Sleep apnoea is a common pre-existing medical condition. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t get travel insurance, but in some circ*mstances you might need to disclose your conditionwhen you’re booking your travel insurance.
If you’re not sure whether your sleep apnoea will be covered or not, all you need to do is let us know about your condition while you’re buying your travel insurance policy. That way you’ll know if you’re covered if anything happens to you because of your condition.
You can get travel insurance for your sleep apnoea* if:
- Your sleep apnoea was diagnosed over 12 months^ ago; and
- it has been stable for the past 12 months with no hospital visits or changes to your medication in that time; and
- there is no planned surgery, treatment or specialist review.^
If you don’t meet the above conditions, you may still be able to get travel insurance*. It might just mean that:
- You can obtain travel insurance, but if you want your sleep apnoea to be covered, you’ll need to pay; or
- You can obtain travel insurance but it will be mandatory to purchase coverage for your sleep apnoea; or
- Your condition won’t be covered at all, but you can still purchase travel insurance;
Please note, there’s a possibility we might not be able to cover you at all, but we will tell you this during your medical assessment.
*based on sleep apnoea being your only pre-existing condition
^from the time you have purchased your insurance.
How do i let you know about my sleep apnoea?
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 conditionsduring 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 sleep apnoea.
Once you’ve filled out this questionnaire, you’ll immediately find out your travel insurance options.
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travelling withSleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea is a chronic sleeping and breathing disorder. People who have sleep apnoea have pauses in their breathing when they’re asleep. These pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes and could occur up to 30 times or more per hour.
Sleep apnoea itself isn’t generally a huge concern - it’s the effects that can be problematic. Sufferers of sleep apnoea get a poorer quality of sleep and can have lower energy levels in general.
When you travel, you want to feel as good as possible. Here are some tips that might help with sleep apnoea while you’re away. 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.
Tips for travelling with Sleep apnoea
- Being in a new time zone could be disruptive to your sleep. Ask your doctor about what you can do to make sleeping easier when you’re in a different bed and on a different schedule.
- You might consider travelling with a CPAP machine. A CPAP is an appliance that applies mild air pressure to the upper airway so that the airway stays open.
- If you do travel with a CPAP machine, you might need to:
- Carry a letter from your doctor showing you have approval to carry your CPAP machine.
- Bring an extension cord in case you’re staying somewhere without powerpoints close to the bed.
- Check your machine can be used with different voltage and remember your adapter. - If you want to use your CPAP machine on the plane, then you might need to obtain approval from the airline to use it on your flight and make sure you’re near a power source on the flight.
- You could also usea MAD/MAS dental appliance when you travel. These are small and compact and should be easy to take with you when you travel.
Sleep Apnoea RelatedFAQs
Can I get travel insurance if I have sleep apnoea?
In most cases we can offer cover for sleep apnoea. Sleep apnoea may be automatically covered free of charge if you meet the criteria for automatic coverage, or you may have to pay an addition premium based on a quick medical assessment when purchasing your policy.
Do I need to tell you about my sleep apnoea?
Firstly, you should check that you meet the criteria for automatic cover (at the top of this page). If you do not meet the auto-cover criteria or you are not sure, you can disclose you sleep apnoea by completing a medical assessment online or over the phone.
What if my partner has sleep apnoea?
Firstly, if your partner has sleep apnoea and they are taking out a travel insurance policy, then you should check that they meet the criteria for automatic cover. If they do not meet the auto-cover criteria or you are not sure you can disclose their sleep apnoea by completing a medical assessment either online or over the phone (but you will need to make sure you have their permission).
What if i develop sleep apnoea after i’ve bought travel insurance?
If your sleep apnoea was newly diagnosed and you didn’t have any signs, symptoms or investigations prior to purchasing you policy, and your doctor says your fit to travel, then you may still have a provision to claim for unforeseen incidents that arise from your sleep apnoea.
For any future policies you would need to check if you meet criteria for automatic coverage, or carry out a medical assessment before purchasing your policy.
Is my CPAP machine insured when I travel?
If you own a CPAP machine, cover may be provided under the Luggage and Personal Effects section of the policy . See the PDSfor full terms and conditions.
You also have the option to specify it as a High Value Item for up to a value of $5,000, provided that the item is less than 12 months old and you have the original receipt in the event of a claim. You can specify High Value Items during the policy purchase process. Please note: we do not provide cover for mechanical fault.
READ ALL FAQS
pre-existing Conditions
A pre-existing medical conditionis something that must be disclosed when you’re purchasing travel insurance. Find out what they are and how they affect your travel insurance.
Repatriation
Repatriationis the process of returning a person home after a medical emergency or at worst case death. Being covered for repatriation is important for people who are travelling, so read the ins and outs.
Vaccinations
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.
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One Last Thing: Handy resources for Travellers with sleep apnoea
Sleepright sell a range of CPAP machines and other sleeping devices that might help with sleep apnoea - some of which might be suitable for travellers.
The Australasian Sleep Association is the peak scientific body in Australia & New Zealand representing clinicians, scientists and researchers in the broad area of Sleep. Visit their sleep apnoea page.
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.
Arthriticsoften 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.
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