What Am I Covered For?
- Travel insurance is usually divided into basic and advanced or premium cover. Medical and hospital expenses are included in basic cover—although there may be a limit on the amount of cover.
- Some items, such as death and disability insurance, might not be included at all in basic cover. Under some policies, the amount of cover depends on how old you are and the countries you are travelling to.
- Many policies cover both you and your partner or travelling companion—although not necessarily for all insured items.
- The glossy brochure will spell out all the items you may be covered for, while the schedule or policy invoice will set out which of the items you are covered for.
What Is Not Covered?
- Most travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing injuries or illnesses from medical expenses and hospital expenses cover and other disability or death cover.
- A ‘pre-existing’ injury or illness is an injury or illness for which you received medical treatment or took medication in a specified period of time before the policy starts.
- The period of time varies from policy to policy-it might be only seven days or up to six or twelve months.
- However, travel insurance policies have a ‘catch-all’ general exclusion for chronic or on-going conditions that you were aware of or should reasonably have been aware of before the policy commenced.
- Injuries or illnesses which occur during your trip are covered-unless they relate to a pre-existing injury or illness.
- However, some policies cover some pre-existing injuries or illnesses if you pay a higher premium. There may be exceptions to this such as terminal illnesses, mental disorders and heart conditions.
- Some policies also list some pre-existing conditions they will cover such as diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, some cancers and heart conditions as long as they are under control.
- Other policies may allow cover for pre-existing injuries or illnesses if you and your doctor fill in a health questionnaire and the insurer is prepared to accept the risk.
Next Section: How Do I Find Travel Insurance That Will Cover My Disabilities and Chronic Illness?