Travel Insurance With Medical Conditions

You can get Travel Insurance with medical conditions if you buy cover from a specialist Travel Insurance provider like AllClear. Some providers will only cover you for medical emergencies that are unrelated to any pre-existing conditions. So if you’ve had a hospital appointment, visited a GP or taken any medication for a medical condition in the last two years, you’ll need specialist Travel Insurance for your medical conditions.

Emergency medical treatment abroad can cost more than you think. That’s why medical cover should be your number one priority when looking for Travel Insurance. It covers emergency medical costs, including hospital charges and ambulance fees. It also covers repatriation (medical transport back home) if needed.

Medical Travel Insurance gives you four key benefits in addition to those provided by standard Travel Insurance:

• Cover for your pre-existing conditions while abroad. AllClear covers up to unlimited costs for emergency treatment, including treatment for ongoing medical issues.
• Cover for cancellation due to a pre-existing medical condition. You can also be covered for up to £25K if you need to cancel your holiday because of your medical condition, or a complication related to it.
• Repatriation costs. According to FCDO figures, if you were to fall over in Spain and need treatment for a broken leg, costs could be around £15,000. Even minor ailments such as an infection or stomach bug in the USA could cost you £100, 000 if you need flights home.
• Peace of mind. While you’re away, you’ll have access to 24-hour medical emergency assistance, so you can travel with confidence, knowing we’ll be there just in case.

With a standard policy, you would need to pay for medical costs incurred due to your pre-existing conditions, which can easily reach thousands of pounds very quickly. Without Medical Travel Insurance, medical costs abroad can be very expensive. 

Real customer claims we’ve paid out include: £21,587 for a fractured femur in Italy and £179,391 for pneumonia in Spain.

Here are some example costs of treatment for a heart attack in different countries:

• Spain – £45,000.
• Thailand – £75,000
• USA – £362,000

AllClear research warns of the risks for uninsured travellers. 21% of travellers with medical conditions won’t buy Travel Insurance, despite rising medical costs abroad. We also found that 1 in 4 UK adults don’t declare all their medical conditions.

This can lead to expensive problems when you are away. If you withhold relevant health information, your claim may not be valid. That could mean paying for emergency medical treatment or repatriation entirely out of your own pocket. 

A pre-existing medical condition is any illness, injury or health condition you had before buying your Travel Insurance. This can include conditions you’re currently managing, as well as conditions you’ve received treatment, medication or medical advice for in the past.

What do I need to declare during medical screening?

When you get a quote, we’ll ask you some questions about your health and medical history. It’s important to tell us about relevant medical conditions from the last two years, even if you’re no longer taking medication or receiving treatment for them.

For the purposes of our medical screening, this can include:

• Any condition you’ve seen a doctor about, been diagnosed with, received treatment for or taken medication for
• Any medication prescribed to you within the last two years, even if you no longer take it
• Long-term or ongoing conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or cancer
• Routine reviews or check-ups for an existing medical condition, even if your condition is stable
• Visits to, or treatment from, a doctor, nurse or carer at home relating to a medical condition
• Recent illnesses, symptoms or health concerns that are still being investigated, or where you’re waiting for test results, treatment or a referral

We’ll guide you through the relevant questions during the quote process, so you can tell us about your medical history and make sure you have the appropriate cover in place.

As part of the quote process, we ask you to declare any conditions that fall within the medical warranty. This is an important part of our medical screening for Travel Insurance. But you may wonder if there are any conditions you don’t need to declare.

If you’ve had a cold or flu, but didn’t need to see a doctor or take any prescribed medication, then you don’t need to tell us about it. We also don’t need to know about a complication-free pregnancy or any contraception prescriptions.

Travel Insurance offers financial protection for specific problems you might face on holiday. The medical section of your policy covers the cost of medical care if you become ill or have an accident.

Without Medical Travel Insurance, you’d be liable for any expenses resulting from an unexpected medical emergency when travelling. This means the cost of the ambulance, any doctor’s appointments and any surgeries you might need. Also, the cost of any medication that’s needed to treat you. These expenses can quickly build up and be in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, of pounds.

Here we explain how you would make a claim.

If  you need emergency medical care while abroad:

1. 1. Notify us as soon as possible. We’re here to help, so just let us know what’s happened. Ideally, you’ll notify us while you’re still away. In some emergency cases our assistance team may arrange payment directly to the treating hospital or clinic.
   2. Keep all documentation: Make sure to keep any medical reports, booking forms, receipts, hospital certificates or invoices. These will be needed for your claim. 
   3. Fill out a claims form when back in the UK.  If you’ve paid any medical costs yourself, you’ll have up to 30 days from the end of your holiday to make a claim. Please be as accurate as possible in your information. This is where you’ll need to provide your receipts, certificates and booking forms. 
   4. Send it to us. Remember to keep a copy of all the documents you’ve sent us, just in case.
   5. We’ll do the rest. Our team will get to work and keep you posted with any updates.

For full instructions on how to claim, please read our How To Claim page.

Travel Insurance for pre-existing medical conditions can protect you against unexpected medical costs and other problems while you’re away. The exact cover and limits will depend on the policy you choose, so always check your Policy Wording for full details.

