Here is a quick comparison of popular visitor medical insurance plans which have coverage for pre-existing conditions ungroup and also some plans covers for acute onset of pre-existing conditions ungroup.
Visitors insurance with pre-existing Pre-existing condition coverage reviewsThere are many health insurance for us visitors options for international travel. However, many usa travel insurance for visitors plans exclude pre-existing conditions. Hence the traveler insurance will not cover the costs of treating a pre-existing medical condition.
However at American Visitor Insurance, we offer some travel medical insurance plans that have coverage for pre-existing conditions and the policy clearly states what is covered for a pre-existing conditions, as well as specifying a limit to this coverage.
Some travel health insurance plans like Atlas America, Patriot America Plus offer coverage for an acute onset of a pre-existing conditions, ie, when there is a sudden medical emergency without any prior symptom that needs to be treated immediately.
This typically includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalization and evacuation expenses related to the acute onset of the pre-existing condition. INF insurance however has the INF Elite insurance which covers pre-existing conditions going beyond the acute onset coverage. It is important to compare visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions on American Visitor Insurance both for the price as well as pre-existing conditions coverage before making a decision.
There are many international travelers who have medical ailments and it is important for them to be well informed about visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions. Many of the regular travel insurance plans exclude any coverage for pre-existing conditions.
The definition of pre-existing conditions varies for different insurance providers as they have a ‘look back’ period and any medical ailments during this look back period would be considered pre-existing. At American Visitor Insurance, we offer plans which do offer coverage for acute onset of a pre-existing condition, as well as full coverage for pre-existing conditions up to a clearly defined limit in the policy document. All of these details can be better understood by using our facility for comparing visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions.
The travel health insurance plans which cover pre-existing conditions have clear definitions of what is a pre-existing condition, the look back period for pre-existing condition, whether the travel insurance coverage is limited to acute onset of pre-existing conditions, and if it provides full coverage for pre-existing conditions the coverage limit within the policy for pre-existing conditons. Any travel health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions will depend on all these.
| Feature | Pre-existing conditions | Acute onset of pre-existing conditions |
| Definition | It refers to a medical condition that existed before the enrolling in to the visitor insurance plan. | A sudden & unexpected occurrence of a pre-existing condition which requires in-patient, emergency hospitalization within 24 hours of the first symptoms. |
| Benefits | It covers follow up visits, hospitalizations and doctor’s visits, etc.. and other associated medical care for pre-existing conditions. | It will only cover the in-patient hospitalization expense and does not include coverage for known, scheduled, required, or expected medical care, drugs or treatment existent or necessary prior to the effective date of coverage. |
| Cost | It usually comes with higher deductibles and premiums. | Some plans offers coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions with no extra cost or as an optional add-on benefit. |
| Examples & limitations | Regular check-ups, scheduled treatments, or ongoing medications are not covered and it often available as a waiver or after a waiting period. | A food allergy or bee sting reaction with no prior warning requiring emergency care is covered. Gradual worsening conditions or ongoing treatments are not considered acute onset. |
US travel insurance cost in 2025 for visitors with pre-existing conditions has increasingly reduced the disposal income with a major portion of the income going to health care deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance. The cost of a routine physician's visit is significantly higher in the U.S. where it might be $176. An echocardiogram can cost around $1,000 in Massachusetts and around $3000 in New Jersey depending on the provider. The cost of common ailments like Diabetes Mellitus with Hyperglycemia admitted to an emergency room would cost around $2,500 -$5000. Stroke resulting in ICU for about 10 days would cost $120,000, Heart attack treatment with medical bills for ambulance, hospital emergency room, ICU, EKG and MRI heart scans and continuing care from cardiologists would cost about $20,000, The average treatment cost of acute kidney failure in the USA was over $22,000.
While there's no simple explanation for the high costs, an important contributing factor is the significant administrative expenses in healthcare and given the litigious nature of US society, the cost of medical-malpractice legal expenses. Employing numerous billing clerks by both hospitals and physicians, as well as by private insurance companies is a requirement in the US insurance system. In addition to that, the system's reliance on advanced technology, costly labor and the steep price of malpractice insurance in the US also contributes to the overall expenses.
While there are several reasons for high healthcare costs, the fact remains that one cannot afford to be uninsured while visiting the US. In US hospitals the cost for any treatment is much lower if you have insurance and the hospital is part of the PPO network when compared to getting the same treatment without any insurance. This is beyond the actual insurance coverage itself, so simply having visitors insurance reduces the bill substantially. This high price without insurance is unimaginable for visitors to pay out of their pocket. It is important for visitors to realize the importance of health insurance while visiting the US.
The cheapest pre-existing conditions travel insurance cost starts from $39 to $229 per month, The cost depends on the age of the visitor, duration, medical maximum coverage and deductible.
