Travel Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions in India

What are Pre-Existing Conditions in Travel Insurance?

While travel insurance companies offer coverage for sudden medical expenses, trip delays, personal liability, etc, you might sometimes need extra coverage for an existing disease. To understand this, you must understand what is a PED in travel insurance. A pre-existing condition or pre-existing disease (PED) refers to the symptoms or conditions which were treated or diagnosed before the beginning of your international trip or before the policy start date.

In most cases, any health conditions that were diagnosed 48 months or fewer ago will be considered a pre-existing disease. Diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, a chronic heart condition, thyroid, asthma, etc, are termed as PEDs. Hence, you must look for pre-existing medical condition travel insurance to secure your foreign trip. 

Now, whether or not travel insurance covers pre-existing conditions differs with travel insurance plans and their providers. For example, severe PEDs such as cancer require specialised underwriting. While some policies may restrict coverage for PEDs and only cover critical, life-threatening situations caused by the disclosed PED.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Pre-Existing Diseases?

Most travel insurance policies cover pre-existing illness or any condition under the following two conditions:

1. Life-Threatening Situations

   Mostly, a travel health insurance policy covers medical expenses arising from a pre-existing condition only if it is a life-threatening situation.

2. PED Add-On

   The best way to cover PEDs and get pre-existing travel insurance coverage is by buying a PED add-on.

However, you need to inform the insurer about any PEDs in advance and check the policy documents to see if it can be included as an add-on to your travel insurance policy.

Travel insurance companies do not approve claims if the insured person cancels the trip or seeks medical treatment during the trip due to any pre-existing medical illnesses or complications. To ensure your PED-related claims are approved, ensure comparing plans to find the best travel insurance with pre-existing condition coverage. 

Do You Have to Declare PED for Travel Insurance?

Yes, it is extremely important to declare any PED to your insurer to compare and buy the best travel insurance for pre-existing conditions in India. If you are wondering how to decide if you need pre-existing coverage on your travel insurance, the answer lies in evaluating your medical history. This includes ongoing prescriptions.

Imagine that your father and mother are travelling from India to visit you in the US. You didn't know that your father was treated for high blood pressure a few months ago, though he was not at risk of a heart attack; he discontinued medication before the vacation.

During the trip, he was diagnosed with heart problems, but your travel health insurance claim was denied. Your insurer examined your pre-existing medical conditions and determined that the medical emergency was due to the heart symptoms (high BP) that you faced before the trip.

A lot of families commit this mistake and assume that nothing will go wrong during a short visit. Nor do they imagine that their health condition will deteriorate or recur during the trip.

This is where declaring your PED becomes important. Especially if you have something chronic, you must choose a travel insurance with pre-existing conditions coverage, and for this, a declaration is necessary.

When to Buy Travel Insurance with PED Cover?

It is your responsibility to keep tabs on your health so that you can have a fulfilling and stress-free life. Especially before going abroad, you must ensure that you are in good health so that you can have a good experience without the stress of unexpected health issues. 

For this, you need to confirm if you are in good health. You should also check if you have undergone any medical tests or made any changes to your medical prescription before your trip.

Before buying a travel insurance that covers pre-existing conditions, you first need to understand PEDs. A PED or pre-existing medical conditions can be:

• Any condition you have undergone treatment for or are still getting treated for
• Any condition for which you're taking medicines
• Any health condition that you are already aware of

If you discover any condition that may pose a threat while travelling, then you will need to buy a pre-existing coverage travel insurance add-on.

If you suffer from more than one pre-existing condition, buy a policy with no restrictions or capping, as many insurers like to limit their coverage only to 1 PED.

Is Travelling Without a PED Cover Worth It?

If you already have a diagnosed health condition, travelling without travel insurance for pre-existing conditions is a risky decision. Medical expenses are soaring high outside India, and it is always better to be covered and have travel health insurance pre-existing conditions security during your international trip.

If you are travelling without adequate backup, you might end up disrupting your trip budget and face a medical emergency alone outside your home country, that too without proper coverage. You must always look for a travel medical insurance with pre-existing conditions cover.

Priya and Aasish were on their honeymoon in Thailand. On the third day, Priya started feeling minor chest pains, after which she was taken to the hospital. She was on medication when they finalised their trip.

Luckily, Priya bought a travel plan with a pre-existing disease cover before heading abroad. Unfortunately, she fell sick there, but since her travel insurance company was aware of her pre-existing medical condition, she was able to file a claim.

Had she not done so, her claim would have been denied at the time of her emergency abroad. Thus, it's very important to buy the best travel insurance with a pre-existing condition waiver or comprehensive coverage, especially if you have existing health issues.

Tips to Ensure Claim Approvals for Pre-Existing Diseases

1. Disclose Everything Honestly

   Never omit any past or current medical facts. Always fully declare any pre-existing medical conditions and buy an add-on for them,

2. Get Destination-Specific Coverage

   Medical expenses vary across countries, so understand the average health expenses in the destination you’re visiting. If visiting the USA, Australia or Canada, get a high sum insured with PED cover.

3. Buy Specialised Travel Insurance for Senior Citizens

   Older travellers have a higher risk of getting injured or falling sick abroad, so top Indian travel insurers offer age-specific plans. Make sure the plan covers pre-existing conditions for seniors above 65 years of age.

4. Compare Travel Insurance Online

   You must compare features, sub-limits, premium amount and claim settlement ratio of top providers before buying any plan. Especially when it comes to PED, many insurers don’t provide coverage unless you opt for an add-on. Consider all these factors.

5. Know the Claims Basics

   In case of an emergency abroad, remember the basic claims protocol to quickly get help from your policy. Keep the TPA number handy by saving it on your phone before departure. You should also keep all documentation safely, including hospital bills, doctor’s prescriptions and discharge summaries. Opt for cashless care to completely avoid reimbursement waiting time later.

Wrapping it Up

You shouldn't leave your underlying conditions to luck, as your insurer will not entertain any claims caused by them. Your international trip and pre-existing conditions can go well together if you pick the best travel insurance with PED cover for yourself.

Your travel insurer will give you the option to assess your medical history during verification to check for any previous or related health conditions. This is your chance to declare any health conditions so that you are not disappointed later.

If the insurer finds that your previous medical conditions have a connection with the claim you have filed, and you haven't declared them, then your claim will be denied. However, you will avoid a lot of disappointment and expense if you have bought international travel insurance for pre-existing conditions coverage.