Most people take tablets at one time or another for a medical condition.  Figures estimate that more than 2.8 million people in the UK have diabetes, half of all the people in the UK over 65 have high blood pressure ( hypertension) and two thirds of the UK population aged over 40 are said to have high cholesterol levels.  For most people, taking tablets for these conditions is a daily ritual and of no great importance, but even if the medical condition is under control and the symptoms are not problematic, the condition may still need to be declared when taking out travel insurance.  Taking out travel insurance with medical conditions covered should be considered essential if there is the slightest chance that the condition could cause a problem when travelling.

Travel insurance policies can be nothing more than an expensive piece of paper, that is, until a holiday maker experiences difficulties abroad bought on by a condition that has gone undeclared to their underwriter.  Not all medical conditions can be covered.  If the risk is deemed to high for an insurance underwriter, the traveller with the condition will need to assess the pros and cons of travelling without medical cover and the consequences of hospital treatment abroad, against the prospect of not being able to take a holiday.

Travel insurance companies will not all have the same rules regarding medical conditions.  Some will expect only a 12 month period in which there are no symptoms, treatments or consultations before they consider that person to be free of an existing condition whilst others will extend that period to 24 months and more.  Some of the cheap travel insurance on offer will also cover medical conditions; it is not necessarily true that the extra endorsement needs to be prohibitive, the cost of medical care if the condition has not been covered, can be enormous.

Westfield Health is behind Health365, which offers modular health cover simply and directly. It is now possible to go online, view a variety of policies and receive a quote immediately.

After conducting independent market research, Westfield concluded that 96 per cent of those surveyed would be happy to purchase their health cover online. Having no salesperson and a far more flexible policy in terms of the type of cover available, means that this innovative service will redefine how health cover is purchased. There is also no added pressure for customers to buy into a policy that doesn’t suit them.

With nearly 100 years’ experience in the health insurance industry, Westfield has launched the service with the sole purpose of trying to improve the process of accessing cover for its customers.

As a non-profit organisation, as well as having no shareholders, there is no pressure to sell and thus no onus on the customer to buy. The money generated by policies is re-invested into developing new products, research and improvements to the company’s existing services.

Rather than being forced into cover that may be unnecessary, the flexibility of the system allows consumers to hand-pick their cover. This can mean only choosing cover for everyday needs, or for specific procedures.

Polices at Health365 include Core Health Cover, which can be anything from dental or optical care to physiotherapy or acupuncture. There are also policies regarding consultations with doctors and specialists as well as policies for access to scans and screenings. The cover you arrange can also cover your partner or children as there are defined policies for the individual, couples and families. This range means that policyholders can receive help covering many of their costs, as well as being able to reclaim any money they have spent on healthcare. There are also fixed fees given to customers for overnight stays in hospital and in patient care.

The service is available online at Health365.com, where it is possible to be guided through which cover may suit you, receive an instant quote and still be in total control of whether you want the cover or not.

The use of online videos to talk customers through the different policies, explaining them clearly and simply, provides a high level of customer engagement despite the service being exclusively online.

Policies start at £15 per month and increase based on the level of policy chosen. It is possible to view, select and pay for a cover type within minutes and because there is no profit drive, the policies are all at competitive prices.

It is understood that there are a large number of young professionals and couples who either have no health cover at all or blanket policies that don’t suit their needs. These are the target customers for the service; despite not currently having cover they may still have a desire to take control of their health and gain a sense of stability. This service represents the easiest way for those concerned to achieve those ends.

Health365 is one of the easiest and most accessible ways of receiving health insurance. Its service transforms something that can be both daunting and confusing into a clear and concise process with the customer remaining in total control at all times. This is not to say they are alone, there is advice and help if needed, but as with everything else about the service, this is down to the choice of the customer.

Now a reality, the reform still asks as many questions as it answers.

The US health care reforms may have a negative impact on health care tourism and off shoring of medical needs, including international travelling nurse jobs. It is yet unclear how the bill will impact medical tourism, but given that the target market for the medical tourism industry is about to vanish under the new and extended health insurance coverage plans, there will be interesting changes in how the industry operates in the future.

The medical tourism industry based its business on the premise that a large number of Americans were un-insured or under-insured. For all these Americans, insurance-less medical expense in the US itself was prohibitively costly. A simple dental procedure can cost upwards of $3000 in the US, and if you add post-op care, medicines, etc. to that, the cost can quickly escalate, to say nothing of the long waiting lines while you endure the pain. A similar procedure in India costs less than $500, and you hardly have to wait at all.