The average cost of pre-existing conditions travel insurance in USA based on quotes for one month for 60 year old traveler.
| Plan Name | Medical Maximum | Deductible | Acute onset coverage | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Travels Advantage | $25,000 | $0 | Up to 89 yearsopen_in_new | $39 |
| Visitors care | $25,000 | $100 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $40 |
| Safe Travels Elite | $25,000 | $0 | Up to 89 yearsopen_in_new | $50 |
| Visit USA Budget | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 65 years and aboveopen_in_new | $49 |
| Safe Travels USA Cost Saver | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 69 yearsopen_in_new | $139 |
| Visitors Preferred | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $148 |
| Atlas America | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 79 yearsopen_in_new | $151 |
| Patriot America Plus | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $164 |
| Travel Medical Basic | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 79 yearsopen_in_new | $168 |
| Safe Travels USA Comprehensive | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 89 yearsopen_in_new | $172 |
| Venbrook Premier | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $176 |
| Diplomat America | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $229 |
Source: American Visitor Insurance®
The Pre-existing conditions travel insurance cost for coverage outside USA starts from $55 to $233 per month, The cost depends on the age of the visitor, duration, medical maximum coverage and deductible.
The average cost of pre-existing conditions travel insurance outside USA based on quotes for one month for 60 year old traveler.
| Plan Name | Medical Maximum | Deductible | Acute onset coverage | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VisitorSecure | $50,000 | $100 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $55 |
| Atlas International | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 79 yearsopen_in_new | $117 |
| Patriot International Lite | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 70 yearsopen_in_new | $121 |
| Travel Medical Basic | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 79 yearsopen_in_new | $121 |
| Intermedical | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 80 yearsopen_in_new | $121 |
| Atlas Premium International | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 79 yearsopen_in_new | $164 |
| Safe Travels International | $50,000 | $250 | Up to 69 yearsopen_in_new | $233 |
Source: American Visitor Insurance®
Review US visitor insurance plan benefits.
The following are the factors to consider while purchasing travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
Diabetes is considered a chronic condition, which means most insurance companies can deny claims it if it’s listed as a pre-existing condition in your medical records. This is even if the traveller experiences an acute event (like a diabetic coma), the claim might be denied.
However, VenbrookPremier has a special rule for acute onset of chronic conditions. If a diabetic event happens suddenly and requires immediate care, it might still be covered under certain conditions, depending on factors like age and the specifics of the event.
Heart Attack or Stroke:A heart attack or stroke is always treated as an emergency and is not considered a pre-existing condition. These events require immediate medical care, and many people who experience them take medications for conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, or high cholesterol. Other insurance companies may deny claims if they see that the person is on medication for a pre-existing condition.
Venbrook handles this differently:
An acute onset claim could be denied in these situations:
| Feature | Fixed Benefit visitors insurance | Comprehensive visitors insurance |
| Cost | Affordable | More Expensive |
| Coverage | Fixed amount per benefit limited or coverage under certain conditions | Benefits for covered medical expenses up to the plan maximum |
| Pre-existing conditions coverage | Not all plans offer coverage. Some offer coverage up to a specified limit | Some plans offer coverage, while some others offer coverage only for acute onset of pre-existing conditions |
| Recommended for | Younger travelers | Travelers with pre-existing medical ailments |
Given the concern for pre-existing condition insurance plan for visitors, the common question among elderly travelers is how insurers determine what is considered a pre existing medical condition. No medical examination or doctor’s report is required to purchase short term health insurance.
So, how can they know what is pre-existing? The insurance company will rely on information gathered from the care provider, such as, medications taken, onset of symptoms, etc.
The look-back period in visitors medical insurance is considered as an important factor in determining eligibility for coverage. It is the timeframe before the policy’s start date during which the insurer reviews your medical history to determine conditions that may be considered as pre-existing.
Chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, pregnancy, and cancer are usually considered as pre-existing conditions, even if they occur outside the look back period. These conditions require ongoing care, indicating they existed before the policy's effective date.
Usually the look back period ranges between 60 to 180 days to 1 to 3 years depending upon on the plan or the insurance provider. If a medical condition is treated or the symptoms is identified in that timeframe then it is considered as a pre-existing medical conditions.
It depends primarily on where you are traveling to. For travel to Europe, some are required to purchase travel health insurance and many European countries only require $50,000, so that should be enough for travel to those countries. In other countries, like the US, Canada, and Japan medical costs are much higher and one may want a higher amount of coverage if you have pre-existing condition.
Visitor medical insurance offering benefits for acute onset of pre-existing conditions may limit coverage amounts or have age restrictions, so choosing a higher maximum might be necessary. The amount that is available for purchase depends on the age of the traveler, so the choice of maximum should be made depending on availability and destination of the traveler.
Here are some travel insurance tips for travelers with pre-existing conditions
Those travelers with pre-existing conditions have to take extra care while in a foreign country to avoid possible medical emergencies. Visitors with medical history should always purchase a plan with pre-existing medical coverage, otherwise an emergency due to a pre-existing condition may NOT be covered by their insurance.
