For Pre-existing medical conditions and covid
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.
While most US travel insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions, some US travel insurance plans do cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions. INF insurance is the one provider who offers travel insurance with coverage for pre-existing conditions.
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 are two INF plans with coverage for blood pressure.
INF travel insurance offers some US travel insurance with coverage for pre-existing medical conditions which are available for travel to the USA, Canada and Mexico for travelers over 70 years as well.
Any pre-existing medical condition is something that the traveler has before or when he/she buys the travel insurance plan. The pre-existing condition can be an illness or any injury. Some other examples of pre-existing conditions are cancer, diabetes or asthma/respiratory issues.
A. The following travel insurance plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions:
Mental and Nervous disorders, maternity and new born 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.
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.
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.
.Here are some travel insurance tips for travelers with pre-existing conditions
There are several visitors insurance plans available for international travel. However, many travel insurance and visitors insurance plans exclude pre-existing conditions. This means that a travel insurance plan will not cover the costs of treating a pre-existing medical condition. Therefore, the insurance company may deny a claim if the ailment already existed when the travel insurance was purchased. However, there are some travel medical insurance plans that offer coverage for pre-existing conditions and the policy clearly defines a look-back period and what is covered for pre-existing conditions, as well as specifying a limit to this coverage.
Some travel health insurance plans like Atlas America, Patriot America Plus offer coverage for the acute onset of a pre-existing conditions, ie, when there is a sudden medical emergency without any prior symptom that needs to be treated immediately. The coverage typically includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalization, and evacuation expenses related to the acute onset of the pre-existing condition. INF insurance however has the INF Elite insurance plans which cover pre-existing conditions going beyond the acute onset coverage. It is important to compare visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions both for the price as well as the specific details for pre-existing conditions coverage as well as review the policy brochures for exclusions and coverage limits before making a decision.
The travel health insurance plans which cover pre-existing conditions have clear definitions of what is a pre-existing condition, the look back period for pre-existing condition, whether the travel insurance coverage is limited to acute onset of pre-existing conditions, and if it provides full coverage for pre-existing conditions the coverage limit within the policy for pre-existing conditons. Any travel health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions will depend on all these.
The following are important factors for buying travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
There are many international travelers who have medical ailments and it is important for them to be well informed about visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions. Many of the regular travel insurance plans exclude any coverage for pre-existing conditions. The definition of pre-existing conditions varies for different insurance providers as they have a ‘look back’ period and any medical ailments during this look back period would be considered pre-existing. At American Visitor Insurance, we offer plans which do offer coverage for acute onset of a pre-existing condition, as well as full coverage for pre-existing conditions up to a clearly defined limit in the policy document. All of these details can be better understood by using our facility for comparing visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions.
Unfortunately, this simple question has a fairly complicated answer. The answer is: it depends. Firstly, it depends on whether you are a US resident traveling outside the US or a visitor to the US. US residents can purchase trip cancellation insurance that can cover pre-existing conditions and even plans that are travel medical only without cancellation often are more generous in their coverage of pre-existing conditions. These plans may have specific requirements in order to waive the usual exclusion of coverage for pre-existing conditions (like purchase them within a certain number of days of your initial trip deposit or that you have a primary domestic insurance plan in the US), so you should check these details carefully if this is important to you.
Non-US residents or US residents traveling into the US have much more limited options to insure their pre-existing conditions are covered. Some plans offer coverage for "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. However, this is misleading, since a careful look at their definition excludes chronic or congenital disorders from such coverage. Chronic illnesses are those that worsen over time and congenital disorders are issues one is born with. They exclude emergencies due to chronic illness because they will say that is not "acute" it is simply a worsening of your condition. There are only two policies we know of that offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. They are INF Premier and INF Elite plans.
Firstly, they define pre-existing conditions in the following way: A pre-existing condition is a condition for which the insured received treatment or took medication for in the previous 12 months before the start of the policy. If the medication dosage has not changed and is taken as a maintenance medication, this would NOT count as a flare up or treatment of the condition. In that case, very stable conditions that have no flare ups in the past 12 months are not even excluded as pre-existing conditions. Conditions that have had flare ups or doctor recommended treatment or change in medication, are still covered by the plans but with a higher deductible and a lower maximum.
INF Elite (also INF Elite 90) are comprehensive plans offering fairly complete coverage. INF Premier is a fixed plan. Find details on these plans here.
The above plans must be purchased for at least 90 days and can be quite pricey for seniors, but they offer the only real coverage for chronic conditions.
The other option, of course, is to take a plans with little ($1K) or no coverage for pre-existing conditions and take a risk that that condition will not flare up during the trip.
