Epilepsy travel insurance.

Getting the right cover to travel with epilepsy

Finding travel insurance to cover your epilepsy, and any other pre-existing medical conditions, can seem stressful. That’s why we consider all medical conditions for cover, including epilepsy, so you’re in the right place for getting great cover and peace of mind for when you travel.

We appreciate that epilepsy is not a condition that only affects the over 50s; we provide cover for lots of younger people with epilepsy too, and can build a quote to suit your needs.

Get your epilepsy travel insurance quote online or call us for free on 0800 888 6195.

Do I need to declare my epilepsy for travel insurance?

Yes, it is essential that you declare your epilepsy, and any other medical conditions you have, when getting travel insurance with us. If you do not tell us about any medical conditions, we will be unable to cover you if you did need to make a claim for any treatment related to these conditions.

As specialist providers of medical travel insurance we know that one-size doesn’t fit all. We understand that people with epilepsy aren’t affected in the same way and that seizures, and their triggers, can be different for each person. That’s why we have a medical screening process, so we can make sure that any cover we are able to give you is fair and meets your individual needs.

By telling us about the nature of your condition and any medication that you take to control your epilepsy, we can work out how best to cover your condition so you can travel stress-free.

Will I be covered if I have a seizure in the days before I travel?

You will need to update us if you have a seizure before you travel, or if you’ve recently changed the medication you take for your epilepsy so we can consider this. If you have been advised by your doctor that it is not safe for you to travel due to this recent seizure then we would not be able to cover you for them, or any related conditions.

If your doctor has advised you are safe to travel after your most recent seizure, you will need to check with your airline and travel provider to see whether there are any restrictions to your travel because of this. If you are given the go-ahead to travel, that’s great!

When you travel make sure the cabin staff on your flight are aware of your condition so you can travel with peace of mind.

What types of questions will I be asked about my epilepsy?

As part of our medical screening process we will need to ask you some of the following questions about your epilepsy, and the nature of your seizures, to make sure we are able to cover you:

• If awake, do you normally lose consciousness during a fit/seizure?
• How many fits/ seizures causing loss of consciousness have you had in the last four weeks?
• How many fits/ seizures causing loss of consciousness have you had in the last six months?
• How many unplanned hospital admissions have you had your epilepsy/ seizures in the last year?
• How many different medicines do you take for your epilepsy/ seizures?
• How long ago was your first fit/seizure?

Is my epilepsy covered by my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?

If you are planning a holiday or trip to Europe, you’ll need to get an EHIC.

The EHIC is free and entitles you to free healthcare in most European countries when you use their state provided healthcare. It is worth checking whether your destination is covered by EHIC before you travel in case you need treatment for your epilepsy during your visit, so you, and the people you’re travelling with, can be prepared.

Your EHIC is not the same as having good travel insurance for your pre-existing medical conditions and won’t cover you for things that go wrong, such as cancelling your holiday due to a medical emergency. That’s where your pre-existing medical cover comes in. What your EHIC can do is reduce your medical costs where subsidised healthcare is available.

If you can use your EHIC and you have had to pay a subsidised fee for your healthcare during your holiday, we will remove the excess fee for your medical emergency claims.

Should my family be on the same policy as me if we are travelling together, even if they don’t have any medical conditions?

You might think that it is better to buy a separate policy for your epilepsy to the people you’re travelling with, especially if none of them have any pre-existing medical conditions. However, buying your travel insurance policy together as a group can often be cheaper and also gives you many additional benefits.

The biggest benefit of buying your travel insurance together is being reassured that you should all be covered if you have to cancel your holiday due to a medical emergency, or if you were restricted from travelling due to a recent seizure. If you had purchased separate policies, it’s may be that only the person who is having the medical emergency will be able to claim the full cost of their holiday back.

So buying your cover together on the same policy will give you and your family the added reassurance that you could claim back the full cost of your holiday in an emergency if you needed to.