Qualifying for Travel Insurance

Do I qualify for Travel Insurance?

When taking out Travel Insurance, it is important that read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to understand what is and is not covered should something go wrong on your holiday.

As Travel Insurance is here to cover you in case of the unforeseen and the unexpected, we issue policies with benefits, inclusions and exclusions.

Some qualifiers include but are not limited to:

• Your residential status
• Your age
• Where you are travelling to
• Your existing medical conditions
• Your duty to take reasonable care to answer the questions that we ask you honestly, accurately and completely.

Cover is only available if you fulfill the below requirements:

For Australian citizens and permanent residents of Australia:

• You currently reside in Australia; and
• You hold a valid Australian Medicare card beyond the period of your policy; and
• You purchase your policy before you commence your trip or you satisfy all of the requirements for purchasing a policy while you are already overseas; and
• Your trip starts and ends in Australia;
• You are under 90 years of age (but age limits will vary depending on the type of policy chosen and what cover is required); and
• You meet any other eligibility criteria we apply in the application process. 

For temporary residents of Australia: 

• You are a non-permanent resident who holds a valid Medicare card or are covered by an Australian Private Health Insurance policy that satisfies the government health insurance requirements for your visa type and remains valid beyond the period of your policy; and
• Your visa remains valid beyond the period of your return; and
• You have a home in Australia to which you intend to return; and
• Your trip starts and ends in Australia; and
• You hold a return ticket to Australia; and
• You are under 90 years of age (but age limits will vary depending on the type of policy chosen and what cover is required);
• You meet any other eligibility criteria we apply in the application process.

For all travellers on this policy:

• In the event of a medical repatriation from overseas, we will return you to Australia.
• Medical expenses incurred once you have returned to Australia are not covered on this policy.
• It is therefore important that you ensure you have access to long term medical care in Australia

Can I still get Travel Insurance if I’m Already Overseas?

If you left Australia without travel insurance or if your travel insurance policy has expired (even if it was issued by another insurer), we may be able to help.   

You may be able to purchase a Standard Saver, Comprehensive or a Snow Sport Plus policy if you are already overseas at the time you purchase the policy, provided you meet all of the following requirements: 

• You have been overseas for less than 14 days, or have been insured under a travel insurance policy since you left Australia that is current or has been expired for no more than 14 days; and 
• You are an Australian citizen or permanent resident normally residing in Australia. Individuals on an Australian temporary resident visa including those on a working holiday visa or temporary visitors including those on a tourist visa, are not eligible to purchase this policy after departing Australia; and 
• You hold a valid Australian Medicare card; and 
• You have a home to which you intend to return; and 
• Your trip ends in Australia; and 
• You are aged 65 years and under at time of purchase; and 
• You declare to us at the time of purchase that you are already overseas; and 
• We agree to issue you a policy and specify your status as already overseas in the certificate of insurance. 

Our Basics Policy and Frequent Traveller Saver Policy are not eligible for purchase under any circumstance if you are already overseas.

Policies purchased while you are already overseas are subject to:

• A 48-hour no-cover period which applies to all benefits (there is no cover under any section of the policy for any event that arises within the first 48 hours of purchasing your policy).
• A $500 excess for all claims, except where the benefit excess if already $0.
• The other applicable policy terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of cover described in this PDS.

Does a pre-existing medical condition count as a qualifier for Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance policies provide cover for unexpected sudden sicknesses illnesses or injuries. However, we may be able to provide you with cover for your existing medical conditions (other insurers may refer to these as ‘pre-existing medical conditions’) if you complete a medical screening when you apply for cover. Anyone listed on your policy, including dependants travelling with you, will also be required to complete a medical screening if they have an existing medical condition and want to apply for cover for the medical condition.

If you are buying travel insurance with Fast Cover, and you require cover for existing medical conditions, it’s important for you to know:

• the medical conditions that you have had for the 3 years prior to your policy issue date, and/or
• any changes in your health that you experience after you buy your policy, up until the date that you commence your trip.

What is a medical condition?

At Fast Cover, we consider a medical condition to mean any bodily or physical injury, physical defect, illness, disease or other medical or dental condition or sign or symptom of these things that you (including your dependants and anyone listed on your certificate of insurance):

• required prescription medication for or has been prescribed medication from a medical practitioner in writing for,
• sought or received medical advice from a medical practitioner or other health care professional for,
• have had tests, investigations, care, treatment or medical attention including surgery for,
• have been admitted to hospital for (including emergency department or day surgery procedure), or
• became aware of or which a reasonable person in the circumstances would have been aware of.

