Is High Cholesterol a Pre-existing Medical Condition?
What is a pre-existing medical condition?
Pre-existing conditions are defined as an illness or injury that exists before or at the time of taking out travel insurance.
Travel insurance: Is high cholesterol a pre-existing condition?
High cholesterol as diagnosed by a physician is considered to be a pre-existing medical condition by most - if not all - travel insurers.
Ensure you tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions before you take out the policy.
What is high cholesterol?
The term 'high cholesterol' - or 'Hypercholesterolemia' - refers to a medical condition where a person has elevated levels of so-called 'bad cholesterol'.
'Bad cholesterol' refers to non-high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) and low-density lipoproteins (LDLs). High levels of these might be caused by genetic predisposal, diet, obesity, type 2 diabetes or an underactive thyroid.
High cholesterol can result in plaque lining arteries which can then become narrowed or blocked, potentially causing heart attacks or strokes.
Is high cholesterol considered heart disease for insurance?
Saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease.
As saturated fat increases the bad cholesterol in the blood (high cholesterol), high cholesterol can be an indicator for heart disease, which also indicates a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
What about travel insurance for high cholesterol?
Given the potentially serious nature of high cholesterol, most, if not all, travel insurers regard high cholesterol as a pre-existing condition - assuming it has been diagnosed by a physician.
What counts as a high level of cholesterol in your blood depends upon your doctor’s opinion. Whether your cholesterol level is considered dangerous for your body will depend a lot on your overall risk of heart disease,
If you are in any doubt as to whether you have high cholesterol, consult your doctor.
Can you get travel insurance for high blood pressure?
Yes, many travel insurance providers will offer policies that cover high blood pressure.
Start Travel’s travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions cover a range of conditions such as:
- Heart Conditions, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Asthma and respiratory problems
- Chronic illnesses such as cancer and Crohn's disease
- Joint and bone problems
What medical conditions do you have to declare for travel insurance?
You must tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions - including diagnosed high cholesterol.
If you fail to inform your insurer of any pre-existing medical conditions and you need to make a medical claim while overseas, your coverage may be deemed invalid.
Will I get travel insurance for my pre-existing condition?
Each travel insurance provider has their own criteria as regards who they will and will not cover.
At Start Travel we offer travel insurance cover for a range of medical conditions. Find out more about our travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions.
When should I tell the travel insurance company about my pre-existing condition?
Ensure you tell your insurer about any relevant conditions BEFORE you take out your policy.
If in any doubt as to whether your pre-existing medical condition will be covered, call or email your prospective insurer before paying the premium.
What if I don’t declare a pre-existing medical condition?
It is very important to declare any pre-existing medical conditions to your travel insurance provider.
If you choose not to declare a pre-existing medical condition, you won’t be covered under your travel insurance, for anything that arises from, is related to, or has been caused by a pre-existing condition.
This could leave you facing high medical and/or repatriation bills, which may have otherwise been covered by your travel insurer.
Being protected with high-quality travel insurance is especially important if you have a pre-existing medical condition - since it helps to ensure you receive the right medical attention should the need arise.
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