Can I still get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?
It’s important to ensure you will be covered in case of emergency when you go abroad!
Travel insurance protects you from a range of risks when you travel. These can include anything from medical expenses to personal liability and personal accident to cancellation, delayed and missed departures.
One of the most important elements of your travel insurance cover is for medical expenses. Treatment abroad for an unexpected illness or accident can quickly become expensive. One of the questions that often comes up is “Can I get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical illness?”.
Firstly, a pre-existing Medical Condition is considered as any medical illness, disease or condition for which you or your travelling companion has received medical advice, treatment or medication within a certain time period, for example the last three to five years.
The short answer is for most conditions, yes you can get travel insurance. In some cases, you may need to take out a specialist travel insurance policy as not all insurers provide cover for certain pre-existing medical conditions in a standard travel insurance policy.
Access to the right cover at the cost is affected by the seriousness of the medical condition and the stage of treatment you are at. Insurers will ask extra questions about your illness like how it is managed, when you last had an episode (if relevant) and other connected health questions. You may be asked to complete a medical exam. This will allow insurance providers to ensure that you have the right cover for your needs.
It is important to be upfront and honest about any medical conditions. If you do not disclose a medical condition or do not truthfully answer the questions about the severity of the condition, any claim made on the policy may be rejected.
There are a number of outcomes for an application with a pre-existing medical condition. The insurer may:
Offer a standard policy, regardless of the pre-existing condition,
Exclude cover for any issues relating to the pre-existing condition, but offer cover for any unforeseen issues or accidents that might happen while you are on your holiday,
Offer cover with some restrictions or special terms, or
Offer cover with a higher premium.
As with all insurance policies, it is always a good idea to compare quotes from different insurance providers to find not just the most competitive price for the insurance, but more importantly the right cover that suits your needs.
