The Importance of the Look Back Period in Your Travel Insurance Policy
As travel arrangements are being prepared, be that for a business trip or for pleasure, it is vital to remember the importance of including the purchase of travel insurance in those plans. While there are a countless number of options in available policies, it is necessary to find the ones that best suit you, the parameters of your trip and the needs of all who will travel with you.
If the traveler has a pre-existing medical condition, they must pay close attention to the details of the look back period when considering the type of travel protection to purchase. The look back period is a fixed amount of time the insurer will look back on to determine if a medical condition has been previously diagnosed. The typical number of days is between 60 and 180 prior to the purchase of the policy, depending on the policy that has been chosen.
A condition that has been previously diagnosed or a pre-existing condition is typically one for which the person has received medical advice and/or medical treatment by a qualified and legally certified physician prior to obtaining insurance for the trip. Thus, when symptoms begin to show signs of changing, for better or worse this would cause the insurer to deny coverage for that pre-existing condition.
However if, for example, the medical condition has not shown any signs of change, has not required any kind of treatment nor needed new medication, no medical treatment was recommended by a legally qualified physician in these 60-180 days, then in most cases, the pre-existing condition exclusion will be waived from the travel insurance policy. The person would be considered medically stable when there have been no symptoms in that 60-180 day look back period, including on the day of purchasing the travel policy.
It is important to note that if the condition is not covered, there will be no coverage for a trip cancellation, trip interruption, or medical expenses for this specific condition unless the insured qualifies for a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver. This waiver would allow for travel protection benefits so that in case the trip was to be disrupted by something related to your pre-existing medical condition or that of a loved-one at home, there would be insurance to cover the need.
Travel insurance is the best and safest option to include with the purchase of a travel package. It will provide peace of mind for both the traveler and the family members who remain at home. Lost medication or the need for emergency medical attention when in an unfamiliar location can be stressful. The expenses could escalate quickly and become financially and emotionally overwhelming in a matter of one or two days without the proper coverage. Make sure you have purchased the right travel policy, have checked for pre-existing medical conditions for yourself, of all those traveling with you and those remaining at home and purchased the necessary waivers. With all that in place, it will be easy to make the final plans and enjoy your journey.