Travel insurance after a heart attack.

Feel protected with personalised travel insurance for heart attack

Having the right level of cover for your health condition, and keeping it up-to-date, means you can relax on your travels.

Flexibility to change details online

When you buy a policy from us, you can manage it yourself by logging in to your My Avanti account. Here you can:

• access policy documents
• update traveller details
• change your single trip dates (limits apply)
• renew an annual policy if you have no changes to make
• and more.

If you have questions about Covid-19 and how it affects your holiday plans, visit our Covid-19 help page.

Why telling us about your health gives you travel protection

John⁽¹⁾ had never claimed on his travel insurance before, but when he needed emergency hospital treatment in America in February 2019, he confirmed he had up-to-date travel insurance and was treated immediately.

As he waited for scan results, he called our 24-hour medical helpline and after giving us some details, we assured him he needn’t worry because we would handle the hospital bills direct.

With our help, John could concentrate on the most important thing – getting well again.

John found out how important it is to have full travel insurance cover when travelling abroad. When a medical emergency bill comes to more than £350, we’ll sort it out directly with the hospital when we can.

Do I need to have had both my Covid jabs to be covered?

As long as you’ve had the vaccines you’ve been offered for Covid-19, you should be covered. If you haven’t been offered both doses yet or you’re medically exempt then you can also be covered.

If you’ve refused any doses of the vaccine or haven’t been able to have a dose you’ve been offered, you won’t be covered.

Do I need to tell you about my heart attack when I buy travel insurance?

You need to let us know if you’ve ever had a heart attack along with any other health conditions, so we can build a level of cover that meets your personal needs.

We understand that you may also have high blood pressure and cholesterol, or perhaps an irregular heartbeat controlled by medication. We like to take things step by step, at a pace that suits you.

We want you to leave risk at home and travel confidently, knowing you are protected by a policy that’s just right for you.

What will you ask me about my heart attack when I get in touch for a quote?

We’ll ask a few questions so we can understand your individual needs and build personalised cover for you.

Don’t worry, we’ll take it step by step and won’t hurry you.

Here are the sort of questions we may ask:

• Have you been advised to take medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol?
• Have you ever had a heart bypass, angioplasty or coronary stent?
• How many heart attacks have you had in total?
• Have you ever been a smoker?
• How long ago was your most recent heart attack?
• Are you waiting to see a specialist about new symptoms? Or awaiting any tests, results or surgery?
• Can you always walk 200 metres on the flat with no chest pain or tightness or breathlessness?
• Have you had any episodes of chest pain since your last heart attack?

What happens if I need emergency treatment when I’m abroad?

You’ll have access to a 24/7 medical emergency helpline so we’re always on hand to support you. We can offer advice, let you know the nearest suitable medical facility and help with translating information to hospital staff.

If you can get the healthcare you need in the country you’re in, we can help with rearranging your flight for when it’s safe for you to travel. We can also arrange emergency transport home if needed.

I’m the only one in my family with a pre-existing health condition. Is it better for us to have travel insurance together or separate policies?

It may seem like a good idea to have individual policies, but there are many advantages to having all your family on one travel insurance policy.

While it may work out cheaper, the greatest benefit is you all being covered if one of you has to cancel due to medical emergency.

So together, you have the assurance of knowing you can claim back the full cost of your holiday in the event of cancellation. With separate policies, this might not be the case.

Is my heart attack covered by my Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)?

If you’re planning a holiday to Europe, you’ll need to take a free GHIC (or an EHIC) as a condition of our travel insurance.

When the United Kingdom left the European Union, the GHIC replaced the EHIC as the means for accessing free or subsidised healthcare in selected European countries. Before you travel, make sure you check that your destination is covered by GHIC, just so you’re ready if you do need any emergency or necessary treatment for your heart attack during your trip.

Remember, your GHIC is not the same as having good health conditions travel insurance. For example, it won’t cover you if you need to cancel your holiday.

Your GHIC helps reduce your medical costs where subsidised healthcare is available. If you can use your GHIC and have to pay a subsidised fee for your treatment, we’ll remove the excess fee on medical emergency claims for you.