What are pre-existing conditions?
Around this site there are many references to pre-existing conditions; medical conditions that are unlikely to be covered by your private medical insurance. But what are pre-existing conditions? As it turns out there are a wide range of different conditions that people might have been treated for ahead of taking out a private medical insurance policy.
If you have received treatment for anything (usually) within five years of taking out your insurance policy then this will be considered a pre-existing condition. In some cases, however, your insurance will cover these areas if you do not receive treatment for the illness after a certain amount of time into your cover. But this is something that can vary from insurer to insurer and from policy to policy so it is another case in which the insurance holder should ensure that they have read the small print.
There are many examples of pre-existing conditions, such as a disability (see section entitled 'Will my cover be affected if I am disabled?'), cancer, epilepsy and psychological conditions such as depression and stress. However, there is a long list of others and you should ask your provider if you are unsure.
On another note, some pre-existing conditions are referred to as chronic conditions and these are defined as conditions that will require the patient to undergo regular and continuous observation. As well as being pre-existing conditions, these are also long-term conditions that will rarely be covered by private medical insurance because they cannot be cured (PMI is usually reserved for conditions that can be easily cured and treated). Examples could include diabetes, heart disease and more.