Existing Condition Travel Insurance Issue

It's not unfair, you agreed to the rules on your last renewal. Besides our not being lawyers, it's hard to comment without reading the actual pre-existing conditions clause. Especially because you have an annual policy. Most of us have only bought per-trip coverage. I certainly have found that travel insurance has become more expensive as I have aged.

Because we recently flew Business Class, I found that it was a better deal to buy a changeable air fare than to insure the air tickets. But as you probably know, you often have to insure "the full cost of the trip" to get Cancellation (as opposed to Interruption) coverage.

If you made payments for the April 17 trip without having coverage for it yet, you made a mistake. Based on perhaps years of Annual coverage, the mistake is understandable. But insurance companies are not charities. They exist to make money.

It is possible that the company might have agreed to an early renewal, back when you made the first payment for the upcoming trip (?), price based on your age by the end of the renewal.

Hmm, unfortunately I suspect you make a fair point. It still seems unreasonable to me, but perhaps this post becomes a warning to others to look out for the danger of booking a trip under a policy that expires prior to the trip ...

In the circumstances, I suppose it would be more sensible to book Travel Ins per trip, rather than annual. Except the reason I take annual is due to the pain of having to answer ALL the questions repeatedly :)

I don’t know what company you are insured with, but maybe you should look at policies from other companies. Over the years, I have bought both single-trip and annual policies. During enrollment, I have never been asked questions about pre-existing conditions or any other health-related questions. For single-trip policies, I have only been asked about age, country I’m traveling to, and cost of the trip. For annual coverage, they have asked even less - just the date I want to start coverage! I have renewed without answering any new questions about health. This policy is from Allianz.

EDIT: I see now that you are in the UK, so maybe insurance works differently there. Still - it doesn’t hurt to shop around.

Here is a paragraph from the "Definitions" in my last Travelex policy. I'm only pasting them so that you can carefully read the actual corresponding clauses in your own policy, and make sure that (perhaps because it's an Annual policy ... ?) there's any important difference. It might be worth calling the company (and waiting in an awful phone-queue) and discussing the "then in effect Annual Policy ... ", if your particular situation is not specifically discussed in the policy.

(It seems unlikely that they would expose themselves to someone who was not insurable upon a policy renewal point, but I've never had an annual policy.)

"Pre-existing Medical Condition” means a condition for which the Insured, Traveling Companion, Family Member,
Business Partner or Host at Destination has, within the period listed in the Schedule and ending on the Insured’s
coverage Policy Effective Date;

(a) Had symptoms which would have prompted a reasonable person to seek medical advice or treatment; or
(b) Received medical advice or treatment; or
(c) Been required to take prescription drugs or medicines, unless the condition for which the drugs or medicines are
taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription drugs or medicines.
A dependent child born or placed for adoption while this coverage is in force and any condition from which death
ensues will not be considered a Pre-Existing Medical Condition.

And another paragraph:

This rider applies only if this policy is purchased within the Early Purchase Window as listed on the Schedule.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION EXCLUSION WAIVER

The Company will waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion, found in Section IV Exclusions and
Limitations, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) This policy is purchased within the Early Purchase Window;
(2) The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid nonrefundable payments or deposits
applicable to the Trip at the time of purchase;
(3) The costs of any subsequent arrangements added to the same Trip are insured within the
timeframe in the Early Purchase Window; and
(4) All Insureds are medically able to travel when the policy is purchased.
Coverage will be limited to the Pre-Existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver Maximum Benefit shown in
the Schedule.

I would look for single trip insurance using a specialist provider that covers existing conditions. If you Google you will find many.

I have wondered about this. We are always told (at least in the U.K.) to have insurance in place as soon as a trip is booked, but if it’s an annual policy then it’s quite likely it could expire before you travel. If nothing changes with your health then it’s simple enough to renew, but not every provider covers all conditions.