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Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
How to find affordable travel insurance for medical conditions
If you've got a holiday coming up, it's best to get travel insurance as soon as possible in case things go wrong before the trip. Yet if you've had a serious medical condition, or are having treatment for one, you're likely to be quoted ludicrously high prices for travel cover. We run through the ways to cut costs.
Can I still get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing condition?
Just because you have (or had) a medical condition, it shouldn't put you off thinking you won't be able to get affordable cover, especially as the aim of travel insurance is to cover the cost of the unforeseen, such as illness and injury or theft of your belongings while you're away.
It's also designed to cover you if you have to cancel your trip before you go, or if you need to return early due to an emergency.
For people with pre-existing medical conditions, the cover works exactly the same way as insurance for typical travellers. The only difference is that it can cover the cost of care for any medical condition you may have had in the past or you suffer from currently – though this is likely to make the cost of cover more expensive.
However, travel insurance isn't designed to (and won't) cover every eventuality or every loss or inconvenience that you experience while on holiday. Read this guide carefully so you know what is (and isn't) covered.
What does travel insurance cover?
Sadly not all travel insurance is created equally, but you should expect an insurer to pay out for most of the below.
However, the exact level of cover will vary by policy – so always check the terms carefully before you buy.
Reason | Typical examples |
Cancellation as you can't travel | Your job is made redundant, or you have to do jury service, fall seriously ill, suffer a bereavement or have an emergency such as a fire, flood or break-in. |
Medical costs while abroad | You have a medical emergency overseas, or fall ill, and require treatment – plus any travel costs if you need to be brought back to the UK for it. ALWAYS tell your insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions, or you won't be covered. |
Cutting your trip short (curtailment) | An emergency happens that requires you to travel home early, such as the death of a close relative. |
Baggage and personal belongings | Your stuff is lost, stolen or damaged while you're away. Though there are often limits on the amounts they'll pay out. You may also have cover for this under personal belongings on your home contents policy. |
Sports, excursions and other activities | You can't make use of your booked activities, though some policies only cover this if the provider has gone bust. |
Personal liability | You accidentally hurt someone or damage their property, such as spilling a drink and staining an expensive upholstered chair. |
You catch Covid | You're generally covered if you test positive for coronavirus before your trip or while you're on it. |
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What medical conditions do I need to declare?
You may not need a specialist policy as many insurers can be considerate when arranging cover, though it does depend on the medical condition.
Usually if you've had to see your doctor, a medical consultant or a specialist, it's very likely you'll need to declare it.
It's important to carefully read the questions asked by the insurer – they may want to know of medical conditions or visits for medical assistance within the last three, four or five years, and some insurers may even want to know your medical history even further back, as you’re usually considered to be more likely to make a claim.
Here is a list of some of the most common medical conditions that you need to disclose when buying travel insurance – though this is not a complete list:
- Epilepsy
- Heart conditions (including high blood pressure or cholesterol)
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Mental health conditions (including depression, eating disorders, anxiety)
- Arthritis
- Gout
- Crohn's disease
It is also worth knowing that you'll also need to share details of:
- Treated broken limbs
- Any surgery
- Any ongoing treatment (including if you’re waiting for an operation or investigation)
- Any condition where you’re awaiting test results
It may sound like a daunting task but it will help you to find the right policy for you. If you do not share this information with the insurer, it is very likely to invalidate your policy and any cover.
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Travel insurance need-to-knows if you've a pre-existing condition
As we've highlighted above, travel insurance still covers a large range of unforeseen events. It's VITAL to get it before you go away – and here are a few pointers you need to know before you choose a policy...
How to find travel insurance to cover your condition
Our step-by-step process will help you find the best policy with cover for your medical condition.
Remember that most travel insurance policies WILL cover you if either you or a family member catch Covid-19 before your trip and can't travel, but WON'T cover you for cancellation if a government coronavirus restriction at home or abroad means you can't travel.
They also won't cover you for ANYTHING if you decide to take a trip to a destination that the Foreign Office is advising against travel to. If your trip is essential and you do need to travel against Foreign Office advice, you'll need a specialist policy.
