What is a pre-existing health condition as it relates to travel insurance?
Gill Charlton replies To ensure that travel insurance is valid, customers must declare all major past and present health conditions. They must also inform insurers of any change in their health as soon as this is known – such as the diagnosis of a new ailment, a referral for tests or to a consultant. Travel insurers have become much stricter on accepting claims for cancellation and medical treatment incurred by customers who have not told the whole truth about their state of health. One of Britain’s leading travel insurers – Direct Travel – says that pre-existing conditions that must be declared before taking out its insurance include any respiratory condition, heart condition, circulatory condition (including hypertension, stroke, transient ischemic attack), back condition, malignant disease or any psychiatric disorder or mental illness (including stress, anxiety or depression) for which you have ever been diagnosed or received treatment. You must also declare any disease, illness or