A heart surgery costs over $30000 in the US, while it can be lower than $8000 for an open heart surgery in India. It was impossible for under-insured Americans to come up with such money, but India and other Asian destinations offered an attractive alternative. This fact led to medical tourism industry’s targeting the under/un-insured market almost exclusively.

With the new health care bill that requires all Americans to be insured comprehensively, this market is about to go away. If there are no uninsured Americans, the medical tourism industry will lose its relevance. While every Asian hospital will underline its quality and promptness, it is probably true that if given the choice of treatment in the US at the same cost, most Americans will settle for that. So, once the health care bill makes every American insured, the medical tourism industry will need to devise a new strategy to survive.

Gordon Beddoes and William Cooksey had brought their case to Newcastle County court in March this year, claiming against Vintners Defence Systems and Vintners Armstrong. Both men suffer from breathing difficulties although asbestosis has been deemed responsible for as little as 1% of their problem.

Both men won their cases and at a separate hearing in May were awarded compensation, Beddoes £11,375 and Cooksey £13,612.

UK law firm  Keoghs has predicted a ’stampede’ from claimants following the landmark victory. They predict higher compensation payouts for more serious cases of asbestosis.

The warning follows a recent poll that found that 8% of Britons travelling to EU countries believe that carrying a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) offers them all the cover that is needed.

Andrew Goodsell, Saga Group chief executive, said: “A good travel insurance policy will ensure you are not only covered for medical expenses, but will also provide repatriation back to the UK and cancellation cover should your holiday be cut short.”

Most travel insurance would also give cover for things like lost or damaged luggage and a very good policy would cover cancellation of flights or accommodation.

While the UK supplied EHIC does offer EU members some form of medical cover, it is not without restriction and you may even find a hefty bill on the door mat on return from your holiday.

For a relaxing holiday outside of the EU, have you considered Caribbean cruises?

Alcohol intake and smoking habits are often scaled down when the proposal form appears, but things like depression and back problems, common enough general health problems, are often overlooked when it comes to disclosure.

It was also found that many applicants were prepared to lie about their weight, with women twice as likely to do so as men.

The age group 18 to 34 years old are most likely to withhold or include false information when looking for insurance, while over 55’s present the most accurate information.

AXA estimates that 25% of Britons incorrectly believe that they will face large premium increases if they are honest about particular lifestyle habits or medical conditions, Whereas conditions that affect a large proportion of the population, such as depression and back problems, are unlikely to have a significant impact on premiums.

The new healthcare network provides a range of integrated healthcare and wellbeing products, enabling clients to access over 300 qualified doctors and other specialists, along with a range of hospitals and investigative services.

The scheme incorporates psychological and counselling services, air ambulance and repatriation, wellbeing services and gyms, physiotherapy clinics and access to a network of nurses nationwide.

A House Of Lords ruling in England only last year ruled that people harmed by asbestos could only claim compensation if the exposure had resulted in a physical problem.

Many who have been exposed to asbestos to do not develop physical problems but more often than not suffer ‘pleural plaques’, a benign scarring of the lung that can offer to more serious illnesses like cancer. Those suffering from ‘pleural plaques’ in Scotland will now be able to seek compensation.

While Asbestos campaigners are delighted, the UK insurance industry is furious.

Nick Starling of the Association of British Insurance said that the ruling contravenes medical guidelines and flies in the face of common sense.

Inflation and the downturn in the UK economy are forcing consumers to make unwelcome choices as to where they spend their hard earned cash and insurance policies will no doubt be hit hard.

The survey reveals that many respondents would be reducing their motor insurance from comprehensive cover to third party, in a bid to save cash on premiums, with as many as 26% expecting to cancel or reduce cover for Payment Protection policies.

Twelve percent of respondents would be looking for better deals on travel insurance and ten percent would make cut backs on health insurance. As a nation of pet lovers it’s no surprise that only 8% expected to make cut backs on pet insurance.

The consumer cut backs are predicted to cost the insurance industry somewhere around £1.5billion during this year.

The plan will pay for private hospital treatment if no NHS treatment is available within six weeks of diagnosis. It will also cover consultant’s fees and follow up consultations and out patient treatment, provided that it is received within three months from the start of the claim.

Cover for the first child is £9.99 per month and £7.99 for each additional child.

Cover includes expenses for parents accommodation if they need to stay away from home to accompany an under 11 year old in hospital, the policy also offers access to healthcare professionals via a 24hour helpline.