Travel insurance for seniors with pre-existing conditions
International travel is something we should be able to enjoy at every age and stage of our lives. Getting older may mean we have a few more health conditions to manage, so how does this affect our travel insurance? If you’re a senior traveller, you may have a few questions about cover for pre-existing medical conditions.
Let’s take a closer look at what we mean by pre-existing conditions and why it’s important to disclose them when purchasing travel insurance. We answer some frequently asked questions about what is and isn’t covered and how this affects the cost of your insurance.
What are pre-existing conditions?
In essence, pre-existing medical conditions are illnesses, injuries, and health symptoms that you knew about when you applied for your policy, whether you’ve seen a medical professional or not. It’s essential to review your policy wording closely, as the exact definition may vary between insurers.
You don't need to have a confirmed medical diagnosis but if a reasonable person could recognise the 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.
Is it possible to get cover for pre-existing conditions?
Being a senior with a medical condition doesn’t mean you can’t get travel insurance. Many customers 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. 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 anything related to your excluded pre-existing medical conditions or 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.
Will pre-existing conditions make my policy more expensive?
You may need to pay extra 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.
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. Whereas, if you do let us know about any health issues when you apply for your travel insurance, we may still be able to offer you cover.
Which pre-existing conditions are covered and which aren’t?
We don’t automatically cover any pre-existing conditions. We’ll ask you to complete a medical assessment to see if we’re able to offer you cover for your conditions.
We won’t cover undiagnosed pre-existing medical conditions. For example, if you’re experiencing stomach pains but the medical professionals don’t know why, or you’re awaiting test results, we won’t cover those symptoms.
What happens if there’s a change in my medical condition after I buy my 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 symptom, 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. 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 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. Explain to anyone travelling with you the importance of disclosing pre-existing conditions.
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.
The content of this article is general and provided for information purposes only. Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) doesn’t guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness or currency of any article.
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