Coverage for persons with pre-existing conditions

Travel insurance is coverage only for unexpected medical expenses while you are on a trip away from home. Some companies offer coverage for what they call "acute onset" of a pre-existing condition (excluding chronic or congenital disorders). This would be a life or life-style threatening situation that cannot wait to be taken care of when the trip is over.

It must be "acute" meaning that it came on suddenly and needs to be taken care of quickly (defined as within 24 hours of symptom onset). A "pre-existing condition" does not necessarily have to have been previously diagnosed. If it is reasonable to assume that this condition started in the patient before the start date of the insurance, then it will be considered pre-existing to the policy. Note that the exclusion for chronic (conditions that worsen over time) and congenital (conditions a person is born with) limit greatly the application of this exception.

If Asthma is not considered chronic, then an emergency due to Asthma could be covered by a policy which covers at least "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. If a person requires regular medication and/or doctor visits for their asthma, this will NOT be covered and will have to be paid by the insured completely out of pocket.

Note that in the US, the same medications can differ widely in costs depending on the pharmacy you use and some medications (generally generics) for common illnesses can be purchased for $40 per month at the Walmart pharmacy (although there may be long wait times). Also, some drug companies have special "coupons" available online for some of their drugs. There are often "discount cards" available at pharmacies and other stores for prescriptions that are free to use.

These are all resources your visitor can use to avoid paying full price for costly required medications should they run out while they are in the US. Other countries may not require a prescription and may not be as costly to obtain. Having a prescription with you, however, may be a good idea to ease getting the medication and show authorities you are allowed to have it (in the case of regulated substances which can vary country to country).

No. When you purchase any of our travel insurance plans, they offer guaranteed coverage with no medical questions. However, be aware that they all exclude pre-existing medical conditions. So, please take any medications you use regularly or for flare ups of your conditions since these will not be covered by travel insurance. As far as I know, Arthritis cannot lead to a life-threatening situation, so will be excluded from coverage by short-term travel policies.

If you are a frequent traveler and want major medical coverage in any country to which you travel, you can opt for global medical policies which will (after the first year, generally) cover all aspects of health costs.
You can Compare and buy Global health insurance policies. To apply for these policies, you will have to reveal your entire medical history and you are not guaranteed coverage.

The application must go through underwriting and you can be approved, rejected, or approved with exclusions. In any case, you can opt out of the policy 10 days from your approval for no cost to you or simply reject the exclusions they require on the policy. Note that these policies are best for people who want health insurance for a whole year, or better, longer.

Once you are approved on the plan, you are guaranteed coverage year after year and the price is determined by your age group, not your individual medical history. So, in the case of a global medical insurance application, you would have to declare your Arthritis on the application and you may or may not be covered for that illness by the policy they offer you.

Absolutely, yes! Travel insurance is meant to cover you in the unlikely event of a sudden illness or accident while you are on your trip. Even if you have a pre-existing condition that complicates treatment, that is not relevant to the coverage for an unexpected illness or injury.

Naturally, your pre-existing conditions themselves are excluded from coverage, so you should pack as much medication as you will comfortably need for your trip.

Yes. Any medical condition you have been diagnosed with or are being treated for will be considered pre-existing to a new travel policy. If you take regular medication for your condition, this will not be covered by the policy. However, should you, for example, have an accident and break a bone, this would be covered even if your condition may have made you a little more vulnerable to the break (unless you were being particularly reckless).

Accidents are generally always covered (car accidents are more complicated because if you were not at fault, the driver's insurance may cover part of your injuries) unless caused by intoxication. So, even if you have OsteoArthritis or some other pre-existing condition, you are still eligible for coverage by a travel insurance policy which will protect you from sudden illness or accident/injury while you are on your trip.

This is a tough question. And, unfortunately, the answer depends on where you are traveling to and from.
For people that are traveling to the US from abroad:
As a broker, I am not a medical professional, so I can only tell you this from the insurance side of the question. Generally speaking, the most common cause for heart attack as I understand it is due to plaque build up in the person's arteries.

Since that build up happens slowly, over time, I think it's fair to say that it would NOT be covered by any travel health insurance. This is because travel health insurance excludes pre-existing conditions from any coverage (even emergency coverage if they are chronic or congenital). So the answer for the common cause of heart attacks is NO. So, foreigners run a risk (hopefully a small one) when traveling here.

