Articles About Travel

Finding Travel Insurance For Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

What would happen if you had a month's trip to America booked - departing in six months time - and were unexpectedly diagnosed with lung cancer? Suppose you had to cancel your holiday and go in for immediate surgery. If you had been smart and taken out travel insurance - effective from the date you booked the trip - you should be able to recover costs associated with the cancellation of the trip (after any excess payable). However, if you had waited until the day before departure to purchase travel insurance your cancellation costs would not be covered. Some people try to squeeze extra mileage out of their annual travel insurance policy by making the start date of the policy the date of the first departure. This is a risky thing to do because there will be no cover for cancellation costs if anything should go wrong prior to the departure date.

Just suppose you'd been having tests and investigations within the last year for lung-related problems but failed to declare this fact when purchasing travel insurance. During your scuba diving holiday in California, you start coughing up blood all over the dive boat. You have to seek emergency medical care and a diagnosis of lung cancer is confirmed. Would you be covered for the high emergency medical costs or curtailment of your trip? Probably not.

Anyone with a serious pre-existing medical condition will already know that obtaining travel insurance can be tricky, but not impossible. Some travel insurance companies exclude all claims related to pre-existing medical conditions. Some insurers will cover for pre-existing conditions without any additional premium. Other travel insurance companies may have a medical screening system, usually carried out over the telephone or online. A series of questions is asked to assess the risk and determine whether insurance can be issued. If approved, there may be a choice to either pay an additional premium to cover the pre-existing condition - or elect not to pay the extra premium and exclude claims relating to the risk.

Common conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and asthma can all cause problems when trying to obtain travel insurance - especially if combined with other conditions, so never neglect to disclose something as common as high cholesterol thinking that it is insignificant! All questions must be answered fully and honestly.

As with any type of insurance, there are always exclusions. Some insurers will refuse to insure those with pre-existing conditions involving cancer, serious kidney problems (requiring dialysis), serious heart conditions, strokes and HIV, AIDS, or any AIDS-related problems. They also do not cover for suicide or suicide attempts - in case you're thinking of jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge!

Most travel insurance policies will carry similar wording and it is wise to read and understand the terms and conditions. For instance, there might be clauses stating that you should never travel against the advice of a medical practitioner, or to obtain medical treatment abroad (unless already disclosed and pre-approved). The same goes for those on waiting lists for surgery or procedures, or awaiting the results of medical tests. There are specialist travel insurers who will often cover terminal illnesses.

During the medical screening, you may be asked specific questions, such as: have you been a hospital inpatient or had any medical condition that requires ongoing medication, or referral to a specialist within the past twelve months? Have you ever suffered from, been diagnosed with, or treated for cancer (or other malignant disease), a heart or lung condition (excluding well-controlled asthma), high blood pressure or any psychiatric disorder?

Any claims you make which relate directly or indirectly to the types of conditions listed above will normally be excluded - unless you declared the condition and it was accepted by the underwriter, subject to any conditions or additional premiums imposed. Whether or not a particular travel insurance company is willing to offer insurance will depend upon different factors, depending on the underwriter, so it is wise to shop around and obtain quotes.

The biggest mistake is taking the risk of failing to disclose a condition to obtain the insurance. You might get away with it if there are no problems and you have no reason to make a claim. However, if the worst should happen, the insurance company has ways to find out - and they will find out - about any pre-existing conditions! You could find yourself with huge medical bills and your insurance claims denied. With the high cost of medical treatment in some countries (the USA especially) it simply is not worth it. Always be completely honest so that you can have peace of mind and enjoy your holiday without worrying about every twinge!

Jean Andrews is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes articles for TIA Ltd who offer travel insurance at great prices online.

Other Article Sites

findabook.com  moneycd.info  a-mortgage.info   about-lemon-laws.info  aboutstudentloans.info
all-about-publishing.info  auctions-articles.info  bestcollege-university.com  bestispconnection.com
biblefolder.com  blogger-website.com  books-used.info  brokers-guide.info  buywindows.info  cable-dsl.info
career-miner.com  carpel-tunnel.info  cashinaflash.info  cashloanreviews.info  casinobell.com  chat-house.info
clearmycredit.info  collegeloantips.info  crones.info  depression-articles.info   dirnic.net  dishguides.info
divers-below.com  expodog.info   financewizz.com  fire-insurance.info  getgood.info  handleit.net   it-idea.info
health-supplies.info  hosting-right.com  insidealert.com  insurance-facts.info  jobs-employment.info
justgood.info  lookgold.net   lowcost-travel.info  money-source.info  myhostzone.info  numisblog.com
peoplesearchfinder.info  pr-articles.info  realeas.com   refinancing-guides.info  spyware-remove.info
telelot.info  the-law.info   toppaid.info  travel-deals.info  travelcorrect.com  wedding-guide-site.com
your-blog.info  your-credit.info

