Q. Recent questions regarding travel insurance for over-80s refers. Surely there must be insurance companies that would offer cover - albeit at a cost? Retirees wanting to travel may well be prepared to pay a large premium for the peace of mind should insurance be required.
Am I correct that Discovery offers insurance for the cancellation of a trip and lost luggage up to the age of 84? - Judy Stowell
Q. Your reference to travel insurance offered by Discovery Health refers.
I am on the executive plan, which offers R10-million cover but excludes pre-existing conditions.
They will, however, offer to pay on pre-existing conditions the cost at South African medical rates and payment in South Africa of any expenses incurred overseas. They will not pay any expenses incurred at the time of need to the overseas providers of medical services in regard to pre-existing conditions.
Your article is not clear in this respect. - Les Barkhan
A. Discovery Health Medical Scheme has clarified these issues for readers.
The scheme provides travel insurance of up to R10-million per person per journey on the Executive Plan and R5-million per person on other plans (excluding Keycare Plans), for any medical need while travelling overseas through the International Travel Benefit. This includes cover for medical repatriation. The International Travel Benefit applies for 90 days from the member's date of departure from South Africa, and ends on the member's return home or after 90 days from their date of departure from SA, whichever happens first.
Where members choose to travel for longer than 90 days, they are still offered cover from DHMS - these claims are paid based on the average cost of equivalent suitable care available in South Africa.
All the above-mentioned cover is automatically included in the monthly contributions members pay to DHMS (on the relevant plans) - there are no additional monthly charges to gain access to this cover and no age cut-off applies.
Discovery does provide cover for pre-existing conditions, although not at the full cost incurred while travelling, but rather at the local equivalent cost. There are certain services that are excluded from the International Travel Benefit. However, these services are still covered by the member's plan type at a rate linked to the local costs of treatment. In these instances, members may experience co-payment between what is charged and what the scheme covers at the global fee. These include:
• Any non-emergency, planned or elective medical treatments;
• Any claims you incur overseas for medical symptoms (however mild these may have been) you experienced before leaving South Africa;
• Any acute medical condition or an acute flare-up of a medical condition for which active medical treatment was sought and/or received in South Africa in the 30 days before the date of departure;
• Pregnancy or childbirth after the 24th week of pregnancy. If the baby is born outside South Africa, he or she will not be covered by the scheme until you return to South Africa and register the child on Discovery Health Medical Scheme;
• Chronic or ongoing dialysis or chemotherapy and any related treatments or illnesses;
• Any treatment relating to cancer and/or organ failure within the past 12 months;
• Any healthcare services relating to sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) not resulting from sexual assault or occupational or traumatic exposure;
• If you intend obtaining medical treatment;
• If a terminal prognosis has been given;
• If you travel contrary to medical advice;
• All dentistry, unless otherwise specified, and optical treatment;
• Prescribed Minimum Benefits do not apply beyond South Africa's borders.
Insurance for the luggage of those up to 84 years old is available from Discovery Card international travel insurance, which covers non-medical claims, such as baggage loss or delay, personal accident, cancellation and curtailment, travel delays, and personal liability.
Principle cardholders, secondary cardholders and listed dependants qualify for the cover and the benefit is activated when:
1) A purple cardholder pays for a portion of their ticket from and back to SA using their card;
2) All other cardholders must pay for the full cost of their ticket from and back to SA using their card.
The only age limits that apply are to personal-accident benefits after you turn 76 and permanent total disability for people over 65 who are not gainfully employed.
• Do you have a query for our travel expert? Send your question through to travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za..