The majority of travel health insurance providers will not cover pre-existing conditions. Or any conditions you already received treatment before signing up for the travel health insurance.
⚙️ What is a pre-existing condition?
An illness, a disease, or an injury that existed knowingly before starting a health insurance plan, is called a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition can be diabetes, COPD, cancer, depression, or sleep apnea are examples of pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions (mostly) share the characteristic of being chronicle, or long-term conditions, which require special medical care and treatments.
☔️ Who covers pre-existing conditions?
- National health insurance providers offer residents of that specific country the cover of pre-existing conditions. They have to do so, by law, for example in the USA for US residents, or in Germany for German residents. However, as you travel internationally, these insurances will most likely not apply to your situation.
- Travel health insurance providers will most likely not cover your pre-existing condition. In the event, you get, e.g. cancer during your current travel health insurance cover, once this current cover ends, the cancer is now a pre-existing condition for your re-subscription. But pre-existing conditions are most likely not covered by travel health insurance. Re-subscriptions are new contracts, as you can not extend your current contract.
🚦 What might health insurance providers do?
When you have a pre-existing medical condition or a pre-existing medical history, for example, a chronic illness or a severe allergy, health insurance providers often do the following:
- Exclude cover for pre-existing conditions completely.
- Health insurance plans become more expensive depending on pre-existing conditions.
- Health insurance plans become completely unavailable if you have certain pre-existing conditions.
- Health insurance providers require a list of all pre-existing conditions upfront.
- Some may also include pre-conditions from up to many years ago.
- Providers add current medical conditions to your pre-existing conditions upon policy renewal.
Tip: Check your own medical history. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, find out with your health insurance provider or in your health insurance policy which ones are covered and how they are covered.
🛟 Travel health insurance with Genki
Genki offers travel health insurance for digital nomads and long-term travelers.
Genki Explorer
- Region of cover: Worldwide. Every single country. Choose to flexibly include or exclude the USA & Canada, depending on your travel.
- Period of cover: With Genki Explorer, you are covered for up to 2 years. After 2 years, you can renew to a new plan.
- Home country: Your chosen home country should be a country where you have no visa restriction and access to the national health system. However, visiting friends and family is covered for up to 42 consecutive days within 180 days.
- Inclusions & exclusions: Medical emergencies and medically necessary treatments (ear infection, flu), initial mental health issues, and sports injuries are covered. Pre-existing conditions and pre-existing pregnancies are not covered. Read more examples.
- Monthly costs: Genki Explorer costs you between €39.30 and €128.70 a month, depending on your age, the chosen deductible, and if you want to include or exclude the USA & Canada.
Have a look at what Genki Resident offers.
☂️ International health insurance with Genki
Genki offers international health insurance for digital nomads and long-term travelers. It covers preventive care, mental health care, dental and vision care, and much more!
Genki Resident
- Region of cover: Worldwide. Every single country.
- Period of cover: As long as you want. Life-long if you wish. The minimum contract is 1 year with a monthly payment plan.
- Home country: Cover up to 180 days per year.
- Genki Resident basic: Preventive care, telemedicine, medically necessary search and rescue, inpatient psychotherapy, alternative treatments, osteopathy, chiropractic, physiotherapy, dental and vision care, prenatal care, and childbirth as well as COVID treatments.
- Genki Resident premium: Genki Resident basic + Vaccinations, medical checkups, eyesight correction surgeries, glasses, and contact lenses, dental cleaning twice per year, outpatient psychotherapy, outpatient rehabilitation measure, or first-trimester screening and amniocentesis.
- Monthly costs: Genki Resident is available for everyone of any age. The monthly fee depends on the result of a medical questionnaire, your age, the chosen deductible, and the region of cover (incl. or excl. USA and Canada).
Sarah
