Bought my company’s private medical insurance from Aviva on advice of broker against web advice to go for the No.1 provider AXA. Turns out that if you have something as simple as a bruise or a pulled muscle (in my case) in apart of the body you are automatically excluded from any claim for absolutely anything for two years from policy start. So, if you pull a muscle in January one year and then have pain in the shoulder due to bone cancer the following year you are not covered. Better still notes made by non medically qualified personnel are treated as if a Doctor had written them! MY strong advice is this:
1. When booking your Dr’s appointment just say you are ill with no mention of what is wrong or with what. Also only book a week or two before expected appt.
2. Do not say how long you have had the symptoms or indeed what they are but just say it started just before you walked in.
3. Do not mention or comment on any of your medical history.
4. Always request access to your medical records so you can see what is written about you.
5. Make sure if they diagnose something you are given the proper investigative procedure (X-ray, MRI, blood test etc). This will determine exact issue and if you then have another different issue some time later it should be treated as a separate claim.
6. Choose another private medical insurer.
Reviewed on: 1st January 2021