INF plans boast they offer "full" coverage for pre-existing conditions. This can be a little misleading. Firstly, any regular treatment or medication that is required by the condition is never covered. The main advantage to the INF Elite and INF Premier is that they cover sudden illness/injury regardless of whether it is pre-existing or not. The only difference is that a pre-existing condition will be covered with a higher deductible at at a lower maximum than any other "new" illness or injury. However, coverage is not limited to an emergency or life-threatening situation.
The "Acute Onset of a Pre-Existing Condition" is a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a pre-existing medical condition which occurs without any advance warning either in the form of physician recommendations or symptoms and requires immediate care (within 24 hours of first symptoms). A Pre-Existing Condition that is a chronic or congenital condition or that gradually becomes worse over time will not be considered acute onset.
The acute onset coverage benefit does not include coverage for known, scheduled, required, or expected medical care, drugs or treatment existent or necessary prior to the effective date of coverage. An example of this might be someone who has a food allergy or bee allergy and is unknowingly exposed to their allergen and requires immediate medical attention.
Acute onset of a pre-existing condition can be defined as the sudden & unexpected occurrence of a pre-existing condition which requires in-patient, emergency hospitalization within 24 hours of exhibiting first symptoms. The main difference between acute onset & full pre-existing is that with Full Pre-Existing coverage, is that one is covered for all pre-existing conditions and associated medical costs and this includes follow up visits, hospitalizations and doctor’s visits, etc. The acute onset coverage will only cover the in-patient hospitalization expense.
Full Pre-existing means we will cover any issue regarding a pre-existing condition, however, if one is traveling to the United States solely for medical treatment, that will not be covered. INF plans do not cover any medical tourism related claims. Pre-existing conditions under the INF plans are covered with a higher deductible and a lower maximum than other illnesses or injuries. These are chosen or specified when you purchase you plan.
Yes, the INF policies will cover any pre-existing issue that the traveler may have during their stay in the United States. This includes blood pressure, diabetes, kidney related issues and arthritis, all of which are covered by the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90, Hop Travel Assist, Hop Mindoro Assist, Hop WorldHopper, Hop Trip Assist Plus Plans.
The insurance company takes on an enormous risk by insuring individuals and including coverage for pre-existing conditions without any prior medical examination. Under the INF plans, you are paying more, but you are getting the full value for the money you pay given the very high cost of US healthcare. With the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90, Hop Travel Assist, Hop Mindoro Assist, Hop WorldHopper, Hop Trip Assist Plus Plans, even though it is expensive, you can have the comfort of knowing that you are covered for any emergency or contingency. This peace of mind given the expensive US healthcare expense is what makes INF plans worth it despite being expensive.
The list of covered services under Visitors insurance full pre-existing conditions coverage can be found on the American Visitor Insurance website of the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90, Hop Travel Assist, Hop Mindoro Assist, Hop WorldHopper, Hop Trip Assist Plus Plan pages. INF plans are open to green card holders
The best US visitors insurance with pre-existing conditions coverage is listed here :
A fixed benefit travel insurance plan is the cheapest travel insurance plan option. Fixed benefit travel insurance is cheap because it has a fixed limit of coverage for different medical benefits.
Fixed benefit travel insurance plans work well in case of small ailments but can be inadequate in the event of a serious medical ailment or hospitalisation.
Comprehensive travel insurance plans provide exhaustive coverage for health expenses up to the policy medical maximum amount. In contrast to fixed benefit plans there are no limits for each benefit. Comprehensive insurance is more expensive when compared to fixed benefit plans but provides significantly better coverage in case of a medical emergency or hospitalisation.
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).
The two plans below will cover pre-existing and non-pre-existing medical conditions. If a condition is considered pre-existing to the policy, it will be covered but at a lower maximum and with a higher deductible. Both plans must be purchased for at least 90 days the first time they are purchased. If your visitor will be staying for three months or longer, you may want to consider a plan we are offering called Elite plan from INF.
It will cover 80% of expenses including many unexpected medical issues due to pre-existing conditions. The coverage is NOT limited to "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. The look-back period for the plan is only 90 days which means you have a much better chance of having pre-existing medical conditions covered, especially if they are stable for your. The plan has a $75,000 maximum for persons over 69 years and $150,000 for persons under 70 with a $250 or $500 deductible (same for pre-existing condition coverage). It is an 80/20 plan covering 80% while you pay 20% of expenses. This plan will cost about $3,999 for 90 days with a $75,000 maximum and a $250 deductible.
For all information about the plan, go here:This is a very unique plan offering "full" coverage for pre-existing conditions with such a short look back period for those conditions. Please note that the plan does NOT cover routine, necessary treatment for a pre-existing conditions. The coverage is for any issue arising, not just "acute" (or something that must be treated right away) issues.
