Travel Insurance with Medical Conditions

Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and physical disabilities don't automatically disqualify you from travel insurance coverage. You'll need to disclose your condition during purchase, meet pre-existing condition waiver timing requirements, and understand how your specific medical condition affects coverage limits and costs.

Pre-existing conditions and medical conditions serve different coverage purposes that often apply to the same traveler.

Most travelers with medical conditions need both: the waiver protects against cancellations due to your known condition, while medical coverage handles unexpected emergencies during your trip.

Your age determines your emergency medical coverage limits more than any other factor.

Emergency medical coverage limits vary by age. Younger travelers qualify for higher limits, while coverage decreases significantly for seniors after age 65.

Acute onset coverage addresses sudden, unexpected episodes of pre-existing conditions, like a severe blood sugar crisis from controlled diabetes. This differs from routine care or expected complications, which remain excluded. Many plans reduce or eliminate acute onset coverage for travelers 80 and older. Emergency medical evacuation becomes necessary if your condition worsens significantly while abroad.

Insurers assess different medical conditions based on treatment protocols, stability, and complication risks. What matters for diabetes differs from cancer or heart disease requirements. Pregnancy coverage follows similar medical condition declaration rules with specific gestational age restrictions.

Common conditions covered: Atrial fibrillation, past heart attacks, high blood pressure, angina, bypass surgery

Disclosure and timing:

• Declare all heart conditions even if controlled by medication
• Wait 7 to 10 days after a heart attack before flying
• 90-day stability period required after cardiac procedures like angioplasty
• Medical screening covers heart rate control, medications, and recent episodes

Travel considerations: High-altitude destinations above 2,000 meters and extreme temperatures require medical clearance. Long flights increase DVT risk for heart condition travelers.

Eligibility: Coverage available during treatment, in remission, or post-treatment, depending on cancer type, treatment status, and prognosis

What's excluded:

• Terminal diagnoses (life expectancy under 12 months)
• Cases where physicians advise against travel
• Scheduled treatments or medical tourism

Qualification requirements:

• 90-day stability period after completing treatment (typical)
• Allianz 120-day lookback period: treatment, symptoms, or doctor visits within 120 days make it pre-existing
• Purchase waiver within 14 days of first trip payment for cancer-related coverage
• Screening questions cover diagnosis date, treatment type, current status, and recent test results

Travel insurance covers unexpected emergencies if your condition suddenly worsens, but not scheduled treatments. Trip cancellation coverage reimburses non-refundable costs if your doctor advises against travel.

What you must declare:

• Type 1, Type 2, and prediabetes all require declaration, even if well-controlled
• Allianz 120-day lookback: medication use, doctor visits, or symptoms require declaration
• Failing to declare voids your entire policy

Medical screening covers:

• Insulin use and blood sugar control
• Complications (neuropathy, retinopathy)
• Related conditions (high blood pressure)
• Acute onset coverage: $5,000 to $50,000, depending on age and plan

Travel impact: Altered meal times, different foods, increased activity, and time zone shifts affect blood sugar. You're responsible for bringing adequate supplies. Insurance covers emergency care for severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis, but not routine care.

Declaration required for: Mobility limitations, wheelchair use, visual impairments, hearing impairments

Mobility equipment protection:

• $2,000 to $2,500 limit for loss, theft, or damage
• Protects wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and canes
• Provides immediate assistance

Additional benefits:

• Replacement carer coverage on gold/platinum policies if traveling companion can't continue assisting
• Medication replacement: $200 to $500 for lost or stolen prescriptions

The pre-existing condition waiver removes standard exclusions for conditions you had before buying insurance. You must meet these requirements:

Lookback periods determine what counts as pre-existing. Allianz uses 120 days: if you saw a doctor, had symptoms, or took medication for your condition in the 120 days before buying insurance, it's pre-existing. Generali uses 180 days, while Seven Corners uses 60 days. Shorter lookback periods make it easier to qualify for coverage if you were recently diagnosed or treated.

Several providers offer comprehensive coverage for travelers with medical conditions through pre-existing condition waivers and strong emergency medical limits.

Your age, condition severity, treatment status, destination, and trip length all impact premium costs. Multiple factors determine premiums for travelers with medical conditions:

• Age: A 35-year-old with Type 2 diabetes pays 20% to 30% more than someone without medical conditions. A 70-year-old with diabetes sees 50% to 100% increases as age and conditions compound risk. Travel insurance costs vary based on multiple factors beyond medical conditions. Finding affordable senior travel insurance becomes crucial with medical conditions.
• Condition severity: Well-controlled diabetes with oral medication costs less than insulin-dependent diabetes with complications. Cancer in remission for five years results in lower premiums than active advanced treatment.
• Treatment status: Active treatment signals higher risk than completed treatment, affecting premium calculations.
• Destination: Expensive healthcare systems like the U.S. increase premiums more than affordable care destinations.
• Trip length: Longer trips compound risk exposure and cost.
• Multiple conditions: Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease stack premium increases, but declaring everything ensures actual coverage rather than claim denials. For travelers with stable medical conditions who take multiple trips per year, annual multi-trip policies can reduce per-trip costs significantly.

MoneyGeek analyzed travel insurance plan details from major U.S. providers, including Allianz, Seven Corners, Nationwide, Travel Guard, Generali, World Trips, and BHTP, to determine emergency medical coverage limits, acute onset coverage amounts, and pre-existing condition waiver requirements. We reviewed 42 travel insurance plans to identify age-based coverage restrictions, lookback periods ranging from 60 to 180 days, and purchase timing windows for waiver qualification.

We gathered primary source information from insurance company websites and policy documents. Medical condition requirements and waiver eligibility criteria vary by provider and individual health circumstances. Consult directly with insurers for plan-specific details and current pricing.