5 things to look out for in your travel insurance medical cover

1. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, check it will be covered and include it in your policy. Whether it’s a heart condition, diabetes or a hip replacement, it is important to check your insurer will cover your condition automatically or whether additional cover is required. If you hide a medical condition from your insurer, or neglect to tell them, you run the risk of invalidating your claim if your claim is related to this condition.

2. Ensure you have the necessary documentation when making a claim. If you incur medical expenses overseas, you will need medical certificates or statements outlining the treatment you received, and the costs involved in order to make a valid insurance claim. Keep a copy of any receipts for treatment you had overseas, as well as proof of payment for medical and hospital expenses.

3. Insurers will only cover you if your treatment is immediately and medically necessary. Any treatments that you received overseas that were not immediately and medically necessary will result in an invalidated claim.

4. If you’re travelling while pregnant, understand the general rules around complications and premature birth. Some insurers will provide unlimited medical, hospital and surgical cover for pregnancy or childbirth complications only (injuries to the body or illness that was not expected) of up to 32 weeks on a comprehensive policy. Many policies, including those from InsureandGo, will not cover childbirth or necessary medical costs for a newborn itself, as the baby was not insured when the policy was purchased.

5. Most self-inflicted injuries won’t be covered. If you knowingly put yourself in danger while travelling, you run the risk of having your cover invalidated if an incident occurs. In general, reckless activities will not be favoured by your travel insurer.