This week's question goes to Steven Williams, head of travel insurance at Confused.com...
Question: What is a pre existing medical condition? And if it has been treated and cured is it still a pre-existing condition?
A: This is an interesting question and one which many people may be confused about. Firstly, it’s important to know that the rules on medical conditions can differ by provider, so you must check the policy wording or speak to a representative if you can’t find the information.
Always look for “policy wording” or “policy document” if there’s one available. Most providers will also have a “policy summary” section, but this usually doesn’t cover the necessary information. In each document there should be a section on “medical conditions” where you’ll find “pre-existing medical conditions”.
A pre-existing medical condition is defined as, but NOT limited to the following: Any respiratory condition (relating to the lungs or breathing); any heart; circulatory; kidney; liver or cerebral condition; any stroke or central nervous system disorder for which you have ever received treatment.
It also applies to any cancer for which you have received any diagnosis or treatment within a given time period, usually between one year and as much as 10 years (this differs between providers so check.)
And finally it applies to any in-patient treatment you have received, such as surgery or any investigation in a hospital, clinic or medical practitioners within a given time period. For example, it could range from the last year up to five years again, depending on the provider.
If you need to get travel insurance for a pre-existing medical condition bear in mind that the price is likely to be higher than for a standard policy. This is to be expected because the insurance provider is offering an enhanced policy for your medical condition.
If you’re searching for travel insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions on Confused.com then the following may be useful:
Visit: www.confused.com/travel-insurance and click the ‘quote me travel insurance’ button where you will be taken to the assumptions page. Click the button which says: ‘I don’t meet the assumptions but still want a quote’ and a panel of specialist providers will be displayed ready to quote you.
Remember, when filling out the required question set online, provide as much detail as possible to ensure you get the right level of cover.
If you have a question you'd like to put to the Confused.com team or Confused.com community, post your question in the comment section on the blog. Alternatively, e-mail editor@confused.com and we will do our best to provide an answer.
