Best Trip Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

1. I booked part of my vacation, but not the main flight. I would like to buy insurance within the pre-existing condition exclusion waiver period. Should I wait till the flight is booked?

You can certainly purchase the travel insurance right away. You should however include the cost of your airline tickets in the trip cost. If you can find out what the price of the tickets will be before purchasing them, you can include that amount in the total trip cost. If not, an estimate will have to do. Otherwise, buy the policy now with the costs expended to date and contact us at info @ americanvisitorinsurance.com when you make your other arrangements and we will have the policy corrected to reflect the change. If there is any additional premium as a result of the change, it will be charged at that time. Be sure you do this within the 7 - 21 day purchase requirement (depends on company) in order to comply with the pre-existing condition waiver requirements.

2. I currently am on medication for high blood pressure? Is this considered a Pre-Existing Medical Condition?

If your medication is controlled and you see a Doctor for routine checkups, this would not be considered a pre-existing condition. It would only be considered a pre-existing condition if your Doctor altered your medication, had a test done, requested that a test be done, or changed your diagnosis.

3. What does it mean to have the Pre-Existing Conditions waived if insurance bought within 'x' days from the first trip payment?

This means you will have coverage for a pre-existing condition if you need to cancel/interrupt your trip. You get this by purchasing the policy within 'x' days the company requires (this varies for different companies), after the first payment towards your trip is made.

4. Does the Pre-Existing Condition period apply if I bought the insurance within the required time frame and do I qualify for the Pre-Existing Condition Waiver?

No, this does not apply to a policy purchased within the required time frame. A detailed explanation of eligibility requirements and benefits is available in our guide on Pre-Existing Condition Waiver travel insurance.

5. What does full coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions mean?

INF plans boast they offer "full" coverage for pre-existing conditions. This can be a little misleading. Firstly, any regular treatment or medication that is required by the condition is never covered. The main advantage to the INF Elite and INF Premier is that they cover sudden illness/injury regardless of whether it is pre-existing or not. The only difference is that a pre-existing condition will be covered with a higher deductible at at a lower maximum than any other "new" illness or injury. However, coverage is not limited to an emergency or life-threatening situation.

6. What does "acute onset of pre-existing conditions" mean?

The "Acute Onset of a Pre-Existing Condition" is a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a pre-existing medical condition which occurs without any advance warning either in the form of physician recommendations or symptoms and requires immediate care (within 24 hours of first symptoms). A Pre-Existing Condition that is a chronic or congenital condition or that gradually becomes worse over time will not be considered acute onset.

The acute onset coverage benefit 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. An example of this might be someone who has a food allergy or bee allergy and is unknowingly exposed to their allergen and requires immediate medical attention.

7. How do you handle international travel medical insurance for pre-existing chronic conditions?

Visitor travel health insurance plans generally do not cover routine or ongoing treatment for chronic medical conditions. For example, if a traveler regularly takes prescription medication or requires treatments such as dialysis, these costs must usually be paid out of pocket and should be considered when planning the trip budget.

If medications are lost or stolen during travel, the traveler may need to visit a doctor to obtain a new prescription and then purchase the medication at a pharmacy. These expenses are also typically the responsibility of the traveler.

However, some visitor insurance plans may provide limited coverage for the sudden and unexpected flare-up of a pre-existing condition, often referred to as acute onset of a pre-existing condition. Travelers who need this type of protection can review available visitor insurance plans with pre-existing condition coverage at American Visitor Insurance.

These plans usually have specific requirements. They must be purchased before travel begins, often require a minimum coverage period (such as 90 days), and are typically designed for travelers visiting the United States (sometimes including Canada and Mexico).

8. What do I need to purchase travel insurance plan online?

To purchase travel insurance on American Visitor Insurance, you need:

• Traveler names and dates of birth
• Travel dates
• Destination country or region
• Total trip cost per person (required for trip cancellation coverage, not needed for travel medical-only plans)
• Contact details such as email and phone number

The entire process usually takes only a few minutes.