Travel Insurance and Medical Conditions – Issues to Consider
Just because you have a medical condition, does not mean you cannot get travel insurance. Some people choose not to declare they have a pre-existing medical condition because they want to avoid astronomical costs. It is important that you tell your insurer about all your medical conditions, because even failing to disclose the smallest of conditions, may result in your claim being rejected. Here are some of the issues to consider.
- Cost VS Condition. Not all conditions will mean that you have a lot extra to pay. Some might mean nothing at all. It will depend on the insurer and the policy. If they find out you have a condition and have not told them, they will probably not pay your claim, even if it is not related to your condition. Essentially, it is a reason for them to make your policy null and void. Remember, medical attention when you are overseas, can be extremely costly.
- Applying online. Online insurers can offer cheap travel insurance because you are avoiding the middleman. You should look at the screening process and make sure you take the right steps to meet the requirements. You may have to go to a selected hospital, or screening agency, so that your insurance can be validated. Sometimes the insurance company might not investigate your situation until you go to claim. They may just take your application and payment based on what you have stated. This does not mean your insurance is necessarily validated. To collect fees and earn more money, more insurance companies are doing this. The mentality in place is simple; if the insurance application has areas that are issues, the insurance will become invalid. They still took your payment.
- Choices. Most insurance companies will give some options once you have disclosed your condition. Pay the extra money to be covered for it, or pay the normal rate and not be covered for your condition. You should think about this seriously because you are prone to having problems with your condition. We have already mentioned the dangers of extremely expensive medical attention while overseas.
- Understand this. Medical conditions are conditions that have been diagnosed and verified by a doctor. If you have a condition that was diagnosed in another country, it is highly unlikely that anyone could ever find out, or that condition could be considered a legitimate condition. There is no point to make your situation any worse. On the other hand, even if you are on a hospital waiting list and yet to be diagnosed, you might want to raise this issue. It might be enough legal grounding for the insurance company to claim that you did have a medical condition. Be careful with your choices.
There is no way to find a quick fix to your situation with a medical condition. Look for tailored solutions to remove extra costs of what you don’t need or want.
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