High blood pressure, a common condition affecting 40% of Canadians aged 56 to 65, can impact your travel insurance coverage. This comprehensive article guides you through the implications of hypertension on your insurance and explains how to obtain the best protection for your travels.
Understanding Hypertension and Its Risks
Hypertension is a condition where blood pressure is abnormally high, forcing the heart to work harder. It is often asymptomatic, but it is still a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
How does hypertension affect travel insurance coverage?
When purchasing medical travel insurance, the insurer will ask you to be “stable and controlled” for each of your pre-existing medical conditions in order to be covered in case of a claim. This includes your high blood pressure. Therefore, a new diagnosis of hypertension or a change in your medication for hypertension can have significant repercussions on your travel insurance coverage, since the condition will no longer be “stable and controlled.” (See the definition of “stable and controlled” in the insurance policy. Please note: the insurer’s definition often differs from your doctor’s.)
The required stability period before departure varies depending on the age of the insured person:
- A person aged 69 or younger must have been stable and controlled for a minimum period of 3 months before their departure date.
- A person aged 70 or older must have been stable and controlled for a minimum period of 6 months before their departure date.
However, you may be eligible for a stability requirement of only 2 months… or even 30 days!
Our policy has the following exception:
Exception: Two (2) months of stability before the departure date.
Finally, if you have had any changes to your high blood pressure condition but at least 30 days of stability before departure, you may consider our Reduced Stability Period option.
Contact your representative or one of our agents for more information: 1-800-268-9633*
*Please note that, in the event of any discrepancy between this article and your insurance policy, the latter prevails.