Health insurance can still help with costs of accidents and other unexpected illnesses while on vacation. However, the answer is be different for people who are US residents traveling abroad. US residents can purchase trip cancellation plans and some of those waive the pre-existing condition exclusion IF you purchase them within a short time of your initial trip deposit (that is the earliest date you pay for any portion of your trip).

Check out trip cancellation plans. Notably, the GeoBlue student and travel plans also waive the pre-existing condition exclusion for people who had creditable prior insurance coverage, and these plans are only available to US residents with US domestic coverage. And, for travel plans for US residents going abroad, some, like the Safe Travels Outbound plans, will cover pre-existing conditions IF they have been stable in the last 6 months (meaning there have been no changes, episodes, or changes to medication in that time frame). You can Compare Safe Travels Outbound Insurance plans.

No. Travel health insurance is meant to cover a sudden illness or accident, such as you get a stomach flu or you twist or break your ankle. Since Arthritis is not a life-threatening illness, it will not be covered by a short-term travel plan. Should you require regular medications or ointments, you should bring them or purchase ointments available in the visiting country for your condition.

Some countries may not require prescriptions to purchase medications. However, you should be cautious in using a new medication since there may be side-effects of concern. You may want to stick to what you know or consult with your own physician if you can.

Yes, INF is one company that offers travel insurance for pre-existing conditions. Some other US travel insurance providers offer travel insurance for acute onset of an pre-existing ailment. The INF Elite and INF Premier travel plans provides greater flexibility for coverage of pre-existing conditions.

The following travel insurance plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions:

1. Atlas travel plan from World trips
2. Visitors Protect plan from IMG
3. Patriot America Plus plan from IMG
4. Travel Medical Choice plan from Seven Corners
5. Travel Medical Basic plan from Seven Corners
6. Safe Travels USA plan from Trawick International
7. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive plan from Trawick International
8. Safe Travels Elite plan from Trawick International
9. INF Premier plan from INF
10. INF Elite plan from INF
11. INF Elite Plus plan from INF
12. INF Elite 90 plan from INF
13. VisitorSecure Insurance plan from World trips

A pre-existing condition is an existing condition/illness that exists at the time of application of the travel insurance, whether or not it has been treated and diagnosed or disclosed to the company, and any of or all of the subsequent complications or consequences related to or resulting from the ailment.

Mental and Nervous disorders, maternity and newborn care, preventive care, chronic illness which cannot be cured, for instance, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, pre-existing conditions except for sudden recurrence of the pre-existing conditions are some of the medical conditions that the travel insurance completely excludes from coverage.

Travel Insurance plans do not specify anything about the waiting period, but some plans have a look back period for coverage for pre-existing conditions. Most travel insurance plans only cover the acute onset of pre-existing conditions with INF being the exception which offers coverage for Pre-existing conditions up to the defined limit with their INF Premier and INF Elite travel insurance plans.

US Student medical insurance plans which are useful for international students coming to the US for higher studies however do provide a waiting period of 6 months to one year which varies from one plan to another.

Travel Insurance plans provide coverage for unexpected sickness and injury. They provide benefits to cover emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. Apart from this, they provide coverage for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions. If there is a medical condition that you do not need any coverage for, then yes, you can still purchase travel insurance for unexpected medical accidents which might result in a highly expensive claim expense.

US short term travel insurance plans are bought online by filling out the travel insurance application form provided by the insurance company. In the insurance company application form, there are no specific questions about the pre-existing condition the customer might have.

However, on American Visitor Insurance on the form to travel insurance quotes, we ask the customer to fill in the requirement details including if coverage for pre-existing conditions is needed. This helps us display the plans with the best coverage for pre-existing conditions or for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The available travel insurance plans can also be filtered depending on the pre-existing condition coverage requirement.

This way it is easier for the customer to view the plans that provide good pre-existing condition coverage. In conclusion, the customer does not have a way to disclose what pre-existing condition they have in the application form. Again only INF insurance offers coverage for pre-existing conditions while other providers only offer acute onset of pre-existing condition coverage, and they will not be covered for the pre-existing condition unless the incident is reported by the doctor as a acute onset of a pre-existing condition.

