Neurological conditions travel insurance.

Travel safely with travel insurance for neurological conditions

Your neurological condition shouldn’t have to stop you from seeing the world. With the right policy from us, you can relax and feel protected on your next trip.

Living with a chronic neurological condition, like epilepsy or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, shouldn’t get in the way of you enjoying a trip of a lifetime.

Before you go on your next adventure, it’s important that you have the right cover. That way, you can look forward to your holiday, and not have to worry about what could happen if something scuppers your plans.

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 keeping your travel insurance up-to-date is important

When Richard¹ had to cancel his Golden Wedding Anniversary Cruise, he thankfully already had travel insurance in place, meaning he was covered for having to cancel his trip.

But a few months later, he had to get in touch with us again about a new medical diagnosis, just as he was about to rebook his cruise.

He feared it might be too late to be covered.

Once again, Richard was in safe hands. We helped him update his policy at very short notice to include his new medical condition, and he was able to rebook his cruise just as he’d hoped.

With up-to-date travel insurance like Richard’s, you have peace of mind, knowing you’re protected even before your holiday starts.

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 neurological conditions when I buy travel insurance?

It’s really important that you tell us about your neurological condition and how it affects you on a day-to-day basis. By letting us know about your medical conditions, you can travel with reassurance, knowing you’re protected by a policy that meets your needs.

If you don’t tell us about your pre-existing neurological conditions and later need to claim for treatment, we may not be able to cover you.

We understand neurological conditions vary, affecting you and your body in different ways. You might have epilepsy, controlled with medication and VNS therapy, or perhaps your mobility is affected by multiple sclerosis.

These are just some of the conditions we can cover:

• Epilepsy
• Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME
• Neurodegenerative disease
• Bell’s palsy
• Brain injury
• Essential tremor
• Stroke

What sort of questions will you ask me about my neurological condition?

Whether you choose to get in touch by phone or go online, we’ll take you through the medical screening questions step by step and in your own time. We’ll never rush you.

Some of the questions we may ask include:

• Do you need assistance with dressing, eating or washing?
• Do you currently use mobility aids?
• Does your condition cause issues with swallowing?
• Has your condition caused any changes in your behaviour?
• Have you suffered memory loss?
• How many unplanned hospital admissions have you had in the last two years?
• When were you diagnosed with your condition?
• Do you use a mechanical ventilator to assist your breathing at home?
• Do you need more assistance than you did 12 months ago?
• Have you had any acute relapses in the past year?

Is my neurological condition 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 neurological condition 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.

I’ve bought travel insurance for my neurological conditions already. Should I tell you if my condition changes?

Yes, it’s important to tell us if your health changes or if you’re diagnosed with something new. That way, your policy will always be up-to-date when you travel. If you forget to let us know of any changes to your health, this can affect your policy and should you need to claim later down the line, we may not be able to cover you.