Travel insurance & medical conditions
People often find that they can pay more for travel insurance if they have a medical condition, especially a serious or rare one, and in some cases find that some insurers will not provide cover at all. This doesn’t mean insurance isn’t available, you just need to shop in the right places.
The basic fact is that travel insurance is designed principally to help people cope with the costs of needing emergency medical help while abroad. This is by far the most costly risk people typically face when travelling. The costs can be especially high in countries that do not offer free health care, like North America. But in Europe, emergency medical repatriation to the UK can cost many thousands of pounds.
Insurers face high potential costs from these medical risks, so if you present insurers with a higher likelihood of making a medical-related claim, as anybody with a serious medical condition will, then you will pay more for travel insurance. You may also need to contact a specialist insurer who has experience of medical underwriting to cover your holiday.
The most important thing for customers with a medical condition to remember when they want travel insurance is to plan ahead and shop around with the right providers. Here are some tips on finding the right insurance:
- Don’t leave insurance until the last minute and rely on the mass-market insurers, or tour operators that sell insurance as part of a package holiday. Many of these won’t be able to cover medical conditions.
- Go to specialists – more and more insurers have specialist knowledge of medical conditions and can offer you cover.
- Shop around – insurance policies differ on both cover and price, so compare the quotes you receive to make sure you get the best deal.
- If you have any problems trying to find specialist insurers, use a broker. They can do the hard work for you.
You can contact a broker through the British Insurance Brokers Association, who host a website and a dedicated customer helpline:
Telephone: 090 1814 0015 (25 pence per minute)
Email: enquiries@biba.org.uk
British Insurance Brokers Assodociation, 14 Bevis Marks, London EC3A 7NT