For some with conditions deemed less serious by insurers – for example, mild asthma – you may find you can get a standard policy, or only have the price increased a small amount. If that's the case, you may not need to go any further.
Use our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool in our main travel insurance guide to locate the best cover for you – you can choose from options including single-trip or annual policies to pick out something that suits.
However, each insurer will have its own list of conditions it deems as more serious, which means you might have to pay a premium or get specialist cover. If that's the case, or you know you have a severe condition, it may be best to skip to step 2.
If our top picks in that tool don't suit you, you can also try comparison sites to find other 'standard' policies. Try...
MoneySupermarket* | Compare The Market | Confused.com* | Gocompare | Quotezone*
They all allow you to adjust your quote to suit your needs, for example, single trip or annual, or in case you want to include add-ons such as travel disruption cover, scheduled airline failure, cruise cover and so on.
Important. MSE has no control over the providers included on these comparison sites and they may include insurers that we wouldn't. In particular, if you're looking for an annual policy, and you choose to use a comparison website for a holiday over a year away, check if the insurer will cover your holiday, as not all do.
Want a bit more cover?
If you're looking for a 'premier' travel insurance policy, which gives a higher level of cover (for example, it protects more expensive trips or covers airline failure), then it's worth trying LV (Premier)* or ABTA Travel Insurance (Gold)*. These policies exceed our normal minimum cover levels, and they give:
- £5,000 cancellation cover per person
- £10 million medical and repatriation expenses per person
- £2,000 baggage cover per person
- Travel disruption, for example, because of volcanic ash, tsunami or another natural disaster
However, these premier policies may charge a lot more than the specialist medical policies below to cover your condition – get quotes and compare.
To cover more serious conditions, such as heart conditions, certain joint conditions or cancer, you'll likely need to try specialist medical insurers (often you won't see these on normal comparison sites).
A good starting point – to benchmark a price – would be to get a quote online from Medical Travel Compared*. This specialist comparison site works with a wide range of insurers. It's also worth checking Payingtoomuch* as well.
Note that if you're looking for an annual policy, and you choose to use a comparison site for a holiday over a year away, check if the insurer will cover your holiday, as not all do.
Specialist travel insurance brokers can help you find firms that cover non-standard medical conditions, or non-standard trips. To find one, see the British Insurance Brokers' Association website.
Always double-check the level of cover offered before taking out a policy as well as providers' websites for any info about coronavirus.
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How to claim on your travel insurance
Claiming on your travel insurance shouldn't be daunting and – if you understand the terms and excesses on your policy – you shouldn't be in for any nasty shocks.
Follow the five steps below in the event you need to claim...
- Submit your claim as soon as possible. Contact your insurer as soon as you can. Some parts of your policy may have a short window to submit a claim and it may take a while to be processed.
- Get your insurer to accept a medical claim before you get treatment. If you need to make a medical claim – and it's not an emergency – get your insurer to accept the claim over the phone first. For example, if you sprained your ankle, call your insurer – if it accepts the claim then, you're less likely to be faced with a rejected claim later down the line. For obvious reasons, don't delay treatment if it's an emergency.
- Notify the police if it's a theft or loss. If something goes missing or is stolen when you are abroad you may need to get a crime reference number or the overseas equivalent to make a successful claim. Report the incident to the police as soon as you can – you often have to do so within 24 hours – to make sure your claim doesn't hit the skids.
- Keep receipts. If you are claiming for lost luggage or delay, remember to keep receipts of essential items you have bought while waiting, such as food and drink. Many insurers allow you to add these expenses to a claim and may ask for receipts as proof.
- Complain if you feel your claim was unfairly rejected. If your insurance company rejects your claim, and you think it has done so wrongly, don't take it lying down. Complain to the free Financial Ombudsman. This independent adjudicator will make the final decision on a claim if you are locked in a dispute with your insurer. For more on how to make a complaint, read our Financial rights guide, or see our section below.
How to complain about your insurance provider
The insurance industry doesn't have the best customer-service reputation and while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others.
Common problems include claims not being paid out on time or at all, unfair charges, or exclusions being hidden in small print. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but if not, then…
You can use free complaints tool Resolver. The tool helps you manage your complaint, and if the company doesn't play ball, it also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
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