How to Declare Cancer on Your Travel Insurance (Step-by-Step)
Declaring cancer on a travel insurance application feels daunting for many people. Will it be complicated? Will I be declined? How much will it cost? This step-by-step guide demystifies the process — walking through exactly what to expect from New Zealand's two most common online cancer assessment systems.
Gather these before beginning your application:
- Cancer type: The specific name (e.g. "Grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma of the left breast", not just "breast cancer")
- Original stage: Stage 1, 2, 3, or 4 (with subcategory if known, e.g. 2A)
- Diagnosis date: Month and year is fine
- Treatment received: List everything — surgery (type), chemotherapy (drug names if possible), radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy
- Treatment completion date: When did each treatment end?
- Recurrence: Has there been any recurrence since original diagnosis? When?
- Current medications: Names and doses of all cancer-related medications
- Monitoring frequency: How often do you see your specialist? (e.g. "3-monthly GP, annual CT scan")
- Any complications: Lymphoedema, neuropathy, osteoporosis from treatment, etc.
Having this information ready makes the process faster and ensures accuracy.
Start a standard quote
Declare pre-existing conditions
Complete the medical questionnaire
Receive an assessment outcome
Review and purchase
Begin a quote on 1cover.co.nz
Add pre-existing condition
Complete the cancer-specific questionnaire
Three possible outcomes
Purchase and confirm
For complex cases, the online assessment may not reach a conclusion. In this case, both Cover-More and 1Cover have specialist medical assessment teams you can call:
- Cover-More: 0800 500 225
- 1Cover: 0800 422 400
These teams can assess complex cases that the automated system cannot handle — particularly for cancers with unusual histories, recent diagnoses with partial staging, or metastatic disease.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Understating your stage: If you were Stage 2A, saying "early stage" is not enough. Be specific.
Not declaring historical cancer: Even if your cancer was 10 years ago, declare it.
Forgetting complications: Lymphoedema, peripheral neuropathy, osteoporosis from cancer treatment are all relevant pre-existing conditions.
Comparing quotes without cancer added: Always compare quotes with your cancer declared — the base price means nothing if you haven't completed the medical assessment.
Not reading the outcome carefully: The difference between "covered with exclusions" and "fully covered with additional premium" is significant. Read the policy schedule carefully.
Once you purchase, you will receive a Certificate of Insurance confirming your cover. Keep this:
- Accessible on your phone (screenshot or PDF download)
- Printed copy in your carry-on luggage
- Email it to a trusted person at home
The certificate contains your emergency assistance number — the first call you make if something goes wrong overseas.
