Travel Insurance: Why Declaring Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Could Save You a Fortune
Another week, another worrying story making headlines. This time, a British dad named Kevin Turner, 63, from Cheshire finds himself facing a staggering £30,000 medical bill after being rushed to intensive care in Alicante, Spain. All this despite having travel insurance in place before his trip.
Cases like this are sadly not uncommon. As a travel expert with years of helping clients plan safe and worry-free holidays, I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the right travel insurance and to be completely honest when buying it and before every trip.
Travel insurance is your financial safety net when things go wrong far from home. Medical emergencies abroad can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. Hospital stays, emergency treatment, and getting you home safely all add up quickly.
Without proper cover, one unexpected illness or accident can wipe out your savings or leave you with serious debt. Even with a policy in place, gaps around recent or pre-existing medical issues can lead to denied claims and big bills, as Mr Turner discovered.
Most travel insurance policies exclude claims related to pre-existing medical conditions or recent changes in your health unless you declare them and the insurer agrees to cover them. This includes anything you have seen a doctor about, been prescribed medication for, received treatment for, or had symptoms of in the months before your trip. Common examples are high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, arthritis, recent infections such as a chest infection, or previous surgeries.
Failing to declare these honestly is one of the most common reasons claims get turned down. Insurers always check medical records during a claim. If something was not disclosed, the whole claim can be rejected.
In Kevin Turner’s case, he had a chest infection in the week before travelling but did not declare it. That led to his insurance claim being denied for the intensive care treatment in Spain.
This is especially important if you have an annual multi-trip policy.
Many people assume that once they buy or renew the policy and declare their conditions at the start, they are covered for the whole year. But if your medical situation changes during the policy period, for example you develop new symptoms, see a doctor, or start new medication, you must contact your insurer and declare it before your next trip. Failure to do so can invalidate your cover for that journey.
We offer a travel insurance policy through Hays, but we do not care where our clients buy their cover from.
What matters most is that you have proper protection in place. During our pre-travel calls we always ask whether you have travel insurance, and many clients tell us they have arranged it through their bank account or elsewhere. The key point is that any policy is only as good as the information you keep up to date with your insurer. Your cover depends on you letting them know about any changes in your health.
Here is how to get it right:
- Be transparent when buying your policy and before every trip. Answer all the medical questions honestly. Many insurers have straightforward online screening tools. Even a recent cough or infection that needed medical attention should be mentioned.
- Shop around if needed. Some insurers are more understanding with medical conditions than others. Look for policies that clearly explain their rules around stable conditions.
- Read the policy wording carefully, especially the sections on pre-existing conditions and what you need to declare if your health changes. Check the limits on medical expenses and repatriation too. Remember that a GHIC card offers only limited help in Europe and is not a replacement for proper travel insurance.
- Buy early and review regularly. For annual policies, make it a habit to check in with your insurer before each trip if anything about your health has changed.
Good travel insurance also protects you for trip cancellation due to illness, lost baggage, delayed flights and more. In today’s world it really does bring peace of mind.
My advice is simple. Do not treat travel insurance as an afterthought. Take a little time to get the right policy and be open about your health. It might cost a bit more at the start, but it could save you a fortune if the unexpected happens.
Holidays should be about making happy memories, not worrying about money. Declare everything accurately, keep your insurer informed, and travel with confidence.
This article is for general guidance only. Always read the full policy wording and seek advice tailored to your own circumstances.