Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions - Guide to coverage, providers, and more

Travel insurance is crucial for peace of mind when you’re away from home. Policies can cover inconveniences and emergencies, helping you to avoid worry - and huge surprise bills.

Medical and injury cover are often the most important things to look out for, to ensure you’re taken care of if something goes wrong during your trip. But what about travel insurance with pre-existing conditions? Can you get travel insurance if you have existing health problems? This guide covers all you need to know. We will also touch a bit on Wise, a handy companion that helps you save on conversion rates and fees while spending abroad.

Do I have to declare pre-existing medical conditions for travel insurance?

A pre-existing medical condition can be any medical issue you’ve had in the past or which you’re having ongoing treatment for. When you get a standard travel insurance policy, pre-existing conditions are not likely to be covered unless you declare them. Some conditions can not be covered at all - and others may require you to pay an extra fee to get the cover you need.

So what happens if you don’t declare a condition when you apply for travel insurance?

If you fail to declare a medical condition and later need to make a claim from your insurer which is related to this condition, the claim may be denied. This will mean you have to pay your own medical expenses as your policy is effectively invalidated. Given how costly medical treatment is in many countries, this can mean an enormous bill, on top of the hassle and distress of being ill on vacation.

What is considered a pre-existing medical condition for travel insurance?

Travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions will cover physical and mental health issues you have had in the past, take medication for, or which you’re undergoing treatment for.

Unfortunately there’s not one single definition of pre-existing conditions for travel insurance- these are set by the insurance providers. This means that you’ll need to look carefully at the terms of different insurers to know whether or not a condition you have may need to be declared as pre-existing in order to get cover.

Many more common conditions have a cut off time after which they no longer need to be declared - so you would not need to tell your insurer you broke your arm in a childhood fall for example. Some more serious conditions - like cancers, kidney problems and back injuries - will have to be declared no matter how long ago they occurred. Read the small print of your provider’s website to check what you need to declare.

What is not considered a pre-existing medical condition for travel insurance?

Conditions which fall outside of the insurer’s timeline for common conditions do not have to be declared. However, the timings used to vary. To give a couple of examples, 1Cover defines most pre-existing conditions as medical issues you’ve had treatment, assessment or medication for in the past 12 months¹. Fast Cover asks you to declare any medical issues from the past 3 years² - and other providers may ask you to declare any conditions in as much as 5 years.

Some other issues, such as uncomplicated pregnancies in the early stage, do not need to be declared in most cases. However, as your cover may be invalid if a condition should be declared and is missed, you’ll still want to double check all the rules before you travel.

Is travel insurance still necessary if I already have international health insurance?

Generally, you’re advised to have adequate travel insurance even if you do already have international health cover. While international health plans can offer great care, they’re not necessarily optimised for travel, particularly if you have pre-existing conditions which could interfere with your trip.

Travel insurance will often include important additional services, such as a repatriation in the event you can’t get the treatment you need in the country you're travelling in. Plus travel policies ensure you have other cover for things like delays, lost bags, stolen documents and other problems which could derail your holiday in an instant.

Best travel insurance for pre existing conditions in Australia

Here are a few well-known Australian insurers that provide coverage or waivers for pre-existing conditions. Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions is offered on a tailor made basis and so you would need to complete the provider’s medical screening and get a quote to learn more about what cover could be offered to you based on your own unique situation.

Insure and Go³

• Cover can be offered to customers up to 100 years old
• All pre-existing conditions are considered
• Unlimited overseas medical expenses may be covered depending on package
• No upfront medical certificates required to get a quote and apply

1Cover Travel Insurance

• Disclose your medical information with a simple online form to get a quote
• No need to disclose most pregnancies with cover offered to the 24th week for single pregnancy
• Instant assessment to determine if a policy is suited to your needs
• Conditions including cancer and diabetes may be covered subject to assessment

Fast Cover

• Complete your medical screening online or by phone to get a quote which is valid for 48 hours
• Get cover to the 23rd week for single pregnancy
• 24/7 worldwide expert assistance team available if you need help
• All policies include emergency medical expense cover, with varying levels on other cover types offered

How to get holiday insurance for pre existing medical conditions

You’ll need to declare any pre-existing conditions you have when purchasing insurance. Making a full and transparent disclosure is essential to avoid your policy being invalidated in the event of a claim against a known condition.

Most insurers allow you to declare pre-existing conditions through a medical form you’ll be shown when you request a quote. In some cases you can also talk through your conditions with a team member. Documents are often not needed as long as you can properly describe the condition, your treatment and any other factors the insurer would need to know to make a cover decision.

Costs of travel insurance for pre existing conditions

In some cases, the inclusion of pre-existing conditions may affect the cost of travel insurance, increasing the premium you pay. However, this does vary a lot depending on the provider and the specific condition. For example, some insurers may simply add a limit on the amount you can claim against a pre-existing condition, rather than increase the costs of the policy to offer the same levels of cover for this as for other unexpected issues.

Talk through your cover and cost options with the providers you prefer, and get several different quotes so you can decide on the best one for you. Particularly when dealing with pre-existing conditions, it’s very important to select a policy that specifically caters to your unique health needs. Look at the costs, but also consider the ease of making a claim, the cover levels and what the policy provider can do if there is a real medical emergency when you’re away from home.

Enjoy hassle free travel with no hidden fees, with a Wise card

Once you have figured out your travel insurance, get a Wise card, for extra peace of mind wherever your next trip is taking you and cut the costs of overseas spending.

Open a Wise account online or in the Wise app, add money in AUD right from your bank account, and switch to any of the supported 40+ currencies with the mid-market exchange rate. You’ll be able to get a linked Wise card to use for contactless payments, add your card to a wallet like Apple Pay, or make ATM withdrawals when you need cash. You may be able to save significantly compared to using your bank, as you’ll avoid foreign transaction fees and can rest assured you’re getting one of the fairest exchange rates out there. It’s easy, safe, and there are no surprise fees to worry about.

No matter where you’re headed, take Wise with you, and save up to 7x when you spend internationally.

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Please see Terms of Use and product availability for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

FAQs

Can I get travel insurance for seniors with pre existing conditions?

You can get travel insurance for seniors with pre-existing conditions subject to provider rules and limitations. Some providers offer cover to customers up to 100 years of age, for example, but there may also be lower limits of around 70 to 80 years of age for non-specialist policies. Seniors must declare any pre-existing medical conditions to the insurer in the same way as any other customer, to ensure cover is available if there were any issues.

Can I get travel insurance which covers pregnancy?

Yes. For most insurance providers, pregnancy is not considered a medical condition unless you have previously had any pregnancy complications which would need to be declared. Insurers limit the point in a pregnancy when cover is offered, which is usually different for single pregnancies compared to multiple.

You’ll need to check the fine print of your preferred provider but in most cases cover is offered up to and including the 23rd or 24th week for single pregnancy and to around the 19th week for multiple pregnancies.