International travel insurance is essential when visiting countries with expensive healthcare systems. While travel policies cover emergency hospitalization, they carry a strict exclusion for pre-existing diseases. Hiding a chronic condition during purchase can lead to medical claim rejections abroad.
The Emergency Hospitalization Abroad
A 65-year-old traveler went on a holiday to France. During the trip, the traveler suffered severe kidney pain and was admitted to an emergency ward, requiring dialysis and 4 days of ICU care. The hospital bill reached €13,000 (approximately ₹12 Lakhs). The traveler submitted a cashless request under their international travel policy.
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The Pre-existing Link Rejection
The international TPA investigated the medical history and collected the French hospital's diagnostic reports. The reports showed the kidney failure was a direct complication of long-term diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) that the traveler had been treating in India. Since the traveler had declared 'No Medical History' during travel policy purchase to avoid medical check-ups, the insurer rejected the claim under the pre-existing disease exclusion. The family had to arrange ₹12 Lakhs through personal credit cards.
- Declare all chronic health conditions (such as diabetes, hypertension, or cardiac issues) honestly when buying travel cover.
- Look for specialized travel plans that cover 'Life-threatening Complications of Pre-existing Diseases' up to a sub-limit.
- Verify the cashless network hospitals available at your destination country before departure.
- Keep physical copies of your medical reports and prescriptions in your travel baggage.
