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Here we explain how to get affordable cover if you've been ill or have along-term condition, and reveal the best specialist insurers
DS
Dean SobersSenior researcher & writer
In this article
- Can I get travel insurance if I have a medical condition?
- Best specialist travel insurers if you have a medical condition
- How to find travel insurance if you have a medical condition
- More on travel insurance if you have a medical condition
Can I get travel insurance if I have a medical condition?
Yes, in many cases, but it could mean a higher premium and an exclusions added to policies (meaning you can't make claims that relate to the condition).
When we surveyed 2,458 policyholders with a medical condition or a history of one in March 2023, 36% reported problems buying cover because of the condition(s) – most commonly around expensive premiums.
Here, we've outlined your options, how to make specialist providers part of your search and rated the cover offered by some of these insurers.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.
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Best specialist travel insurers if you have a medical condition
Specialist providers focus on trying to provide affordable cover for customers who struggle to find it elsewhere.
Specialists may be more able to cover you if you've been refused insurance elsewhere because of medical conditions, or only been offered high premiums.
Members can log in to see how medical specialist insurers compare when it comes to cover. We've rated All Clear, Avanti, Explorer, Free Spirit, Good2Go, Good to Go, Holiday Extras, Insurancewith, Insure and Go, Rothwell & Towler Ltd, Saga Services Ltd, Staysure and Travel 4 Medical.
If you're not already a member, join Which? to get full access to these results and all our reviews.
How to find travel insurance if you have a medical condition
Declaring a medical condition doesn't automatically mean that you'll struggle to get insurance as many are fairly straightforward to cover, but these tips will also help:
1. Try a directory
Unlike car or home insurance, a quick search on price comparison sites may be concealing an important segment of the market from your view.
Some insurers – known as 'specialists' – focus on covering people with medical conditions and can sometimes provide better prices than more ubiquitous brands. They're worth checking as part of your search if your conditions add significantly to what you pay.
Fortunately, there are two official directories to help you track them down:
- Moneyhelper directory
- British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) directory
2. Be honest
When applying for insurance, you're obliged to answer all questions accurately and honestly, which means if the insurer asks about your medical conditions, you need to be forthcoming.
If, when you come to claim, you're found to have withheld information requested, the insurer could consider the policy to be invalid.
Some insurers will allow you to not declare conditions on the understanding that these conditions are automatically excluded. This may reduce the premium, but could leave you with far less cover than you need.
3. Phone insurers
In some cases, information received via a handful of questions online isn't enough for an insurer to make a rounded decision about how much of a risk your condition poses.
If you have a complex condition, it's worth calling the insurer so it can make a more detailed evaluation of your circ*mstances.
4. Consider single-trip cover
Some insurers will offer single-trip insurance to customers they wouldn't offer annual policies to, so it's useful to look at prices for both types.
Check you're getting a great deal and search for a new travel insurance policy using the service provided by confused.com. Get a quote now
More on travel insurance if you have a medical condition
Almost all travel insurers will cover some medical conditions, so don't rule out more mainstream providers.
But the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has created a directory of insurance companies that have a proven specialism in covering people with medical conditions. BIBA has its own directory, which the FCA endorses. Some of these specialise in a specific condition, such as cancer, while others specialise in various conditions.
When we surveyed policyholders who had made use of these directories, most said they had found them to be useful, with nine in 10 saying they had found better prices through them than elsewhere. While this isn't a guarantee you'll find cheap cover that meets all your needs, it does show that the directories are worth trying as part of your search.
Firms listed in the directory may be able to help if:
- You've been refused insurance from other providers because of a medical condition
- You've found that insurers will cover you, but not some of your medical conditions
- Your medical conditions add significantly to the cost of your insurance.
Using a broker
If you're having trouble tracking down insurers online, an alternative is using brokers to search the market.
BIBA hosts a 'find insurance' service, which will put you in touch with brokers that specialise in cover for medical conditions.
- Find out more:BIBA's Find Insurance service
When searching for quotes, you may have answered exactly the same questions over and over. The reason for this is a handful of companies perform the task of 'medical screening' on behalf of most insurance providers.
Medical screening means collecting information from customers about their medical history and turning it into a risk score.
The insurer uses this risk score to help decide if it will cover you and how much to charge. Two insurers may make different decisions about you based on the same screening process and score.
Much of the industry, including leading price comparison sites, use a firm called Verisk to medically screen customers.
You can't assume that subsequent changes in your health will be covered by your policy.
Many policies come with a clause – often referred to as an 'ongoing duty of disclosure' – which means you need to contact the insurer if there are any changes to your health.
Your insurer will reassess the terms of your cover in light of this. It may decide not to change anything about your cover and premiums, but may change the terms by which you're covered (including hiking the premium) or decide it can't cover you.
In the last instance, you should be refunded premiums paid, and should be able to make a cancellation claim if you have to rearrange or cancel your holiday because of the cancelled cover.
Don't delay - If you've failed to report a change in your health at the earliest possible point, the insurer might decline to pay any claim resulting from it.
Technically, a wide range of events could be described as a change in health, from catching a cold to being diagnosed with diabetes.
Insurers have different requirements on what needs to be reported to them – and this can vary depending on the type of policy you buy.
Some insurers don't require you to update them about your health unless you've been advised by your doctor not to travel.
Others require you let them know if your symptoms have led to tests or a medical investigation and others expect you to get in touch if you've received any medical advice. If you have any concerns, check your policy wording or contact the insurer.
If you've had Covid and recovered from it, it's highly unlikely to impact your ability to obtain travel insurance or the price.
The vast majority of insurers will also cover you if you catch it while travelling or test positive and it disrupts your plans.
Most insurers will provide some cover for losses if certain uninsured parties, such as a relative, close friend, travel companion, business partner or person with whom you've arranged to stay falls ill, and you have to change your plans as a result.
There are subtle differences in the criteria set by insurers for when this cover applies, so check the T&Cs if this is of concern to you.
Who counts as 'close family'?
Insurers typically list in their policy documents which relatives count as 'close' and are within the scope of the policy. These include spouses, siblings and parents.
Not all insurers cover nieces/nephews or uncles/aunts within the definition. Similarly, while many cover unmarried partners and inlaws, the close family of unmarried partners won't always be included.
Pre-existing conditions
The insurer is unlikely to pay out claims arising from the ill health of a close friend or relative considered to have been caused by a pre-existing condition.
But how 'pre-existing' is defined depends on the insurer.
With some insurers, a condition, such as a heart condition, is thought of as 'pre-existing' if it predated buying the policy regardless of whether or not the policyholder was aware of it.
With other insurers, the policyholder has to have been aware of the condition when buying the insurance for it to count as 'pre-existing'.
If you feel like you've been caught out by an unexpected clause in your insurance when it comes to claiming, don't be afraid to make a complaint.
Do so in writing (or email) if you can, using the insurer's complaints process.
If the insurer isn't proving helpful, take the matter up with the Financial Ombudsman Service by calling 0800 023 4567 or visiting its website.
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