MORE ARTICLES:

Save A Bundle On Your Next Trip With Airline Travel Deals
Whether your flying to see family across the country or planning your dream vacation it's important to setup a budget. You likely have a destination your thinking of, how ever have you considered the costs of flying there? If finances are tight, which they are for so many, take the time to seek out the best airline travel deals. A lot of people don't realize that airline tickets can be booked eleven months in advance. By booking early often you save a lot of money rather then waiting until just a couple of weeks before your trip. The down side is that if you must cancel your trip for one reason or another, generally you're out the cost of the tickets.

Avalon Travel Publishing Release 8th Edition of Moon Fiji
Avalon Travel Publishing announces the release of the 8th edition of Moon Fiji, the original travel guide to the 322-island Fiji archipelago.

25 Million Mass Transit Space Travel Award
Legallock announces its second 25 million prize, for mass transit space travel, "to sense the immortality of human kind".

Travel Oahu - Experience Hawaii Like A Local
Every year millions of visitors from Japan, mainland USA and beyond land at Honolulu International Airport ready to begin their vacation in paradise. Soon after landing, most visitors hop in a cab or bus sent from the hotel and begin the journey past downtown Honolulu and on to their reservation at a Waikiki hotel.

Getting Travel Insurance When You?ve Had Cancer.
If you have been a person who has previously had cancer and wants to go on an overseas holiday, you may find that you have your work cut out for you when it comes to finding an affordable travel insurance policy.

Bitten by the Travel Bug; www.trip-extras.com is the Destination to Visit
Redesigned this month, www.trip-extras.com should always be the last click before any trip.

Travel Asia- The Largest Continent
Have you ever been to Asia? Traveling Asia is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. Let me explain you some interesting information about Asia, and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know. When you travel to Asia, there are so many things to see and do; make sure that you plan your trip in advance.

Canadian Travel Company Launches ViaRailVacations.com - Bucks Canada Tourism Downward Trend
Canadian Tourism at all time low ... or is it? Exclusively Canada Ltd. is a Canadian travel company experiencing record breaking growth with launch of new VIA Rail focused portfolio site.

Small Travel Bags Shopping
While traveling we require to carry all our personal items. Shaving kits, soap, shampoos, skin creams, makeup items, some medicines, antiseptics, etc. are all the items which happen to be our personal items that we carry everywhere we go.

Why Cuba Is One Of The Safest Travel Destinations
Cuba is a very safe place to vacation. One characteristic that profoundly affects the overall safety of the nation is the environment of the cities. As a general rule, travelers and Cuban citizens can enjoy an equal amount of security on the streets. This stands in contrast to most nations in which tourists are often targeted because of how much they stand out, and the assumption that some wealth surrounds them since they are capable of travelling. Another major aspect of safety on the streets of Cuba is the presence of police. In the average city, a police officer of some variety can be found with relative ease in the case of an emergency. This aspect of protection is only increased in popular tourist locations in which security officials ...

USA Travel: Tour the USA with StateGuidesUSA.com
StateGuidesUSA.com, part of the MyGuidesUSA.com network of sites, announced the launch of 50 state portals offering extensive question and answer sections for those living, working and traveling in the United States. StateGuidesUSA.com consolidates commonly sought information in individual state portals making each portal a one a one-stop shop for anyone seeking information at the state level. Find the state portals at: http://www.stateguidesusa.com

Health Care During Your Air Travel
Extended air travel or long-distance flights can bring far off destinations near, but along comes boredom, uncomfortable seating and blood circulation problems.

HomeAway.com Offers Summer Travel Savings
Special deals on vacation rental homes from HomeAway.com provide significant savings on ideal summer vacations if travelers book now.

Med National Staffing Selects Clearview to Provide Recruiting and Staffing Software for Per Diem and Travel Nurse Staffing Business
Med National Staffing will use Clearview Staffing Software products for the healthcare staffing company's recruiting and staffing operations.

Mineral Essentials® Offers New Travel-Size Kit to Online Customers
Online collection features three customer-favorite Mineral Essentials® products.