Medical Underwriting
Medical underwriting is the insurer’s process of assessing your health conditions to decide coverage terms and pricing.
Medical underwriting is the insurer’s process of assessing your health conditions to decide coverage terms and pricing.
Also known as
Health screening, Pre-existing condition assessment, Medical declaration, Health questionnaire
Why travellers need to know
Medical underwriting is the process that determines whether your pre-existing conditions are covered and at what price. Honest declaration is non-negotiable: undeclared conditions void claims even if the incident seems unrelated (insurers can access medical records during claim investigation). The underwriting process is automated for most standard conditions and takes minutes. Specialist insurers exist for complex or multiple conditions.
Real-world example
You're buying travel insurance and the online form asks about pre-existing conditions. You declare your controlled asthma and type 2 diabetes. The underwriting system assesses your conditions and offers a policy with both conditions covered for an additional GBP 45. If you hadn't declared them, any claim related to breathing or blood sugar would be denied.
Country-specific notes
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
UK travel insurers use moratorium underwriting for most annual policies
Moratorium underwriting excludes pre-existing conditions not treated or reviewed in the past 2 years. Full medical underwriting provides clearer upfront certainty. Budget policies rarely offer full underwriting.
Declare all conditions even if you think they will be excluded — undeclared conditions can invalidate unrelated claims entirely.
🇺🇸 United States
US travel health insurance uses full medical underwriting via health questionnaire
Pre-existing exclusions are common on US travel health policies. "Cancel for any reason" add-ons provide broader financial protection if health uncertainty affects travel planning.
Complete the health questionnaire accurately — US insurers have access to prescription databases and pharmacy records that can be cross-referenced on claims.
🇦🇺 Australia
Australian travel insurers automatically cover some stable pre-existing conditions
Some Australian insurers offer automatic cover for conditions that are stable and controlled for a defined period (usually 12 months). The definition of "stable" varies — always check the policy wording.
Use comparison sites like iSelect or Compare Travel Insurance to compare medical underwriting approaches across insurers.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I don’t declare a pre-existing condition?
If you make a claim and the insurer discovers an undeclared condition (they can request your GP records during investigation), your claim will be denied. In serious cases, your entire policy can be voided. Honest declaration protects you; non-disclosure exposes you.
Which conditions do I need to declare?
Any condition you have been diagnosed with, received treatment for, taken medication for, or are awaiting investigation for. This includes mental health conditions, controlled conditions (asthma, diabetes, hypertension), and conditions you consider resolved if treatment was recent (typically within 2-5 years depending on the insurer).
Your Nomedic record gives you a complete list of your conditions, medications, and treatment dates, so your insurance declaration is accurate and nothing is missed.