Travel insurance is usually the last thing booked and the first thing regretted. The single most common reason a medical claim is turned down is a condition that was not declared when the policy was taken out, and it is rarely deliberate. People simply do not realise how widely the question is drawn.
What counts as pre-existing
A pre-existing condition is broader than most travellers assume. It generally covers anything you have received treatment, medication or advice for, usually within a set period before the policy starts.
That includes conditions being investigated but not yet diagnosed, conditions that are well controlled, and ones you consider resolved. High blood pressure managed with a daily tablet counts. So does a hospital referral you are still waiting on.
If you are unsure whether something qualifies, declare it. There is no penalty for declaring something that turns out not to matter, and a substantial one for the reverse.
What happens if you do not declare
An insurer can refuse a claim, reduce a settlement or treat the policy as though it never existed. On a medical emergency abroad that can be catastrophic, since repatriation and overseas hospital costs regularly run into tens of thousands of pounds.
It is worth remembering that a claim for something apparently unrelated can still be affected, because insurers review the full medical history when a claim is assessed.
If you are quoted a very high price, or refused
This is the part many travellers do not know. Under FCA rules, if an insurer cannot offer cover because of a medical condition, or quotes a significantly higher price for that reason, it must tell you about a directory of firms that specialise in exactly these cases rather than simply turning you away.
So a decline from a mainstream insurer or a comparison site is not the end of the process. It usually means you are talking to the wrong part of the market.
Two practical points
Buy the policy when you book, not before you fly. Cancellation cover only works from the date it starts, so a deposit paid months earlier is unprotected if you wait.
Do not rely on a GHIC alone. It gives access to state-provided healthcare in participating countries on the same basis as a local resident, which is not the same as insurance, and it does not cover repatriation.
Getting cover arranged
If your medical history has made travel insurance difficult, or the quotes you have seen are out of proportion to the trip, speak to a broker with access to specialist insurers.
Call Alternative Insurance Brokers on 0161 388 2520.
Travel insurance is usually the last thing booked and the first thing regretted. The single most common reason a medical claim is turned down is a condition that was not declared when the policy was taken out, and it is rarely deliberate. People simply do not realise how widely the question is drawn.
What counts as pre-existing
A pre-existing condition is broader than most travellers assume. It generally covers anything you have received treatment, medication or advice for, usually within a set period before the policy starts.
That includes conditions being investigated but not yet diagnosed, conditions that are well controlled, and ones you consider resolved. High blood pressure managed with a daily tablet counts. So does a hospital referral you are still waiting on.
If you are unsure whether something qualifies, declare it. There is no penalty for declaring something that turns out not to matter, and a substantial one for the reverse.
What happens if you do not declare
An insurer can refuse a claim, reduce a settlement or treat the policy as though it never existed. On a medical emergency abroad that can be catastrophic, since repatriation and overseas hospital costs regularly run into tens of thousands of pounds.
It is worth remembering that a claim for something apparently unrelated can still be affected, because insurers review the full medical history when a claim is assessed.
If you are quoted a very high price, or refused
This is the part many travellers do not know. Under FCA rules, if an insurer cannot offer cover because of a medical condition, or quotes a significantly higher price for that reason, it must tell you about a directory of firms that specialise in exactly these cases rather than simply turning you away.
So a decline from a mainstream insurer or a comparison site is not the end of the process. It usually means you are talking to the wrong part of the market.
Two practical points
Buy the policy when you book, not before you fly. Cancellation cover only works from the date it starts, so a deposit paid months earlier is unprotected if you wait.
Do not rely on a GHIC alone. It gives access to state-provided healthcare in participating countries on the same basis as a local resident, which is not the same as insurance, and it does not cover repatriation.
Getting cover arranged
If your medical history has made travel insurance difficult, or the quotes you have seen are out of proportion to the trip, speak to a broker with access to specialist insurers.
Call Alternative Insurance Brokers on 0161 388 2520.
