|
If you’ve experienced a health crisis recently, a holiday away to relax and enjoy some sun and sea can do a world of good, not only to your body, but for your state of mind as well. Unfortunately, some travellers who have been sick are hesitant to declare their state or medications they are taking on their annual travel insurance application. This can leave a traveller vulnerable to high medical costs should an emergency or accident happen abroad that is directly - or even indirectly - connected to their medical history. Higher Premiums Travel insurance companies charge higher premiums to those with pre-existing medical issues because they consider these travellers higher risk and more likely to require medical attention while on vacation. Purchasing annual travel insurance for a person with pre-existing health conditions takes a little more time and prudence in ensuring the right policy is found, and depending on the particular medical history, a traveller may or may not pay much more to be insured. Pre-Existing Conditions Some annual travel insurance policies will not cover conditions that existed before the trip, including an illness for which a doctor was consulted or for which treatment was received recently. Other policies may provide coverage, but on a limited basis. Before purchasing travel insurance, it is best to contact the provider and explain the specifics of a medical situation to ensure proper coverage is obtained. If there is a pre-existing medical condition that medication has kept stable or under control (such as diabetes or hypertension), an annual travel insurance policy will also need to include coverage in the event of any emergencies related to that issue. A woman in the later stages of pregnancy would be a good example of this. Travellers can’t predict the kind of emergency or accident that may happen on a holiday and the connection between a pre-existing condition and claim may not always be obvious. For example, not disclosing a heart condition on an annual travel insurance policy, and suffering a broken leg on a ski trip could result in an insurance company refusing coverage in the event the heart issue determines a more complicated form of treatment or longer hospital stay. The Bright Side The good news is that for travellers who have minor ailments, finding a travel insurance policy that provides the right amount of coverage should not be over-the-top expensive and may be just a few pounds more than for a traveller who doesn’t have the same concerns. Before assuming a policy is going to be prohibitively expensive, it is worth doing the research with full disclosure of all medical history and medications taken regularly and answering all questions honestly, to determine an accurate cost. Any confusing questions on the questionnaire can be resolved by making a call to the insurance company and talking to a customer service representative. In the end, travellers may be pleasantly surprised to learn that purchasing annual travel insurance is not going to break the bank, and that a relaxing holiday is going to be a real possibility after all. Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore, an award-winning team of specialists in global single trip and annual travel insurance policies. Besides offering great deals on travel insurance, Patrick also collects and shares the best free travel competitions to help his clients get the most out of their holidays.
Related Articles -
Annual, travel, insurance,
| 
