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Pre-existing conditions Visitor medical insurance - FAQ

Compare and buy best visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions coverage

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01. Which are the plans that cover Pre - Existing conditions?

The short term visitor insurance plans usually do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, however some plans do provide limited coverage for pre-existing conditions. You can compare the insurance plans that offer pre-existing condition coverage using our compare tool option

02. How do insurance companies find out whether pre-existing conditions covered or not covered?

The most importance factor determining the coverage will be the attending physicians statement (APS). The doctors report will indicate if this treatment was due to the old ailment or not. The insurance company will also consider if she is currently undergoing any regular medical treatment then it will be considered as a pre-existing condition and the visitor insurance plan will not cover it. Some of the visitor insurance plans that do cover pre-existing conditions so do so for acute onset of existing conditions and have very specific limitations for their coverage. Please review the policy brochure for more details. The policy brochures can be accessed through our pre-existing coverage visitor insurance comparison tool.

03. Why should I worry about pre-existing conditions?

All policies routinely exclude coverage for any onset of a pre-existing condition. That means that even if a visitor has an emergency due to a pre-existing condition, the policy will not pay for it. Therefore, you should be aware of the risk of illness or hospital stay due to a pre-existing condition and take that into account if you can in order to get the best coverage for your travel needs.

04. Why should we buy insurance if the main treatments are not covered under pre-existing medical conditions?

These visitor insurance plans will cover unanticipated medical expenses such as sudden illness, falling down and hurting oneself, having an accident... Visitor insurance while in the US and Canada is for unanticipated, unplanned medical expenses. In the US and Canada healthcare expenses very high. Even minor health treatments costs can lead to huge medical bills. Visitor medical insurance will insure against such unforeseen emergencies. Visitor insurance will not cover medical expenses for treatments that patients are scheduled to have regularly. However the visitor insurance plans that do cover pre-existing conditions so do so for acute onset of existing conditions and have very specific limitations for their coverage. Please review the policy brochure for more details. Get more information about the plans through our comparison tool

05. Why should I bother getting insurance if pre-existing conditions are not covered?

Many people express concern and dismay when they hear that policies will not cover pre-existing conditions. For older travelers, these conditions may most likely give them trouble during a long stay abroad. For persons under 70 there are very good options available (see our website for details and pricing). For persons over 70, however, options are limited to fixed plans and only cover certain illnesses. However, sudden illness and accidental injury can happen to anyone at any time. Policies will protect a visitor against costs for these sorts of medical issues.

Some clients worry that the insurance company will label everything as "pre-existing" and therefore not cover any medical expenses. This has not been our experience. Furthermore, they are very careful to fully define the term and they apply it on a case by case basis depending on the medical circumstances, relying on doctor information gathered about the incident.

Moreover, all policies cover emergency medical evacuation, repatriation, as well as other travel benefits (such as lost baggage and recovery of legal documents) which can be useful to travelers of all ages wherever they may wander.

06. Can I get pre-existing conditions covered?

It is important to realize that if a person needs regular medication or treatment, they will have to pay for that themselves. Travelers should always carry their own medications and a prescription in the language of the country they are visiting, if possible, in case they lose their pills or find they extend their trip and require more medicine. Also, this will always help to show officials that a person is legally on a drug (particularly important for narcotics or other drugs which can be illegal where you are traveling). PLEASE be aware and take seriously any notices in countries warning of illegal drug activity since you will be subject to that country's laws and justice system.

What you can get covered is a sudden onset of a pre-existing condition that is usually controlled. Some policies offer coverage up to a certain amount (around $20,000) for coverage of such an event. Some fixed policies offer riders to their policy which add a set coverage amount in the event the insured has a heart attack or stroke ($5,000 or $3,000 depending on age and policy). The riders will cost more, but the person will get the covered amount should they have a heart attack or stroke. Please note that most policies will NOT cover even emergencies due to pre-existing conditions, so it is important to assess your risk of illness due to these conditions while traveling.

07. Are some illnesses excluded from coverage?

Yes. There are some illnesses and specific circumstances that are excluded from coverage. Once you narrow down the policies you are interested in purchasing, you should look over the policies list of "exclusions" to determine if it is still applicable to you or your visitor. Commonly excluded medical conditions include: pregnancy, venereal disease, cancer, HIV or AIDS infection. Other illnesses can be excluded if they occur in certain circumstances. These include injuries while committing a felony, self-inflicted injury, and injuries sustained while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Other common exclusions are for participation in organized amateur or professional sports and adventure sports, although some policies do offer coverage directly or through the purchase of adventure sports riders (see our links for these options).

08. What is pre-certification?

You must call the plan provider to make sure that the procedure / medical coverage that you seek is indeed covered by your plan.

09. Is high blood pressure considered a pre-existing condition for travel insurance?

Most travel insurance plans will consider blood pressure as a pre-existing condition for travel insurance. However the INF insurance offer travel insurance that covers pre-existing conditions ranging including Blood pressure. The INF Premier & INF Elite travel insurance for preexisting conditions aretwo INF plans with coverage for blood pressure.

10. Do travel insurances cover pre-existing conditions?

INF is one US company that offers travel insurance for pre-existing conditions for travel to the US, Canada or Mexico. 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.

11. Which policy covers pre-existing diseases?

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

  • Atlas travel plan from World trips
  • Patriot America Plus from IMG
  • Travel Medical Plus from Seven Corners
  • Travel Medical Basic plan from Seven Corners
  • Safe Travels USA from Trawick International
  • Safe Travels USA Comprehensive from Trawick International
  • Safe Travels Elite plan from Trawick International
  • INF Premier plan from INF
  • INF Elite from INF
  • VisitorSecure Insurance from World trips

12. What counts as a pre-existing condition for travel insurance?

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.

13. Can I exclude a medical condition from travel insurance?

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.

14. What happens if you don't disclose pre-existing condition travel insurance?

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.
In American Visitor Insurance comparison tool for travel insurance quotes, we ask traveler’s to fill in all the requirements 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 visitors insurance 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 an acute onset of a pre-existing condition.

Cost of best US travel insurance for pre-existing conditions

There is no single cost for all visitors insurance as the cost of US visitors insurance varies based on several such as the age of the visitor, medical maximum coverage, deductible for the plan, type of visitors insurance (Fixed vs comprehensive travel insurance), and the coverage if any for pre-existing conditions. For an average traveler, there are cheap travel insurance plans at less than a dollar a day. In general the cost of US travel insurance starts from as low as $15 per month and can go up to $200 per month. Understandably, the more expensive the travel insurance, the better and more comprehensive will be the travel insurance coverage.

Average cost of medical insurance for travelers to usa

  • Patriot America Plus Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $90 - $170
    • Covers acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to chosen maximum limit (aged up to 70 years).
    • Patriot America Plus Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus illness.
    • Available for US citizens visiting USA
    Plan details Brochures

    Visitors Protect Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $250,000

    Price range
    $485 - $728
    • It is an affordable plan for visitors visiting the US.
    • This plan covers pre existing condition for age 69 and below up to $25,000 and for ages 70 and above it covers up to $20,000 with deductible up to $1,500.
    • Visitors Protect Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus illness.
  • Safe Travels USA - Cost Saver Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $70 - $120
    • Covers unexpected recurrence of a pre-existing medical conditions up to $1000
    • This plan is not available to any individual who has been residing within the United States for more than 365 days prior to their Effective Date
    • Eligible for foreign residents visiting USA and worldwide
    • It offers coverage for visitors up to 89 years.

    Safe Travels USA Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $90 - $160
    • Covers Up to $1,000 for sudden, unexpected recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition
    • Safe travel USA Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus.
    • It offers coverage for visitors up to 89 years.
    • This plan is not available to any individual who has been residing within the United States for more than 365 days prior to their Effective Date

    Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $90 - $160
    • Safe travel USA Comprehensive Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus.
    • Covers Acute Onset of a Pre-Existing Condition: Covers Acute onset of Pre-existing condition coverage up to 69 years the limit is up to the medical maximum purchased per period of coverage and for any coverage related to cardiac disease, coverage is limited to $25,000.
    • It offers coverage for visitors up to 89 years.
    • This plan is not available to any individual who has been residing within the United States for more than 365 days prior to their Effective Date

    Safe Travels Elite Insurance Fixed benefit plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $175,000

    Price range
    $40 - $60
    • Foreign residents visiting USA and worldwide.
    • Plan can be renewed up to 2 years.
    • The plan provides Emergency Medical Evacuation of $100,000 for the Economy, Basic and Silver plan and covers up to policy maximum for the Gold and the Platinum plan.
    • Acute onset of pre-existing condition is covered up to policy maximum up to the age of 69.
  • Atlas America Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $2,000,000

    Price range
    $110 - $230
    • Covers acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to chosen maximum limit aged up to 79 years (excludes chronic and congenital conditions).
    • Atlas America Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus illness.
    Plan details Brochures

    VisitorSecure Insurance Fixed benefit plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $130,000

