Health insurance questionaire - paranoid- picky - or valid point?

[CharlieH]

So, in recently perusing Health insurance companies for cover, something kept jumping out at me, now I want to know if I am being picky ? paranoid or have a valid point ?

Here is what was stated on an actual application form:

In the past 10 years have you had symptoms of, or been made aware of, or diagnosed with, or treated for ANY of the following:

Mood disturbance, head ache or migraine ?

These were in amongst other conditions, but the point being, who in the hell could possibly answer that accurately if it all ?

We all get head aches from time to time. a persons mood can swing several times a day thats normal Life !

I raised the point with an agent and they replied "that's not what they mean", to which I replied, then why ask it ? as that is clearly what it states !

If they mean something else, state something else.

So is it me or is this wrong ?

[topt]

Being cynical it says to me that they are keeping their options open about being able to get out of a payment if they so wish.

I remember an article some years ago where the writer highlighted all the things he had put on the application just to make sure that nothing material could be later construed as not having been mentioned - and it included getting a dog earlier that year (and this was for health insurance).

[CharlieH]

Being cynical it says to me that they are keeping their options open about being able to get out of a payment if they so wish.

I remember an article some years ago where the writer highlighted all the things he had put on the application just to make sure that nothing material could be later construed as not having been mentioned - and it included getting a dog earlier that year (and this was for health insurance).

Yes I agree,and I always tend to be cynical where insurances are concerned, as I said to them, if you mean something else ammend it and be clear, but they refused, it just seems all to be worded where almost anything "could" be used as non disclosure or pre existing.

[Torrens54]

They'll Happily take your premiums but when it comes to paying-out.......555, they just want to worm-out of paying you ANYTHING!

[Pralaad]

OP, you may want consider going with another company, only because this one clearly sets up traps.

From my experience, i recently also applied for health insurance and was asked to do some blood works.

Upon providing blood test results, they replied they would cover me, excluding pretty much everything and to go ahead to make the payment.

I understand insurance company's in the business of making money, but healthy people do not usually need health insurance.

I would have no problem with higher premiums but to exclude vitals such as heart, liver, lungs, and kidney related diseased, simply lives you without insurance and without a nice chunk of money.

[DogNo1]

A friend of mine who used to run the branch office of a large US insurance company in Tokyo told me the company's objective was to collect as much in premiums as possible and pay out as little in claims as possible. I have avoided private insurance all of my life, only signing up for Japanese National Healthcare and now for Medicare. In Thailand, I pay my medical expenses from my own funds. In my opinion, the only kind of personal insurance that makes sense is term life insurance when you must provide your dependents with a source of income when you are gone

[NoshowJones]

Your not wrong Charlie, I believe it's one of the insurance companies ways of thinking up an excuse not to pay out in the event of a claim. Like you said yourself, they ask you if you have had any headaches, and as you rightfully say we all get them. If you say you don't get headaches, then they are going to know you are telling porkies. You then make a claim for any hospital treatment you get for anything. The insurance company adjuster asks you if you have had any headaches, you say no, then in a roundabout way he gets you to admit you have had headaches.

Next thing you know your claim has been turned down for not being truthful on your application form. I am not saying that insurance companies never pay out, but they will try not to whenever they get the chance.

Insurance companies are like banks, they are among the biggest crooks out. Whether it is here in Thailand or in the UK, and probably in all countries.