A pre-existing illness is a condition, ailment, injury or diseases for which the insured person is already suffering from before buying the policy. This policy does not cover pre-existing diseases even if:

• The illness had not been treated.
• The illnesses are already treated.
• Medical advice has been sought in the last six months before commencement of the trip abroad.

Generally, pre-existing diseases are excluded from the scope of travel insurance policies. However, there are certain companies (as listed below) which cover pre-existing diseases under a travel insurance plan only in case of life-threatening emergency situations.

List of companies that offer coverage for ped (pre-existing diseases) life-threatening emergency situations.

• Chola ms general insurance Overseas travel insurance policy (covered up to max. $10,000, up to age of 60yrs)
• Tata aig general insurance Overseas travel insurance policy (life threatening up to max $1,500)
• Religare health insurance Overseas travel insurance policy (covered up to age of 80yrs, up to 10% of sum insured)
• Bajaj allianz general insurance assist card plan (covers up to age of 70yrs, max coverage between $300 to $1,000)
• Reliance general insurance  Travel insurance policy (cover up to age of 70yrs, max up to $10,000)
• United india insurance travel insurance policy (cover up to age of 90yrs, max up to 10% of 20% of sum insured to max $25,000 or $50,000)

Life-threatening emergency situations means life saving unforeseen emergency measures, or measures solely designed to relieve acute pain, provided to the insured by the physician or attending doctor for diseases / ailments / injury arising out of pre-existing diseases. 

For such treatments, the insurance company shall pay the cost until the time the insured becomes medically stable or is relieved from acute pain. In the event if there are any further cost involved for the insured to medically stabilize his conditions or to prevent the onset of acute pain would be borne by him.

Even though most of the insurance companies do not cover pre-existing diseases, but they will cover other conditions which are not related to pre-existing conditions. When you buy an insurance or specifically travel insurance the main purpose it to provide protection against unforeseen, unexpected circumstances which might incur heavy losses to the customer. There are circumstances where the individual might be healthy but might face problems due to sudden weather change, allergies to a new place, change of food, cold, fever, flu, food poisoning, snake bites, falling in the snow, etc. Or any other ailments which are not related to pre-existing conditions. Therefore, as we will not know what may happen in future, it is mandatory to buy a travel insurance policy to protect against such possibilities.