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.
The Full pre-existing conditions coverage plans treat any issue related to a pre-existing condition like a New Accident and Sickness, subject to the policy maximum and deductible limits. This explains why 'Full pre-existing conditions visitor insurance coverage' plans are more expensive than coverage only for 'acute onset of pre-existing conditions'.
In short the answer is Yes. INF insurance will cover any pre-existing conditions ranging from blood pressure, diabetes, to kidney complications and arthritis. All of these issues are all covered by the INF Premier & INF Elite Network best travel insurance for pre existing conditions.
.In 2022 many countries have opened their borders again for international tourism. Unfortunately, there is still the threat of the Delta and Omicron variants which have become the dominant Covid19 variants across several countries. The CDC believe both these variants to be the more contagious and may even partially evade the antibodies made by the immune system after a Covid19 infection or vaccination.
Early studies indicate that the Delta and Omicron variants infects younger people in large numbers and even vaccinated people. After a steady decline in the number of cases, the Delta and Omicron variants has resulted in an increase in cases in many US states especially in areas where the vaccination rates are low.
However all international travelers flying in to the United States, including US citizens and permanent residents are also required to have a negative COVID19 test result no more than three days before travel. Alternatively they should have documentation of recovery from COVID19 within the past 3 months before boarding an US flight.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought limitations for the travel and tourism industry. As the world is fighting back to curb the covid -19 infection ,with vaccination drives travelers have seen a good opening .However there have been several Covid 19 variants most recently the Delta and Omicron that keep evolving each time that bring about uncertainty and fear among the travelers .International travelers are more concerned about safety while traveling. There is a huge demand to include travel insurance cover by the international travelers and entry requirements by many countries to enter the country. Some of the travel insurance providers cover Covid19 this includes the Omicron and Delta variants just like any other illness that travelers could contract during the trip.
Regardless of the variant the Covid19 coverage will remain the same if contracted. Travelers need to check and understand the inclusions and exclusions regarding the benefits included in the Omicron Travel Insurance cover while purchasing it. Travelers traveling during the pandemic have additional concerns for traveling , on how the Omicron and Delta Plus variants affect individuals across all ages and fully vaccinated individuals too. To protect the trip it is advisable to get a medical insurance plan with wide benefits like, trip cancellation, cancel for any reason, travel delay or interruption, baggage or personal belongings loss, medical expenses of COVID19, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation etc.
At American visitor insurance travelers can choose from a wide range of choices that cater to various travel and medical needs. Travelers can compare and include the benefits as per their requirement including Covid19 coverage. Feel free to give us a call or email us and one of our customer support licensed agents will be able to help you.
Trawick International offers visitor medical insurance for coronavirus with their Safe Travels USA Insurance. The Safe Travels USA Comprehensive plan is ideal for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions even for travelers older than 70 years. You can compare Safe Travels USA Covid19 travel insurance plans and buy it online to get coverage as early as the following day. After buying the Trawick travel insurance, travelers can download a visa letter which indicates that Safe travels USA visitors insurance covers covid19 illness.
International Medical Group (IMG) travel insurance offers coronavirus insurance for USA. IMG's Patriot America Plus and Patriot Platinum insurance plans cover COVID19 like any other illness. The Patriot America Plus Insurance and Patriot America Platinum insurance include COVID coverage up to the policy maximum.
INF travel insurance offers coverage for coronavirus as any other new sickness. It is available for Non-US citizens or residents travelling to the US. INF Premier and INF Elite plans covers pre-existing complications from COVID19.
Diplomat America visitors insurance by Global Underwriters offers coverage for covid19 as a new sickness. It is available for Non-US citizens or residents travelling to the US. Diplomat Long term Covid19 medical insurance must be bought for a minimum of 3 months and has a plan maximum options of $500,000 and $1,000,000 for medical expenses. You can compare Diplomat insurance for visitors to USA.
Atlas travel insurance coverage will cover eligible medical expenses resulting from COVID19/SARS-CoV-2.
Please know we are here to help you make the best, informed decision to get coverage even for COVID19! Let us know how we can assist you. Feel free to contact us by email or phone at any time.
There is no denying that travel insurance to USA is sadly very expensive. The main reason for this is simply because the cost of healthcare in the USA is very expensive and the travel insurance USA costs are directly related to the healthcare costs. One more factor for some USA travel insurance plans to be very expensive is that there are specially designed travel insurance USA plans available for older travelers, with higher medical coverage as well as some plans with coverage for pre-existing ailments.
Insurance Coverage for older travelers with Pre-existing Conditions
Read more »Best of the Best Coverage for Pre-existing Medical Conditions
Read more »Get quote for visitor medical insurance with pre-existing coverage.
Read more »Popular pre-existing conditions for visitors to the USA plans which have coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Read more »Compare pre-existing conditions insurance plans for US visitors and buy the best plan.
Read more »Co-Insurance: After paying the deductible, percentage or amount of covered expenses that the insured pays. For example, an insurance policy brochure may mention that the policy will pay 80% of the first $5,000 and 100% thereafter of the usual and customary charges; In some health insurance plans, it is also called "co-payment".
Deductible: Amount to be paid by the insured person before the insurance company begins to pay for the covered expenses. Deductible may be either per sickness/injury or once per policy period or once per year depending upon the insurance policy you purchase. You will not get receive any reimbursement later from insurance company for the deductible you pay. e.g., Let us consider that you have purchased an insurance policy with a $50,000 policy maximum, $250 deductible per policy period and 80/20 co-insurance. Suppose you incur a covered expense of $10,250; then the insurance company will pay the covered expenses according to policy terms after you make a a payment of the deductible (i.e. $250).
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Hi Clara,
