Travel insurance with pre existing medical conditions

Finally, some good news! Travel is picking up, so some insurers have started offering cover again. Just remember, you won't be covered for any pandemic related claims if you do take out domestic travel insurance.

• What is considered a pre existing condition for travel insurance?

  For the purposes of getting travel insurance, a pre-existing condition is usually defined as a medical condition:
  • That you are aware of
  • For which you are having or have had medical treatment in the past
  • That you are treating with prescribed medication
  • That you previously had surgery for

The good news is that you can get travel insurance that will provide you with cover for pre-existing conditions. In fact, many Australian travel insurers have a list of pre-existing conditions they cover automatically. And for conditions that aren’t automatically covered, it could be as simple as completing an online medical questionnaire and paying an additional premium.

To help you out we’ve broken down the conditions automatically covered by all the travel insurers you can access through finder, along with more information on how to get cover with a pre-existing condition, pre-existing conditions waivers and more.

Get your quotes for travel insurance that considers all pre-existing conditions

Which pre-existing conditions are automatically covered by the travel insurance brands on Finder?

Search for your condition to see which travel insurance brands will cover you.

Provider	Pre-existing condition	Get quote
Columbus Direct	All conditions are considered. An online medical assessment is available.
Insureandgo	Insureandgo consider all pre-existing conditions, but for an accurate assessment you're best to get a quote and do an online medical assessment.
AllClear	All conditions are considered
Budget Direct	Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 and 2), Eczema, Ear Grommets, Glaucoma, Hay fever, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High blood pressure (Hypertension)... Acne, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Dry Eye Syndrome, Epilepsy, Food intolerance, Gastric reflux, Gout, Hiatus hernia, Hypothyroidism (including Hashimoto's disease), Macular degeneration, Meniere's disease, Rhinitis and Sinusitis Show more
1cover	Acne, Allergies, Asthma, Bell's palsy, Benign positional vertigo, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Dry eye syndrome, Diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2), Epilepsy... Folate deficiency, Gastric reflux, Goitre, Glaucoma, Graves' disease, Hiatus hernia, Hypercholesterolaemia , Hyperlipidaemia , Hypothyroidism, Hypertension, Impaired glucose tolerance, Incontinence, Insulin resistance, Menopause, Nocturnal cramps, Pernicious anaemia, Reynaud's disease, Sleep apnoea, Trigeminal neuralgia, Trigger finger and Vitamin B12 deficiency Show more
Travel With Jane	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac Disease, Congenital Blindness, Congenital Deafness, Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 and Type 2), Epilepsy, High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Osteoporosis... Acne, Bell's Palsy, Benign Positional Vertigo, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dry Eye Syndrome, Folate Deficiency, Gastric Reflux, Goitre, Glaucoma, Graves' Disease, Hiatus Hernia, Hyperlipidaemia (high blood lipids), Hypothyroidism, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Incontinence, Insulin Resistance, Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Macular Degeneration, Meniere's Disease, Migraine, Nocturnal Cramps, Osteopenia, Pernicious Anaemia, Plantar Fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Sleep Apnoea, Solar Keratosis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigger Finger and Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Show more
Fast Cover	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac Disease, Congenital Blindness, Congenital Deafness, Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 and 2), Epilepsy, Glaucoma, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Migraine, Osteoporosis… Acne, Bell's Palsy, Benign Positional Vertigo, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dry Eye Syndrome, Folate Deficiency, Gastric Reflux, Goitre, Graves' Disease, Hiatus Hernia, Hyperlipidaemia (High Blood Lipids), Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto's Disease, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Incontinence, Insulin Resistance, Macular Degeneration, Meniere's Disease, Nocturnal Cramps, Osteopenia, Pernicious Anaemia, Plantar Fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Sleep Apnoea, Solar Keratosis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigger Finger and Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Show more
World2cover	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Diabetes mellitus (type 1 and type 2), Epilepsy, Hip / Knee replacement, Hypercholesterolaemia, Hypertension… Acne, Bell's palsy, Benign positional vertigo, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Dry eye syndrome, Gastric reflux, Gastric / Peptic Ulcer, Glaucoma, Gout, Graves' disease, Hiatus hernia, Hyperlipidaemia, Hypothyroidism, Incontinence, Insulin resistance, Macular degeneration, Meniere's disease, Migraine, Nocturnal cramps, Plantar fasciitis, Reynaud's disease, Sleep apnoea, Solar keratosis, Trigeminal neuralgia and Trigger finger. Show more
World Care	Asthma, Cataracts, Cochlear implant, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Conjunctivitis, Diabetes (type 1 or type 2), Eczema, Glaucoma, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High blood pressure (Hypertension), Single uncomplicated pregnancy, up to and including 23 weeks... Acne, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Cleft palate, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Dengue fever, Dry eye syndrome, Dupuytren's contracture, Ear grommets (if no current infection), Gastric reflux (GORD), Gout, Hay fever, Hiatus hernia, Hormone replacement therapy, Hyperlipidaemia (high blood lipids), Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto's disease, Lipoma, Macular degeneration, Meniere's disease, Rhinitis, Rosacea, Sinusitis and Tinnitus. Show more