These also include but are not limited to:

• the suffering or treatment of mental illness,
• a brain, heart (such as any cardiovascular or coronary heart disease or any condition related to a heart or blood vessels), kidney, liver, respiratory, circulatory (such as high blood pressure, stroke, or transient ischaemic attack), cancer or cancerous condition,
• reduced or deficient immune system,
• a sign or symptom of the above matters, or
• an allergy or food intolerance,
• a persistent and lasting health condition such as constant pain or long-suffering pain or pain with a pattern of relapse and remission, or
• any conditions related to previous and current pregnancy as detailed in “What is a Pregnancy Condition” and “Pregnancy Cover” in the PDS.

Pregnancy

What cover is available if I am pregnant?

Pregnancy is not considered a medical condition.

Cover is available for your pregnancy if you experience unexpected serious complications of pregnancy and childbirth that occur:

• Up to the end of the 23rd week of pregnancy if you are pregnant with a single child; or
• Up to the 19th week of pregnancy if you are pregnant with twins or multiple children.

However, if you have a pregnancy condition, which we describe in the next section, you may need to do a medical screening.

Do I need to do a medical screening if I am pregnant?

If you’re pregnant, you must complete a medical screening if you have a pregnancy condition at the time that you buy your policy, and/or up until the date of your departure of your trip.

We consider a pregnancy condition to be when:

• you‘re experiencing pregnancy complications that fall within our definition of Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth (as described below);
• you experienced complications with any previous pregnancy that fall within the definition of Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth (as described below), or
• you are having multiple children (twins, triplets or more), or
• your conception was medically assisted (such as IVF or hormone therapy).

Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth means: 

Any condition you have been diagnosed with or treated for in the past or any secondary diagnosis, occurring prior to, during the course of, concurrent with, or as a result of the pregnancy, which may adversely affect the pregnancy outcome including but not limited to the following: 

• Toxemia (toxins in the blood) 
• Gestational diabetes (diabetes arising because of pregnancy) 
• Gestational hypertension (high blood pressure arising because of pregnancy) 
• Gre-eclampsia (where you develop high blood pressure, carry abnormal fluid and have protein in your urine during the second half of pregnancy) 
• Ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy that develops outside of the uterus) 
• Molar pregnancy or hydatidiform mole (a pregnancy in which a tumour develops from the placental tissue) 
• Post-partum haemorrhage (excessive bleeding following childbirth) 
• Retained placenta membrane (part or all the placenta is left behind in the uterus after delivery) 
• Placental abruption (part or all the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus) 
• Hyperemesis gravidarum (excessive vomiting because of pregnancy) 
• Placenta previa (when the placenta is in the lower part of the uterus and covers part or all the cervix) 
• Stillbirth 
• Miscarriage 
• Emergency caesarean section
• A termination needed for medical reasons 

Exclusions relating to claims arising from all pregnancies.

Regardless of whether or not you have a pregnancy condition, or your pregnancy condition is listed as covered on your certificate of insurance, the following situations can’t be covered under your policy:

• Childbirth unless it is due to the listed Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth (as described above), that either it is listed on your certificate of insurance as a covered condition, or you have been diagnosed for these complications during your trip, or
• The health or care of a newborn child whatever the cause of the claim is (if you deliver overseas for any reason, including premature birth, there is no cover for costs related to caring for the child or children) or
• Antenatal care, including medications and vitamins.
• Your pregnancy or the pregnancy of any other person after the end of the:
  • 23rd week of pregnancy with a single child; or
  • 19th week of pregnancy with twins or multiple children.

Another thing to remember…

You have a duty to answer any questions that we ask you honestly, accurately and completely. If we find that you are not an Australian resident or do not satisfy our eligibility requirements set out in our PDS as noted above, to the extent permissible by law, we may enforce our rights under the Insurance Contracts Act, which may negatively impact your policy and/or claim, including cancellation of your policy or denial of your claim.

If you’re unsure about whether you qualify, please give us a call on 1300 409 322 or email us on enquiries@fastcover.com.au and our friendly Customer Service Specialists will be happy to help. Always read the Product Disclosure Statement to ensure you understand your duties and the product you are purchasing. Please also check with us for any travel  alerts before you travel.

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