One minute you’re taking a cruise down the Seine in Paris, the next you’re on your way to hospital dealing with another attack of that chronic condition you’d hoped wouldn’t join you on your holiday. The question is – will your travel insurance cover it?
nib Travel plans offer travel insurance cover for more than 40 existing medical conditions, but you should be aware that there are conditions attached to these which you will need to meet in order for them to be covered.
And if you have an existing medical condition that isn’t automatically covered, you can apply to add the condition as a ‘Specified medical condition’ for an additional premium (Not available on the Essentials Plan).
Simply put it is a condition that, at the time you bought the travel insurance policy, you or a reasonable person in your situation should have known existed. This includes conditions for which you may not be diagnosed but have been experiencing symptoms.
The full definition in the PDS further outlines what this means but common sense can help. For example:
You can view the full definition in the
You can view the list of automatically covered existing conditions in the Domestic and International PDS. We offer cover for more than 40 of our more common conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and common allergies. If your condition is included, and you satisfy all the criteria related to that condition, then cover is provided for events that arise from that condition as part of our standard cover. Exclusions may apply in the event of a claim.
If your condition is not automatically covered you can apply to add the condition as a ‘Specified Medical Condition’ to our domestic and international comprehensive plans which will ensure cover is provided for events that arise from that condition, although an additional premium and excess may apply. This additional option is not available on the Essentials Plan.
Steps to apply for a Specified Medical Condition to be added to your policy
What happens if I choose not to get cover for my existing medical condition?
If your condition is not automatically covered under the policy, and you haven’t added it as a specified medical condition, then you’re not covered for any claim that arises from that existing medical condition.
If your condition is automatically covered, or we’ve accepted and added it to your Certificate of Insurance as a Specified Medical Condition (Excludes Essential Plan), you are eligible for cover under our plans. This cover includes:
Travel insurance is designed to help with those unexpected events that can occur while travelling but doesn’t cover everything – some things we don’t cover include:
There are many terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions that relate to existing medical conditions. Read your policy carefully and contact us if you have any queries.
An existing medical condition is one in which:
More fully, an existing medical condition is any medical condition which, at the time you buy your policy, is:
Still not sure? Contact us and we can help.
The Coronavirus travel costs benefit is available on the International Comprehensive, Australian Travel and Annual Multi Trip plans. It offers cover for trip cancellation if you are diagnosed with coronavirus. You should note this section has its own benefit limit which will apply to claims related to the coronavirus-related events outlined in the PDS.
We will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements and cancellation fees charged by your travel agent; or the cost to rearrange your trip, if the cost is not more than the cancellation amount that would be incurred. The amount of cancellation cover is per trip for all insured travellers. The maximum amount payable is the amount that was chosen at the time of policy purchase; this chosen limit will be shown on your Certificate of Insurance.
We don’t consider pregnancy to be an existing medical condition, however there are limitations and exclusions on the cover depending on how far along you are, and your conditions before and after you fell pregnant.
If you’re pregnant at the time you buy your policy, or fall pregnant afterwards, you’ll have cover under the benefits of this policy for any event that arises from your pregnancy, provided that the event that causes your claim:
We don’t consider pregnancy to be an existing medical condition. However, pregnancy-related illnesses such as hyperemesis (severe morning sickness), gestational diabetes, and any other pregnancy-related illness must have first developed unexpectedly after you bought your policy.
There is no cover for any existing medical condition related to your pregnancy, unless it has been added to your policy as a specified medical condition following a medical screening and our written offer to cover (this option is only available under the Comprehensive or Annual Multi Trip Plans, see Getting cover for existing medical conditions).
It doesn’t matter how you fell pregnant – these conditions apply whether you fall pregnant naturally or with medical assistance such as using IVF.
Looking to fall pregnant?
You don’t need to currently be pregnant to apply for cover for a pregnancy-related existing medical condition. If you’re thinking about having a baby and you have an existing medical condition related to a previous pregnancy, follow the steps above to apply for a Specified Medical Condition to be added to your policy.
No – change of mind is not a covered reason for cancellation cover.
You can view the list of automatically covered existing conditions in the Domestic and International PDS.