The Challenges of International Travel Insurance for Leisure Travellers With Pre-existing Mental Health Conditions

Abstract

International leisure travel is deemed therapeutic for reducing stress and improving mental health and wellbeing, although unfamiliar environments can exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions. Travel insurance plays a crucial role in mitigating risks for travellers. There is a lack of critical evaluation regarding how insurers assess risk, determine coverage eligibility and communicate exclusions. International travel insurance policies may contain restrictive clauses, ambiguous wording and outright exclusions that may disproportionately disadvantage travellers with pre-existing conditions, including mental health conditions. This paper evaluates whether New Zealand’s international travel insurance policies adequately accommodate travellers with pre-existing mental health conditions. Analysis of 23 international travel insurance policies revealed common challenges relating to exclusion, disclosure and potential stigma and discrimination. New Zealand’s policies were found to vary significantly in how they addressed pre-existing mental health conditions, with many lacking clear definitions and offering limited or conditional coverage. Policies required medical disclosure, stability periods, additional assessments or higher premiums before granting coverage, which may generate anxiety and present significant challenges for travellers living with mental health conditions. These patterns suggest uneven treatment and may contribute to the persistence of stigma, making it difficult for travellers living with mental health conditions to obtain inclusive and comprehensive coverage.