Please Note - If you are cruising around Australia you need to select Pacific.
With Regions, variances can apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East.
You are not required to enter stop-over countries if your stop-over is less than 48 hours.
Whether you're recovering from your latest round of chemotherapy, need a bit of R&R or are celebrating an ‘all clear’ cancer prognosis, a holiday can be just the ticket.
However, finding travel insurance when you have cancer can be tricky!
Whilst most policies will usually cover pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma and osteoporosis; conditions like cancer, mental illness and heart conditions are more commonly not covered.
The general rule of thumb is that insurers do not cover conditions that already exist before your trip and many will require a medical evaluation before they give the ok. Additionally, most policies WILL NOT cover cancer due to the heightened risk that sufferers may fall ill, cancel their holiday, or cut their trip short.
The travel insurance industry has heard you and is responding. Up until recently, finding travel insurance that covered cancer was an exercise in frustration. However, there are now a few insurers that have added certain cancers to their list of conditions covered following assessment.
Insurers such as Covermore (underwritten by Zurich) may cover a range of cancers including breast, prostate, kidney, bowel, brain and skin cancer. Additionally, AAMI (underwritten by Suncorp) may insure travellers with breast or prostate cancer (under certain conditions).
It’s important to note that certain conditions will always apply to cancer cover. Although we've highlighted some important terms below, be sure to chat to your provider before you buy.
• Covermore will cover skin cancer, providing your skin cancer isn't melanoma, you haven't had chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this condition, and your skin cancer does not require follow up treatment e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy or further excision.
• Citibank and AAMI will only cover prostate cancer if you have a Gleason Score P.S.A. (prostate specific antigen) of 3.0 or less.
• AAMI may cover travellers with breast cancer and prostate cancer provided they had received their diagnosis and treatment over 12 months ago, have not had any chemotherapy or radiotherapy
in the 12 months before applying for cover and the cancer has not spread beyond the breast or prostate at any time.
• Trip duration can also be a factor when you’re purchasing cancer cover.
If you're struggling to find cover you may have luck with travel insurer AllClear. This specialist medical travel insurance provider offers comprehensive cover. Any medical condition is considered, and they can offer cover for any age.
Remember you can still buy normal travel insurance with pre-existing conditions - but it just means you may not be covered for any claims related to, exacerbated by, or arising from that pre-existing medical condition without prior approval.
Although your health is top priority (especially now) there are other huge factors that make travel insurance a must for all travellers. Although most insurers won’t list cancer as a covered illness, they will still cover the following and more.
Note: Even if your insurer will not cover cancer you may still take out insurance to cover other health and travel-related issues. However, if you are currently receiving medical treatment or have a shortened life expectancy, things get a little complicated. Under these circumstances you will most likely not find health cover for anything cancer-related, including cancelled or delayed flights due to illness or treatment and medical costs while overseas.
Travelling with a compromised immune system means taking greater care and minimising your risks whilst on-the-go. The following tips will help keep you in good nick whilst you’re away:
Having cancer shouldn’t deter you from taking that long-awaited holiday. Once you’ve researched your options, spoken to your insurance provider and taken all the necessary precautions there’s nothing left to do but focus on enjoying your trip. Have fun!
If you’re over 50, finding travel insurance can be a daunting task. Need help? We’ve put together a clear and comprehensive guide to seniors travel insurance to clear up any grey areas.
General Advice Warning: The contents of this article were accurate at the time of writing. Insurers change their policies from time to time, so some information may have changed. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement of your chosen insurer to understand what is covered and what isn't. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your personal circumstances.
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With a research and journalism background, and certified in Tier 2 General Insurance General Advice, Crystal is passionate about investigating customers’ tricky travel questions and helping them find the answers they’re looking for. A writer and filmmaker whose favourite trips have been to film festivals in Cuba and South Korea, and campervanning around the USA, she loves getting to know new people and seeing a glimpse of the world through their eyes.
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