Do you have Pre-existing Medical Conditions?

This is a commonly-asked question when we fill out insurance applications. What does it actually mean, you may ask.

Any medical condition or injury you knew about before taking out your policy

In general a pre-existing condition is any medical or physical condition or circumstance that you are aware of, or ought to be aware of, that exists or you recently experienced before the start date of your insurance.

It is important that you check your policy wording for a full detailed explanation of a pre-existing medical condition and any relevant time limitations (please note criteria may differ between our insurance policies).

Pre-existing conditions (such as asthma, acne, birth defect, sports injury etc) that may not have been active prior to the insurance start date that reoccur or become a problem after the start date are still considered pre-existing.

A pre-existing condition starts from when you noticed symptoms or were diagnosed (if asymptomatic)

Pre-existing conditions do not need to be a diagnosed illness or disease for it to be considered a pre-existing condition. We rely on the date when you first experienced symptoms, not on the date when you were diagnosed by a doctor. If you have been asymptomatic before a diagnosis, we go by the date when the doctor informed you of the laboratory test or radiology result.

If in doubt, it is best to let us know

When in doubt, it is best that pre-existing condition/s is/are declared, for the purpose of clarity and peace of mind. (If you are an existing policyholder, you can do this when you get a quote on your next insurance purchase through OrbitProtect.) Not declaring a pre-existing condition can result in substantial hospital costs that you will have to pay yourself.

Special cover for acute and unexpected medical events

If, after assessing your application, we agree to provide special cover for your pre-existing condition, it will only be for acute and unexpected medical events. This is because our insurance products are designed to cover you for unforeseen and unexpected medical events.

As such, if you require a top-up of your maintenance or preventative medications, such as hypertension medicines or asthma inhalers, you will need to purchase them at your own expense. Our insurance plans only assist in situations where your pre-existing condition unexpectedly flares up during the period of insurance.

This page was last updated in July 2024.