There are some plans with coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for all ages. You can compare international health insurance that covers Pre existing conditions and select the one which best suits your unique situation
The travel health insurance plans which cover pre-existing conditions have clear definitions of what is a pre-existing condition, the look back period for pre-existing condition, whether the travel insurance coverage is limited to acute onset of pre-existing conditions, and if it provides full coverage for pre-existing conditions the coverage limit within the policy for pre-existing conditions. Any travel health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions will depend on all these.
Unfortunately, this simple question has a fairly complicated answer. The answer is: it depends. Firstly, it depends on whether you are a US resident traveling outside the US or a visitor to the US. US residents can purchase trip cancellation insurance that can cover pre-existing conditions and even plans that are travel medical only without cancellation often are more generous in their coverage of pre-existing conditions. These plans may have specific requirements in order to waive the usual exclusion of coverage for pre-existing conditions (like purchase them within a certain number of days of your initial trip deposit or that you have a primary domestic insurance plan in the US), so you should check these details carefully if this is important to you.
Non-US residents or US residents traveling into the US have much more limited options to insure their pre-existing conditions are covered. Some plans offer coverage for "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. However, this is misleading, since a careful look at their definition excludes chronic or congenital disorders from such coverage. Chronic illnesses are those that worsen over time and congenital disorders are issues one is born with. They exclude emergencies due to chronic illness because they will say that is not "acute" it is simply a worsening of your condition.
Compare and buy best pre-existing plans
Simply put, a pre-existing condition is a disease or condition a person is already diagnosed with, being treated for, or has, with reasonable certainty before the start of the insurance policy.
Companies use a "look back" period to determine if a condition will be considered pre-existing or not. Click here to Read more>>.
No, there are no medical tests required for purchasing visitor travel insurance to usa with pre existing conditions.
The short term visitor insurance plans usually do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, however some plans do provide limited coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions**. You can compare the insurance plans that offer pre-existing condition coverage using our compare tool option.
Many people, although healthy and able to travel, particularly older travelers take medications for certain medical conditions. While these conditions can be called "normal" for a person of their age, not all people have these conditions and they will be classified as "pre-existing" by an insurance company. If you do NOT have coverage for it, then the policy will pay $0 for any incident of it, emergency or not.
The coverage you can get is limited to "acute onset" of a pre-existing condition which can cover an unexpected life-threatening emergency of the condition which would then give you as complete coverage as you could get for your travels or visitor. This is why we offer some options with this coverage for nearly all ages of travelers. For more information, go here
Travel insurance plans usually cover unexpected or sudden sickness or injuries. Pre-existing condition is a condition a person has been diagnosed with, is being treated for, or has with reasonable medical certainty before the start of the plan". So a person does not need to know they have the condition for it to be considered pre-existing (a diagnosis is not required).
Some international travel insurance plans offer coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. Acute onset of pre-existing conditions means sudden, unexpected emergency due to a pre-existing condition that can be dangerous to life and the traveler cannot wait to get treatment in the home country but to receive treatment immediately.
It should be noted that for acute onset coverage, treatment must be sought within the defined time period for the plan and chronic and congenital conditions may not be covered.
While most US travelers insurance plan do not cover pre-existing conditions, however some US travel insurance plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions. INF insurance is the one provider who offers travel insurance with coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Most travel insurance plans will consider blood pressure as a pre-existing condition for travel insurance. However the INF insurance offer travel insurance that covers pre-existing conditions ranging including Blood pressure. The INF Premier & INF Elite travel insurance for preexisting conditions are two INF plans with coverage for blood pressure.
Mental and Nervous disorders, maternity and new born care, preventive care, chronic illness which cannot be cured, for instance, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, pre-existing conditions except for sudden recurrence of the pre-existing conditions are some of the medical conditions that the travel insurance completely excludes from coverage.
Most US short term travel medical insurance plans do not ask specific questions about the pre-existing conditions. US travel medical insurance typically provide little or no visitors insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions, and details of the visitors health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions is clearly mentioned in the policy brochure.
To help customers, we at American Visitor Insurance ask customer about coverage for pre-existing conditions requirement. Based on customer needs, we list the best visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions coverage or for acute onset of pre-existing conditions coverage. This way it is easier for customers to view the best visitors medical insurance for pre-existing conditions.
Popular pre-existing conditions for visitors to the USA plans which have coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Read more »Compare pre-existing conditions insurance plans for US visitors and buy the best plan.
Read more »Insurance Coverage for older travelers with Pre-existing Conditions.
Read more »Best of the Best Coverage for Pre-existing Medical Conditions.
Read more »Pre-existing condition travel insurance resources
Choose travel insurance with pre existing conditions plan options while outside your home country.
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