Travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions
You can get travel insurance with a pre-existing medical condition, but whether that condition is covered depends on the insurer, the condition and how you answer the medical questions. Some conditions are covered automatically, some are covered after an assessment and usually an extra premium, and some are excluded. An excluded condition does not stop you buying the policy; it means claims arising from that condition will not be paid.
Pre-existing conditions are one of the most common reasons travel claims are refused, and nearly always for the same reason: the traveller did not realise something counted. The definition is set by each policy, and it is usually wider than people expect. It's one of the first terms to check when you compare travel insurance, and older travellers should read it alongside our guide to seniors travel insurance with pre-existing conditions.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
General advice only. It doesn't consider your circumstances. Read the PDS and TMD before you decide.
What counts as a pre-existing condition
Each Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) has its own definition, but they share a shape. A pre-existing condition is typically any illness, injury or medical condition you already know about before the policy starts, and in particular one that you have had symptoms of, been investigated for, received treatment or advice for, or taken medication for within a set look-back period.
On top of that window, most policies also treat certain conditions as pre-existing whenever they were diagnosed: chronic or ongoing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung conditions and cancer commonly fall into this group. Pregnancy is often handled under its own rules rather than the general definition.
How far back insurers look
The look-back period is set by the policy and differs between insurers, and several use more than one period depending on the type of condition. These are the periods in the PDSs we read on 2 October 2026. Read the exact wording for the policy you are buying, because the length of the window decides whether a condition you think is behind you still has to be declared.
| Insurer (PDS date) | Look-back period | Also counts, whenever it happened |
|---|---|---|
| Cover-More (15 October 2025) | 12 months for an emergency department visit, hospital stay or day surgery | Any medically documented condition of the brain, heart, circulation, kidneys, liver or lungs, any cancer, and past spine, joint or abdominal surgery with an overnight stay |
| Allianz (19 December 2025) | 2 years for surgery, regular medication, ongoing treatment, specialist referral, check-ups or hospital care | Any mental illness, any chronic or lifelong illness, any cancer ever treated, and pregnancy |
| Southern Cross Travel Insurance (12 July 2025) | 3 years | A diagnosis isn't needed: it counts if you sought help, were advised to, should have, or were waiting for help |
| Qantas (1 July 2026) | 1 year | Any congenital, chronic or ongoing condition |
| Fast Cover (16 July 2026) | 3 years | |
| 1Cover and Zoom (4 March 2026) | 12 months | A listed set of conditions, including heart, brain, lung and kidney conditions, cancer and chronic illness |
Conditions that are often covered automatically
Some insurers list conditions they cover without an assessment if you meet stated criteria; others, including Allianz, Southern Cross Travel Insurance, Fast Cover, 1Cover and Zoom, have no automatic list, so every condition has to be disclosed and accepted. The table shows conditions that appear on several insurers' lists, with the criteria attached. The criteria are where people get caught: Cover-More, for example, applies its automatic cover only if you have no other existing medical conditions.
| Condition | Cover-More (15 Oct 2025) | Medibank (22 Apr 2026) | nib (1 Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asthma | Under 60; no attack needing a doctor in 12 months; non-smoker for 18 months; no home oxygen; no other chronic lung disease | Same criteria, without the age cap | Under 60; no other breathing condition, including sleep apnoea; no hospital care in 2 years |
| High blood pressure | No heart condition or diabetes; stable, with no medication change in 12 months | Same as Cover-More | No heart disease; current reading below 165/95 |
| High cholesterol | No heart condition | No heart condition | No heart disease |
| Cataracts and glaucoma | No surgery in 90 days; no ongoing complications | Same as Cover-More | No surgery in 3 months or planned; no complications |
| Hip, knee or shoulder replacement | More than 12 months and less than 10 years ago; no complications | Same as Cover-More | Not listed |
| Gastric reflux | Not caused by another diagnosed condition, such as a hernia or ulcer | Same | Same |
| Epilepsy | No underlying cause such as head trauma, a brain tumour or stroke | Same | Same, plus no medication change in 12 months and no hospital care in 2 years |
| Type 1 or 2 diabetes | Not listed | Not listed | Diagnosed more than 6 months ago, with no complications and blood sugar in the stated range |
What people forget to declare
Most refused claims don't involve a hidden diagnosis. They involve something the traveller didn't think counted. These are the items the current PDS definitions catch.
- Symptoms that haven't been diagnosed yet. Cover-More and Medibank won't cover a condition you haven't asked a doctor about or are still being investigated for, and Southern Cross Travel Insurance never covers undiagnosed conditions, such as unexplained stomach pain or results you are waiting on.
- Tests and referrals. An Allianz specialist referral in the last 2 years makes the condition pre-existing, and Southern Cross counts specialist consultations as seeking medical help.
- Medication changes. Cover-More and Medibank's automatic cover for high blood pressure, depression and anxiety depends on no medication change in the last 12 months.
- Mental health. Allianz counts any mental illness as pre-existing, with no time limit, and Cover-More and Medibank cover depression and anxiety automatically only if strict criteria are met, including no hospital stay for depression in 2 years.