Medibank	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Glaucoma, Coeliac Disease, Congenital Blindness, Congenital Deafness, Hip replacement, Shoulder replacement, High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Menopause, Skin cancer... Acne, Bell's Palsy, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Ear grommets, Epilepsy, Gastric Reflux, Goitre, Graves' Disease, Gout, Hiatus Hernia, Hip resurfacing, Peptic ulcer, Gastric ulcer,Plantar fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Stenosing tenosynovitis, Urinary incontinence, Underactive thyroid and Overactive thyroid. Show more
Zoom	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac Disease, Congenital Blindness, Congenital Deafness, Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1 and 2), Epilepsy, High blood pressure (Hypercholesterolaemia), High blood pressure (Hypertension ), Menopause... Acne, Bell's Palsy, Benign Positional Vertigo, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dry Eye Syndrome, Folate Deficiency, Gastric Reflux, Goitre, Glaucoma, Hiatus Hernia, Hyperlipidaemia (High Blood Lipids), Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid), Impaired Glucose Intolerance, Incontinence, Insulin Resistance, Nocturnal Cramps, Osteopenia, Pernicious Anaemia, Sleep Apnea, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigger Finger, Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Vitamin D Deficiency. Show more
Travel Insurance Saver	Allergies, Anaemia, Asthma, Benign breast cysts, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness or deafness, Diabetes Mellitus Types 1 and 2, Epilepsy, High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), Hip and knee replacements, Menopause, Pregnancy related conditions... Acne, Bell's palsy, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel syndrome, Glaucoma, Goitre, hypothyroidism, Hashimotos disease, Graves disease, Grommets, Hiatus hernia, Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, Peptic ulcer disease, High Lipids (Hyperlipidaemia), Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, Incontinence, Macular degeneration, Migraines, Nocturnal cramps, Plantar fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigger Finger and Routine screening Tests Show more
Travel Insuranz	Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Bee Sting Allergy, Benign Breast Cysts, Benign Renal Cysts, Cataracts, Congenital Blindness, Congenital Deafness, Epilepsy, Hay Fever, Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Menopause, Pregnancy up to 18 weeks, Psoriasis… Acne, Allergic Rhinitis, Bunions, Chronic Sinusitis, Dermatitis, Dry Eye Syndrome, Ear Grommets, Eczema, Folate Deficiency, Food Intolerance, Gastric Reflux, Glaucoma, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, Incontinence, Insulin Resistance, Latex Allergy, Macular Degeneration, Nocturnal Cramps, Pernicious Anaemia, Raynaud's Disease, Trigger Finger, Urticaria and Vitamin B12 Deficiency. Show more
Australia Post	Allergies, Asthma, Cataracts, Glaucoma, Coeliac disease, Ear grommets, Epilepsy, Gout, Hip replacement, Knee replacement, Shoulder replacement, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High blood pressure (Hypertension), Menopause, Skin Cancer… Acne, Bell's Palsy, Bunions, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Gastric reflux, Goitre, Graves' Disease, Hiatus hernia, Hip resurfacing, Migraine, Peptic ulcer, Gastric ulcer, Plantar fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Stenosing tenosynovitis (Trigger Finger), Urinary incontinence, Underactive thyroid and Overactive thyroid. Show more
American Express	Asthma, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Diabetes - Type 1, Diabetes - Type 2, Epilepsy, Hay fever, Hip replacement, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), High blood pressure (Hypertension), Osteoporosis… Acne, Bell's palsy, Benign positional vertigo, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Dry eye syndrome, Eczema, Folate deficiency, Food intolerance, Gastric reflux, Goitre, Glaucoma, Gout, Graves' disease, Hiatus hernia, Hyperlipidaemia (Raised lipids), Hypothyroidism (including Hashimoto's disease), Impaired glucose tolerance, Incontinence, Insulin resistance, Iron deficiency anaemia, Lipoma, Macular degeneration, Meniere's disease, Migraine, Nocturnal cramps, Oseteopenia, Peptic ulcer, Pernicious anemia, Plantar fasciitis, Raynaud's disease, Rhinitis, Rosacea, Sinusitis (chronic), Sleep apnoea, Solar keratosis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Trigger finger and Vitamin B12 deficiency. Show more
Webjet	Allergy, Asthma, Bell's Palsy, Cataracts, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia). High blood pressure (Hypertension), Pregnancy, Acne, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Ear grommets, Gastric reflux (GORD), Goitre, Gout, Graves' Disease, Hiatus hernia, Hip Replacement/Surfacing, Hypothyroidism, Knee Replacement, Menopause, Migraine, Peptic Gastric Ulcer, Plantar Fasciitis, Raynaud's Disease, Shoulder Replacement, Skin Cancer, Stenosing Tenosynovitis (Trigger Finger), Urinary Incontinence and Underactive Thyroid. Show more
Virgin	Asthma, Cataracts, Cochlear implant, Coeliac disease, Congenital blindness, Congenital deafness, Conjunctivitis, Dengue fever, Diabetes (type 1 or type 2), Glaucoma, Hay fever, High cholesterol (Hypercholesterolaemia), Hypertension, Single uncomplicated pregnancy, up to and including 23 weeks… Acne, Bunions, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Cleft palate, Congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Dry eye syndrome, Dupuytren's contracture, Ear grommets, Eczema, Gastric reflux (GORD), Gout, Hiatus hernia, Hormone replacement therapy, Hyperlipidaemia (high blood lipids), Hypothyroidism, including Hashimoto's disease, Lipoma, Macular degeneration, Meniere's disease, Rhinitis, Rosacea, Sinusitis and Tinnitus. Show more