The following is the visitors insurance pre-existing conditions coverage buy different US travel insurance providers:
INF Plans. These plans offer full Pre-existing conditions up to the pre-existing conditions coverage limit in the policy:

• INF Elite Insurance comprehensive plans offers full pre-existing conditions up to 99 years. There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required on this plan.
• INF Premier Insurance is fixed or scheduled benefit plan which offers full pre-existing conditions up to 99 years. There is a minimum purchase of 90 days is required on this plan.
• INF Premier Plus Insurance is fixed or scheduled benefit plan which offers full pre-existing conditions up to 65 years. There is a minimum purchase of 90 days is required on this plan.

International Medical Group - IMG offers both full Pre-existing and Acute onset of Pre-existing condition coverage :

• Patriot America plus insurance covers acute on set of pre-existing conditions up to chosen maximum limit aged up to 70 years.
• Visitors Protect is a comprehensive visitor medical insurance offers Pre-existing conditions up to age 99 years. A minimum purchase of 90 days is required on this plan.

WorldTrips offers acute onset of Pre-existing conditions:

• Atlas America Insurance is a comprehensive visitor insurance that offers acute on set of pre-existing conditions aged up to age 79 years. (Excludes chronic condition or congenital condition)
• Visitor Secure is a fixed benefit plan that offers acute on set of pre-existing conditions aged up to age 79 years. (Excludes chronic condition or congenital condition)

Trawick International offers Acute onset of Pre-existing conditions and sudden, unexpected recurrence of a Pre-existing Conditions:

• Safe Travels USA travel medical insurance plan that covers sudden, unexpected recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition for Non-US Citizens and Non-US Residents while visiting the USA up to 89 years.
• Safe Travels USA Comprehensive plan covers acute on set of pre-existing conditions up to 89 years. For persons under 70 covers medical treatment to policy maximum (cardiac-related treatment up to $25,000). For persons above 70 Acute Onset benefits is reduced to a maximum of $35,000 (cardiac-related treatment up to $15,000).

Seven Corners offers acute onset of Pre-existing conditions:

• Travel Medical Insurance comprehensive plans offers Acute on set of pre-existing conditions up to 79 years.
• Travel Medical USA Visitor plans fixed plans offers Acute on set of pre-existing conditions up to 79 years.

The Lookback period is the period before the travel insurance policy's effective date during which the pre-existing medical condition must be stable. The look back period varies depending on the policy.

No, typically, you must not receive any treatment or medication for the pre-existing condition during the Lookback period to be eligible for coverage under the policy.

Yes, there is typically an age limit for purchasing visitors travel insurance for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The age limit varies depending on the policy.

• inf plans offers Full Pre-existing conditions up to 99 years.
• Seven Corners and WorldTrips offers Acute on set of Pre-existing up to 79 years.
• Trawick-International plans offers Acute on set and sudden and unexpected pre-existing conditions up to 89 years.
• IMG Visitor Protect offers Pre-existing conditions up to 99 years and Patriot America Plus offers Acute on set of Pre-existing up to 70 years.

Yes, Green Card holders are eligible to enroll in the INF Plans as long as they maintain a residence outside the US.

Yes, people who are already in the US, can buy the INF plans, but they must get prior permission to apply for INF plans. To do this, they must submit the following forms:

• Latest I -94
• Health attestation form
• Any prior health insurance information (if applicable)

The I-94 form is a government doc that can be filled out on line, they should choose “Get most Recent” on the website here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/ and you should complete this “health attestation form”.

Note : Hop Travel Assist plans are not available if visitors are already in abroad

Yes, you can purchase INF travel medical insurance even if you have pre-existing conditions. INF offers Premier, Elite, Elite Plus and Elite 90 plans that provide coverage for pre-existing conditions. However, coverage for pre-existing conditions may have some limitations and exclusions depending on the plan and your specific condition. It is important to carefully review the policy details and ensure that the coverage meets your specific needs.

INF travel medical insurance for pre-existing conditions is a type of travel insurance that provides coverage for individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions.

The INF insurance plans are designed to provide coverage for medical emergencies and unexpected medical events that may occur while traveling. The plans include benefits such as hospitalization, doctor visits, prescription medication, emergency medical evacuation, and more.

INF offers several insurance plans for travelers with pre-existing conditions, including the INF Premier, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90. These plans have varying levels of coverage and benefits, so it is important to review each plan carefully to determine which one best fits your specific needs.

The cost of the INF visitors insurance will vary depending on the age of the traveler, the type of coverage and the length of your trip. Typically, visitor’s insurance policies cost can start even as low as $1 per day, but will be much higher for older travelers seeking coverage for pre-existing conditions that INF insurance offers.

