Travel insurance with medical conditions

If your GP advises you not to travel due to an existing medical condition, you will not be covered if you contract Covid-19. Likewise, if you choose not to travel through fear of contracting Covid-19, your policy will not cover any losses you incur regarding the cost of your holiday.

More broadly, the level of Covid-19 cover can vary quite a lot between insurers. Examples of what may be covered include:

• Emergency medical expenses: Including repatriation (getting you home), and additional expenses (for example, a quarantine hotel stay) if you fall ill with Covid-19.

• Cancellation: If you test positive (or a close relative passes away due to Covid-19) prior to your holiday and are unable to travel.
• Curtailment: If you test positive for Covid-19 pre-departure, upon arrival at your destination, or while on holiday. Additionally, look for a policy that offers curtailment cover in the event a close relative passes away from Covid-19 during your holiday.

When applying for travel insurance it's imperative that you declare any pre-existing medical conditions that you have.

And that applies to either past or current conditions, regardless of how long ago they occurred. The same applies to all individuals that are being covered by the travel policy you are applying for; the key is to be completely honest about any conditions they suffer from. In addition, if asked for details about dependants, even if they're not travelling with you, you must provide all the information requested about their health. Fail to do so and this could result in your policy being rendered invalid and any claim you attempt to make being turned down. By ensuring the information in the medical declaration is accurate, you and your travelling companions will be fully protected during your time away.

The fact that you have disclosed details of a pre-existing medical condition doesn't automatically mean you won't be able to get travel insurance - especially if you shop around.

But you are likely to face higher costs than someone without that condition. In some cases, insurers will increase the premium so that a particular condition can be covered. Prices will vary considerably from one insurer to the next, and it's hard to pinpoint how much extra it would cost you to add cover for any one particular condition to your travel insurance policy - as this would depend on the individual in question, the severity of the condition, and where they were travelling. 

Equally, in other cases, insurers may be willing to offer you a travel insurance policy, but may exclude a particular condition - or conditions - without affecting the rest of your cover.

If you suffer from an illness such as a heart condition or cancer, you may find it hard to get cover at a reasonable price, or even cover at all. For cancer we would advise that you consult a specialist quote in addition to completing our online quote service. You can find companies who specialise in travel insurance for cancer sufferers on the Cancer Research UK website.

Individuals who have diabetes can also often face challenges getting affordable cover. That said, certain conditions, such as asthma are likely to be covered by a travel insurance policy - provided you are honest about the condition when you apply for cover. 

In addition, some insurers - likely to be specialist firms - may be willing to cover a wider range of conditions on the proviso that the individual is fit to travel. This means that in theory, even someone terminally ill, but coping with their condition at the time of departure, could potentially get cover if a doctor declared he or she was satisfied that it was safe for that person to make the trip. The key is to do your research to find a firm willing to provide the cover you need for your particular condition and circumstances.

Who regulates us?

The TravelSupermarket travel insurance comparison site is operated by CYTI Limited. TravelSupermarket Limited (FRN 953671) is an appointed representative of CYTI Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 594298). CYTI Ltd registered in England (company number: 07368288). Registered office: 1 Dean St, London W1D 7RB.