Travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions
How to find affordable travel insurance for medical conditions
If you've had a serious medical condition, or are having treatment for one, getting travel insurance can feel daunting. Many people worry they won't be able to get cover, or will be charged sky-high premiums. This guide explains how travel insurers define pre-existing conditions, what you must tell them about, and how to find cheaper cover if you've had health issues.
First, a quick overview of travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions...
Travel insurance with a pre-existing condition covers medical conditions you already have or have had if you need to make a claim. Here's what you need to know:
You must declare all conditions. If you don’t, your policy can be invalid and claims refused.
Costs vary hugely. Premiums depend on your condition, age and trip details, so comparing prices is vital.
Specialist insurers may be best for serious conditions. Many minor issues won't affect the price at all, but mainstream providers can often hoick the cost or refuse cover for certain conditions.
Serious conditions can still be covered. Cancer, heart problems and diabetes can be included, but prices and exclusions vary.
Buy cover ASAB (As Soon As you Book). So you're protected if you need to cancel before you go.
Are you in the right place?
- Aged under 66 with NO medical conditions? See our main Travel insurance guide.
- Aged 66+ with NO medical conditions? See Over-65s' travel insurance.
Can I still get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?
Yes, you can still get travel insurance if you have (or had) a medical condition, but you must declare it when applying. Depending on the issue, you may need to use a specialist medical travel insurance provider.
What is pre-existing condition travel insurance?
Pre-existing condition travel insurance works like standard travel insurance, but it also covers medical expenses linked to conditions you currently have or have had in the past. Because of this extra risk, policies usually cost more, and cover may vary between insurers.
What does travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance is designed to cover the cost of the unexpected, such as illness, injury or theft while you're away – and also cancellations before you travel, which is why it's vital to buy ASAB (As Soon As you Book).
Not all medical travel insurance is the same, so always check the small print before you buy. But in general, an insurer should cover you for:
Cancellation – if you can't travel because of redundancy, jury service, serious illness, bereavement or a home emergency.
Medical costs abroad – emergency treatment overseas plus travel costs if you need to be brought back to the UK.
Cutting your trip short (curtailment) – having to return home early due to a serious incident, such as the death of a close relative.
Baggage & belongings – if your stuff is lost, stolen or damaged (though limits often apply).
Personal liability – if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property.
What medical conditions do I need to declare when buying travel insurance?
If you've seen your doctor, a medical consultant or a specialist in the last few years, it's very likely you'll need to declare it, no matter what it was for. Insurance providers usually ask about medical conditions or treatments in the past three to five years, but some go even further back. So always answer carefully, as failing to declare could invalidate your policy.
You may not need a specialist policy as many insurers can be considerate and cover you on a standard policy, though it does depend on the medical condition, and whether the provider thinks you're more likely to make a claim.
Common issues you'll usually need to disclose include:
Chronic conditions: asthma, diabetes, arthritis, gout, Crohn's
Cardiovascular: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart conditions
Mental health: depression, anxiety, eating disorders
Neurological: epilepsy
You'll also need to declare if you've had:
Broken limbs treated
Any surgery
Any ongoing treatment (or are waiting for an operation/investigation)
Any condition where you're awaiting test results
Using weight-loss jabs? You must declare them
More than a million people in the UK now use drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro. If you do, you’ll need to tell your insurer when buying travel insurance. A recent poll by Consumer Intelligence found one in four adults didn’t know how to classify these medicines – but insurers usually treat them as prescribed medication for a medical condition.
If you don’t declare them, your cover could be invalidated – even if your claim has nothing to do with the jab. As with any pre-existing condition or treatment, always disclose it up front. If unsure, ask your insurer before buying.
Do I really need to declare recent doctor visits or minor medical issues?
Yes, you must disclose your medical history if the insurer asks. Most will specifically ask if you've:
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Seen a doctor or specialist in the last two to five years
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Had any tests or investigations done
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Taken prescribed medication
That means even if you went to your GP for something minor, such as a routine check-up, mild asthma, or high blood pressure, you should mention it.
Declaring these doesn't always raise costs. Many minor or well-controlled conditions won't affect the price at all. But if you don't disclose them when asked, your policy could be invalid and claims refused. If in doubt, always point it out.
To give an indication of what the extra costs could be, here's what noh in the MSE Forum found...
My wife is taking three different medications for two conditions: high blood pressure and thyroid. The extra premium for that is £44 a year. I previously declared high blood pressure with one medication, for which there was no extra premium. Now I have had to add high cholesterol with one medication and type 2 diabetes controlled by exercise and diet. The extra premium for those three conditions is £60 a year.
Travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions cost-cutting tips
Here are a few need-to-knows before you choose holiday insurance with medical conditions...
1. Separate policies can work out cheaper for families or groups
Family or group policies are priced based on the traveller deemed the highest risk, which is often the oldest person or someone with pre-existing medical conditions. Insurers can hike premiums under these circumstances.
Compare costs with and without the higher-risk traveller on the same policy. Sometimes, taking a separate policy can avoid everyone paying over the odds and can save the rest of the group money – but always check both options.
Where you're going also matters. If only one traveller is heading outside of Europe, in particular to the US, or on a skiing trip (or even both), it may be cheaper to have separate policies rather than the whole family buying extended cover.
2. Check whether you're already covered by your bank – and tell 'em about your medical conditions
If you have a packaged bank account – where you pay a monthly fee for extra benefits such as insurance – you may already have travel cover, so check to see whether you've got it and whether it's appropriate for your trip. But you must declare your medical conditions. It worked for MoneySaver Kevin..
Lloyds Bank Club account includes travel insurance as part of the package as standard. If you’ve got a pre-existing condition, I had an Aneurysm on the brain in 2016, I notified them of this and they charge a nominal £30 per year to cover this.
If your issues are mild, for example, you've got controlled asthma, you will probably be covered without paying anything. However, if your conditions are severe, you may have to pay an additional fee or you may be declined cover entirely, but always check as insurers have different rules. As MoneySaver Mari, aged 70, found...
I was diagnosed with breast cancer and insurers said I couldn't get cover. I nearly fell off the chair when Nationwide, with the FlexPlus account, quoted £85 for myself and my husband despite my medical history – we've already been to California and are off to South America in November.
For accounts that may offer travel insurance (and other perks), see our Top packaged bank accounts guide.
3. Single-trip policies can be cheaper than annual multi-trip cover
If you have pre-existing conditions, buying an annual policy may be prohibitively expensive. Get quotes for single-trip and annual cover and work out what will be most cost-effective.
Annual cover includes unlimited trips within 12 months, but each trip duration is capped (often 31 days, sometimes as low as 17 or as high as 90). If you only travel once, single-trip cover is your best option, but if you travel at least twice a year, check an annual policy as it can often cost less.
General travel insurance need-to-knows
Here are a few general pointers you need to know before you choose any travel insurance policy...
Buy cover ASAB (As Soon As you Book). Insurance doesn't just protect you while away – it also covers cancellations before you go.
Going to Europe? Get a free EHIC/GHIC card. It entitles you to state-run hospital treatment in the EU at the same cost as locals. If they pay nowt, you pay nowt. See our Free EHIC/GHIC guide.
Skiing? Add winter sports cover. This protects you if you're injured on the slopes and for loss/damage to ski kit.
Check whether you need to add cruise cover. Many standard policies don't cover missed excursions or cruise itinerary changes without it.
Check country lists – not all policies include the USA or Spain. Insurers will classify your trip as 'European' or 'worldwide', but exactly which countries are automatically covered varies – so do check.
Watch for age limits. Some insurers impose them (especially on annual policies), but others don't. See our Over-65s' travel insurance guide for tips to cut costs.
How to find cheap travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions
Our step-by-step process will help you find the best policy with cover for your medical condition.
Step 1. Try standard polices first (for mild conditions)
For some with conditions deemed less serious by insurers – for example, mild asthma – you may find you can get a standard policy, or only have the price increased a small amount.
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Use our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool in our main travel insurance guide (for under-66s) to compare single-trip and annual policies.
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If prices are high or you're declined, move to step 2. Each insurer will have its own list of conditions it deems as more serious, which means you might have to pay a premium or get specialist cover.
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You can also try comparison sites to find other 'standard' policies – though note they may include . Try... MoneySupermarket* | Compare The Market | Confused.com* | Gocompare | Quotezone*
Want more cover? Premium travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
If you're after a 'premier' policy with higher limits (for example, to protect expensive trips or cover airline failure), try: LV (Premier)* or ABTA Travel Insurance (Gold)*. These policies exceed our normal , and include:
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£5,000 cancellation cover per person
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£10 million medical and repatriation expenses
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£2,000 baggage cover
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Travel disruption (for example, because of volcanic ash or natural disasters)
However, these can charge a lot more than specialist medical policies to cover your health conditions, so get quotes and compare.
Step 2. If you have a serious condition, try specialist medical travel insurance
To cover more serious conditions, such as heart conditions, certain joint conditions or cancer, you'll likely need to try specialist medical insurers (often you won't see these on normal comparison sites).
A good starting point – to benchmark a price – would be to get a quote online from Medical Travel Compared*. This specialist comparison site works with a wide range of insurers. It's also worth checking Payingtoomuch* as well.
Note that if you're looking for an annual policy, and you choose an insurer using a comparison website for a holiday that's over a year away, check whether the provider will cover the holiday, as not all do.
Step 3. If you still can't get cover or it's eye-wateringly expensive, contact a broker
Specialist travel insurance brokers can help you find firms that cover non-standard medical conditions, or non-standard trips. To find one, see the British Insurance Brokers' Association website. Always double-check the level of cover offered before taking out a policy, and ask the broker to explain if you're not sure about anything.
How to claim on your travel insurance for pre-existing conditions
Claiming on your travel insurance shouldn't be daunting and – if you understand the terms and excesses on your policy – you shouldn't be in for any nasty shocks.
But be aware of the following in the event you need to claim...
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Submit your claim as soon as possible. Contact your insurer as soon as you can. When making certain claims you may have a time limit to submit the claim or report the loss, and it may take a while to be processed.
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Get insurer approval before you get treatment. If you need to make a medical claim – and it's not an emergency – get your insurer to accept the claim over the phone first. For example, if you sprained your ankle, call your insurer – if it accepts the claim then, you're less likely to be faced with a rejected claim later down the line. For obvious reasons, don't delay treatment if it's an emergency.
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Notify the police if it's a theft or loss. If something goes missing or is stolen when you are abroad you may need to get the overseas equivalent of a crime reference number to make a successful claim. Report the incident to the police as soon as you can – you often have to do so within 24 hours – to make sure your claim doesn't hit the skids.
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Keep receipts. If you are claiming for lost luggage or delay, remember to keep receipts of essential items you have bought while waiting, such as food and drink. Many insurers allow you to add these expenses to a claim and may ask for receipts as proof.
How to complain about your insurance provider
The insurance industry doesn't have the best customer-service reputation and while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others.
Common problems include claims not being paid out on time or at all, unfair charges, or exclusions being hidden in small print. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but if not, then…
You can use free complaints tool Resolver. This helps you manage your complaint, and if the company doesn't play ball, it also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
Pre-existing travel insurance FAQs
Not always. Each insurer will have its own criteria by which it sets prices and will look at conditions differently. We've heard from users in the MSE Forum who have declared high blood pressure or other small issues and have seen no price increases at all.
The most important thing is you do let the insurer know about your medical history, or you risk invalidating your policy should you need to claim.
It's important to give a full and frank rundown of all your past health issues, so you don't find any claim being rejected at a later date. If your insurer doesn't know about your medical history, any pre-existing conditions – however minor – will likely be excluded and you could face a massive bill if you become unwell.
Insurers also need to know about medication, conditions or illnesses that can be linked to your pre-existing condition.
For example, an asthmatic who develops a chest infection (connected to being asthmatic) while on holiday will only be insured if they've told the provider about their asthma upfront.
Some insurers may let you exclude a pre-existing health issue, but be aware this means you'll need to pay out yourself if that medical conditions triggers medical costs or results in you needing to cancel your trip.
If you develop a new condition or you're referred for tests after you've bought your policy, you need to tell your insurer – even if your doctor says you're fit to travel.
If you don't and you later need to claim, the insurer could void your policy altogether – not just for that condition, but everything – meaning it could leave you thousands out of pocket.
The Financial Conduct Authority says it's common for insurers to require you to declare any changes in health but it says it "wouldn't normally consider it fair if the insurer changed or cancelled cover due to a minor or short-term condition".
This is a letter from a medical professional, such as your GP or consultant, simply confirming your condition is stable and you are fit to fly and travel.
It's especially important to get one if you have a serious condition or are recovering from one, where flying or travelling could negatively affect your health.
If you're not declared fit to travel and need to cancel your holiday, you can usually claim on your travel insurance, provided you've answered all medical questions accurately and disclosed all relevant conditions to your insurer.
Yes, you usually can get travel insurance if you have cancer, but it depends on several factors, such as the type of cancer, how it's being treated, and how long it has been monitored.
The more serious it is, the harder it is to get cover. Firstly, try one of the comparisons sites for a quote. If you are unable to get cover or the price is too high, contact a specialist travel insurance broker who can help you find firms that cover non-standard medical conditions. The British Insurance Brokers' Association website has a list of brokers to try.
Always double-check the level of cover offered before taking out a policy, and ask the broker to explain if you're not sure about anything.
Will declaring my condition always make travel insurance more expensive?
What happens if I don't declare a condition?
Can I exclude my condition to get cheaper cover?
Do I need to update my insurer if my health changes during the policy?
What is a fit-to-travel certificate?
Can I get covered for cancer?
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