Travel insurance with medical conditions
A group for people with serious medical conditions to join forces and demand a fairer deal on travel insurance
About this group
Travel insurance for medical conditions
Find out more about our cover and groups for particular conditions:
What we're doing to improve travel insurance for people with medical conditions in the UK
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said that travel insurers should be doing more to help cancer patients find affordable cover.
Bought By Many was invited to the launch of their report and we'll also be submitting feedback to their consultation on how the industry could be improved.
We will be putting our ideas into practice by designing a new policy that will give our members a better experience of getting travel insurance. It should be ready this year and will make getting cover quicker, fairer and cheaper. You'll be able to get a quote online that doesn't involve dozens of questions.
It aims to cover cancer patients and those with other serious illnesses. It will cover people with pre-existing conditions; awaiting tests, diagnosis or results; in treatment; and we are looking at how to cover those with terminal conditions.
Our travel insurance will have no upper age limit so we will be able to cover people in their 60s, 70s and 80s.
Bought By Many believes people affected by medical conditions should be free to travel and shouldn't have to jump through hoops to access insurance. We understand that patients are often best placed to make decisions about whether it is safe to travel, not insurance companies.
Why travel insurance with medical insurance is expensive or refused
Travel insurance that covers medical conditions can be expensive and difficult to find in the first place.
A number of specialist insurance companies do offer cover for pre-existing medical conditions but the process of getting cover can be frustrating.
Most insurers ask dozens of impersonal medical screening questions online, which often end with the consumer having to call the insurer to go through the same questions again before they can get a quote.
Prices can be high because of the way insurers calculate risk. Claims for medical expenses are one of the biggest costs for travel insurance companies.
Medical treatment can cost a lot but it's rare that people need to use a hospital abroad so for standard travel insurance the risk of a payout is lower.
Insurers believe the risk of someone who is or has suffered from an illness or disease needing treatment is much higher. This means people with medical conditions immediately face higher prices, which may be based on an understanding of a condition and not on the basis of their individual circumstances.
Although specialist companies offer access to insurance for people with medical conditions, we believe the process of getting cover is slow, expensive and insensitive.
What are the options for people with medical conditions?
Travel insurance options depend on the severity of the condition. For example, if you're trying to get cover while you've got a broken leg you should be able to get a standard travel insurance policy. You can see our list of the best standard travel policies here.
Some companies may exclude pre-existing conditions so you can get cover for everything apart from the illness you suffered from.
Other insurers can cover everything but the price may be high. The worst case scenario is that you will be refused cover.
Some charities have lists of recommended insurers for particular conditions and it is possible to find specialist companies online like InsureCancer that can cover conditions.
Or see our list of some of the best companies that offer travel insurance for medical conditions.
Although it cannot be used to replace insurance, it's worth getting a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). It entitles you to a basic level of treatment in state hospitals in Europe.
By Digby BodenhamBy joining the group you agree to our terms of use
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