Is your condition not listed above? Check how you can get cover for these pre-existing conditions

Steps for getting travel insurance with a pre-existing medical condition

1. Be straight up with your insurer

If you suffer from a pre-existing medical condition and need travel insurance, you must let your travel insurance provider know of any pre-existing conditions you may have. If you don’t, you could be left out-of-pocket in the event where you need to make a claim.

2. Understand what is considered to be a pre-existing medical condition

The definition of a pre-existing medical condition varies slightly between insurers but the term is generally accepted to refer to:

• An ongoing medical or dental condition of which you are aware, or a related complication you have or the symptoms of which you are aware
• A medical or dental condition that is currently being treated or investigated by a health professional, or that has been treated or investigated by a health professional in the past
• Any condition for which you take prescribed medicine
• Any condition for which you have had surgery
• Any condition for which you see a medical specialist
• Pregnancy

Check your product disclosure statement (PDS) or contact the insurer directly to find out how your insurer defines a pre-existing condition.

3. Check to see if your condition is on the automatically covered list

While you’re looking at the PDS make sure you check to see if your condition is automatically covered or excluded by your insurer.

Check out which conditions are typically covered automatically

4. Complete the online questionnaire

If your condition is not mentioned on either list, you’ll need to complete your insurers medical screening process, which will most likely consist of you completing an online questionnaire. These questionnaire typically ask you about how long you’ve had your condition, the type of treatment you’ve undergone, whether or not you’re currently taking any medication and other relevant questions so that they may assess your risk level.

Typically you'll be asked:

If you don't declare your condition, you won't be covered for any claims for losses that have occurred as a result of your condition. In some cases, your insurance provider can also choose to cancel your policy if they feel you have purposely withheld information that may increase the likelihood of a claim occurring.