For full details of what is and is not covered, please check your Policy Wording.

You can pick from three levels of policy, tailoring your cover to your budget and needs. Our Gold, Gold Plus, and Platinum policy levels include:

The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) entitles you to access emergency and necessary state healthcare in EU countries, as if you were a local citizen.

However, the GHIC is not a replacement for Travel Insurance. It doesn’t protect you against many of the costs that could arise while travelling, including:

• Rescue and repatriation, for example, an air ambulance from Spain back to the UK can cost £10,000 or more

• Lost or stolen belongings, including passports, baggage, or valuable personal items

• Trip cancellation, curtailment or interruption if you need to cancel before travel or return home early

• Additional accommodation or transport costs due to unexpected illness or medical treatment

• Medical treatment outside of the EU, including any healthcare costs you incur in non-EU countries, even if they border the EU or are part of the Schengen Area. The GHIC only provides access to state healthcare in EU member countries, so you won’t be covered elsewhere

• The GHIC does not cover treatment for your pre-existing medical conditions, only for unexpected emergency care

Insurance for medical conditions doesn’t have to be hard to buy. If you have serious health conditions you can get specialist insurance from AllClear.

Our 3-step quote process is quick and simple and designed to provide you with comprehensive worldwide cover.

Here’s how it works.

1 . Get a quote online or by phone

Once you’re ready to start the quote process, the first step is to provide your personal details and information about your holiday and travel plans. This can be completed over the phone with one of our team members or online. 

2. Tell us about your conditions 

As part of the quote process, we’ll run through a medical screening, and ask you some questions about your conditions. Declare any conditions you’ve had symptoms, treatment or medication for in the last 2 years. This way, we can provide the cover that best suits your needs. As a specialist, AllClear can cover all pre-existing conditions. 

3. Select your level of cover 

Once you’ve completed the medical screening process, you’ll be able to choose the level of cover which best suits your needs. 

The best time to buy Travel Insurance is as soon as you book your trip. That way, your cancellation cover can start straight away, subject to the terms of your policy.

This can be especially important if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Your health can change unexpectedly before you travel – you could need new treatment, have an appointment brought forward or be advised that you’re no longer fit to travel.

If you have cancellation cover and need to cancel your trip for an insured reason relating to a declared medical condition, you may be able to claim for eligible non-refundable costs.

So, while you can arrange Travel Insurance closer to your departure date, don’t wait until the week before you travel. Buying cover when you book means you can have protection in place for the run-up to your holiday, as well as while you’re away.

A medical emergency can be daunting at any time, especially when you’re in another country. That’s why you’ll have access to our 24/7 English-speaking emergency medical assistance team while you’re away.

What to do if you need medical help abroad

1. Get emergency help if you need it: If you need urgent medical attention, contact the local emergency services or go to the nearest appropriate medical facility.

2. Call our 24/7 emergency assistance team: Contact the emergency assistance number in your policy documents as soon as you can. Our English-speaking team is available day or night to support you.

3. We’ll help you through the next steps: Depending on your circumstances and the terms of your policy, the team can help coordinate the assistance you need while you’re abroad.

4. We’ll stay involved if further support is needed: If your situation requires ongoing assistance or you need to return to the UK for medical reasons, our team can help coordinate the next steps where covered by your policy.

Before you travel: Save the emergency assistance number from your policy documents in your phone and keep a copy with your travel documents. That way, it’s easy to find if you need us.

The cost of Medical Travel Insurance will differ based on a number of factors

• Your medical history: For example, the severity of your condition, whether it is medicated. The medical screening process will answer these questions and determine the level of risk. 
• Your destination: Some places carry a greater risk as they have a more expensive health care system. For example, Travel Insurance for the US will have a higher premium than Travel Insurance in Europe.
• Your age: Travel Insurance has a higher premium as we get older. However, our policies have no upper age limit, and we specialise in Travel Insurance for those in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
• Activities: While we cover some activities as standard, you’ll need to pay an additional premium to take part in others.
• Valuables: If you’re taking a lot of expensive items abroad, such as laptops, tablets, phones or cameras, you might want to add gadget cover to your policy.
• Additional cover: You may want to include extra cover for a special type of holiday, such as a cruise or golfing holiday.

If you’re concerned about the cost, there are some steps you can take to get cheaper Travel Insurance.

• Consider arranging a shorter trip. Shorter trips mean you’re less likely to claim, as you’ll be travelling for less time. This means a cheaper policy. 
• Consider choosing a destination with lower medical costs. Cover tends to be pricier when travelling to countries with high private healthcare expenses. The US famously has an expensive healthcare system, so Travel Insurance for the US will be more expensive than Travel Insurance for Europe.
• Consider one policy for the whole year. If you plan to travel two or more times within a year, an Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance policy is typically more cost-effective than securing cover for every single trip.
• Check what discount codes are available

The length of your trip and the cost of medical treatment in the country you plan to visit can affect the costs of medical cover. For example, a week’s trip to Milan will be cheaper to cover than a two-week holiday in New York City.

You should never knowingly declare your medical conditions inaccurately. Doing so may reduce the policy premium, but you would invalidate your cover and leave yourself responsible for all the costs incurred in the event of a claim.