advice please. Insurance won’t pay out for gallstones.

It is because your attack was so recent. You can see their point I guess, but what a total pain for you.

No expert here, silverlining48, but I'm very surprised that your current company didn't just add your new condition to your policy. Did they say why they wouldn't do this? Is it perhaps because the attack was very recent?

I had to buy an extra single trip insurance for DH for a holiday last year when he was prescribed a new medication that would have meant paying an extra £125 on our annual policy (more than doubling the cost!). I checked through the terms and conditions of both policies and there seemed to be nothing to stop us having two, though they both stated that if we had a claim we'd have to declare any other insurance we had, presumably so that the companies could share the liability between them. If you don't get definitive advice on here I'd just look for another policy then check with them that everything's in order.

Have you had many attacks? I declined to have mine removed a few years ago and provided I keep off cheese or anything very fatty I am generally OK . My attacks are quite painful but now I understand them i can breathe through them if one arises. I'd just go and hope for the best (probably because I'm stupid)

About three years ago I had a gallstones attack two days before a coach trip to Spain. I had to cancel. The insurance company refunded the whole cost of the trip when my GP certified that I was unfit to travel. I thought that's what holiday insurance was for...

I hadn't noticed that the OP said she would lose money if she cancelled, I thought the issue was that she wouldn't be covered if she chose to go on the holiday.

Why wouldn't they refund the cost of the trip if you cancelled, silverlining?

It might be best to delay your trip until after you have surgery. Surely you have travel insurance that would cover most of your costs?

Although most of the time gallstone attacks are just very painful every now and again you can get a blockage which could mean emergency surgery and a risk of infection or even sepsis. I was extremely ill for several months as a result of a blockage and an unfortunate sequence of events - it was so severe the doctors feared I had liver cancer and I had to have a liver biopsy.

If I were you I would try and and get the surgery as being very ill abroad would be dreadful

I think because if her current insurance doesn’t cover her for gallstones, any cancellation caused by gallstones won’t be covered either.

I’m also surprised that the insurance company won’t add gallstones as a pre existing condition and ask for an extra payment to compensate. I forever seem to be ringing mine up and adding new things and there’s never any problem other than I often have to cough up more money.

I’ve learned to my cost to be ultra diligent in keeping the insurance company informed. I was taken seriously ill while on holiday in the US a couple of years with a previously undiagnosed condition and had no problem in getting all the costs covered. But last autumn we had to cancel a holiday at very short notice because my back went unexpectedly and we couldn’t get cover because a few months earlier I’d mentioned back ache to the GP who gave me painkillers for it but I hadn’t thought it necessary to tell the insurance company about it.

I don't know why they won't cover for gallstones if it was not a pre-existing condition, or why they will not add it for an extra premium.

You can have two insurances (I have to do that as our 'every-day one through the bank will not cover certain conditions, even for an extra premium).

However, if you do find a company who will insure you, can you cancel the other one and get a partial refund.

Perhaps you can get past the call centre operator and speak to a more senior manager first of all, they may advise you better.

I used this firm last time, they were cheaper than Staysure, which I had used previously.
www.allcleartravel.co.uk/travel-insurance/gallstones/

I travelled for years with my gallstones. I just made sure I was sensible. You will just have to stick to your diet. They may not insure you as it may not be a straight forward attack next time with an increased risk of an infected gallbladder, rather than 'merely' biliary colic. It should be perfectly manageable if you are careful. I went 20 years between attacks before a massive attack and total collapse prompted cholecystectomy.

Jalima, as soon as the gall stones were diagnosed it became a pre existing condition but one which the insurance company hadn’t already agreed to cover.

The chance of a more serious attack in the future shouldn’t be too much of a problem as far as insurance is concerned. I gave a remitting/relapsing condition where the severity of the attacks differ greatly.

