that pre-existing condition and related condition will start from the date of the latest advice or treatment.

A new two year moratorium period will start each time you receive advice or treatment for a pre-existing condition or related condition until such time as you remain free of advice or treatment for that pre-existing condition or related conditions for a continuous period of two years.

The exclusion under a fully underwritten policy reads:

Benefit is not payable under this policy for treatment for any pre-existing condition unless you have told us about it fully in writing and we have accepted it.

Is any cover provided for pre-existing conditions?

Yes. Under the terms of the moratorium cover will be provided for pre-existing conditions after the initial two year moratorium period, if you have been insured with us continuously for two years and during this two year period:

1. you have not consulted a doctor for treatment or advice for that condition and
2. you have not taken any medication for the condition or symptoms (including medicines, tablets or injection). This includes any medication you take regularly to control long-term conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

WARNING - You should not under any circumstances forgo necessary medical advice or treatment during the first two years of a policy. Such a course of action could endanger both your own health and, in the case of transmittable disease, could endanger the health of the general public.

Yes. If you have disclosed a condition on your application and we have accepted it cover will be provided for that condition.

WARNING - failure to disclose a condition could negate you whole policy, not just the cover for the undisclosed condition.

Will any other exclusion be imposed as a result of the medical history I disclose?

No. The moratorium does not require you to disclose any history at the time of applying and therefore no other terms will be imposed.

Possibly.  You must make a full disclosure of your medical history. As a result of this we may wish to exclude a specific condition that you have suffered from.

What happens if a condition is diagnosed after I have taken out the policy, which could have developed before the policy started?

The moratorium applies to any conditions that you were aware existed before the start of your policy. If you were genuinely unaware of the symptoms, did not suspect that you were suffering from a condition and had not received advice or treatment, then benefit would be payable.

However if you were in any way aware of a condition before your policy started (even though you had not received advice or treatment) we would not be able to pay any benefit.

Your cover will be underwritten on the information available at the time of applying and you must disclose fully any conditions or symptoms you have suffered or are suffering from, even though a diagnosis may not yet have been made. We will decide from this information whether additional terms are required and it may therefore be necessary to exclude the symptoms and their underlying cause, rather than a specific, named, condition.

What if my doctor diagnosed a condition as one thing, but after taking out the policy it turned out to be a different condition?

We would still be unable to pay any benefit as the condition still existed (and you were aware that it existed) before the policy was taken out, even though you thought it was a different condition.

Your cover will be underwritten on the information available at the time of applying. If an additional exclusion was required as a result of this, the exclusion would apply to that condition and its symptoms, irrespective of the eventual correct diagnosis.  Claims for treatment of the condition would not therefore be admissible under the policy.

I'm still not sure whether my condition is pre-existing - what should I do?

For any claim under the policy you should always phone our helpline on
08705 133 432 before you incur any medical costs - the full claims procedure is explained under How to Claim (see menu option above). They will be able to discuss professionally and confidently your concerns regarding your claim and the cover provided by your policy, in the strictest confidence.