International Travel Insurance for Asthma

How will you handle an Asthma related adverse episode while traveling since you are exposed to triggers when outside your daily routine ? You have to consider that while traveling, One is outside their comfort zone and should prepare for situations where inhalers can be misplaced or not easily accessible. These are important factors to consider whether you are mildly asthmatic or have more severe conditions that require regular medication.

Any insurance that will provide assistance during an Asthma related emergencies is very valuable, especially when you are traveling. Do review the travel insurance options on how it will cover any Asthma related medical emergencies. This can be of huge significance to prevent huge medical bills while traveling far from home. Most travel insurance plans do not cover treatment for preventive care or for regular treatment of an existing medical situation, however some travel insurance plans do cover acute onset of a pre-existing medical condition.

It is important to understand the travel insurance coverage details for pre-existing conditions. It is ideal to buy travel insurance that covers travelers for any acute onset of Asthma while traveling and you need unexpected medication or hospitalization.

Travel insurance is coverage only for unexpected medical expenses while you are on a trip away from home. Some companies offer coverage for what they call "acute onset" of a pre-existing condition (excluding chronic or congenital disorders). This would be a life or life-style threatening situation that cannot wait to be taken care of when the trip is over. It must be "acute" meaning that it came on suddenly and needs to be taken care of quickly (defined as within 24 hours of symptom onset).

A "pre-existing condition" does not necessarily have to have been previously diagnosed. If it is reasonable to assume that this condition started in the patient before the start date of the insurance, then it will be considered pre-existing to the policy. Note that the exclusion for chronic (conditions that worsen over time) and congenital (conditions a person is born with) limit greatly the application of this exception.

If asthma is not considered chronic, then an emergency due to asthma could be covered by a policy which covers at least "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. If a person requires regular medication and/or doctor visits for their asthma, this will NOT be covered and will have to be paid by the insured completely out of pocket.

Note that in the US, the same medications can differ widely in costs depending on the pharmacy you use and some medications (generally generics) for common illnesses can be purchased for $40 per month at the Walmart pharmacy (although there may be long wait times). Also, some drug companies have special "coupons" available online for some of their drugs. There are often "discount cards" available at pharmacies and other stores for prescriptions that are free to use.

These are all resources your visitor can use to avoid paying full price for costly required medications should they run out while they are in the US. Other countries may not require a prescription and may not be as costly to obtain. Having a prescription with you, however, may be a good idea to ease getting the medication and show authorities you are allowed to have it (in the case of regulated substances which can vary country to country).

Absolutely, yes! Travel insurance is meant to cover you in the unlikely event of a sudden illness or accident while you are on your trip. Even if you have a pre-existing condition that complicates treatment, that is not relevant to the coverage for an unexpected illness or injury. Naturally, your pre-existing conditions themselves are excluded from coverage, so you should pack as much medication as you will comfortably need for your trip.

Yes, INF is one company that offers travel insurance for pre-existing conditions. Some other US travel insurance providers offer travel insurance for acute onset of an pre-existing ailment. The INF Elite and INF Premier travel plans provides greater flexibility for coverage of pre-existing conditions.

A. The following travel insurance plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions:

• Atlas travel plan from World trips
• Patriot America Plus from IMG
• Travel Medical Plus from Seven Corners
• Travel Medical Basic plan from Seven Corners
• Safe Travels USA from Trawick International
• Safe Travels USA Comprehensive from Trawick International
• Safe Travels Elite plan from Trawick International
• INF Premier plan from INF
• INF Elite from INF
• Visitor Secure Insurance from World trips

A pre-existing condition is an existing condition/illness that exists at the time of application of the travel insurance, whether or not it has been treated and diagnosed or disclosed to the company, and any of or all of the subsequent complications or consequences related to or resulting from the ailment.