How to Protect Yourself if You Have a Pre-existing Condition and Want to Travel
You have always wanted to travel to Africa. However, you need to find the right holiday travel policy to cover you on your trip. Whilst most travel insurance policies feature repatriation and emergency medical cover, they do not extend the protection to a pre-existing medical condition. However, you do need the cover, as you need to make sure that you are covered should you become ill on your trip. If you’re unsure there are ways to check if your condition qualifies as ‘pre-existing’.
Take a Medical Screening First
A pre-existing condition, just like it sounds, is a condition that existed before you decided to take out an insurance policy. If you do choose to take out cover for a pre-existing condition then, you need to go through a process known as a medical screening. The screening calls for answering several questions about your current health.
Insurance companies want to find out more about what you take in prescribed medications, and about any conditions that are related to heart, circulatory, or respiratory problems, or cancer or a prior stroke. Even if any of the aforementioned conditions are not affecting you currently, you need to report them. Otherwise, the policy you take out could be invalidated. Therefore, you need to be straightforward and honest about your past and current health.
Where Are You Planning to Travel?
The rate you are charged for regular holiday insurance is based on your age, the travel destination, and the length of time you plan to travel. The costs related to covering a pre-existing condition will be calculated in answer to the responses you give during your medical screening. Where you plan to travel greatly affects the overall cost too.
When You May Need to Change Your Travel Plans
For example, countries such as Spain and Greece use privatised healthcare to treat patients. Therefore, travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions tends to cost more than in other places in Europe. Also, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) cannot be used in hospitals that are privatised, all of which makes cover almost mandatory. If you have been denied cover for a pre-existing medical condition for Spain or Greece, you may want to change your travel plans.
Other Places Where Travel Insurance Costs Are High
If you plan to travel to Hong Kong, China, the Caribbean, Canada, or the US, you need to obtain insurance quotes before booking travel. That is the best way to avoid any disappointments. In particular, the US charges a large amount for healthcare. Whilst the Caribbean features lower costs in healthcare, there still is a good chance that you will be transported to the US for care.
Be Careful about Stopovers
Both China and Hong Kong are destinations where it is easier to get accepted for cover. However, if you plan to travel to Australia, beware! If you stop at any of the higher-rated locations, it could increase the cost of your premium. However, if you make stopovers in Singapore or Dubai, the premium cost can go down.
Why Buying Travel Health Care Is Important
That is why you need to carefully compare travel insurance for medical conditions online. Fortunately, a reciprocal healthcare agreement has been established between the UK and Australia. This agreement entitles British citizens, who are travelling on a UK passport, to receive subsidised medical care from Medicare Australia. However, you cannot receive emergency care or treatment for a pre-existing condition. That is why you need to have adequate insurance cover in place if you are travelling to this country.
Happily, travel insurance quotes for Australia are more reasonable than many places in the world. You can also receive acceptance much easier for a pre-existing medical condition. However, as noted before, in order to keep costs down, you have to avoid certain stopovers.
Travel Insurance Costs Are Lower in the UK and Europe
You will experience the lowest costs for travel insurance in the UK and Europe. The costs get higher if you choose to travel beyond the European continent. Both UK and European travel destinations generate lower travel insurance rates than other parts of the world.
If you have the place in mind where you want to travel and have decided to purchase cover, then you will next need to know more about the medical screening process. As indicated, a medical screening is made up of a series of basic and multiple type questions – enquiries that are designed to determine the severity of your condition. Whilst some of the questions may seem rather personal, the answers you supply are completely confidential.
Declare Your Medical Conditions to Ensure Cover
You should answer the questions as precisely and as accurately as you can so your condition is properly covered. Depending on your pre-existing condition, you normally are asked about the kinds of medications you take, whether you have been admitted to hospital, and when you were initially diagnosed. Whilst many pre-existing medical conditions can be covered for no additional charge, it is still important to declare them.
Any cost that is added is based on the risk that you may need medical treatment whilst you are on holiday, or may need to cancel your holiday because you feel sick. If your current condition is considered severe or unstable, you will have to pay more for your travel insurance plan.
An Important Point to Keep in Mind
When taking a medical screening, it is best to use a platform that offers quotes from various insurance companies. That way, you only have to answer the questions for the screening once. You do not have to go to several websites to answer personal questions about your health. When you get ready to buy medical travel insurance for a pre-existing condition then, this is an important point to keep in mind.
Insurers who are unable to assess the risk of an undiagnosed medical condition usually decline cover until a diagnosis is confirmed. Diagnosed conditions under investigation or a condition where surgery is pending can also be reasons to deny cover.
So, you can still make travel plans if you have a health condition. Just make sure you are honest and truthful about your health so you can make the most of the cover you buy.
