Cheap insurance is abundant for most of us in our first few decades in youthful health. But as time goes on and we start to develop various ailments, medical travel insurance can become more problematic.
Some medical conditions will of course have a significant impact on travel insurance premiums because of the increased likelihood of having to get medical help abroad. While this may not be much for European holidays with hospitals nearby and simple pricing structures, the potential need for an air ambulance to a cruise ship or a spell in a US hospital where fees are inflated by the health insurance system can make travel insurance unaffordable.
For that reason, many travellers do not disclose medical conditions when buying travel insurance, or only disclose those that don’t hike the premium too much. This could be very dangerous as the insurance would then be invalid for any claims arising from undisclosed conditions and so the traveller would have to pay the bills. Again, this could be anything from a brief night in a French hospital to a helicopter ride to a US hospital from a Caribbean cruise.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) says the average cost for one air ambulance flight in the US is between $12,000 and $25,000.
