Why Pre-existing Conditions Usually Aren’t Covered By Travel Medical Insurance

When looking for a travel medical insurance plan, you may notice that most plans exclude pre-existing conditions. You may have even filed a claim with your travel insurance company and have it denied for this reason.

Although a handful of travel medical insurance plans offer some form of pre-existing condition coverage, most plans do not. We will go over why travel medical insurance usually doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, and how to find the best insurance plan with such coverage.

What You Will Learn in This Guide:

• Why most travel medical insurance plans exclude pre-existing conditions
• How insurance companies define and verify pre-existing conditions
• Tips for selecting the best insurance plan for your specific health needs
• What to do if your travel insurance claim related to a pre-existing condition is denied

Does Travel Insurance Cover Pre-existing Conditions?

Most travel medical insurance plans do not cover treatment for pre-existing conditions.

A pre-existing condition is typically defined as an ailment, injury, sickness, or other health condition that existed in the policyholder, whether known or unknown, before they purchased their travel medical insurance plan. When you receive treatment from a doctor or hospital, an attending physician will determine whether or not your condition was pre-existing.

There are a few reasons why travel medical insurance doesn’t typically cover pre-existing conditions:

• These conditions existed in you (whether known or unknown) before the start of your insurance plan, and travel insurance is meant to cover new injuries or illnesses after the effective date of your plan.
• Pre-existing conditions are a known risk that comes with a strong likelihood that you'll need treatment or care.
• Travel insurance is short-term and designed to cover unforeseen illnesses or injuries while abroad.
• Treatment for pre-existing conditions is often expensive.
• Visitors insurance only requires a one-time premium as opposed to domestic health insurance, which you continue to pay for periodically, making it less financially plausible for a travel insurance company to pay for pre-existing condition treatment.

Why Are Pre-existing Conditions Often Excluded From Travel Medical Insurance?

Think of pre-existing conditions coverage like this:

Now, using this same logic, we can look at pre-existing conditions. Travel medical insurance is designed to provide assistance for unexpected illness or injury that occurs during your travels, which is what you are paying for with the short-term coverage. It typically does not cover illnesses that already existed prior to purchasing your plan, similar to the car insurance scenario explained above.

Secure the Best Travel Medical Insurance For Pre-Existing Conditions

If you are a traveler that has a known pre-existing condition or you are a senior traveler, you still have options when it comes to travel medical insurance plans with pre-existing conditions coverage. These plans may come with a higher premium but can offer limited coverage in certain instances for pre-existing conditions.

Additionally, there are plans that offer coverage for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions, which typically refers to the sudden or unexpected recurrence of a previous pre-existing health condition which is not chronic and was not being suffered from at the time of purchasing your plan.

Now that you have a better understanding of why pre-existing conditions aren’t typically covered under travel medical insurance, you can be better prepared when purchasing a travel medical insurance plan and save yourself frustration in the future during the claims process. Have a question? Our Customer Success Team is available and ready to assist you with any questions you may have.