“Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions?” This is a commonly-asked question when we fill out insurance applications. What does it actually mean, you may ask.

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 (see the relevant policy wording for a  time limitation, if any)  before the start date of your insurance. 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.

It does 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.

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 Quote/Buy Policy on your next insurance purchase through OrbitProtect.) Not declaring a pre-existing condition can result to substantial hospital costs that you will have to pay yourself. Consequently, having this huge debt on your shoulders can gravely affect the remainder of your stay in New Zealand and the status of your visa.

If, after assessing your application, we agree to provide special cover for your pre-existing condition, it will only be for acute episodes. If you require a top-up of your maintenance or preventative medications, such as birth control pills, flu vaccinations, hypertension medicines and asthma inhalers, you will need to purchase them at your own expense. Our insurance plans do not provide cover for these because we can only assist in situations where your pre-existing condition unexpectedly flares up during the period of your policy.