Arthritis is considered pre-existing medical condition. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get travel insurance, but you do need to disclose your condition before you book your cover.
With arthritis, you’ll need to declare your specific type of arthritis whether it’s osteo, rheumatoid, or psoriatic.
It’s important that we know about your arthritis - that way you’ll know if you’re covered or not if anything happens to you because of your condition.
*based on arthritis being your only pre-existing condition
The process is simple and quick. You don’t need to call us and you don’t need to provide doctor’s certificates or other documents. All you need to do is fill out a simple questionnaire when you’re purchasing a policy online.
You’ll be asked about pre-existing conditions during your online purchase and if you select ‘yes', you’ll fill out the questionnaire. This is where we’ll ask you everything we need to know about your arthritis.
Once you’ve filled out this questionnaire, you’ll immediately find out your travel insurance options.
Arthritis is a medical condition that damages the body’s joints, causing discomfort and pain. There are many different types of arthritis and the severity of the condition varies greatly.
The three common types of arthritis are:
Because arthritis directly affects the joints, mobility can become an issue, especially while travelling. This means people with arthritis might have to make special arrangements or take extra precautions while travelling. Taking some extra steps will make travelling easier and more enjoyable - just the way it should be.
Please note, the below is general advice only and is not intended to replace the advice or information from a registered body or your doctor.
If you’re travelling with someone and they’re named on the policy, you will need to make sure their medical conditions are declared. For adult travel companions, you’ll need to declare their condition if you have their permission to do so and are aware of their health and medical conditions. If you don’t have permission, they will need to do it themselves.
You may have a provision to claim for stolen medications along with other items if your bag is stolen or misplaced by the airline (Check the PDS). Please note, we only cover the original cost of the medication. Visiting a doctor to get a prescription won’t be covered as this is considered routine management of your condition.
Cover for arthritis on a Frequent Traveller policy works in the same way as single trip policies. You will need to complete a medical assessment to determine if we can offer the cover for your arthritis when you apply for a quote.
If you have other pre-existing medical conditions you will need to disclose them.
If you forgot to disclose your arthritis and your policy has not started we might be able to add in it. You can call our Customer Care Team to carry out an assessment for your condition.
Please be aware that depending on the outcome of the assessment you may need to pay an additional premium.
All terms, conditions and limitations will apply in the same way as if you had declared the condition when you purchased the policy.
A pre-existing medical condition is something that must be disclosed when you’re purchasing travel insurance. Find out what they are and how they affect your travel insurance.
You or someone you’re travelling with is going to have a baby…so you’ll need to find out how travel insurance works for pregnant women.
Repatriation is the process of returning a person home after a medical emergency or at worst case death. Being covered for repatriation is important, so read the ins and outs.
It’s important that you have all the right vaccinations before you travel. From malaria to meningococcal, find out what you need to know about vaccinations and travel insurance.
Arthritis Australia has a travel page if someone you're travelling with has arthritis. There’s tips and information on how you could help and make things easier for them when you’re away.
Be informed. Be prepared. If you're across The Australian Government's Smart Traveller website, you'll have all the latest information for your for your trip.
IAMAT are a non-profit organization who help travellers plan a healthy trip, and connect travellers with reputable English-speaking doctors. They are a useful point of contact for anyone travelling with a health condition.
People with arthritis may travel with medication from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Find out what you need to know on Medicare Australia’s official page for Australians overseas.