【Is travel cover really valid?】If you have a chronic condition or pre-existing illness and it flares up while travelling, is it covered by travel insurance?

Will travel insurance cover medical expenses if a traveller with a chronic condition falls ill unexpectedly while travelling? This is one of the most important questions for many people before taking out a policy. In fact, even if you have purchased travel insurance, if a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma, recurs during the trip, the insurer may decline the claim in accordance with the policy terms, as this falls under a “Pre-existing Condition”. Understanding the scope of cover that travel insurance provides for chronic illnesses and sudden illnesses before departure is an important step in avoiding substantial overseas medical expenses. 

• First confirm whether your situation falls within the policy’s definition of a “pre-existing condition”; generally, if a condition was diagnosed before taking out the policy, had already shown symptoms, or medical advice or treatment had already been sought or received, it may be covered by the relevant definition.
• For a claim, the key point is not only whether there is any medical history, but whether the illness episode in question is deemed to be related to a condition that existed or was known before the policy was taken out. Medical records, doctor consultation records and medical evidence are therefore very important. 

What insurance companies refer to as a “pre-existing condition” means a medical condition that was diagnosed, treated, symptomatic, or consulted for before the policy was taken out. Many readers suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and asthma; these are all defined as “pre-existing conditions”.

Some travel insurance policies exclude such conditions; if the insurer considers that an issue arising during the trip is related to a pre-existing medical history, it may refuse to pay a claim. In addition, such policies will usually also exclude emergency evacuation costs arising from an old illness, so it is advisable to check the policy terms before taking out cover. 

Insurance companies will determine whether a condition is a recurrence of a pre-existing illness or an entirely new condition, and the claims outcome for the two can be very different. For example, if a traveller with a history of heart disease seeks medical attention for chest discomfort during their trip, this is often regarded as a recurrence of a pre-existing condition and the claim may be denied.

The key to the assessment lies in the medical evidence — if the report can prove that the symptoms were due to a new condition, the chance of a successful claim is higher. Therefore, when seeking medical attention during a trip, you should retain as far as possible any diagnosis certificates, doctors’ opinions, prescriptions and related medical records, and ask the doctor to clearly record the cause of the condition, as these documents are often important evidence for any future claim. 

In the face of such clauses, people with chronic illnesses should make the following preparations before departure:

• Compare exclusions and benefit limits: different travel insurance policies may vary in their definitions of “pre-existing medical conditions”, medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and trip cancellation cover. You should read the policy terms and exclusions carefully before taking out insurance.
• Prepare medical records before departure: you may save follow-up appointment records, doctor’s letters, prescriptions and relevant test reports in advance. If you feel unwell during the trip and need medical treatment, keep the diagnosis certificate, receipts and prescriptions issued by the local doctor for future claims. The Consumer Council also reminds travellers that travel insurance claims generally require medical reports or receipts from a locally registered doctor, and to pay attention to the claims deadline specified in the policy.

Not sure how to choose travel insurance? Before departure, you may visit 10Life’s travel insurance page to compare products, and also take out a policy online instantly at a discounted price.  

This English version of this article has been generated by machine translation powered by AI. It is provided solely for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency between this translation and the original Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail.