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Home » Medical Travel Insurance » Shingles travel insurance

Shingles travel insurance

Shingles travel insurance covers you if you are currently living or have just recovered from shingles and wish to travel with peace of mind. Travel Insurance for pre existing conditions covers you for medical emergencies, which is vital to prevent unexpected medical bills and give you the support you need if you have any medical problems while you are away.

According to the NHS, one in every four people will have at least one outbreak of shingles in their life time. The main symptoms of shingles is a dull and burning pain, which is followed by a rash that eventually develops into painful blisters. It’s not necessarily life threatening, but anyone who has had shingles will most likely agree: it does affect your travel plans.

Benefits of AllClear Cover

Gold Gold Plus Platinum
Emergency medical expenses and Repatriation costs Up to £10m Up to £15m Unlimited
Cancellation* and Curtailment Up to £2k Up to £15k Up to £25k
Travel Delay Up to £300 Up to £1,500 Up to £1,500
Recuperation stay
Personal Belongings Up to £2k Up to £2.5k Up to £3k
Personal liability Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m
Legal protection cover Up to £50k Up to £50k Up to £100k
* If you buy a policy which includes cancellation cover
All these figures are per person and per trip

Frequently asked questions

What if you call it herpes zoster?

Our detailed quote system recognises there are different names for the same medical condition.

As ‘herpes zoster’  is interchangeable with shingles, you may use either name when declaring your medical conditions.

Just remember only to declare the condition once!

What if you're still taking medication for shingles?

As long as your doctor has confirmed you are fit to travel, we can offer you a quote.

Plus, all of our policies cover loss or theft of your medication.

What if you no longer need treatment for shingles?

You will need to declare shingles if you or anyone else insured on the policy have:

  • Any medical condition for which you have received surgery, in or out-patient treatment, tests or investigations in a hospital, clinic or GP surgery within the last 24 months.
  • Any medical condition for which you have been prescribed medication in the last 5 years.

Rest assured that if you do need to declare shingles – but you no longer need treatment – you will be able to accurately reflect your current health during questions about the condition.

Simple 3 step quote process

1. Call us or click a quote button on our site

Once you are ready to start the quote process, the first step is to provide your personal details and information about your holiday plans.

2. Complete our simple medical screening process

You then declare the medical conditions for you (and any other travellers) and answer the specifically designed medical questions.

3. Get your quotes

You will then get your quotes and can either proceed to buy, or save your quote, at this stage.

Our 5 star Trustpilot rating

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Tips for traveling with shingles

It is possible to travel after you have had shingles, you’ll just need to take a few extra precautions…

  • Avoid traveling during the time before your shingles rash starts to scab over and develops a crust, as this is when you are potentially infectious to others!
  • If your doctor says you are fit to travel, try to get a letter from your doctor that your shingles is not contagious so that you’re fit-to-fly.
  • Wear loose fitting clothing to keep yourself comfortable on the flight.
  • Make sure that your rash is kept clean and dry during travel.
  • If you have been prescribed antiviral medication, bring more than enough with you to last the length of your trip. You may also want to bring painkillers to reduce your discomfort.
  • Stress can make shingles flare up, so try to avoid stressful situations. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and allow for rest time.
  • Keep the affected area out of the sun and covered up, as the lesions will be more susceptible to sunburn.
  • Make sure you know the emergency medical assistance number of your travel insurance. If possible, it should be the first number you call in the event of an emergency.

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Written by: Russell Wallace | Travel Insurance Expert
Last Updated: 23 November 2023


[1] Based on Trustpilot reviews of all companies in the Travel Insurance Company category that have over 30,000 reviews as of January 2023.