- Changes after you buy. nib needs a doctor's written fit-to-travel note for a new condition that appears after purchase, and Fast Cover excludes new conditions unless you are rescreened.
Covered automatically, after assessment, or excluded
When you declare a condition, it usually lands in one of three places. Which one depends on the insurer, so the same condition can be covered by one policy and excluded by the next.
| Outcome | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Covered automatically | The PDS lists conditions covered at no extra cost if they meet stated criteria, such as being stable and not recently hospitalised | Every criterion, not just the condition name. Failing one moves you into assessment |
| Covered after assessment | You answer a medical questionnaire; the insurer accepts the condition, usually for an extra premium | That the acceptance is confirmed in writing on your certificate of insurance |
| Not covered | The insurer declines the condition. You can still buy the policy, but claims arising from it are excluded | What else is excluded as a result, such as cancellation caused by the condition |
| Not declared | The insurer does not know about it | This is the outcome to avoid. A related claim can be reduced or refused |
How AFCA decides pre-existing condition disputes
For consumer insurance issued, renewed or varied since 5 October 2021, the old duty of disclosure has been replaced by a duty to take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation. In practice that means answering the insurer's questions honestly and carefully, and the insurer carries the onus of showing you did not. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) publishes how it approaches these disputes.
If a traveller does not take reasonable care and it matters, the insurer can reduce a claim to the position it would have been in, which for a condition it would have excluded can mean paying nothing for anything connected to it. A fraudulent misrepresentation can let the insurer cancel the policy outright. Disputes often turn on symptoms that had not been diagnosed, which is why the definitions above matter: several count symptoms you sought help for, or should have, even without a diagnosis.
If a claim is refused, ask for the reasons in writing and use the insurer's internal complaints process first. If you are still unhappy, a complaint to AFCA is free for consumers.
Cancellation and your relatives' health
The condition that cancels a trip is often not your own. Cancellation cover usually responds when a close relative falls seriously ill, but many policies exclude cancellation caused by a relative's pre-existing condition, particularly if they are older or already unwell when you book. Southern Cross Travel Insurance, for example, covers claims caused by a non-travelling relative's health only if the relative isn't over 85. If an elderly parent's health is the likeliest reason you might not travel, read that clause before anything else.
How to compare policies with a condition
Run the medical assessment with each insurer you are considering, because the outcome and the price change between them. Compare the result on three points: whether the condition is accepted, what the extra premium is, and whether the acceptance comes with a lower benefit limit or higher excess. Then keep the assessment outcome with your policy documents. Older travellers should also check the age limits on our seniors travel insurance page.
- List every condition, medication and specialist visit before you start, so the answers are consistent between insurers.
- Include conditions that are well controlled. Stable is not the same as not pre-existing.
- Check whether a declined condition also removes cancellation cover for that condition.
- Re-check the policy if your health changes between buying it and departing.
General advice only. This information doesn't take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether the product is right for you and read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before you decide. We don't compare every product in the market, and we may earn a commission if you take up a product through our links.
What to watch for
- The definition and look-back period come from the PDS, not a general rule. They range from 1 to 3 years in the policies we read.
- Automatic cover usually depends on criteria such as stability and no recent hospital admission. Failing one criterion means assessment.
- Symptoms you haven't had diagnosed, and tests you are waiting on, can count.
- A relative's pre-existing condition may not be a covered reason to cancel.
- Keep written confirmation of any accepted condition. It is your evidence at claim time.
Common questions
What qualifies as a pre-existing condition for travel insurance?
Usually any condition you know about before the policy starts, especially one you have had symptoms, investigations, treatment, advice or medication for within the policy's look-back period, plus certain chronic conditions whenever they were diagnosed. The exact definition is in each insurer's PDS.
How far back does a pre-existing condition go?
It depends on the policy. In the PDSs we read on 2 October 2026 it was 1 year with Qantas, 2 years with Allianz and 3 years with Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Fast Cover, and several insurers count some conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, whenever they were diagnosed.
Which pre-existing conditions are covered automatically?
It depends on the insurer, and some have no automatic list at all. Where there is one, conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cataracts, glaucoma and gastric reflux are common, each with criteria you must meet, such as no recent hospital stay or medication change.
Can I get travel insurance that excludes my pre-existing condition?
Yes. If a condition is not accepted, you can usually still buy the policy and be covered for everything else. Claims arising from the excluded condition, including related cancellation, will not be paid.
What happens if I do not declare a pre-existing condition?
You are required to take reasonable care not to misrepresent your health when answering the insurer's questions. If you do not and it matters, the insurer can reduce or refuse a claim connected to the condition, and it can cancel the policy if the misrepresentation was fraudulent.
Does credit card travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Some complimentary card policies cover a short list of conditions automatically and exclude the rest, and Smartraveller warned in October 2026 that several banks are reducing or removing card travel insurance altogether. Read your card's current PDS before relying on it.
If a claim is refused
Ask the insurer for its reasons in writing and use its internal complaints process first. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can take the complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (afca.org.au), which is free for consumers.