Expert Guide: Understanding Pre-Existing Conditions and Health Insurance

Pre-existing conditions are one of the most confusing and often misunderstood aspects of health insurance.

They’re also one of the reasons health insurance decisions can have long-term consequences. Understanding how pre-existing conditions work can help you make more informed choices about your cover, particularly if you’re reviewing insurance during financially challenging times.

Expert-Sourced Guidance

This article has been prepared using information from a range of independent health insurance providers, financial advisers, and consumer education organisations, including Money & You, LifeDirect, Policywise, NIB, and other industry resources.

HealthCarePlus is not a health insurance provider. Our role is to help members better understand complex topics and know when to seek personalised advice.

What is a pre-existing condition?

In simple terms, a pre-existing condition is any health condition or symptom that existed before you took out your health insurance policy.

This can include:

• Diagnosed medical conditions
• Symptoms you were experiencing but hadn’t yet sought treatment for
• Health issues you were aware of, even if they weren’t formally confirmed

Importantly, insurers don’t only look at formal diagnoses. Medical notes, test results, and reported symptoms can all be considered when assessing whether a condition is pre-existing.

Why pre-existing conditions matter (a simple way to think about it)

One way to understand how insurers view pre-existing conditions is to think about car insurance.

If you apply for car insurance when your car already has a dent or a cracked windscreen, the insurer knows those repairs are likely to be needed soon. Because the damage already exists, it’s usually excluded from cover or factored into the terms offered.

Health insurance works in a similar way.

If a medical condition already exists or a procedure is already planned the insurer knows there is a high likelihood of an immediate claim. Insurance is designed to protect against unexpected future events, not costs that are already known.

This is why:

• Existing conditions may be excluded
• Cover may be limited or delayed
• Applications can be assessed differently depending on timing

It’s not about judgement. It’s about how insurance risk works.

How pre-existing conditions are treated

In most cases, individual health insurance policies in New Zealand do not automatically cover pre-existing conditions when a policy starts.

Depending on the insurer and the policy:

• A pre-existing condition may be permanently excluded
• It may be excluded initially but reviewed later
• It may be covered after a stand-down period
• In some cases, it may never be covered

Each insurer applies its own criteria, which is why outcomes can differ significantly from one person to another.

Why timing matters with health insurance

One of the most important things to understand is that health insurance works best when it’s in place before health issues arise.

Once a condition exists or symptoms appear it may:

• Be excluded from cover if you apply later
• Affect the type of cover available to you
• Increase premiums or limit policy options
• Or worst case, may result in the insurer declining to provide any cover

This is also why cancelling cover can have long-term implications. If you cancel and later reapply after developing a condition, that condition may be treated as pre-existing and excluded.

What happens if you change or cancel your policy?

If you already have health insurance, changes to your cover can affect how pre-existing conditions are treated in the future.

For example:

• Cancelling and reapplying later may trigger new exclusions
• Switching insurers can result in a fresh assessment of your medical history
• Reducing cover may limit what is protected if a condition worsens

These impacts aren’t always obvious at the time decisions are made, which is why understanding the rules beforehand matters.

Can pre-existing conditions ever be covered?

In some circumstances, yes but it depends on the insurer, the condition, and the policy structure.

Coverage may be considered:

• After a period of being symptom-free
• Following a formal review by the insurer
• Under specific policy arrangements

Because this varies widely, assumptions can be misleading. What applies to one person may not apply to another.

Why advice can be especially helpful here

Pre-existing conditions are one of the most technical areas of health insurance.

A Monument Financial Adviser can help members:

• Understand how insurers define pre-existing conditions
• Clarify what is and isn’t covered under their current policy
• Understand the implications of cancelling or changing cover
• Explore options that better suit their circumstances

Having access to clear, personalised guidance can help prevent unintended consequences - particularly when decisions feel time-sensitive.

A final word

Pre-existing conditions are a key reason health insurance decisions are rarely just about cost.

The cover you hold today, and the conditions accepted today may shape your options for years to come. Once a condition is classified as pre-existing, it can be difficult, or even impossible, to change how it’s treated in the future.

Understanding how pre-existing conditions work puts you in a stronger position to make informed, deliberate choices about your health insurance now and later.

Written by: Alan Sharpe

Alan is a key member of the HealthCarePlus leadership team. With over 30 years experience in marketing and customer service roles he is a passionate advocate for the union movement and HealthCarePlus’s mission to create real, lasting value for their members