Existing Medical Conditions

When buying travel insurance, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered – especially if you have existing medical conditions.

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Travelling with existing medical conditions.

At TID we believe in continually improving our products and services so that you can focus on the fun. In recent years, we’ve received feedback from our travellers and staff that understanding the policies around existing medical conditions is difficult, so we’ve simplified it.

Why should I consider travel insurance for my existing medical conditions?

Illness can affect all of us and sometimes there are a lot of complexities arising from a health condition. Your health is important - we know that - which is why we've designed our travel insurance cover for the unexpected illnesses or events that may occur on your trip. If you have an illness or a medical condition requiring a specific type of medication, care or special treatment this might fall under your health insurance or Medicare cover instead.

If you have an existing medical condition at the time you buy your policy, the cover described below is further detailed in the PDS and applies to claims arising from that medical condition. If your condition is not included as automatically covered with TID you will not be covered for any claim arising from that condition, so please read the PDS carefully.

What is an existing medical condition?

An existing medical condition is any medical condition which:

at the time you buy your policy is:
- chronic; or
- displaying symptoms; or
- under investigation; or
- pending follow-up consultation, treatment or surgery; or where these are recommended or planned; or
- metastatic; or
- terminal; or
in the six months prior to the time you buy your policy there has been:
- treatment by a medical practitioner; or
- medication prescribed; or
- surgery.

Automatically accepted conditions

We automatically cover you for over 40 existing medical conditions which may exist at the time you buy your policy. Your medical condition is classified by us as an ‘automatically covered condition’ if it’s listed below, provided that you satisfy all criteria listed for that condition - click each condition to view the criteria. You must read this section together with the General exclusions, as these may affect your cover. 

You haven’t received treatment for your acne from a medical practitioner in the three months prior to buying your policy.  

You follow advice in accordance with your medical practitioner (such as to carry EpiPens, antihistamines/other preventative medication at all times) and, at the time you buy your policy, you: 

have no other known or underlying respiratory conditions or diseases (for example, asthma); and
have not required treatment from a medical practitioner for your allergies in the last six months.

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

are under 60 years of age; 
have no other known or underlying respiratory conditions (including sleep apnoea);
haven’t required cortisone medication, except taken by inhaler or puffer; and
haven’t required hospitalisation for asthma in the last two years, including as an outpatient.

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t required hospitalisation for benign positional vertigo in the last two years, including as an outpatient. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t had surgery for bunions in the last three months and have no surgery planned. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome in the last three months and have no surgery planned. 

At the time you buy your policy, you have no ongoing complications, haven’t had surgery for cataracts in the last three months, and have no surgery planned. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t required hospitalisation for coeliac disease in the last two years, including as an outpatient. 

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

were diagnosed more than six months ago;
haven't had any complications in the last six months;
have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications;
have a blood sugar level reading between 4 and 12 or a HbA1C score of 9% or less; and
have no known cardiovascular/coronary heart disease.

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you have no current ear infection. 

At the time you buy your policy you've: 

no underlying medical conditions (for example, previous head trauma, stroke); 
not changed your medication regime for epilepsy in the last 12 months; and 
not required hospitalisation for epilepsy in the last two years, including as an outpatient.

No criteria apply.

Your gastric reflux doesn’t relate to another underlying diagnosis (examples: hernia or gastric ulcer).

At the time you buy your policy, you have no ongoing complications, haven’t had surgery for glaucoma in the last three months, and have no surgery planned. 

The underlying medical cause excludes tumour. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t received treatment from a medical practitioner for Graves’ disease in the last six months. 

The underlying medical cause excludes tumour. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t had surgery for hiatus hernia in the last six months and have no surgery planned. 

At the time you buy your policy, you have no cardiovascular/coronary heart disease. 

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

you have no known cardiovascular/coronary heart disease; and 
your current blood pressure reading is lower than 165/95.

The underlying medical cause excludes tumour.

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

were diagnosed more than six months ago;
haven't had any complications in the last six months;
have no eye, kidney, nerve or vascular complications;
have a blood sugar level reading between 4 and 12 or a HbA1C score of 9% or less; and
have no known cardiovascular/coronary heart disease.

You have no underlying gastrointestinal or urinary condition. 

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

no known cardiovascular/coronary heart disease; and
not required hospitalisation for insulin resistance in the last two years, including as an outpatient.

No criteria apply.

You haven’t required hospitalisation for migraines in the two years prior to buying your policy, including as an outpatient. 

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

haven't had any fractures;
don't require more than one medication for this condition; and
have no other conditions involving the neck or back.

No criteria apply.

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t had surgery for plantar fasciitis in the last three months, and have no surgery planned. 

At the time you buy your policy, you haven’t required treatment by a medical practitioner for Raynaud’s disease in the last six months. 

At the time you buy your policy, you: 

have no other known or underlying respiratory conditions (including Asthma); and
haven't required hospitalisation for sleep apnoea in the last two years, including as an outpatient.

Your condition has been confirmed as benign.

You haven’t required treatment by a medical practitioner for trigeminal neuralgia in six months prior to buying your policy. 

At the time you buy your policy you haven’t had surgery for trigger finger in the last three months, and have no surgery planned. 

No criteria apply.

Existing medical conditions FAQ's

Am I covered for Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronavirus is subject to the same existing medical conditions definition as all medical conditions. Read the PDS for details on coverage. Cover is explained in detail here.

Can I purchase cover for my other existing medical conditions that are not automatically covered?

No, you can’t buy any additional cover. If you have an existing medical condition that’s not listed above as an automatically accepted condition, or you don’t satisfy all criteria for any listed condition, then you can still buy a policy, but you won’t be covered for any claim that arises in relation to the existing medical condition.

What if I develop a medical condition after buying my policy but before I travel?

If you develop a new medical condition (or the symptoms of one) after you buy your policy but before you depart on your trip, you must check with your medical practitioner for written confirmation that you’re fit to travel. If you don’t get your medical practitioner’s written confirmation before you travel, and/or are unfit to travel due to your medical condition, you won’t be covered for any claim that arises either directly or indirectly from that condition if you still travel.

Don’t forget, if you had symptoms of a condition or were undergoing investigations for it at the time you bought your policy, we consider that to be an existing medical condition.

What if an incident happens to a relative related to an existing medical condition?

Cover isn't available to you when your travel plans are interrupted when a close relative is hospitalised or dies unexpectedly in Australia or New Zealand as a result of a sudden illness or serious injury arising from their existing medical condition(s). Refer to the PDS under the Existing Medical Conditions section for information on the cover available when your trip is impacted by someone else’s existing medical condition.

Is travelling while pregnant considered an existing medical condition?

There are certain criteria required for pregnancy cover, we recommend visiting our pregnancy page for information on the cover available when travelling whilst pregnant. Refer to the PDS under the pregnancy section.

Further information.

Please read all policy terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions in the PDS to ensure you understand the cover available, including the sections What’s Covered and What’s Not and the General Exclusions.

If you have any queries regarding existing medical conditions or pregnancy, please contact us on 1300 843 843.