7 Things to Know About Travel Insurance and Illness Before You Travel

Getting sick on a trip is no fun, but travel insurance can help.

A survey indicates that one in six U.S. adults has had to postpone, cancel, or stop a trip because of a medical problem. Travel insurance can provide peace of mind and help protect your financial investment.

Understanding covered illnesses.

Most travel insurance policies cover serious enough unexpected diseases to call for trip cancellation or interruption. This calls for medical records from a doctor verifying either you are too sick to travel or that a family member's significant ailment calls for you to remain home. Usually enough is a doctor's note verifying a diagnosis. It's crucial to know under your particular coverage what qualifies as a "covered illness." Some rules even cover you should your travel buddy get sick.

Pre-existing conditions: Know the rules.

Usually defined as any medical condition you have treated for, experienced symptoms of, or taken medicine for during a designated period (e.g., 90, 120, or 180 days), pre-existing conditions are generally precluded from your travel insurance purchase. Many policies provide a pre-existing condition waiver should you buy the policy soon after your first trip deposit (usually within 14-21 days) and be medically fit to travel at the time of purchase. Coverage connected to pre-existing conditions depends on this waiver. Specific policies, such as SafeTrip, specify stable pre-existing conditions and delineate particular look-back times for medical history evaluations.

What about the flu or COVID-19?

The severe flu season has recently affected travel plans. If you get the flu and must cancel your vacation, travel insurance can cover non-refundable trip expenses if a doctor certifies your condition. Many doctors, including Generali and AIG Travel, treat COVID-19 like any other disease. However, specifics differ by plan, especially about travel interruption or cancellation resulting from positive or negative tests. See your provider's most recent policy details on COVID-19 coverage and government travel advice to be sure.

Medical expenses abroad can be costly. Be prepared.

Many home health insurance policies have limited or no coverage for overseas medical bills. With rare exceptions, Medicare usually does not cover health care outside the United States. Travel medical insurance protects you from significant expenses by covering qualified emergency medical, dental, and evacuation services rendered overseas. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), medical evacuations can cost $250,000. Think about your destination's healthcare system and expenses, given coverage levels.

Mental health conditions and travel insurance.

Other than in an emergency, many travel insurance policies limit coverage for mental health issues. For instance, medical coverage might cover a mental health crisis you find yourself in that calls for hospitalization during travel. Typically, though, travel cancellation because of a non-emergency mental health problem is not covered. Check your policy's specifics for mental health coverage.

Medical evacuation: When you need it most.

Traveling to far-off locations or nations with poor medical facilities calls for emergency medical evacuation coverage. It pays for the travel to the closest suitable medical facility—or, if required, back to your native country. This coverage can save your life when local medical treatment is inadequate for your needs.