5. Approval of cover

Once you’ve completed the medical questionnaire you’ll either have your pre-existing condition approved, which will generally result in you paying a higher premiums, or you’ll be told that the insurer won’t provide you with cover for your pre-existing condition.

6. Why get cover if your condition is not approved?

If your condition isn’t approved it doesn’t mean you can’t get travel insurance, it just means that you won’t be covered for claims that are the result of your pre-existing condition; this is called a pre-existing condition waiver.

Even though you’re not able to take out cover for claims related to your existing condition, you’ll still be entitled to lodge claims for cancellation, lost luggage and even medical claims so long as they aren’t related to your condition.

How do I know if my condition is covered?

Insurers vary in how they cover pre-existing conditions, so never assume that you’ll be automatically covered when you buy a policy. Instead, take a look at the pre-existing medical conditions section in the PDS.

This will contain the following information:

• A list of pre-existing conditions automatically covered by the policy, usually without requiring you to pay an additional premium
• Information on how you can apply to have any pre-existing condition not included in that list covered by your policy

If your condition is not automatically covered, you’ll need to declare it to the insurer when you apply for cover. This can be done by filling out an online health questionnaire or answering some questions about your condition over the phone. Your insurer will then assess whether or not it will cover claims arising due to your pre-existing condition, and you will typically need to pay an additional premium for cover to apply.

Check the list below for details of conditions which are usually automatically covered, conditions which you must declare, and conditions which are usually excluded.

If your condition is not listed in the policy, you must declare it to your insurance company. The company will assess the condition and decide whether or not cover can be provided. There are some general rules around coverage of certain conditions.

• Conditions that are generally automatically covered
• Conditions generally excluded from cover
• Conditions you must declare

Compare your travel insurance quotes

Finally, some good news! Domestic travel is picking up, so some insurers have started offering cover again 🦘
Just remember, you won't be covered for any pandemic related claims if you do take out domestic travel insurance.
International travel insurance is limited and sometimes unavailable at this point.

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How to find the best travel insurance for pre-existing conditions

If you’re looking for travel insurance to cover a pre-existing condition, we can’t tell you which policy is the best choice for you. This is because the right policy depends on your cover needs, your budget and your personal situation, so the best cover for one person may be insufficient for the next traveller.

However, there are a few simple tips you can keep in mind to help you find the right policy:

• Consider your cover needs. First and foremost, think about what you want in a policy – what are the risks you want cover for and how much protection do you want? How much are you willing to pay for cover?
• Compare suitable policies. Once you know the type of cover you want, you can compare a range of policies from different insurers. What benefits do they offer and how high are the cover limits? What exclusions and restrictions apply?
• Treatment of pre-existing conditions. Check the PDS of each policy you’re considering to see how the insurer treats pre-existing condition. Is your condition automatically covered? If not, what do you have to do to apply to have it covered?
• Compare quotes. Compare quotes across the best policies to see which one offers the best value for money. Does it cost extra to have your pre-existing condition covered?

The key when buying travel insurance for pre-existing conditions is to shop around. Don’t just settle for the first policy you find; compare benefits and limits across several policies to find the cover that best suits your needs.

How is pregnancy assessed as a pre-existing condition?

Most travel insurers will cover pregnancy, providing it satisfies the following criteria:

As pregnancy is classed by insurers as a pre-existing condition, you will need to declare it when applying for insurance, be medically assessed and pay a higher premium, due to the higher risk you represent to the insurer.

I’m diabetic... can I get covered?

The majority of travel insurers will automatically cover diabetes, but the devil is in the detail, as each may require certain conditions to be met. For instance;

• Even though Type 2 diabetes is a less serious form, if you have also had hypertension in the last 12 months, some insurers may exclude you from cover altogether
• Because Type 1 diabetes requires stricter management, some insurers apply stricter cover conditions such as age limits.

The golden rule with diabetes, as with any pre-existing medical condition, is if you are unsure whether you are covered, declare it to your insurer at the time of applying. You may have to answer a few more questions and pay a higher premium, but it’s a small price to pay compared with receiving overseas medical bills that aren’t covered by your insurance.

Head here to learn more about getting cover if you're diabetic.

Group travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions

It's quite common for people to take out group travel insurance policies to provide cover for up to 10 or more friends, co-workers or teammates. While there is only one certificate of insurance for group policies, cover is still provided to each member of the group as if they were to have their own policy.

