One in three British holidaymakers could be travelling with undeclared medical conditions and therefore may be at risk of having any travel insurance claims rejected, according to new research.
If you’ve booked a break and have yet to buy travel insurance, it’s vital to disclose any medical conditions to your insurer – even if you think they are minor or irrelevant because they were a few years ago – or your policy could be invalidated.
Kelly Whittington, director of travel claims at Aviva, said: “Medical treatment abroad can be very expensive, so if you travel without cover for existing medical conditions, this could have serious financial implications for you if treatment is needed for these while you’re on a trip. If ever in doubt about what is considered a ‘medical condition’, check your policy documents or contact your insurer directly.”
According to research carried out by travel insurance provider Staysure, 33% of people aren’t unaware that they have to declare pre-existing medical conditions when buying travel insurance. Over half of respondents (53%) said they didn’t consider it necessary to disclose mental health issues to their insurer.
Simon McCulloch, chief commercial officer at Staysure, said: “It’s worrying to see these survey results. Travel insurance is there to protect you and your holiday investment against unforeseen events if something should go wrong while you’re away or if you unexpectedly must cancel your trip. Anyone embarking on a holiday should check the terms of their cover and update their insurer with changes to their health so they can amend the policy accordingly.”
If you’re looking for travel insurance, we have partnered with Staysure to provide you with first class travel insurance, tailored to suit your needs. There’s no upper age limit and they’ll cover most pre-existing medical conditions. You can also take advantage of their 20%‡ discount, just quote RLESS at checkout.
‡Discount applies to the base premium of the policy only and not to medical screening costs or add-ons where relevant. Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
Understanding pre-existing medical conditions
Almost all those surveyed (90%) by Staysure claimed that they understood what ‘declaring all pre-existing medical conditions’ means. However, when questioned about specific ailments significantly fewer respondents successfully identified conditions that would need to be covered, such as osteoarthritis (37%), infections (30%), anxiety (22%), and headaches or migraines (16%). These could all be considered a ‘pre-existing medical condition’ by an insurer if you have experienced symptoms, taken medication, or visited your doctor or a hospital regarding them.
Mr McCulloch said: “Even well-managed conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and angina all need to be declared including recent GP or hospital visits. This is to ensure you have full protection should you need emergency medical care while abroad.”
Do I have to declare conditions from years ago?
If you had a medical condition 20 years ago that you are fully recovered from and don’t take medication for, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to disclose this to your insurer. However, if you’ve had a condition within the last five years or so, and you’re not sure whether it’s worth bringing it up, it’s probably worth mentioning it just to be on the safe side.
Darren Saunders, managing director at insurer PayingTooMuch, said: “It’s important to tell your insurance provider about any medical conditions that you have experienced or been treated for recently. This timeframe can be different for each insurer but usually falls between 12 months to five years. If you don’t, you won’t be covered for any issues related to your condition on holiday. That means all the medical expenses will have to come straight out of your pocket.”
Don’t rely on the GHIC alone
If you are heading off on holiday soon, remember that you can’t rely on the Global Health Insurance Card alone to protect you while you’re away. This card ensures that UK residents still have the right to free or discounted medical care when travelling in EU countries.
Mr Saunders said: “The GHIC and EHIC provide UK travellers healthcare access in the EEA and Switzerland, but they don’t replace comprehensive travel insurance. While they cover emergencies and pre-existing conditions, they may not address all costs or emergency repatriation. Ensure you have both insurance and cards to avoid surprises. These cards won’t suffice outside the specified regions, so a travel insurance policy covers all bases.”
You can learn more about the GHIC and how to apply for one in our guide Everything you need to know about the Global Health Insurance Card.
You also should never leave buying travel insurance until the last minute. Separate Aviva research shows that over one in nine holidaymakers going away this year (12%) plan to purchase travel insurance either at the airport or when they have arrived at their destination.
Kelly Whittington said: “By doing so, travellers may not realise that they would be unable to make a claim, should the worst happen. This is for a couple of reasons – firstly, because most insurers will state that all journeys must start from the UK. Secondly, you wouldn’t be covered for a journey that has already begun (which technically counts as soon as you’ve left your front door). Getting into the habit of taking out cover as soon as you’ve booked your trip is one way to make sure you’re protected from the get-go.”
Learn more in our article When should I buy travel insurance?
Finally…
The cost of travel insurance may be higher if you have an existing health condition or conditions, but this is usually a price worth paying as failing to provide your insurer with the full picture could leave you financially exposed.
If you’re struggling to find cover, it’s worth looking at MoneyHelper’s travel insurance directory which lists travel insurance providers who specialise in offering cover to travellers who have a serious medical condition or disability.
If you’re still having issues getting travel cover, either because you can’t find a policy to suit your needs or the price is really high, the British Insurance Brokers’ Association’s Find Insurance service should be able to match you with an insurer providing specialist cover.
If you’re looking for travel insurance, we have partnered with Staysure to provide you with first class travel insurance, tailored to suit your needs. There’s no upper age limit and they’ll cover most pre-existing medical conditions. You can also take advantage of their 20%‡ discount, just quote RLESS at checkout.
‡Discount applies to the base premium of the policy only and not to medical screening costs or add-ons where relevant. Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.
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