Travelling with a pre-existing medical condition like epilepsy requires planning, especially with regards to medication. It's crucial to be adequately prepared in the event that you have a seizure overseas and this includes having the right travel insurance in place.
Most travel insurance policies provide automatic cover for certain pre-existing medical conditions like epilepsy but will usually carry requirements such as:
You will need to:
| Brand | Details | Apply |
|---|---|---|
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Bonus |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Bonus |
 | Zoom Travel Insurance will not pay any claims relating to any pre-existing medical condition unless you completed the medical screening process, paid any relevant additional premium and received written confirmation from Zoom Travel Insurance confirming that cover has been accepted for these conditions. | Get quote |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Finder AwardBonus |
 | No mention | Get quote |
 | No mention | Get quote |
 | No cover if in the last 5 years suffered from or received medical advice, treatment or medication for any neurological condition. | Bonus |
 | No cover if in the last 5 years suffered from or received medical advice, treatment or medication for any neurological condition. | Bonus |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Get quote |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Bonus |
 | The policy doesn't automatically cover your pre-existing medical conditions. However, if you complete a medical assessment, we may be able to offer you cover for your pre-existing medical conditions. | Finder Award |
 | You are automatically covered if there’s been no change to your medication regimen in the past 12 months | Bonus |
 | You are automatically covered if You don’t have an underlying medical condition (e.g. previous head trauma, Brain Tumour or Stroke). | Get quote |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| More info |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| More info |
 | You are automatically covered if you have:
| Get quote |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| Get quote |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| More info |
 | No mention | More info |
 | You are automatically covered if:
| More info |
 | No mention | More info |
Note: This information was last updated August 2022
If you suffer from epilepsy and you’re considering applying for travel insurance, it’s important to be aware of the way in which your condition is assessed by the insurance provider. The type and gravity of your condition will influence your premium. Categories include:
| Response | WA | VIC | SA | QLD | NSW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | 61.98% | 62.71% | 58.06% | 58.53% | 65.14% |
| Heart condition | 10.74% | 4.95% | 10.75% | 4.61% | 4.89% |
| Mental health conditions | 10.74% | 14.19% | 10.75% | 14.75% | 10.4% |
| Chronic pain | 9.92% | 6.27% | 9.68% | 8.76% | 7.65% |
| Asthma | 7.44% | 10.23% | 11.83% | 8.29% | 9.17% |
| Diabetes | 7.44% | 6.93% | 10.75% | 8.76% | 7.03% |
| Cancer | 4.96% | 4.29% | 3.23% | 4.61% | 2.45% |
| Other | 4.13% | 6.6% | 5.38% | 9.22% | 5.2% |
| Physical disability | 4.13% | 3.96% | 5.38% | 2.76% | 3.06% |
| Kidney disease | 0.99% | 1.08% | 2.3% | 0.92% |
The onus is on you to disclose your condition to the insurer, especially if it’s not automatically covered as a pre-existing medical condition. If you develop the condition after purchasing travel insurance, it’s imperative to inform your insurer so that the contract can be modified accordingly. You will most likely be charged an additional premium for the modification.
When you apply for insurance and disclose a pre-existing medical condition like Epilepsy, you will typically go through the these steps:
This will mean the you cannot get cover with the policy.
Automatically included Epilepsy cover will typically have a condition such as requiring not hospitalisations in the past 2 years. If you meet the conditions then you will be automatically covered.
Some policies will let you apply using a declaration form.
Yes, you must declare what type of medication you are using or when the last you used it was. Most travel insurance brands will cover epilepsy if your condition hasn’t changed within 12 months, or if you’re on only one course of anti-seizure medication. Depending on the variation and the kind of medication you’ve been prescribed, you might have to pay an additional premium.
Here are a few tips to facilitate travelling with epilepsy.
Most travel insurance policies will cover epilepsy as a pre-existing medical condition, but not if:
In these cases, the terms of your travel insurance policy won’t cover the costs of medical assistance or hospitalisation.
Living with epilepsy doesn’t mean you can’t travel. Depending on the seriousness of your condition, most travel insurance policies will cover epilepsy as long as you show you can manage it responsibly.
Conditions of Epilepsy cover from Australian travel insurance brands
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