Is there travel insurance for someone who's had a heart attack?

Hi there, Does anyone know if there’s travel insurance for someone who’s had a heart attack? I can’t find an insurer that covers a pre-existing condition, even if it’s stable. Thanks so much!

Unfortunately, no. Any pre-existing condition is automatically excluded from insurance policies.

Hello,

It all depends on what we're talking about—you can't generalize like that. Emergency repatriation, trip cancellation insurance—these are different things, different contracts, different conditions. It’s entirely possible to be covered, for example, for medical assistance and repatriation, subject to the terms of your card.

On the terms of one of mine, I read: “Pre-existing Illnesses and/or Injuries diagnosed and/or treated that resulted in continuous hospitalization, day hospitalization, or outpatient hospitalization within the 6 months prior to any claim, whether it’s the manifestation or worsening of said condition” are excluded.

It’s false to say that having had a heart attack automatically excludes you from coverage under medical assistance and repatriation—it depends on the conditions and after a certain waiting period. The other types of coverage should be similar.

Michel

I can't find an insurer that covers a pre-existing condition even if it's stabilized

Evening! A heart attack isn’t a chronic condition. Someone who’s had one might have another—or they might not. And it could happen to anyone.

Hi, It’s tricky because a lot of insurers exclude pre-existing heart conditions. However, some will cover you if your condition has been stable for a while. Your best bet is often to go through a broker or check with your bank to see if your card includes travel insurance. Sometimes a certificate from your cardiologist can also help show that your situation is stable.

Thanks for your reply! Sorry for the delay in thanking you. Just so you know, the dozen or so insurance companies I contacted gave responses similar to the one below:

"We inform you that pre-existing conditions that resulted in hospitalization within the 6 months prior to the travel departure date are part of the exclusions in the contract. If no continuous hospitalization occurred during the last six months and subject to the agreement of our assistance team and the regulating doctor, coverage might be possible. If needed while abroad, you’ll have to contact the assistance team at the number indicated on your insurance documents to confirm coverage. Regarding existing medical treatments, these are not covered by our insurance guarantees." Best regards,

Thanks for your reply! Sorry for the delay in thanking you. Just so you know, the dozen or so insurance companies I contacted gave responses similar to the one below:

"We inform you that pre-existing conditions that resulted in hospitalization within the 6 months prior to the travel departure date are part of the exclusions in the contract. If no continuous hospitalization occurred during the last six months and subject to the approval of our assistance team and the regulating doctor, coverage might be possible. If needed while abroad, you’ll have to contact the assistance team at the number indicated on your insurance documents to confirm coverage. Regarding existing medical treatments, these are not covered by our insurance guarantees." Best regards,

"subject to approval from our assistance team and the regulating doctor,"

That’s scary!

The 6-month rule makes sense. Beyond that, insurers shouldn’t be allowed to refuse coverage. It feels a bit too convenient, if you ask me. Insurance companies, right...