Medical travel insurance

Medical travel insurance is a type of travel insurance designed for people with pre-existing conditions. It will cover you for health problems that you've visited the doctor about or are having tests for.

A regular travel insurance policy without pre-existing condition cover, won't pay out for claims relating to health problems you already have.

This depends on the pre-existing condition you have and the likelihood that you'll need treatment while you're away.

Most medical travel insurance quotes provide around £5m worth of cover, which is normally more than enough. If you have any doubts about your level of cover, contact your insurer.

The best way to get a cheap medical travel insurance policy is to buy your policy with plenty of time left before you travel. You should also declare any medical conditions before buying, to avoid the risk of a claim being rejected in the future.

How long you’re away for, where you’re travelling and what activities you’re doing can also affect the cost of a policy.

No, most insurers don’t consider pregnancy a pre-existing medical condition, so you don’t need to buy a medical travel policy to cover it.

You can still buy a travel insurance policy while pregnant which covers you for anything unexpected while on holiday.

Check the details of your chosen policy with the insurer in more detail before you buy.

Unless it’s a particularly serious condition, it’s unlikely that you’ll be refused a quote. We work with a specialist panel of insurance companies who give quotes for many declared serious medical conditions.

If for any reason you do struggle to get a quote, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) offers a directory of insurers to help cover pre-existing conditions.

You can find out its directory of insurers by phoning them on 0800 138 7777 for free impartial advice.

If you develop a medical condition after you've bought your travel insurance but before you travel, you should contact your insurer and declare it to them. This may be referred to as your 'ongoing duty of disclosure' or a 'change in health'.

Your insurance company will be able to clarify whether you are covered.

If you don’t disclose a medical condition on your policy but then go on to try and claim, it’ll most likely be rejected by your insurer. You must disclose any medical conditions that you have before travelling, otherwise you run the risk of having to cover any medical bills yourself.

Terminal illnesses are included in the pre-existing medical condition category, but you’ll still need to check with your insurer to see whether you’re covered. It’s also a good idea to get advice from your doctor before you decide to travel.

If you’re travelling to the USA, it’s extremely important that you have adequate travel insurance in place. If you’re travelling to the USA and you have a pre-existing condition, it’s vital that you take out medical travel insurance.

Insurers can only check your medical history after obtaining your permission. They could ask for this when you get a medical travel insurance quote. If you’ve given your permission, they may later ask for your GP to provide information on your medical history.

It’s important to declare any pre-existing medical conditions you may have when you get travel insurance quotes. Otherwise, you could find that your travel medical claims end up being refused.