Backpacking and Insurance with Type 1

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Adam3793

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hi,
I have been planning a long term trip for a few years now and it is finally getting very close to the time I leave, I am going to Australia for approx 12 months and then onto south east Asia for 6 months and with only a few weeks left until I fly out there I am sorting out the last few bits, including travel insurance.
I thought this was going to be the easy bit but apparently not, all of the insurance companies do not cover existing medical conditions, can any one recommend a company or does anyone have any hints and tips on this subject?
It would also be great to hear from people who have been backpacking with type 1 diabetes because whenever I mention it people tend to pull a face as if to say I am mad!
 
Travel insurance isn’t really geared up to long term absence from the Uk, there are normally limits on how many days you can be abroad for, even if you haven’t got pre-existing medical conditions. Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, so you are entitled to the same medical care as an Australian citizen would get. (ie, not necessarily what you’d get under the NHS). Not sure what you can do about the time you are in transit getting there, or your 6 months in Asia.
 
Have you tried googling 'gap year travel insurance'? Companies come up on that that claim to offer cover for 18 months, and for pre-existing conditions.
 
Robin said:
Travel insurance isn’t really geared up to long term absence from the Uk, there are normally limits on how many days you can be abroad for, even if you haven’t got pre-existing medical conditions. Australia has a reciprocal health agreement with the UK, so you are entitled to the same medical care as an Australian citizen would get. (ie, not necessarily what you’d get under the NHS). Not sure what you can do about the time you are in transit getting there, or your 6 months in Asia.
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I had heard something along those lines but that was more regarding my prescriptions and how to get them while I was out there, that is very helpful though, the only thing that is confusing then is that they will insure me and my partner for that amount of time and the level of cover is good although when you get into the fine print it says they do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, so would you say that seeing as we are travelling to Australia you wouldn't worry about getting insurance? and in regard to Asia that is something we have to worry about when our time in Australia is coming to a close as we are not sure where and when we will land as of yet.
 
Adam3793 said:
I had heard something along those lines but that was more regarding my prescriptions and how to get them while I was out there, that is very helpful though, the only thing that is confusing then is that they will insure me and my partner for that amount of time and the level of cover is good although when you get into the fine print it says they do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, so would you say that seeing as we are travelling to Australia you wouldn't worry about getting insurance? and in regard to Asia that is something we have to worry about when our time in Australia is coming to a close as we are not sure where and when we will land as of yet.
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I'd certainly try and get insurance, but you may find that the policy says that you need to use the local medical facilities under the reciprocal arrangement, rather than claiming straight way on the insurance. The one I just looked at, which happened to be Insure and Go Backpacker insurance says that they 'consider' people with medical conditions. But 'considering' them and actually insuring them, may be two different things!
 
Hi Adam and welcome. Not quite the same but I’m going travelling next week around Europe for 5/6 weeks. I had hoped to get an annual travel policy but as @Robin says they only cover you for a certain amount of days for being out of the country ie 30 days, so it was better for me to just buy 6 weeks insurance. Back in the day when I was a travel agent I sold travel insurance and @Robin is correct again, you will have to attend the “ local” clinics, if you go to a private hospital, for example, your insurance possibly wouldn’t pay out. As for being diabetic I just googled “pre existing medical conditions travel insurance” there’s loads. I haven’t any complications so it was quite straight forward for me, but if you have been in hospital or have had or have any complications, there will be lots of questions to answer. If I were you I would call them rather than doing it online if that’s the case just to ensure you have the correct cover. Believe you me, I have heard horror stories about under insured travellers that would make your hair curl. It’s not worth cutting corners on travel insurance. So after that lecture, I would like to say have an amazing time and don’t let anything like diabetes stop you doing whatever you want. I don’t. 🙂
 
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