What Does Medically Stable Mean?

Medically Stable means that the person (traveler, traveling companion or non-traveling family member) with the Pre-Existing Medical Condition has to be in a state where any changes are neither foreseen nor expected that could cause that person to "take a turn for the worse".

Having said this, you need to know there's one company that doesn't require a non-traveling family member to be Medically Stable when you buy their plan within its 14 day pre-existing medical condition waiver deadline: Travel Insured. Travel Insured requires the insured travelers to be Medically Stable. Its policy says "the Insured must be medically able to travel when they pay their premium".

In addition, Travel Safe will cover stable pre-existing medical conditions on family members who are not scheduled or booked to travel with you even if you're past Travel Safe's 14 day pre-existing medical condition waiver deadline.

In other words, if you have non-traveling family members you are worried about, be sure to get your Travel Insured policy within its 14 day deadline and follow its other Pre-existing Medical Condition rules.

Travel insurance covers specific unexpected / unforeseen events. If something happens that was expected which results in a claim, your claim will not be paid.

Medically Stable includes the idea that nothing is foreseen or expected to "be a turn for the worse". In other words, if you're given a week to live (yet medically able to travel) and you want to buy travel insurance for a cruise next month, you can't cover the Pre-Existing Medical Condition. It's like wanting to buy Fire Insurance when your house is on fire.

For example, Travelex says "Medically Fit implies assessment by a physician who advises that there is no medical condition/illness that would likely interfere with upcoming covered travel plans." You cannot get any clearer than that.

A cynic might say, "Any insurance company will always turn down any claim". I can't speak for all insurance companies, but the travel insurance companies we offer all have claim departments staffed by people. You are not dealing with a computer-based algorithm. You are working with real human beings who have a heart and want to help you.

As you look and call around, you will find a wide range of advice & opinions as to what exactly it means to be Medically Stable. In order to better explain this, there are a few concepts that are good for you to understand

1) Adverse Selection - This is the tendency of higher risk persons or groups to seek coverage more than less risky persons or groups. Doesn't it make sense that you're more likely to buy travel insurance if you think you'll have a claim?
2) Foreseen or expected to "be a turn for the worse" - If you're given a week to live and you want to buy travel insurance for a cruise next month, you can't cover the Pre-Existing Medical Condition. It's like wanting to buy Fire Insurance when your house is on fire.
3) Medically Able To Travel - You have to be able to travel on the day you get your travel insurance. Don't call us to order a policy if you're being treated now, and can't currently travel, yet your doctor says you'll be able to travel later. You will not be covered at all. This includes calling us from your hospital bed.

Travel insurance providers' Medically Stable rules apply to the Covered Person's medical condition on the day they get their travel insurance. If you are one of the travelers, you must be "medically able to travel when you pay your premium (get your travel insurance)". In other words, your doctor says you can travel. If your doctor's saying you can't travel, but you insist you can travel, the insurance company will always side with your doctor.

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	Since Jan. 2005
Easily Contact BasicTravelInsurance.com via email: steve@TripInsuranceStore.com

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