Do you have pre-existing medical conditions like asthma, epilepsy, or hypertension? As you may have known by now, most travel insurance policies exclude coverage for people like you who have pre-existing conditions.
You should be open about your medical history when obtaining a travel insurance quote, as your policy could be invalidated if the travel insurer finds out that you did not mention your health problems. The last thing you’d want to happen is your insurer denying your medical claim after finding out that you lied about your pre-existing condition.
Travelling with medical conditions can be tough on your finances since insurers that offer insurance policy for pre-existing conditions tend to charge high premiums. But you’d rather pay high premiums now than be sorry later on, should you find yourself in a medical emergency while on vacation.
Coverage Against Medical Emergency and Repatriation
Although some travel insurance policies have coverage for medical emergency and repatriation, these policies don’t cover existing medical conditions unless you have fully disclosed and bought coverage for them.
Should you decide not to buy travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions, you are risking a lot. Did you know that healthcare abroad, especially in the United States and the Caribbean, can be very costly? You’d have to shell out thousands of pounds for hospitalization and repatriation in the event that you fall sick because of your existing condition.
But if you opt not to disclose your existing medical condition, and you suddenly become unwell on a holiday, then your insurer will definitely not honour your claim. Thus you are left to foot a hefty bill, something which could have a damaging effect on your finances.
Travelling Companions Can Make Claims Too
Another reason why you’d want to take out travel insurance if you have pre-existing medical condition is that your traveling companion can claim in the event that you had to cancel your holiday because of your condition.
For example, your wife can get compensated as well if your trip was cut short because you became unwell due to asthma. Or your children can make the claim if they were with you during the cancelled trip.
Make sure that you add your travelling companions to your travel policy so that they’ll get something in case you became sick because of your pre-existing condition.
Lower Premiums from Specialist Providers
Although travel insurance for people with pre-existing medical conditions is generally more expensive than a regular insurance coverage, you can get more reasonable rates from a specialist provider. There are insurance companies that are more ‘sympathetic’ to your medical problems and can offer policies designed for your case.
Just check that your policy has coverage not only for medical emergencies and repatriation, but also for journey disruption or travel delay. You’d also want a policy that would cover your personal belongings and documents.
Travelling with medical conditions won’t come in cheap especially when you compare your premiums with those charged for an ordinary travel insurance policy. But you’d rather have travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions than be sorry in the event of a medical emergency during a holiday.