A dispute resolution service is urging people to be more careful when switching health insurance providers if they want to avoid costly medical fees.
Over the past year, Financial Service Complaints has had about 2600 consumer enquiries relating to financial service providers, and has investigated nearly 200 cases.
It said insurers continued to attract the most complaints.
In one case an undisclosed doctor's visit for a sore knee made by a man who was switching insurers left him without medical cover when he needed $20,000 surgery a year later.
Chief executive Susan Taylor said people should be prepared to disclose everything, even fairly minor matters.