Another option is the same coverage for pre-existing conditions from a fixed plan. A fixed plan will pay a limited amount for each medical expense (it may not cover 100%), please see brochure for details.
The plan is called INF Premier. Like the Elite plan above coverage is available up to $150,000 for persons under 70 years and $100,000 for those 70 to 99 years of age. Persons under 70 years can choose between a $250 or $75 deductible, with other clients choices of $250 or $500 deductible.
With the Premier plan, you must choose the deductible for the pre-existing condition coverage and that determines the maximum coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions (the higher the deductible, the higher the maximum you are allowed). This plan will cost about $1486 for 90 days with a $100,000 maximum and a $250 deductible.
For all information about the plan, go here:
The plans below can be purchased for any number of days (only a 5 day minimum), unlike the plans above. They only will cover up to $15k for a cardiac issue (should one arise).
We are always striving to provide the best and most options for international travelers. In that light, we have added this policy by Trawick International. It covers COVID-19 like any other illnesses in all their policies. It is also unique in offering coverage for "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions for up to $25k for persons over 70 and under 90 years of age but excludes chronic or congenital disorders. It also covers up to $15k for a cardiac issue. The price of the policy for younger travelers makes it an economical option for coverage of acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to the medical maximum for those under 70 years. The policy is available from any state in the US or can be purchased from abroad.
This plan will cost about $1856 for 2 months and 7 days with a $50,000 maximum and a $250 deductible. To purchase the policy, go here:
Another option is the fixed plan offered by this same company. It is called Safe Travels USA Diamond and can be purchased for up to $100,000 maximum (or $50,000 maximum) and has the same limitations on coverage as above for the comprehensive plan, but remember that it is a fixed option and so has caps on individual medical expenses (as well as the maximums listed above). However, offers the best fixed coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for persons over 70 and it also covers COVID-19.
This plan will cost about $555 for 2 months and 7 days with a $50,000 maximum and a $100 deductible.
Safe Travels Elite Fixed Plan from Trawick International (travel to US) information page:
Do let us know if you have any further questions or concerns by email or phone. We are more than happy to assist you!
To compare all Safe Travels USA plans, you can go here: Compare Safe Travels USA plansAre surgeries covered in this insurance?
Thank you,Surgeries are covered if they need to be done as a consequence of a covered incident like an unexpected injury or sickness. If it is a cosmetic surgery or it is done as part of pre existing condition, then the insurance plan will not cover this.
Hope that helps!
Sincerely,Even as the threat of Covid has diminished across the globe, international travel conditions in general remains fluid. Given the pandemic, the Israel-Hamas war, the Russia-Ukraine war, extreme weather related disruptions across the globe and staffing disruptions in different airports, international travelers are understandably more concerned about safety while traveling. There is now an increased demand to buy the best travel medical insurance.
To protect the trip it is advisable to get travel medical insurance with wide benefits like, trip cancellation, cancel for any reason, quarantine coverage, travel delay or interruption, baggage or personal belongings loss, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation etc...
At American visitor insurance travelers can choose from a wide range of choices that cater to different travel and medical needs. Travelers can compare and add on benefits according to their specific requirement. 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 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. Travelers can compare Safe Travels USA travel insurance and buy it online to get coverage as early as the following day.
International Medical Group (IMG) travel insurance options includes the Patriot America Plus and Patriot Platinum insurance plans.
INF travel insurance offers INF Premier and INF Elite travel insurance for Non-US citizens or residents traveling to the US.
Diplomat America travel insurance by Global Underwriters is available for Non-US citizens or residents traveling to the US. Diplomat Long term travel 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 will cover eligible medical expenses for international visitors.
Please know we are here to help you make the best, informed decision to get travel medical insurance coverage! Let us know how we can assist you. Feel free to contact us by email or phone at any time.
Fixed benefits US travel insurance have specific benefit limits for different covered medical expenses... Click here to read more »
We also offer international travel insurance plans covering pre-existing conditions which many older travelers look for... Click here to read more »
Advantages of buying US/UK Insurance. Compare and buy US travel insurance... Click here to read more »
International travel insurance resources for travel emergency while outside your home country.
Explore »
Important factors for travel insurance to consider while deciding on the best visitors medical insurance.
Explore »
Understanding different types of US visitor health insurance options, fixed benefits vs comprehensive coverage.
Explore »
Helping travelers with the insurance claims process for getting medical care in a hospital.
Explore »You can find reliable US insurance providers like International Medical Group(IMG), Seven Corners, WorldTrips, Global Underwriters, Travel Insure, GeoBlue, HTH Worldwide and INF insurance.
