Travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage can be easier to find and more affordable than regular health insurance. The definition of a pre-existing condition, plan limitations, and time of booking should be considered. Some plans offer limited or unlimited coverage, with exemptions for purchasing insurance within a few days of booking a trip. It is recommended to purchase traveler’s medical coverage to avoid being stuck without coverage in a foreign area.
Finding travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage can actually be less of a headache than it sounds. Thanks to the relatively flexible terms and short-term nature of most travel insurance, it can actually be easier to find affordable travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage than regular health insurance in a home country. There are several factors to consider when choosing this type of travel medical insurance, including the exact definition of a pre-existing condition, plan limitations, and time of booking.
Travel insurance plans often have a looser definition of a pre-existing condition than regular health care plans. Generally, any condition that hasn’t recently changed or is controlled with medication is not considered a pre-existing condition. This means that people with lifelong problems, such as asthma or chronic injuries, may not need to look for special travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage if they can prove that their condition has been under control for some time.
In most cases, a serious illness or injury in recent years that may recur, a change in diagnosis or medication, or symptoms of an impending medical condition may require a person to find a specialized insurance package. Some programs will even consider a person to have a pre-existing condition if they have had recent treatment, tests or medical consultations, even if there are no current health problems. With some plans, the time constraints can be much shorter, which means that a person who has not had a medical problem in the last six months can be considered free of pre-existing conditions.
Many insurance companies offer travel insurance plans that offer limited or unlimited coverage. Limited coverage may not include any help with medical expenses resulting from a pre-existing condition, such as a flare-up from a recent injury. In some cases, pre-existing condition exclusions are excluded for emergency situations, such as medical evacuations or return of remains in the event of death. Unlimited plans generally include coverage for pre-existing conditions, but should be carefully examined for possible exclusions.
One loophole that many insurance policies build into pre-existing coverage exclusions is an exemption that can be enforced by purchasing insurance within a few days or weeks of booking a trip. To qualify for this type of exemption, the insurance package must be purchased at approximately the same time a deposit is made on the trip, or the first payment for the trip is made. Different companies have different time limits for a pre-existing condition waiver, so be sure to check the specific time limits.
The downside to unlimited travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage is that it tends to be more expensive, as the risk of illness or injury may be greater. On the other hand, travel insurance is often inexpensive overall, typically covering only a few days or weeks of travel. Many travel experts recommend purchasing traveler’s medical coverage even for those with pre-existing conditions, to avoid the potentially tragic possibility of being stuck without coverage in a foreign area.
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