Swine flu claims made easy

Travel insurers will validate cancellation claims with a National Pandemic Flu Service unique ID number and an anti-flu drug label with an individual’s name and date of issue, the Association of British Insurers said.

The move, which will free up GPs and hospitals from issuing sick notes, comes following discussions between the ABI and the Department of Health about the new National Pandemic Flu Service hotline and web site.

Genuine cases only

Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said: “Travel insurance is there to help people who are too ill to travel or who become ill on holiday.

“We understand that the National Pandemic Flu Service will only authorise an anti-flu prescription to people who are genuinely displaying symptoms of swine flu.

“On that basis, travel insurers will accept an individual’s unique ID number generated by the National Flu Service, together with the label on their anti-flu drugs which states their name and date of issue, as proof of diagnosis to validate a travel insurance cancellation claim.”

The FT reports:

• Number of the swine flu cases in the UK almost doubled in a week from 55,000 to 100,000.
• Numbers in hospital up to 840 against 652 last week
• A rise of 10 in the number in intensive care to 63
• All strategic health authority areas are classified as suffering from "exceptional influenza activity".
• Some areas, including eastern districts of London, are hot spots.
• 150 GP consultations per 100,000 population (below the rates seen in the last sizeable outbreak of flu-like illness in 1999-2000)
• Number of actual cases is far below the peak of the last flu pandemic in 1969-70.
• Number of flu deaths revised to 26.

Professor Hugh Pennington, a leading virologist at the University of Aberdeen, said that Scotland was "possibly through the worst" of the first phase of the virus as latest figures showed far lower GP consultation rates than in England.