You do not say what type of Company you are using or what type of policy you have. Some basic travel insurance is very inflexible. Once there is a health need then its best to go with a Company that specialises in disclosed conditions. OH has a few health issues....I've had the odd thing in the past that have resolved. We have always disclosed all and the Company makes the necessary adjustments when we renew...never been a problem. Recently we had to withdraw from a Holiday at the very last minute....I was too ill to board train for long organised trip (so no chance of joining at a later date).....after we sent statement and Dr's letter they refunded full cost no problems.

Tartlet - I’m also surprised that the insurance company won’t add gallstones as a pre existing condition and ask for an extra payment to compensate. I forever seem to be ringing mine up and adding new things and there’s never any problem other than I often have to cough up more money.

Probably because this is an ongoing issue that hasn't been treated yet. OP had an attack last week so is high risk for needing surgical treatment abroad

Jalima, as soon as the gall stones were diagnosed it became a pre existing condition but one which the insurance company hadn’t already agreed to cover.
I think they are being unfair and unreasonable Tartlet!

I took out joint annual worldwide insurance last year but have subsequently been diagnosed with gallstones

If you had taken out the insurance before your gallstones were diagnosed then it isn't a 'pre-existing condition', and, unless it is specifically excluded in the small print they seem to be wriggling out of their contract with you.
Most unfair imo.

Can you tell us which company this is so that we can all avoid it?

Thank you all decor your input. jalima you ask which company and It is staysure, which you mention you have used too. Will check All Clear, thankyou.
I understand there’s no problem insuring myself again for this single trip which is what I plan to do. It doesn’t seem right that I have to do this as I already have insurance but there isn’t an alternative.
By the way I hadn’t mentioned my recent attack I just reported a new gallstones diagnosis. It’s very common and most people don’t even know they have it, i only found out by chance.
Will be looking for another insurer next year. Oh yes.

Can I ask whether you tried more than once to get the company to include the gall stones? If not, I think it would be a good idea to try again (Not mentioning that you've previously been refused) and see what happens. Mention that you're expecting to pay a supplement. Worth a try anyway in case it saves you taking out a second policy.

I find that strange. I had a one off policy for a holiday this month and I was diagnosed with cancer at the end of November. They added the condition without extra charge and told me I would be covered. As it happened we did have to cancel but because of my husband's sciatica.

Jalima, I'm sorry but travel insurance doesn't work like that. As soon as a condition is diagnosed it becomes pre existing and excluded from cover unless the company knows about it and has specifically agreed to cover it.

Of course insurance companies do their best not to pay out and stick to the terms of the policy. They'd soon be out of business else. We just need to do our best to stop them wriggling out of things.

Jalima, I'm sorry but travel insurance doesn't work like that.
I'm confused - you take out insurance in case something happens that you knew nothing about beforehand and you then have to cancel your holiday.

It is staysure, which you mention you have used too.
Oh goodness silverlining!
The only reason I didn't use them again was because they promised a reduction in my insurance after using them for three years - then tried to charge more even though I had never made a claim. I then insured with AllClear which were £200 cheaper but as I didn't have to claim I am not sure just how helpful they would be in the event of needing to use them.

Like others, I can't see why the company will not cover cancellation of this holiday, as the condition does not appear to pre-date the taking out of the insurance (unless related symptoms had previously been reported to a doctor).

Martin Lewis often says how important it is to take out insurance as soon as you book a holiday precisely so that you are covered for cancellation if something unforseen like this happens between booking and departure.

But companies can hide all sorts of get-out clauses in the small print!

Tartlet and silverlining
This is from the Financial Ombudsman's website:

ongoing duty of disclosure:
Some insurers try to exclude from cover not only pre-existing medical conditions but also any medical conditions that arise between the start of the policy and the start of the trip.
We generally take the view that this is not fair and reasonable - particularly if these terms were not brought to the consumer's attention when they took out or renewed the policy.

Where the gallstones being investigated or diagnosed before you actually booked the holiday?

My first new quote today was a definite no no but now have had one from All clear which was much much cheaper for what seems the same cover, thank you Jalima.

Before I commit I will contact my current insurer again to check why they wouldn’t include the new health information for an added cost, otherwise it’s clear that its going to be All Clear.