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Travel insurance and pacemakers

We'll help you get the right travel insurance cover for your pacemaker.

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Jessica Prasida
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Important:

Travel insurance rules continue to change as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We’re working hard to keep up and make sure our guides are up to date, however some information may not be accurate during the pandemic. It’s even more important to double-check all details that matter to you before taking out cover. Please know that some policies may not be available through Finder at this time. Here are some helpful tips:
    • If you're buying a policy today, it's unlikely that you'll be covered for border closures
    • If your travel plans go against government advice, your policy will most likely be voided and you won't be covered
    warningFinally, 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.

    Having a pacemaker doesn't mean you need to slow down on your travels.

    We've researched several Australian travel insurance brands that will consider you if you have a heart condition and pacemaker fitted, so you can get covered and go on your way.

    Get your quote for travel insurance with a pacemaker

    AllClear is a specialist travel insurer that considers all ages and pre-existing conditions - including heart-related ones like heart attacks, stents and those who have a pacemaker fitted.

    Looking for travel insurance that considers pacemaker patients? Consider these brands:

    Travel insurance brandHow do I get considered for my heart condition?Apply
    1-cover-new1

    1cover

    		You can declare your condition with a medical assessment
    Picture not described

    Australia Post

    		You can do an online medical questionnaire and you may need to pay an additional premium
    All Clear Logo

    All Clear

    		All heart conditions are considered
    Columbus Direct

    Columbus Direct

    		You can do a medical screening online or over the phone and you may need to pay an additional premium
    InsureandGo

    Insureandgo

    		You can do a medical screening online or over the phone if you haven't had any heart complications in the last five years.
    Insure4less Icon

    Insure4less

    		You can do an online medical questionnaire
    none

    Travel Insurance Saver

    		You can declare your condition with a medical assessment
    Virgin Money

    Virgin Money

    		You can submit a medical assessment over the phone or online
    Tick Travel Insurance

    Tick Travel

    		You can select a Standard or Top cover plan and declare your condition

    What can I find on this page?

    Declaring your pacemaker
    Travelling with a pacemaker

    How can I get travel insurance cover if I have a pacemaker?

    If you have had a pacemaker fitted, it’s possible to get travel insurance. However, you will need to:

    • Declare your condition to your insurer
    • In some cases, undergo a medical assessment. This may be in the form of a questionnaire, a medical exam or a doctor’s certificate.
    • Pay the additional premium if necessary.

    How do I disclose my procedure?

    While it may be tempting to not mention your pacemaker in an attempt to avoid paying a higher premium, it is vital that you declare any pre-existing conditions. If you don’t and you suffer a medical incident related to your heart condition, your insurer will not cover you. This could leave you seriously out of pocket if you are hospitalised in a country such as Japan or the USA, where health costs are prohibitively expensive.

    Before you declare your heart condition to your insurer, you should read the fine print in their product disclosure statement (PDS) to determine if your condition is covered. Travel insurers normally have three tiers when it comes to pre-existing conditions:

    • Conditions that are automatically covered. Conditions that are automatically covered are generally not life threatening and include ailments such as asthma.
    • Conditions that require a medical assessment. The conditions are generally more serious and include conditions such as heart arrhythmias.
    • Conditions that will not be covered. These are conditions that are life threatening such as cancer and AIDs.

    What happens in a medical assessment?

    If it’s covered, but only under certain conditions, you will need to declare your condition when you apply for insurance and depending on the insurer either:

    • Undergo a phone assessment
    • Fill out an online questionnaire
    • Fill out a hard copy declaration form, describing your condition, your treatment, any recent changes and length of time since treatment or hospitalisation
    • Undergo a face-to-face medical assessment

    If your condition is approved for cover, your insurer will then send you a written notice to this effect, including any conditions that apply to cover and any additional premiums payable.

    It’s been a year since I had a pacemaker fitted. Will I need to declare?

    Although it’s likely to help with your application for cover, insurers assess eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

    Yes, you will need to declare

    As with most pre-existing medical conditions, the length of time since you last had treatment for your condition is an important stage of the assessment process. Different insurers will have different criteria for how the period since the last treatment affects cover e.g. 12 months on policy A and 24 months on policy B.

    Generally, if an insurer sees that your pacemaker was fitted some time ago, they are more likely to view your condition as lower risk because there haven’t been any aggravating circumstances.

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    Travelling with a pacemaker

    Travelling with a pacemaker is generally safe. The two main concerns are electromagnetic interference and rough activity that could damage the device. Most issues can be avoided by observing the following tips:

    • Visit your doctor before you travel to have your device tested and discuss any activities you have planned for your holiday.
    • Make sure you have contact details for emergency overseas assistance should you require it.
    • Make sure you know the pacemaker’s manufacturer, model and serial number.
    • Find out the types of electromagnetic devices you should avoid close contact with, which should be detailed in your pacemaker’s operator manual.
    • As your pacemaker may activate security screening apparatus, make sure you have a pacemaker ID card explaining your condition.
    • Also show your ID card if you need medical treatment such as scans while travelling overseas.

    Compare travel insurance policies from Australian brands

    More guides on Finder

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