Travel Insurance for cancer patients in Australia

Will travel insurance brands cover cancer patients?

Yes - most travel insurance providers will cover people with cancer, or who have had cancer before. However, there are some differences between brands, and your condition may impact your premiums.

To get cover, use the tool below to compare and decide on a travel insurance product. Once you've clicked through to a provider and are signing up, you'll be asked to put in the details of any pre-existing conditions you have. Once you've put all the details in, you'll be given a new quote, than will likely be slightly higher.

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Specialist vs non-specialist insurers

Typically, there are two types of insurers to consider when you've got a complex pre-existing condition like cancer. Specialist insurers, and non-specialist insurers.

Specialist insurers

Brands like All Clear Travel Insurance specialise in medical travel insurance and are more likely to offer comprehensive cover, albeit for higher premiums. All Clear considers travellers at all stages of cancer for a range of cancer types including bowel cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma and prostate cancer.

In some cases, it will also provide cover for people with terminal conditions, so long as your prognosis is for six months or more, a doctor says you're "fit" to travel and your transport provider agrees to take you.

Non-specialist travel insurer

Most travel insurers outside of the specialist market fall into one of two categories; those that will provide travel insurance and cover cancer, and those that will provide travel insurance, but will not cover anything related to cancer.

For those that will cover incidents related to the cancer itself, cover is normally conditional based on the following:

• A medical assessment or declaration that determines that you’re fit to travel.
• Whether you’re in remission and how long that has been the case (6 to 12 months is often a minimum requirement).
• Whether you’re currently receiving treatment (in which case cover will usually not be provided).

Then, there are brands that won't provide any cover for claims arising from cancer. While these insurers won't cover you for your pre-existing condition they may still provide travel insurance that excludes your condition.

While any claim related to your pre-existing condition is not claimable, the policy still covers everything else. For example, if you were walking down the street and you were hit by a car, the policy would cover your medical costs because it’s unrelated to your cancer.

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Do travel insurance providers need to know I've had cancer?

Yes, it's essential to disclose your cancer to your insurer that you have had cancer at the time of applying for your policy.

If you have had cancer at any time in your life, it is considered a pre-existing medical condition. Letting them know ahead of time will save you the hassle (and, potentially, a lot of money) later on should something go wrong.

Insurers generally have a list of pre-existing conditions they automatically cover in their product disclosure statement (PDS). Cancer isn't usually included, so if you're seeking the maximum insurance then you'll want to look for special cover where available.

Are insurers allowed to discriminate on a cancer diagnosis?

In general, insurers are not allowed to discriminate against people with cancer under Australian law. However, according to the Cancer Council of Victoria:

“An exemption under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 allows insurers to refuse insurance or change the terms of an insurance policy for a person affected by cancer so long as this decision is supported by statistical or actuarial data or other reasonable evidence.”

Basically, insurance has a general exemption that allows cover providers to charge more or not offer cover for certain conditions.

What happens if the insurer won’t give me cover?

If you can't get cover for a pre-existing condition like cancer, you should still be able to get travel insurance. However, you won't be able to make any claims that are related to that pre-existing condition. However, in some cases, your pre-existing condition could mean a brand won't insure you at all.

Your options here are fiarly limited. Either you can take the cover that you are offered, with an exclusion for cancer for example, or you can look at another insurer.

What will I be asked for on my medical questionnaire?

The medical questionnaire varies between insurers but you can expect to be asked:

Outside of these general questions you may also be asked more specific questions related to a particular type of cancer and also to provide supporting documentation from your treating physician.

Tips for travelling with cancer-related medical conditions

Cancer treatments can compromise your immune system, so you will need to take special precautions when travelling. These include:

• Keeping your medication close by (in your carry-on luggage, not under the plane).
• Carrying a letter from your doctor detailing your condition.
• Practising good hygiene including regularly washing hands and only drinking bottled water.
• Being sun smart, as chemotherapy and radiation make you more sensitive to UV rays.
• Ensuring plenty of downtime between activities, as you may feel fatigued more often.

Written by

Richard Laycock

Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio