Whenever you purchase travel insurance you will be asked if you have any pre-existing medical conditions that are relevant to your policy. The reason they ask these questions is to determine the amount of cover you require while you are overseas. For example, someone with chronic breathing difficulties and receiving medical treatment would likely need greater coverage than a fit young adult. For insurance companies to cover their costs and continue in business, they need to assure that they set aside adequate funds in order to pay any costs resulting from a claim made while you’re away. Therefore it’s important to make sure you notify your insurance company about any pre-existing medical condition you have when you ask for a quote.
While many may think that by declaring a pre-existing medical condition just gives the insurance companies the chance to overcharge you for your cover, it’s actually more important to get the right cover for your trip. Too much coverage and you will be paying extra for insurance you don’t need, whereas too little coverage and the insurance companies will lose money due to paying out on bills that had not been anticipated. Plus if you deliberately conceal a medical condition that you later need medical assistance for you may find your policy is cancelled leaving you out of pocket. In fact deliberately misleading an insurance company could lead to a conviction for insurance fraud with a possible fine. It’s simply not worth the risk.
Whenever you are informing your insurance company about a pre-existing medical condition it’s important that you are as accurate as possible. They will need details of what medication you are on and how frequently you see the doctor. It’s vital you get adequate cover for you condition to ensure you have complete peace of mind while you are away.
Many people think that finding the right pre-existing medical insurance will be too costly and too difficult to secure. This is not true; everyone should be able to find reasonably priced cover that is tailored to their specific needs. You certainly would not want to risk being away on holiday without insurance should you fall ill and need repatriating back to your home country. The medical bill could be astronomical.
Whatever type of condition you have it is vital that you declare it before you buy your policy so a risk assessment can be made to ensure you’re covered. It’s then one less thing to think about while you’re away enjoying your relaxing vacation.
Christophe Spiers founder of a specialist insurance website, the web’s premier resource for pre-existing medical travel insurance & pre-existing medical condition travel insurance.