Will travel insurance cover for pre-existing conditions?

Getting travel insurance before heading for a vacation abroad is indeed a wise move. It provides you and your family, the medical and financial assistance in case of sudden illness or an accident, passport loss or delay in checked baggage etc. while you are on vacation.

But, what if a person is struck in a condition due to a pre-existing disease? Will his hospital bills be paid by the insurer? In most cases, it won’t as travel insurance usually doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions for the reason that, from an insurer’s point of view, you are a bigger risk as you are more likely to need medical treatment while travelling abroad.

However, there are a few insurance companies in India that include pre-existing diseases in their travel insurance plan. But for this, you may need to undergo a medical assessment and pay an extra premium for medical travel insurance.

Also, most companies give customers a privilege to include just one pre-existing illness provided this illness doesn’t and has not required hospitalization in the last 5 years. Some travel insurance policies will also cover pre-existing conditions if you buy coverage within a short time after booking your travel. It's worth doing some research to find such policies.

Oftentimes, insurance companies completely refuse all medical coverage owing to some pre-existing medical conditions. This will vary by insurer, but include conditions such as incurable illness, being an organ donation inheritor and other such conditions. Such people may not be able to travel securely by receiving affordable medical treatment for any condition at all. When a medical cover is rejected by the insurer, the other provisions of the travel insurance policy still apply.

If you have a life-threatening illness, it may get included in your travel insurance policy, but you need to check with your insurer before you purchase the policy. Also, when buying a travel insurance plan, you must be aware of the loopholes with which your insurer can reject your claim in future. If the purpose of your travel is seeking medical treatment abroad, you won’t be covered. Travel insurance also doesn’t cover war injuries, suicide and hospitalization due to a risky sport.

HDFCEGRO, one of the most trusted names in providing travel insurances, enables you to enjoy and explore new destinations with its wide range of travel insurance plans that cover both business and leisure travel. The travel insurance policy from HDFC ERGO will best suit your travelling purpose and is available at a cost that is easy-on-pocket too. So why wait? Buy travel insurance plan now and enjoy your travelling abroad without worries!