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Review of the True Traveller, Travel Insurance:

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AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Beware that if you need to make a claim, you will discover that your insurance is in fact held with a disingenuous Czech company, NOT a London based insurer as it appears unless you delve deep into the fine print. They will seek any excuse in the book not to reimburse you and when you debunk their excuses, they'll pull a different excuse out of the hat. I have had an ongoing policy with Truetraveller AKA Inter Partner Assistance S.A. of the Czech Republic since 2018 and had never made a claim until a couple of weeks ago. A lump appeared on my skin in Oct 2021 which was diagnosed by a doctor as a completely harmless cyst and that no further action was necessary. Fast-forward to May 2022 and I got the presumed cyst rechecked on the 14th May and the doctor gave the same diagnosis. I decided to get the presumed cyst removed for aesthetic purposes on the 21st May and the surgeon sent it to a lab for a histology report as per standard protocol. I collected the results from the lab on the 3rd June and to my horror, I discovered that it was in fact an extremely rare type of skin cancer. I immediately contacted an oncologist (first available appointment 6th June) who sent me for an MRI the same day. When I received the results of the MRI (8th June), I returned to the oncologist and who sent me to a surgeon the same day due to the urgency of the matter. The surgeon advised operating ASAP to remove the surrounding tissue where the previous excision occurred to prevent further invasion of the cancerous cells. According to the MRI, the cells were in contact with the muscle, if the operation were not performed in time, the cancer would invade the muscle. If muscle is removed, it does not regrow, so it would leave me with permanent mobility damage. The next day (9th of June) I underwent pre-surgery standard tests to ensure that I was fit enough to recover. All was fine, so the surgeon booked the surgery for the next available opportunity (12th June). I called Truetraveller AKA Inter Partner Assistance S.A. of the Czech Republic before surgery to inform them of the costs. The agent claimed that my condition didn't constitute a medical emergency, even though diagnosis to surgery was over a period of 9 days with a medical event every single day unless the next step was dependent on results of a test. He also bizarrely stated that "it was of course necessary to perform the operation as soon as possible" but at the same time said that it wasn't "necessary and urgent care". The agent also advised that they would cover a flight home the next day. The shortest and cheapest flight available according to Skyscanner was £1,161 and with taxi, luggage and other costs added, this amount would exceed £1,500. A free flight home and free treatment on the NHS surrounded by my family would obviously have been my preferred option. However, the doctors had instructed urgency in operating and returning home would have cost valuable time and ran a high risk of further deterioration of my health. The cost of the surgery was approximately £2,400, so I logically proceeded with next day surgery on both a health and financial basis rather than taking a £1,500 trip home to begin the pre-surgery process again and risk the condition worsening during travel. I sent Truetraveller AKA Inter Partner Assistance S.A. of the Czech Republic a solid timeline of events with supporting evidence which proved the urgency of the matter. The response I received was disgusting. Zero tact or understanding (or feigned understanding). The response looks like a copy and paste template, not even addressing me by name. The policy states a list of pre-existing conditions that don't have to be declared at policy renewal inc. acne which is essentially an accumulation of cysts and much worse conditions such as diabetes and prostate and breast cancer. They will clutch at straws to find any excuse not to pay out genuine claims. I'd hate to imagine being in a place like the USA with this joke of a company as my insurer. Reviewed on: 20th June 2022

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