Pre-Existing Condition - Health Insurance Definition
A Pre-existing Condition is any
recurring illness or ailment that you’ve
been treated for over a specific period of time.
The timeframe varies from one insurance provider
to the next, so be certain that you know the policy
before you commit to a particular insurance policy.
The significance is that an insurance company
may decline to pay claims made on any illness
or medical care related to a pre-existing condition.
As the consumer, it may seem unfair. As the insurance
company, it’s a necessary protection. Consider
the person who has not felt they could afford
health insurance over the course of his adult
life. Doctor’s visits have been rare and
check-ups even more so. Then the person begins
having headaches and discovers that he has a rare
- but highly treatable - brain tumor. It wouldn’t
be fair for that person to being paying premiums
a month before the insurance company is forced
to pay for an expensive operation.
The typical pre-existing conditions are much
less dramatic and may include anything from cancer
to pneumonia. Having a pre-existing illness doesn’t
necessarily mean that you can’t get insurance
at all, only that your insurance won’t pay
for things that have been ongoing in the months
or years prior to taking out the policy. Ask your
broker about
the pre-existing policy for any insurance package
you’re considering. |
