from aviva's website:
http://www.avivahealth.ie/health-plans/terms-conditions/
Exclusion periods for pre-existing conditions
This exclusion applies to all in-patient benefits offered under your plan and cover for out-patient scans.
If you have a pre-existing condition, as determined on medical advice, then the following exclusion periods will apply before any claim will be paid relating to that condition. Please note that these periods begin to run from the date you first become insured under any health insurance contract and do not start again on becoming a health member with Aviva unless there has been a lapse in cover of over 13 weeks.
If this exclusion for pre-existing conditions applies, the length of the exclusion period is as follows:
- persons aged under 55 on date of joining–5 years
- persons aged 55-59 on date of joining–7 years
- persons aged 60 or over on date of joining–10 years
Please note that a pre-existing condition is determined from the date the condition commences rather than the date upon which the member becomes aware of the condition. A pre-existing condition may therefore be present before giving rise to any symptoms or being diagnosed by a doctor.
The final paragraph is key. If he had rung Aviva, or Quinn or VHI advance of treatment, he would have been told it would have been covered if a new condition but not if it was a pre existing condition.
You say that he visited 1 week after taking the policy out - pretty conclusive that it was a pre existing condition. Aviva would have written out to the dr. and asked when the first date that the condition commenced. The answer to this question would determine whether it was a new condition or a pre existing condition.
The rules relating to conditions that already exist are the same with vhi, aviva & quinn.
If it was an outpatient procedure, it probably would be covered.