Travel insurance can provide valuable financial protection in the event your holiday doesn’t go to plan. As well as covering the cost of cancelling your trip or losing your luggage, it can also pay out should you need medical treatment while you’re away.
For this reason, travel insurance is even more important for those travelling with a pre-existing medical condition. The downside is that, because those with medical conditions are more likely to make a claim on their insurance policy, it can be more difficult to find affordable cover.
Many insurers will automatically exclude claims related to pre-existing medical conditions or will charge a high premium. You’ll likely find that the more severe the illness, the more you’ll have to pay.
For these reasons, it can be worthwhile seeking out specialist that comes at a more reasonable price, which is why we have created a dedicated travel insurance enquiry option for those who are in the ‘pre-ex’ market.
What is a pre-existing medical condition?
Pre-existing medical conditions are diseases, illnesses or injuries you had prior to taking out your travel insurance, or which you were suffering from when you bought your policy. If you had a disease or condition and recovered from it, or are in remission, you are likely to be asked to disclose the fact as part of the insurance application process.
We’ll come to this point again later, but it’s important to stress that any answers or information someone provides when applying for insurance are as honest and as full as they can make them.
Common pre-existing medical conditions:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Respiratory issues such as asthma
- Epilepsy
- Heart conditions
- Crohn’s disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Joint and bone inflammation
Pre-existing medical conditions also include non-physical conditions such as anxiety or depression and must also be disclosed to your insurance provider.
You might also be asked if you are receiving treatment for alcohol or drug dependency, or if this have ever been the case.
What does travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions cover?
As well as covering medical expenses if you need treatment while you’re abroad – around £5 million of cover should be sufficient – your travel insurance should cover you for the following:
- Repatriation – covering the cost of returning home for medical reasons.
- Cancellation or curtailment – should you have to cancel or cut short your holiday for reasons such as illness, redundancy or bereavement.
- Missed departures – covering the cost of additional accommodation or travel expenses if you miss your flight, ferry or train.
- Baggage and belongings – providing cover if your luggage or possessions are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.
- Specialist equipment – if you need specialist equipment for use while you are away, you should be able to insure it for loss or theft.
- Personal liability – cover in the event you accidentally injure or kill someone or damage their property while you’re away.
What about Covid-19 and travelling?
The rules and restrictions on international travel have changed frequently, often at short notice, over the course of the pandemic. Travellers to and from the UK, including those returning to the UK from overseas, are often subject to different requirements according to their vaccination status, age, and which nation within the UK they are bound for.
Visit this page for the latest information.
You can find the latest government travel advice and rules here.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) also issues advice on which countries are safe to visit. It takes into account a wide range of factors beyond Covid-19, such as natural disasters, war, civil unrest, and other diseases.
If you travel against FCDO advice, your travel insurance is likely to be rendered invalid unless you bought from a specialist insurer which specified that cover would be provided in your chosen destination.
Note also that countries you are planning to visit may have their own entry requirements and restrictions, so check before making arrangements and again before travelling.
What about travel insurance and Covid?
Cover for Covid-related risks, such as having to cancel your plans because you or someone else in your party falls ill to coronavirus before you go, is now available as standard with most travel insurance policies.
Other out-of-pocket expenses may also be covered, such as having to extend your stay abroad because you fall ill with Covid while there and cannot travel home.
But do bear in mind that each policy has different specifications, limits and exclusions on the cover provided, so it is important to check that you have the cover you require.
Also, it’s best to be aware of the measures your airline, tour operator and accommodation provider have in place in case problems arise, as insurers will want to know that you have tried the avenues available for claiming compensation before contacting them.
On most occasions your policy will most likely be rendered invalid if you travel against government advice. CoverForYou, Cedar Tree and Outbacker are among the first insurers to cover travel against FCDO advice.
You will also not be covered by your insurance for cancellation if you simply decide not to go on holiday anymore, and FCDO does not advise against going. This is called ‘disinclination to travel’ and is not an insured risk.
Can I add any other cover options?
You’ll usually be able to bolt on additional coverage options to your policy to make it more comprehensive. Typical optional extras include:
- Gadget cover – protecting gadgets such as your tablet or mobile phone against loss, theft or damage.
- Scheduled airline failure – providing cover should your airline go out of business.
- End supplier failure – in the event your hotel, travel company or airline goes into administration.
- Legal expenses – paying the cost of legal fees if you’re involved in an accident that was not your fault.
- Natural catastrophe and terrorism cover – for claims relating to a natural disaster such as volcano eruptions and earthquakes, and those relating to acts of terrorism.
- Sports and activities cover – cover for taking part in high-risk or winter sports.
Why honesty gets the best policy
If someone does not disclose something, or suggests a condition was not or is not as severe as it is, they could potentially run into difficulties if they ever need to make a claim.
That’s because the insurer might take a deeper look at the person’s medical files as part of the investigation into the claim. If they find something that doesn’t match the details on the application, they might refuse to pay up, or they might only pay a portion of the amount.
Why? Their argument would be that the premium they charged was incorrect because they were working with incorrect or inadequate information. And if the premium is incorrect, the claim will be challenged.