The INF Elite Travel Insurance plan is INF’s comprehensive insurance for visitors traveling to the United States. There are 3 types of INF insurance Elite plans and the price of these plans varies depending on the coverage they provide. The INF Elite plan, INF Elite 90 plan and INF Elite Plus plan.

The INF Elite plan is a comprehensive travel medical insurance plan that offers coverage for emergency medical and dental expenses, medical evacuation, trip interruption, and other benefits for visitors to the USA. The INF Elite plan, INF Elite 90 plan and INF Elite Plus plan are all part of the Elite Network of plans offered by INF.

The INF Elite 90 plan is designed for travellers who need coverage of eligible medical expenses up to 90%.
The INF Elite Plus plan provides coverage for pre-existing conditions as defined in the plan, as per policy limitations, exclusions and maximums, with no benefit waiting period.
INF Elite Plus also provides Preventive & maintenance care benefits, which can be used for a number of different covered medical services and offers coverage for TDAP, Flu, etc Vaccines.

You can apply for INF insurance online through American Visitor Insurance. You can also call them at (877) 340 7910 to get more information on how to apply for INF insurance from licensed insurance agents.

The maximum length of coverage for INF insurance is 364 days.

INF insurance is available for international visitors to the United States, Canada or Mexico.

The main requirements for applying for INF insurance is the travelers passport details and the travel dates. You can apply for INF insurance online on American Visitor Insurance or call (877) 340 7910 to get help in applying for INF insurance.

To purchase INF insurance coverage, you must not be a citizen or permanent resident of the host country you are traveling to, ie the US, Mexico, or Canada. The coverage is available for non-U.S. residents and non-U.S. citizens traveling to the United States, Mexico or Canada between the ages of 14 days and 79 years. US green card holders can buy INF insurance if they have a residence outside the USA. The coverage duration is available from 5 days up to 364 days.

There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy these INF Elite plans.

The INF plans use the United Healthcare Preferred Provider Organisation (PPO). This means that even if the pre-existing coverage limit is low, customers will still be able to access the full PPO discounts via United Health Care (UHC).

For example : A customer has to go to the Emergency Room (ER) for blood pressure and get a bill of $10,000 and the customer has the INF HOP UltraPlus plan. Although the UltraPlus covers $700 for pre-existing, the customer will get the PPO discount on the bill since it is covered. This in itself can translate to very significant savings such as an 80% discount + $700 paid out. This means your total coverage was $8,700 and out of pocket expense is only $1,300.

USA Travel insurance cost depends on the following factors indicating why it is very expensive.

1. US health care costs is significantly higher compared to most other nearby countries like Canada or Mexico, or even to other developed countries in Europe like the UK and France. The cost of healthcare services, hospital stays, and medication is exorbitant in the US. Given this, the US travel insurance companies adjust their premiums to reflect the higher healthcare costs in the USA.
2. Some plans provide travel insurance for pre-existing conditions. This additional option which is very useful for older travelers and those with existing medical ailments significantly increase the overall cost of travel insurance.
3. The United States also has a litigious culture, and the risk of healthcare related lawsuits is higher. US travel insurance providers need to account for potential legal expenses and settlements, leading to higher premiums in the travel insurance plans.
4. The overall high standard of living in the US contributes to increased costs for various services, including healthcare. Insurance providers factor in the higher living expenses when determining premiums.
5. The US has been facing higher inflation in the past few years. This has resulted in higher healthcare costs, and hence higher travel insurance premiums.
6. US Travel insurance is a mature market, offering a range of travel health insurance options. The comprehensive travel insurance plans often includes coverage for emergency medical evacuations where extensive medical facilities may be required hence contributing to higher premiums. Comprehensive visitors insurance offer high coverage limits for medical expenses and other benefits such as for acute onset of pre-existing ailments, and all this contribute to higher premiums.

Despite travel insurance for the US being expensive, it is extremely risky to be uninsured in the United States. US insurance companies work with preferred provider (PPO) networks that are linked to the hospital and healthcare facilities. Patients who have health insurance and go to a PPO provider get billed significantly lower than those patients who do not have any insurance coverage. Simply having health insurance reduces hospital bills, along with this price reduction is the actual healthcare expenses which are paid for by the medical insurance plans.