Travel Insurers Most Often Use 180-Day Look-Back to Deny Preexisting Condition Claims, Squaremouth Says

A 180-day look-back period is the most common window travel insurers use to deny claims tied to preexisting medical conditions, according to Squaremouth, a comparison site. Among the 81 plans on its marketplace, 40% apply a 180-day review, while 32% use 60 days. A preexisting condition waiver can override these exclusions, but must typically be purchased within 14 to 21 days of the initial trip deposit and requires insuring the full nonrefundable trip cost. Waivers cover conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but do not apply to universal exclusions such as substance abuse or self-harm. About 194 million U.S. adults have chronic conditions. Travel insurance costs 4% to 10% of prepaid trip expenses on average; waivers add no direct fee.