Travel insurance for +65, 'medical conditions'

[Pushka]

Yes! unless you have say an annual policy, in which case any new condition needs to be declared, and is in essence may be ‘pre-existing’ before you depart on your next trip. For annual policies you may need to seek reapproval if a new condition crops up.

But as I said, I found covers where this does not apply. Even in annual. What you are saying is that if you buy annual cover, then develop a condition prior to the first booking in that cover means potentially not covered. Never covered in fact.

Cover more does cover you for new illnesses even for annual as follows:

The key is when each trip was booked in relation to when the new illness developed.
For example, if you purchase annual insurance in January:
Trip 1, booked before January: A genuinely new illness diagnosed in March may be covered, subject to the policy conditions (eg not pre existing)
Trip 2, also booked before January: Potentially covered too.
Trip 3, booked in April after the March diagnosis: The illness is now a pre-existing condition and may require assessment.
So it isn't necessarily only the first trip.

It confirms that for annual policies, the Relevant Time is calculated separately for each trip: when the policy was issued or when that particular trip was first paid for, whichever is later.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But as I said, I found covers where this does not apply. Even in annual. What you are saying is that if you buy annual cover, then develop a condition prior to the first booking in that cover means potentially not covered. Never covered in fact.

Cover more does cover you for new illnesses even for annual as follows:

The key is when each trip was booked in relation to when the new illness developed.
For example, if you purchase annual insurance in January:
Trip 1, booked before January: A genuinely new illness diagnosed in March may be covered, subject to the policy conditions (eg not pre existing)
Trip 2, also booked before January: Potentially covered too.
Trip 3, booked in April after the March diagnosis: The illness is now a pre-existing condition and may require assessment.
So it isn't necessarily only the first trip.

It confirms that for annual policies, the Relevant Time is calculated separately for each trip: when the policy was issued or when that particular trip was first paid for, whichever is later.

We are both saying the same thing

Perhaps I simplified it too much in just wanting to give an overview.

Using your example above, if you had a heart attack in March, I’m not sure any of your trips would be covered, save for cancellation cover.

It doesn’t seem logical that you’d be automatically covered if you had complications in the USA in June, and spent two weeks in the ICU.

 

[Seat0B]

Yes, I think you are right (not that I doubted you!). You need to tell them about a change in your existing conditions, but they will cover for new conditions developed while travelling - that's what insurance is for! If you have a stroke, while being otherwise healthy & no prior indications, you want to be covered.

Yes this is what I thought too - so if my existing condition worsens (which then makes my answers to the screening questions different) I have to advise them, but if something totally new comes along with no warning signs at the time you took the insurance, I expected that to be covered by insurance either to cancel if its bad enough or for treatment if needed while away. I guess the grey area here is a new issue that arises before you depart but after you have taken out the insurance. Again, I sort of expected that would be covered. As you say, that is why I have the insurance!

Edited to add: ah, I see the nuance between single trip and multi-trip policies being discussed above in relation to the timing of new illness and the booking of the next trip on a multi trip

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes this is what I thought too - so if my existing condition worsens (which then makes my answers to the screening questions different) I have to advise them, but if something totally new comes along with no warning signs at the time you took the insurance, I expected that to be covered by insurance either to cancel if its bad enough or for treatment if needed while away. I guess the grey area here is a new issue that arises before you depart but after you have taken out the insurance. Again, I sort of expected that would be covered. As you say, that is why I have the insurance!

Edited to add: ah, I see the nuance between single trip and multi-trip policies being discussed above in relation to the timing of new illness and the booking of the next trip on a multi trip

A new condition after taking out insurance would be covered for cancellation. But depending on the nature of the condition, may not cover you for any related treatment or complications of you then decide to travel.