Traveling allows you to discover new places, reconnect with loved ones, or simply enjoy a change of scenery. For people living with a medical condition, however, planning a trip involves a few extra steps, particularly when it comes to travel insurance. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get insurance. You simply need to understand the inclusions, exclusions, and the stability period required by the insurer.
What is a pre-existing medical condition?
As the name suggests, a pre-existing medical condition refers to a health issue—whether known or unknown—that existed before the start of coverage or before departure. This could be a chronic illness, a heart condition, diabetes, or any other condition requiring medical monitoring.
Each travel insurance policy has its own eligibility criteria and exclusions, which can vary from one insurer to another and from one policy to another. That’s why it’s important to review the terms of the travel insurance you purchase to fully understand the coverage provided and the applicable conditions. Even when a condition is known and well-managed, you shouldn’t assume that any related emergencies will automatically be covered. Depending on the policy, a period of stability may be required, and coverage for certain pre-existing medical conditions may be excluded.
The Importance of Accurately Disclosing Your Health Status
It is important to be fully aware of your health status before obtaining a travel insurance quote. Depending on your age, you may be asked to complete a medical questionnaire. It is essential to accurately disclose your medical conditions, as your eligibility for coverage depends in part on the information you provide.
It’s also important to know that even if you aren’t asked to complete a medical questionnaire, most travel insurance policies still require a minimum stability period, which can range from 7 days to 6 months. Therefore, if you’ve changed your medication before your departure date, your stability period may be reset, which will affect your coverage.
What should you do if your stability period changes?
When the required stability period has not been met, there are generally two options to consider:
• The first option is to add a rider to your coverage that reduces the required stability period. For example, if a change in medication occurs 10 days before departure, it might be possible to reduce the stability period from 90 to 7 days. To do this, contact your travel insurance advisor to check available options and have your current policy amended.
• The second option is to exclude the medical condition from coverage. This solution may be considered for minor pre-existing conditions. It’s important to discuss this with your soNomad travel insurance advisor to fully understand the options available to you.
How can you best prepare before departure?
One of the key points to remember is that if your medical condition changes, you must notify your travel insurance company, since the stability period is calculated based on your departure date. Whether it’s a change in medication, an increase or decrease in dosage, the onset of new symptoms, a change in treatment, or a new medical exam, it’s important to report it to your insurer.
To ensure you travel with peace of mind, don’t hesitate to discuss your travel plans with your doctor. If you book your travel insurance in advance and have a copy of your medical questionnaire on hand, you can also ask your doctor to review it with you!
In collaboration with www.Sonomad.com
Article translated by DeepL.