Travel insurance and health conditions: your questions answered

Here’s some information to help you understand those infamous preexisting conditions and how they might impact your travel insurance coverage. 

What is a preexisting medical condition?

A preexisting medical condition is a health condition you already know about when you purchase a travel insurance or pay for a trip. It can be major or minor, stable or unstable. It can be a disease that requires treatments and monitoring, or one that you’ve already recovered from. The flu, minor surgery completed during the past year, or a heart problem can all be preexisting medical conditions. 

Will I be covered if I have a preexisting condition? 

It is important to know that certain preexisting conditions can make you uninsurable. Examples include a disease in its terminal stage, metastatic cancer, kidney failure, or certain conditions requiring treatment such as a skin graft, dialysis, or home oxygen. The same goes if your doctor has advised you not to travel.

A condition may be covered if it is considered stable by the insurer. Each insurer has its own criteria, but generally speaking “stability” means the there has been no change to treatments for a given period of time. That period is determined by the insurer and may vary with the traveller’s age and the product purchased. 

For example, with Travel Insurance offered by CAA-Quebec, persons who wish to purchase medical care coverage require 3 or 6 months of stability. But if someone is under 60 and only wishes to buy cancellation insurance, there is no stability period required.

If my condition is stable, is it guaranteed to be covered? 

No. Some conditions or diseases may be excluded from coverage even if they have been stable for the required period, because they are known to present a high claim risk. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one example.

However, don’t confuse an exclusion with a complete lack of coverage. In the case above, only the COPD would be excluded. So if a traveller accidentally breaks a bone overseas, the treatment will be covered since the fracture is unrelated to the excluded condition.

Can a preexisting condition influence my premium, whether it’s covered or not? 

Yes, a preexisting condition may influence the price of your insurance whether or not it’s covered. But your premium also depends on your age, the insurance product selected, and the length of stay.

It is really important to make sure you don’t leave anything out when buying your insurance, even if a condition seems minor or everyday. Too often, in the hopes of saving a few bucks, travellers compromise their coverage and the validity of their contract. They end up exposing themselves to significant financial consequences when a problem arises.

Can I pay more to get travel insurance that insures me fully for everything? 

In some cases you can. When a condition is considered excluded, some insurers have more complex analytics in place to look at the traveller’s condition and possibly cover it. A few additional steps may be necessary to provide full information about a situation, for example a form for your doctor to fill out or a more detailed questionnaire.

However, with CAA-Quebec's optional coverage for a pre-existing condition, you can leave covered and with peace of mind: for an additional premium, this benefit is designed for travellers with a medical condition that is usually not covered.

If there’s an exclusion, does it still make sense to take out travel insurance? 

Absolutely! There are so many potential situations that could require emergency medical services. We see a surprising number of claims for minor problems such as urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal issues, and fractures. 

The bottom line? Whatever your age, health, or insurance policy, you have to check your coverage and policy limits when making your purchase or before you travel. Don’t be shy about asking your counsellor questions so you can leave all your worries behind.