Guardian disability insurance international travel exclusion

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newinvestor84
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:09 pm

Guardian disability insurance international travel exclusion

Post by newinvestor84 »

Hey folks,
I am in the process of getting a disability insurance policy from a Guardian agent, and just received a copy of the policy. One of the amendments they want me to sign is an exclusion for injury during international travel to Korea:

"... the policy shall not cover loss because of disability contributed to or caused by any injury incurred or sickness originating while in Korea including treatment, surgery or complications thereof".

I had mentioned in their questionnaire that I would probably be taking a 2 week vacation there next year. What I hadn't mentioned was my fiancee's family lives in Korea, so when we get married I will probably be traveling there more often. I was very surprised that there was this very specific amendment added. (What if I had said I was visiting a different country for vacation? Would they have specifically excluded that one?).

Does anyone have experience with this type of exception on international travel from Guardian? Should I try negotiating this with the agent? Thanks for any advice.
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Jerilynn
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by Jerilynn »

newinvestor84 wrote:Hey folks,
I am in the process of getting a disability insurance policy from a Guardian agent, and just received a copy of the policy. One of the amendments they want me to sign is an exclusion for injury during international travel to Korea:

"... the policy shall not cover loss because of disability contributed to or caused by any injury incurred or sickness originating while in Korea including treatment, surgery or complications thereof".

I had mentioned in their questionnaire that I would probably be taking a 2 week vacation there next year. What I hadn't mentioned was my fiancee's family lives in Korea, so when we get married I will probably be traveling there more often. I was very surprised that there was this very specific amendment added. (What if I had said I was visiting a different country for vacation? Would they have specifically excluded that one?).

Does anyone have experience with this type of exception on international travel from Guardian? Should I try negotiating this with the agent? Thanks for any advice.
Simple solution, have your fiancee's family more to a country other than Korea.
Cordially, Jeri . . . 100% all natural asset allocation. (no supernatural methods used)
dhodson
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by dhodson »

i personally wouldnt sign it. You are planning on putting too much of your life over there to make it such that i would accept this exclusion. If they dont budge, id look elsewhere if it were me and maybe i wouldnt be so forward with my travel plans next time.
TS1
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by TS1 »

I'm wondering if they have more of a clue than you are realizing that you will be spending a lot of time in Korea, because if not, then Korea is just one of many places to which you can travel in the future and having an exclusion specific to that one would be of very small expected benefit to them.
BruDude
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by BruDude »

They may have a higher than normal claims experience with illnesses borne in Korea, or maybe concerned that you are could travel to North Korea, which is on the list of countries that can get you declined altogether. A little surprising that they would put a permanent exclusion on the policy....you may want to ask your agent to see if Guardian will revise the exclusion to state any injuries or illnesses within the next 2 years instead of lifetime.
dhodson wrote:i personally wouldnt sign it. You are planning on putting too much of your life over there to make it such that i would accept this exclusion. If they dont budge, id look elsewhere if it were me and maybe i wouldnt be so forward with my travel plans next time.
That would be insurance fraud. Obviously they aren't going to place the policy in force if he does not sign the amendment, and other DI companies may require the same exclusion anyway.
dhodson
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by dhodson »

I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
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Jerilynn
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by Jerilynn »

dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
Cordially, Jeri . . . 100% all natural asset allocation. (no supernatural methods used)
BruDude
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by BruDude »

Jerilynn wrote:
dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
The apps always ask about past and future travel to other countries. I don't know of any companies that don't ask that question for DI.
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Jerilynn
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by Jerilynn »

BruDude wrote:
Jerilynn wrote:
dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
The apps always ask about past and future travel to other countries. I don't know of any companies that don't ask that question for DI.
So, this guy is toast either way. Thanks for clarifying that.
Cordially, Jeri . . . 100% all natural asset allocation. (no supernatural methods used)
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Jerilynn
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by Jerilynn »

BruDude wrote:
Jerilynn wrote:
dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
The apps always ask about past and future travel to other countries. I don't know of any companies that don't ask that question for DI.
Ok, let me hijack this thread just a tad...

Do you ever get a client with a recent college grad of a son/daughter where they co-signed some hefty loans and they want life and DI for the kid to cover those costs? I would think the term life would be dirt cheap for a healthy 20 something. What about DI?
Cordially, Jeri . . . 100% all natural asset allocation. (no supernatural methods used)
Topic Author
newinvestor84
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:09 pm

Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by newinvestor84 »

Jerilynn wrote:
dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
The application did not ask for past travel, but asked for any international travel plans within the next year. So the information was not volunteered, it was required on the application.

I am going to check with my agent if Guardian is willing to revise the amendment.
dhodson
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by dhodson »

yes but what i imagine might have happened is that you have spoken to the agent about yourself. You may have mentioned your upcoming wedding or your future wife's family. Keep in mind the agent works for guardian. Since they didnt ask you any further questions about the travel, they may have spoken with the agent who again works for guardian and not for you. If guardian doesnt budge then id definitely shop around. I would look hard before signinf that waiver.
BruDude
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Re: Guardian disability insurance international travel exclu

Post by BruDude »

Jerilynn wrote:
BruDude wrote:
Jerilynn wrote:
dhodson wrote:I never said lie on an application. So please read. I imagine he told the agent and company more than he needed to and other companies may not put forth the exclusion.
I think that what dhodson is saying is that the questionaire didn't ask about any specific travel plans, he volunteered that information. Dunno if that's the case, however. I mean, if they asked to list future travel plans, then he has to list them.
The apps always ask about past and future travel to other countries. I don't know of any companies that don't ask that question for DI.
Ok, let me hijack this thread just a tad...

Do you ever get a client with a recent college grad of a son/daughter where they co-signed some hefty loans and they want life and DI for the kid to cover those costs? I would think the term life would be dirt cheap for a healthy 20 something. What about DI?
Have not run into that personally, but I'm sure it happens.
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