Pre-Existing Conditions
When you take out a medical insurance plan, your insurance company will ask about your medical history. Based on this information they will make a decision regarding the coverage of your pre-existing conditions and will ‘underwrite' your application. Pre-existing conditions are any significant injuries or illnesses that you currently have, or have previously had before taking out your health insurance policy.
Read MoreUnderwriting
The insurance company you choose to start a policy with can take a number of options with pre-existing conditions when deciding to underwrite your application.
The most typical option is for the insurance company to exclude the ‘pre-existing condition' from the cover. This means they will not cover the cost of treatment for the condition or any related conditions.
Options
A second option is that the insurance company may place a loading on the plan. This means that your annual premium will rise by a small percent but the insurance company will agree to cover the costs of treatment for the pre-existing conditions. This practice is less common; however our consultants are happy to source an overseas health insurance company that will allow you to cover a pre-existing condition in this manner.
Moratorium
Alternatively the insurer may place a moratorium on the pre-existing condition. This is a wait time of usually two years. If you have had no recurrences or treatment during this two year period the insurer will reconsider including your condition in your cover.
Group Flexibility
When applying for a group policy it may be possible to arrange a plan that covers all members of the group for all pre-existing conditions. This option is generally only available to large groups and companies so speak to us about your options.
Contact
For further advice on the most appropriate way of covering your pre-existing condition give us a call or leave your details with us here.
