Under general circumstances, your travel insurance coverage would cover losses resulting from unforeseen medical situations, flight delays, and legal issues. Will you, however, receive any help if you already have a health condition? Continue reading to find out if your underlying conditions are covered in a travel insurance policy.
What are pre-existing conditions?
Pre-existing conditions mean that before the start of your trip or before the insurance went into effect, any symptoms or conditions that were treated or diagnosed would not be considered by your insurer when evaluating a claim. Any medical issues discovered within 48 months or less time ago would be regarded as pre-existing diseases. These could include heart diseases, diabetes or hypertension
Does Travel Insurance cover Pre-Existing Diseases (PED)?
Let us, in brief, understand what is covered by travel insurance and what is exempted.
The majority of travel insurance policies include coverage for lost, damaged, or stolen luggage, as well as medical emergencies, trip cancellation, interruption, and delays.
Most travel insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing conditions. However, this should not stop you from purchasing insurance to cover certain conditions. These days, there are numerous PED-coverage policies available in India from travel insurance providers.
However, to verify if it qualifies as an add-on to your current travel insurance policy, you must either notify the insurer about it in advance or review the policy documentation.
How can you tell if your travel insurance policy needs PED coverage?
You must purchase the pre-existing condition add-on to your travel insurance if you are diagnosed with the condition that could be dangerous while you are travelling. You must do this by searching for a policy that addresses your specific pre-existing condition. You can determine how much you will need to pay for this with a travel insurance premium calculator.
Pre-existing illnesses may include:
- Any ailment for which you have had therapy or are still receiving treatment
- Any illness you’re taking medication for
- Almost every medical problem you are already aware of
If you have many PEDs, purchase a policy without any limitations or capping because many travel insurance policies like to limit their coverage to only one PED.
Is it worth it to travel without a PED cover?
Before leaving for a trip, if you purchase a pre-existing condition coverage travel insurance policy, and unfortunately, you fall sick, you could file a claim because your travel insurance provider was aware of your pre-existing medical condition.
If you did not obtain pre-existing coverage international travel insurance, your claim would be rejected. Therefore, it’s crucial to have adequate coverage while travelling, especially if you already have a pre-existing disease.
If you have a pre-existing disease, it is important that you get a complete body check-up done from your doctor. This can also help your case if you buy the coverage and are required to file a claim.
Conclusion
As your insurer will not consider any claims caused by an underlying condition, you shouldn’t rely on luck with your pre-existing conditions. During verification, your travel insurance provider will review your medical history to look for any existing or connected health concerns.
Pre-existing conditions shall be covered by some travel insurance policies if you purchase the appropriate level of coverage. If you have concealed a disease and later file a claim and the illness is discovered, your insurer may reject the claim or, worse, cancel the policy.
Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation. For more details on benefits, exclusions, limitations, terms, and conditions, please read the sales brochure/policy wording carefully before concluding a sale.