Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions

Hi there, A friend has osteoarthritis in the knee and a meniscus problem, treated with regular injections. Do you know of any insurance companies that cover pre-existing conditions in case their knee locks up in Africa? Thanks a bunch!

hi Odilji

Did you ask your insurer? They should be able to answer you. I always take out repatriation insurance when I go to Africa, but if your friend is afraid of getting stuck, maybe it’s not a good idea to go? (I have the same issue—when my knee locks up, I unlock it myself. It hurts, but it works.)

Yes, no insurance company will cover me.

It’s just a concern. How do you handle it, and do you wear knee pads? Have a great day

Hi Odilji, when my knee locks up—usually when I’m sitting or my knee is bent—it takes my breath away, but I don’t have a choice. I grab my foot, pull, and unlock my knee. I no longer wear a knee brace because the three surgeons I saw in the past told me it reduced muscle mass. The last doctor I saw confirmed one thing: move, you’ve got to move as much as possible. Hope you can make your planned trip without too many issues.

Hello, A friend has osteoarthritis in the knee and a meniscus problem, treated with regular injections. Do you know of any insurance companies that cover pre-existing conditions in case of a knee lock-up in Africa? Thanks a million!

Hello, The best thing to do is indeed to check with your insurance or mutual health fund (sometimes the insurance from Visa cards if you pay for the trip with it). My mom was repatriated from Cape Verde after a serious fall with exceptional coverage from Maif: all expenses in Cape Verde + medical flight for evacuation to Dakar, care at the clinic in Dakar and my hotel nights with my dad, then an Air France business class flight back to France and an ambulance all the way home, etc. Everyone was very kind and efficient everywhere.

Now, for a "more chronic condition," I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them, but normally, if you’re well insured, it should be covered if you’re treated here.

But if your friend’s knee locks up here in Cape Verde, insurance or not, they probably won’t be able to administer the injections. He’ll need to rest and likely wait for the return flight.

Good evening,

A few months ago, right here, I dug up a passage from the medical assistance and repatriation terms of credit cards that mentioned the key point was not having been hospitalized for the condition in question within the last 6 months, I think. Also, I’m tired of explaining that medical assistance and repatriation coverage is tied to holding the card—not at all to whether you paid with it ;) – French bank.

Michel