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What travel insurance should a diabetic get?
Diabetes travel insurance is designed to give you peace of mind if have diabetes and wish to travel. This type of insurance covers you for medical emergencies, even those related to COVID-19, which is vital to prevent any unexpected medical bills while you’re on holiday.
The UK Government says “Wherever you’re travelling, it’s important to take out comprehensive travel insurance before you go.”
Many standard travel insurance policies don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes. This means those policies wouldn’t cover you if you lost your insulin or needed diabetes-related treatment during your trip.
While not compulsory, consider diabetic travel insurance as essential so that you can receive medical attention if a diabetes-related problem occurs, leaving you with one less thing to worry about on holiday.
We are specialists in providing medical travel insurance and we’re able to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions such as type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
We can now also cover Covid-19 related medical expenses.
Compare quotes in one place and select the diabetes travel insurance which matches your health requirements.
- Cancellation and Curtailment covered up to £25,000, including for Covid-19
- Up to £15 million emergency medical expenses cover, including for Covid-19
- Up to 30 days FREE extended cover (if due to unexpected circumstances beyond your control)
- Up to £2,000, if medically necessary, for a friend or relative to travel from your home area to stay with you if you fall ill with Covid-19 (costs for room and to accompany you home)
- Repatriation costs, when medically necessary, to bring you back to the UK where it is deemed to be in your best interests
- Following recovery from Coronavirus, costs for a continued recuperation stay, when medically necessary and under doctors advice
- Costs for your return flight following your enforced stay due to Coronavirus
- Personal Belongings covered up to £3,000
- All conditions. All ages.
Will you be covered if you’re travelling during the pandemic?
There are a few things to check first, as it needs to be safe for you to travel to make sure you’re covered:
- You must be fit to travel
- The FCO must NOT have advised against travel to your destination
- You must follow the local government advice for your destination, checking and following their guidelines and entry requirements
You can then be covered for emergency medical expenses or cancellation relating to COVID-19, when you have travel insurance with enhanced Coronavirus cover. If you’re an existing policyholder, you can read our Frequently Asked Questions if your trip is affected by Covid-19.
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Travel insurance for Type 1 diabetes
According to Diabetes UK, about 8% of people in the UK with diabetes have diabetes Type 1. If you have it, your body attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency, so you need injections or an insulin pump.
We know having a medical condition can sometimes complicate matters when travelling. However, as we are specialist medical insurance providers, we work to help those who want to go abroad and travel safely. If you or a relative has type 1 diabetes and require travel insurance, then AllClear can help you find the right cover, ensuring you can travel to the destinations you want to visit with the peace of mind that we’re there for you should you need us.
Travel insurance for Type 2 diabetes
Most people with diabetes in the UK have diabetes type 2. This is characterised by insulin resistance.
We recognise that type 2 diabetes symptoms vary and we can tailor your travel insurance to meet your needs and ensure the premium accurately reflects the severity of your condition.
You can compare quotes from multiple providers so you can choose the right cover for you.
Competitor comparison table
| This table shows how AllClear Travel Insurance compares to other providers i | AllClear | Staysure | Avanti | Saga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust | ||||
| 5-star Trustpilot reviews | 82% | 77% | 77% | 71% |
| TrustScore | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| 5-star Defaqto rated | ||||
| Good Housekeeping endorsement | ||||
| Established for 20+ years | ||||
| Product | ||||
| Maximum cancellation cover | £25k | £15k | £7.5k | £10k |
| Minimum standard excess | £0 | £65 | £0 | £70 |
| Baggage delay benefit after 12 hours i | £250 | £0 | £75 | £250 |
| Number of product choices | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| No age limits i | ||||
| Travel companion cover | ||||
| Terminal conditions cover | ||||
| Cancellations | ||||
| Admin fee for cancelling during the cooling off period | £0 | £25 | £25 | £0 |
| Refund provided outside of cooling off period | ||||
| Claims | ||||
| Claims paid within 5 working days i | 100% | 95% | N/A | N/A |
Helpful tips for travelling with diabetes
If you’re insulin dependent, consider wearing a medical identification bracelet that states that you are diabetic, keep your medical emergency number on you, a letter from your GP and a recent prescription. The ID and letter should say you have diabetes and the medication you use. The letter should say the equipment you carry (insulin, insulin delivery devices, needles, monitors, tablets, test strips etc). Keep your insulin bottles and pens in their original packaging to prove that the prescription is your own.
