Travel insurance for seniors with pre-existing conditions in Australia

International travel is something Australians should be able to enjoy at every age and stage of life. Getting older may mean managing ongoing treatment or health conditions, so how might this affect your travel insurance cover when travelling overseas?

If you’re a senior traveller, you may have questions about covering pre-existing medical conditions and related medical expenses while overseas.

Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by pre-existing conditions, why it’s important to disclose them, and how this may affect costs, cover, and cancellation cover when travelling overseas. We answer some frequently asked questions about what is and isn’t covered and how your provider assesses your circumstances.

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What are pre-existing conditions for travel insurance?

In essence, pre-existing conditions are illnesses, injuries and health signs or symptoms you were aware of when applying for your policy, whether you've received medical treatment or attended a hospital. It’s essential to review your policy wording closely, as the exact definition may vary between providers.

You don't need to have a confirmed medical diagnosis but if a reasonable person could recognise the health signs or symptoms, then this counts as a pre-existing condition. If, for example, you’d had stomach pains but decided not to go and see your doctor, you’d still need to tell us.

Can you get travel insurance cover for pre-existing conditions?

Being a senior with a medical condition doesn’t mean you can’t get travel insurance. Many travellers reach out to us about covering pre-existing conditions. When you apply for a policy with us, we’ll ask you to complete a medical assessment so we understand your individual circumstances. You'll need to tell us about your pre-existing medical conditions or changes to your health.

With this information, we can determine if we can offer you coverage based on your personal medical situation.

If we offer to cover any of your pre-existing medical conditions, you may need to pay an extra premium. It’s up to you whether you accept our offer. If you choose not to, we won't cover any claims for treatment or expenses related to your excluded pre-existing medical conditions and any changes to your health.

If we’re unable to cover your condition, we’ll send you an email confirming this and it will be shown as an exclusion on your travel insurance policy.

Do pre-existing conditions make travel insurance more expensive? 

You may need to pay extra costs if you accept our offer to cover your pre-existing condition. If you choose not to accept our offer, you won’t be charged the additional premium, but related claims won’t be eligible for cover.

What happens if I don’t disclose a pre-existing condition?

If you don’t tell us about your pre-existing medical conditions, we won’t cover them, or anything related to them. By disclosing your condition, we can properly assess your circumstances and may still be able to offer cover that helps keep your trip secure.

Which pre-existing conditions are covered and which aren’t?

We don’t automatically cover changes to your health so, if this happens, you should get in touch to let us know before you travel.

We’ll ask you to complete a medical assessment and we may be able to offer you cover. It’s a good idea to book a check-up with your doctor before you travel. Not only does this give you peace of mind that you’re fit and healthy for your holiday, but if your doctor tells you of any new illness, injury, health signs or symptoms, or change to a covered condition, we’ll let you know how this affects your insurance cover.

What if your medical condition changes after you buy a travel insurance policy?

We don’t automatically cover changes to your health so, if this happens, you should get in touch to let us know before you travel. We’ll ask you to complete a medical assessment and we may be able to offer you cover.

It’s a good idea to book a check-up with your doctor before you travel. Not only does this give you peace of mind that you’re fit and healthy for your holiday, but if your doctor tells you of any new illness, injury, health signs or symptoms, or change to a covered condition, we’ll let you know how this affects your insurance cover.

Can I still travel if I have a pre-existing condition?

You should discuss this with your doctor or other medical professional. They can advise whether travel is safe based on your condition, planned treatment, and destination. You might also find our health and safety tips for senior travellers handy.  

My travel companion has a pre-existing condition, does this affect my cover?

If someone important to you gets sick, we may cover changes or cancellation to your travel but only if the person’s health changed unexpectedly. This might be your travel companion or a member of your immediate family or a person directly related to the primary purpose of your journey. You should take the health of any relevant people into account when you plan your journey and choose your cover.

Understanding your policy

It’s important that you read and understand your travel insurance Product Disclosure Statement, including any limits or exclusions. We know there’s a lot to work through so if you have any questions, we’re happy to talk you through them. Call us on 1800 196 484.

This page includes some information about our products but, as with all insurance policies, terms and conditions apply. For our terms and conditions (including information about exclusions, excesses and sub limits) we recommend you read the relevant Financial Services Guide (FSG), Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to ensure our travel insurance products are right for you.