    Price range
    $40 - $80
    • It offers coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to 70 years.
    • Plan can be renewed up to 364 days.
  • Travel Medical Basic Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $110 - $180
    • The policy maximum for this comprehensive insurance starts from $50,000 and provides up to $5,000,000. For people above age 80 years, they get a policy maximum of $10,000
    • Including USA: Acute onset of pre-existing conditions are covered up to $25,000 for age under 69 years and a coverage of $2,500 for age of 70-79.
    • Excluding USA: Acute onset of pre-existing conditions are covered up to $25,000 for age under 64 years and a coverage of $5,000 for age of 65-79.
    Plan details Brochures

    Travel Medical Choice Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $160 - $290
    • Travel Medical Plus Covid insurance offers coverage for coronavirus.
    • Including USA: Acute onset of pre-existing conditions are covered up to $50,000 for age under 69 years and a coverage of $5,000 for age of 70-79.
    • Excluding USA: Acute onset of pre-existing conditions are covered up to $50,000 for age under 64 years and a coverage of $10,000 for age of 65-74.
    Plan details Brochures
  • Diplomat America Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $1,000,000

    Price range
    $130 - $220
    • This plan is for Non Us citizens and Non US residents visiting the US.
    • Covers pre-Existing condition exclusion: 24 Months prior to the start date of coverage
  • Visit USA Insurance Fixed benefit plan

    Coverage range

    $50,000 - $250,000

    Price range
    $50 - $190
    • Visit USA Insurance is an excellent medical insurance for tourists and holiday travelers, parents of students studying in the United States, new immigrants and visiting scholars in the USA.
    • Visit USA offers 3 plans to satify your requirements and budget.
    • Covers Acute onset pre-Existing condition up to Ages 65 and above: $2,500 ; All others: $20,000(excludes chronic and congenital conditions)
  • INF Elite Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $150,000 - $300,000

    Price range
    $768 - $860
    • There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy this plan.
    • This plan is available for Non-US Citizens.
    • Anyone visiting USA or Canada can enroll in this plan.
    • Elite plan with policy maximum $150,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $25,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 0 to 69 years and for policy maximum $75,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $20,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 70 to 99 years.
    Plan details Brochures

    INF Elite plus Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $150,000 - $300,000

    Price range
    $768 - $860
    • There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy this plan.
    • This plan is available for Non-US Citizens.
    • Anyone visiting USA or Canada can enroll in this plan.
    • Elite plan with policy maximum $150,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $25,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 0 to 69 years and for policy maximum $75,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $20,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 70 to 99 years.
    Plan details Brochures

    INF Elite 90 Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $150,000 - $300,000

    Price range
    $752 - $841
    • There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy this plan.
    • This plan is available for Non-US Citizens.
    • Anyone visiting USA or Canada can enroll in this plan.
    • Covers 90% of eligible medical expenses
    • Elite plan with policy maximum $150,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $25,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 0 to 69 years and for policy maximum $75,000 covers pre-existing condition coverage up to $20,000 maximum with deductible $1,500 for age 70 to 99 years.
    Plan details Brochures

    INF Premier Insurance Comprehensive plan

    Coverage range

    $150,000 - $300,000

    Price range
    $278 - $448
    • There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy this plan.
    • This plan is available for Non-US Citizens & Anyone visiting USA or Canada can enroll in this plan
    • Premier plan provides policy maximum $100,000 covers pre-existing condition maximum of $20,000/$40,000 with deductible $1,000/$5000, policy maximum $150,000 covers pre-existing condition maximum of $30,000/$60,000 with deductible $1,000/$5,000 and policy maximum $300,000 covers pre-existing condition maximum of $50,000/$100,000 with deductible $1,000/$5,000 for age 0 to 69 years.
    • For age 70 to 99 years for policy maximum $100,000 covers pre-existing condition maximum of $15,000/$25,000 with deductible $1,000/$5,000.
    Plan details Brochures

What does visitor travel insurance cover?

Health care expenses

Covers hospital expenses for sickness or accidents.

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Doctor visit

Insures Doctor visits for sudden injury or sickness.

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Pharmacy drugs

Doctor prescribed eligible pharmacy drugs expenses.

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Pre-existing conditions

Some plans insure acute onset of pre-existing conditions.
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Medical evacuation

Medical evacuation expenses to nearest facility included.
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Repat of remains

Repatriation of remains to home country included.

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AmericanVisitorInsurance and/or its associates have tried to answer these frequently asked questions to the best of our knowledge. However we make no guarantee regarding the accuracy of our answers. The exact answers for some of the questions can change periodically as insurance companies change their plans/policies. AmericanVisitorInsurance is not liable for any problem resulting from the content on this FAQ. If you do not agree with the terms of this disclaimer, please do not use any information in this FAQ.
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US travel insurance for Pre-existing conditions


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