You can let loose on holiday but remember to stick to your medication routine.If you’re insulin dependent, travelling outside of your time zone and jet lag might cause you to eat at strange hours – which can affect your insulin levels. When travelling east the day will be shortened and when travelling west the day will be extended.
While you’re covered for losing medication, it’s still a good idea to take more than you need – just in case. Also, keep medication in your hand luggage as hold baggage can be lost or exposed to extreme cold or heat that can spoil medication.
Let airport security know that you have diabetes.
Keep in mind that long periods of sunbathing can affect your control of your diabetes, as it will make your blood glucose levels higher than normal. A hot or cold climate may affect how your insulin and blood glucose monitor works.
Consider contacting your insulin manufacturer to find out if your insulin is supplied in the country you’re visiting and if it’s sold under the same name. Find out where you could get an insulin supply in case of emergency.
In some countries blood glucose is measured in milligrams per 100 millilitres (mg/dl) instead of millimoles per litre (mmol/l).
If you use a pump or Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) get in touch with your airline before your departure so that they can take your needs into account (some airlines may require this in any case). You shouldn’t put your pump or CGM through an x-ray machine or body scanner. The Civil Aviation Authority provides a Medical Device Awareness card you can download and print out to help you and airport security officers.
Be aware that the decrease in cabin pressure on ascent may slightly increase insulin delivery and the increase in cabin pressure on descent may slightly decrease insulin delivery. Make sure to adjust the clock on your insulin pump to reflect the change in time zones.
Frequently asked questions about diabetic travel insurance
Should I buy travel insurance for diabetes?
The UK government recommends buying comprehensive travel insurance wherever you travel abroad, whether or not you have diabetes. Diabetes UK recommends you buy travel insurance too. Do apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you don’t already have one, but note it only entitles you to the same quality of care at the same terms as a resident of the country you’re visiting, and it doesn’t cover some medical expenses including emergency repatriation.
Is diabetes a pre-existing medical condition?
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes it is a pre-existing medical condition.
Are you on a waiting list for treatment relating to your diabetes
As you may know, complications of diabetes can often require surgery. If you are on a waiting list for treatment, or you join one, you can add on Waiting List cover. While some travel insurance providers exclude or remove cover in relation to future treatment, we provide you with the ability to remain fully covered on AllClear Gold and Gold Plus policies.
Will your policy cover for replacing lost insulin while you're abroad?
Yes, you will have cover for lost or damaged medication while away. If you need to pay for the medication while in your destination be sure to keep your receipts and you will be able to make a claim for the lost expenses when you return home.
Do I have to declare diabetes on travel insurance?
It may be that your diabetes is stable and not of great concern to you. After all, since 1996 the number of diabetics living in the UK has more than doubled, as it’s an increasingly common condition. However, for the purpose of your travel insurance, it is still important to declare it. Doing so makes sure you have full cover for any diabetes related complications – unexpected or otherwise. Please rest assured that during your quote you will be able to accurately state how diabetes affects you during our questions about the condition.
Does diabetes increase travel insurance?
Depending on what you declare and the policy you choose, you may or may not be charged an additional premium for your diabetes. The important thing is that you have declared your conditions and your insurance covers them.
Are you covered for repatriation if you need to come home early?
If a diabetes complication – or any medical emergency – means you need to curtail your trip, all of our policies will cover you. What’s more, any other travelling members listed on your policy are also covered.
Annual multi-trip or single trip?
An annual multi-trip policy allows you to travel multiple times within a year. The maximum duration of these trips varies between policies. However, it is usually between 31 to 45 days.
If you need a longer trip duration or, if you only plan on travelling once in the year, then a single trip travel insurance policy may be right for you.
What will affect the price of your policy?
We calculate the premiums you’re displayed using multiple factors. These include age, trip duration, destination and pre-existing medical conditions.
Can you fly with diabetes?
The Civil Aviation Authority says that “Air travel should not pose significant problems for patients with well-controlled diabetes” but “Pre-planning is important”.
Can diabetics get travel insurance?
Many travel insurance policies don’t cover diabetes. But at AllClear we are the specialists in providing travel insurance for medical conditions including diabetes.
Does travel insurance cover lost insulin?
Yes, you will have cover for lost or damaged medication while away. If you need to pay for the medication while in your destination be sure to keep your receipts and you will be able to make a claim for the lost expenses when you return home.
