Travel Insurance for cancer patients in Australia

We've found a host of brands that provide travel insurance for cancer patients in Australia, including one that considers any form and stage of cancer. Find quotes and compare policies from more than 25 brands, below.

Are there any travel insurance brands that offer cover for cancer patients?

Yes. For example, AllClear is a specialist medical travel insurer that considers all stages of cancer. Find out more about AllClear in our review.

Which Australian travel insurance providers cover you if you've had cancer?

We researched 25+ travel insurance brands and found that these can cover you if you've had cancer.

Travel insurance brand	Cancers types that are automatically covered by travel insurance	Apply
	Automatically covered if your Skin Cancer isn't a Melanoma, and you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition. Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Bonus Get quote
	Automatically covered if your Skin Cancer isn't a Melanoma, and you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition. Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Bonus Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Finder AwardBonus Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Bonus Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Get quote
	Automatically covered if your Skin Cancer isn't a Melanoma, and you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition. Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Bonus Get quote
	Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Finder Award Get quote
	Online medical screening assessment will determine if cover can be provided. Consider the PDS and TMD from TIS and if the product is right for you.	Get quote
	Automatically covered if your Skin Cancer isn't a Melanoma, and you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition. Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Get quote
	Automatically covered if your Skin Cancer isn't a Melanoma, and you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition. Cover for some types of cancers may be available subject to a medical screening and the payment of an additional premium (where required).	Bonus Get quote

Note: This information was last updated August 2022

Finder survey: Which pre-existing medical conditions do Australians have?

Can you get travel insurance that covers cancer?

Yes. Anyone who has cancer can or has had cancer in the past can get travel insurance. However, whether or not you’ll be covered for the condition itself varies both from insurer to insurer and from person to person.

Typically, there are two types of insurers:

Specialist insurers

Brands like All Clear Travel Insurance specialise in medical travel insurance and are more likely to offer comprehensive cover, albeit for higher premiums. All Clear considers travellers at all stages of cancer for a range of cancer types including bowel cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma and prostate cancer.

In some cases, it will also provide cover for people with terminal conditions, so long as your prognosis is for six months or more, a doctor says you're "fit" to travel and your transport provider agrees to take you.

Non-specialist travel insurer

Most travel insurers outside of the specialist market fall into one of two categories; those that will provide travel insurance and cover cancer, and those that will provide travel insurance, but will not cover anything related to cancer.

1. For those that will cover incidents related to the cancer itself, cover is normally conditional based on the following:

• A medical assessment that determines that you’re fit to travel.
• Whether you’re in remission and how long that has been the case (6 to 12 months is often a minimum requirement).
• Whether you’re currently receiving treatment (in which case cover will usually not be provided).

Keep in mind. If you’re able to get cover, you will pay a higher premium due to the greater risk to the insurer.

2. Then, there are brands that won't provide any cover for claims arising from cancer. While these insurers won't cover you for your pre-existing condition they may still provide travel insurance that excludes your condition.

While any claim related to your pre-existing condition is not claimable, the policy still covers everything else. For example, if you were walking down the street and you were hit by a car, the policy would cover your medical costs because it’s unrelated to your cancer.

2 key questions to consider before settling on what's best for you

• Do you want to pay more to cover your pre-existing condition? If you answered 'yes', look at a travel insurer that specialises in medical cover or one that will consider people who already have cancer.
• Are you concerned about the high cost of travel insurance? Unfortunately, getting cover for a pre-existing condition can be costly. So, if you don't want to spend all that money and are okay with not having cover for your pre-existing condition, you can take out travel insurance. However, you will need to cover the costs if something happens overseas due to your pre-existing condition.

Do travel insurance providers need to know I've had cancer?

Yes, it's essential to disclose your cancer to your insurer that you have had cancer at the time of applying for your policy.

If you have had cancer at any time in your life, it is considered a pre-existing medical condition. Letting them know ahead of time will save you the hassle (and, potentially, a lot of money) later on should something go wrong.

Insurers generally have a list of pre-existing conditions they automatically cover in their product disclosure statement (PDS). Cancer isn't usually included, so if you're seeking the maximum insurance then you'll want to look for special cover where available.

What happens if the insurer won’t give me cover?

In general, insurers are not allowed to discriminate against people with cancer under Australian law. However, according to the Cancer Council of Victoria:

“An exemption under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 allows insurers to refuse insurance or change the terms of an insurance policy for a person affected by cancer so long as this decision is supported by statistical or actuarial data or other reasonable evidence.”

What will I be asked for on my medical questionnaire?

The medical questionnaire varies between insurers but you can expect to be asked:

Outside of these general questions you may also be asked more specific questions related to a particular type of cancer and also to provide supporting documentation from your treating physician.

Tips for travelling with cancer-related medical conditions

Cancer treatments can compromise your immune system, so you will need to take special precautions when travelling. These include:

• Keeping your medication close by (in your carry-on luggage, not under the plane).
• Carrying a letter from your doctor detailing your condition.
• Practising good hygiene including regularly washing hands and only drinking bottled water.
• Being sun smart, as chemotherapy and radiation make you more sensitive to UV rays.
• Ensuring plenty of downtime between activities, as you may feel fatigued more often.

Compare your travel insurance options: In summary

Obtaining travel insurance for a pre-existing condition like cancer isn't easy. However, it's not impossible either. The best way to go about it is to declare your condition upfront and to shop around to find the insurer most sympathetic to your needs.

Picture: GettyImages

Written by

Richard Laycock

Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio