Have peace of mind with medical travel insurance

Ever get the feeling that some insurers are just waiting to catch you out? When we say your pre-existing medical conditions are covered by your travel insurance – they’re covered.

Something going wrong on your travels can happen when we least expect it, which is why having medical travel insurance is so important. The right travel insurance policy can work as extra protection, so you can travel with peace of mind.

When you have your dream holiday planned, it’s important that you buy your travel insurance for pre-existing conditions as soon as possible – even if it’s not safe to travel just yet.

That way, as soon as it’s safe to go on holiday again, your cover will be ready to roll – there to help you when you need it most.

Why having medical travel insurance is important

Liz(1) bought her cruise travel insurance as soon as she’d booked her holiday. But before her trip, she was unexpectedly taken into hospital and was diagnosed with a new condition.

Liz contacted us and updated her policy as soon as she could to make sure she was covered for any potential claims relating to her new condition.

Unfortunately, the day before she was due to go, her GP advised her not to travel.

Liz was understandably disappointed and rang us to claim for the cancellation of her holiday.

Having updated her policy with her new medical conditions, Liz was covered to cancel her cruise. After accepting the claim, the money was transferred to her bank account within three working days.

Having the correct policy to cover you for any conditions you have is vital. Like Liz, it puts you at ease that should something happen, you’re covered.

What does our travel insurance cover?

We know that not all health travel insurance policies are created equally. So, it can also be hard to compare and decide which is the best cover for you.

Here’s a summary of some of the most popular features of our cover.

Please note, that as COVID-19 is no longer an unforeseen event, we won’t be able to cover you for anything caused by or related to it.

What medical conditions can you cover with travel insurance?

We look to cover the following conditions for travel insurance (but not limited to):

• Mental health conditions
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Digestive conditions (bowel or stomach)
• Chronic pain
• Heart conditions
• Cancer
• Back pain
• Allergies
• Breathing conditions
• Eye conditions
• Neurological conditions
• Kidney conditions
• Autoimmune disorders

What medical conditions do I need to declare on my travel insurance?

When it comes to declaring your medical conditions on your travel insurance, it’s important to understand what you need to declare to make sure you’re covered.

You’ll need to tell us if you’ve ever had…

• any circulatory or heart/cardiovascular conditions, even if the problem has been cured or is managed by medication.

Having any of these conditions at any point in your life can increase your risk of something going wrong while you’re on holiday. Make sure you mention if you live with any conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol – however minor you think they might be.

In the past two years…

It is important to let us know if you’ve had any of the following or are awaiting:

• Symptoms of a medical or psychological condition
• Taken, been prescribed or awaiting surgery or treatment, including medication and procedures
• Medical investigations or consultations
• Non routine check-up and follow-up appointments

If you need to make a health related claim, you’ll be asked for your medical record from the past two years, so it’s important that your travel insurance matches your history.

Is it safe for you to travel?

We need to know that it’s safe for you and everyone on your policy to travel to make sure your policy is valid. Please make sure you can agree to all of the following statements:

You (and anyone on your policy) are:

• Fit and able to undertake your planned trip
• NOT travelling against the advice of a doctor (or would be if you asked their advice)
• NOT travelling with the intention of having medical treatment, tests or consultations abroad

Covering your medical conditions is straightforward and can easily be done online or over the phone. We’ll take the time to explain everything and answer any concerns you have. We’ll never rush you.

When can’t we offer travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?

While we consider all pre-existing medical conditions, there might be times when we’re unable to provide cover.

If this happens, we’ll talk you through your options as you may have the option to buy a policy that excludes your medical conditions or offer alternatives.

1. Read Liz’s review here