When taking out cover, the applicant that is applying for the cover for the group will be asked if any member of the group has any pre-existing medical conditions. In the event that one member does have a pre-existing condition that is not automatically covered under the policy, they may be required to take out their own separate policy. It may be possible to still purchase group cover if the condition is not listed though an additional premium may be incurred.

Learn more about group travel insurance policies

Are other people on my travel insurance policy covered for pre-existing medical conditions?

Generally, the insurance company will not provide a benefit payment for claims arising from pre-existing medical conditions that are automatically covered other than for those that are named on the insurance policy. Cover for pre-existing conditions can be provided to your spouse and/or dependent children/grandchildren.

Some final questions you might have

• I went to the emergency department about my medical condition. Is this considered hospitalisation?

  • Yes, hospitalisation includes visits to day surgery and the hospital emergency department.

• How long does a medical assessment take?

  • An online self-assessment can take as little as 10 minutes.

• How long does it take to process my assessment?

  • If the questionnaire is completed online, you’ll know immediately. If you do it offline, it may take between 24 and 48 hours.

• Does cruise travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

  • Yes, travel insurance for cruises is the same as regular travel insurance, it just includes an extension for cover while you’re in the open seas. Getting sick on a cruise can be exceptionally expensive if you need to be evacuated, so if you are heading on a cruise and have an existing condition make sure to get the all clear from your insurer.

• How much does it cost to cover my pre-existing condition?

  • It depends on your insurer, your condition and how much of a risk you represent.

• What if I develop a new medical condition after I have purchased my policy?

  • As it developed after you bought your insurance, it is not considered a pre-existing condition and would therefore be covered according to the terms and conditions of your policy.

• Can I apply for cover for a pre-existing medical condition from overseas?

  • No, you must apply while you are in Australia.

• My insurer has refused to cover my pre-existing medical condition. Does this mean I can’t get travel insurance?

  • No, it simply means you won’t be covered for any expenses related to your condition.

• If there is a problem with my pregnancy and my doctor advises against travel, will I be covered for trip cancellation?

  • It depends on your insurer. You may be able to claim if cancellation is due to unexpected complications with your pregnancy.

• If I fall pregnant after I have bought my policy, will I still be covered?

  • Again it depends on your insurer, but normally if you inform them of the change in circumstances you may still be able to get cover for pregnancy.

• Is asthma classed as chronic lung disease?

  • Only when you are more than 70 years of age.

• My insurer refused to cover my condition. Does this mean I can’t get travel insurance?

  • No, it just means you won’t be covered if you develop any complications related to that condition.

• Can I get travel insurance if I have suffered from cancer?

  • Yes, there are a handful of insurers who will provide cover for some cancers for a higher premium, providing certain conditions are met, such as being in remission for a certain period of time (i.e. 6 to 12 months).

• Can I apply for pre-existing medical condition cover from overseas?

  • No. You generally cannot apply for pre-existing medical condition cover once you have started your journey.

• How do I seek cover for my pre-existing condition after purchasing my policy?

  • You generally cannot do this. Once you have purchased a policy, you can no longer declare any pre-existing conditions and the insurer will not pay any claims that arise due to your pre-existing condition.

• How do I know if I have a pre-existing condition?

  • Visit your doctor for a full check-up. He or she will be able to assess your overall health and advise you whether you are suffering from any conditions.

• What happens if I don’t declare my pre-existing condition?

  • If you don’t disclose your pre-existing condition to the insurer when you apply for cover, any claim that arises due to that condition could be reduced or rejected. This could leave you facing extremely expensive overseas medical bills. In some cases, your entire travel insurance policy could become void.
  • With this in mind, it’s essential that you declare any pre-existing conditions when you apply for cover.

• What if something happens or changes before I depart?

  • If you develop a condition after purchasing travel insurance but before you leave on your trip, you’ll be covered for cancellation and trip adjustment costs if you need to call off or amend your trip – provided you weren’t aware of any symptoms of the condition or hadn’t sought treatment for the condition before purchasing cover.
  • You should also inform your insurer of your changed medical circumstances in case your policy needs to be adjusted in any way.