Insurance and illness

Insurance and illness

On Dec. 1, 1999 I took out a travel insurance policy with ING
Jakarta for the period from Dec. 6, 1999 to Jan. 7, 2000.

On Jan. 3, 2000, when abroad, I suddenly felt a lot of pain in
my right side. I, therefore, went to a doctor on Jan. 4, who sent
me to a urologist because he suspected I had a kidney stone.

That same day, I went to the hospital and the doctor there
told me after an examination that indeed there was a kidney
stone. He advised me to have an immediate operation to remove the
stone because it was located in a dangerous place which could
create a lot of problems and pain.

However, after I telephoned ING in Jakarta, they told me that
the operation was not covered under my insurance policy. I
decided to return to Indonesia to arrange an operation in
Jakarta.

After I came back, I claimed for the costs I incurred in
Holland. Surprisingly, ING was also not willing to cover these
costs because they mentioned that this was a preexisting
condition. I absolutely did not have any prior knowledge of this
kidney stone.

If somebody becomes sick during an insurance period and there
is no prior knowledge of this sickness, it is the responsibility
of the insurance company to cover the costs. But ING will always
mention that there is preexisting knowledge, whatever the illness
may be.

This means that they accept a lot of money in the form of
premiums from customers, but the customers are not insured at
all.

Why doesn't ING mention this practice to customers prior to
the arrangement of such insurance?

HANS DE GRAAF

Jakarta