Find the best holiday insurance for medical conditions

Struggling to get travel insurance with medical coverage? Or perhaps you’re looking for a better deal?

In this one stop guide, we explain:

• Why you need specialist travel insurance.
• How you can compare products in one place to get the best medical travel insurance for you.

Read on to find out how you can get the cover you need and travel stress-free.

22% of all travellers need to seek medical attention when abroad. Of course, when you have a pre-existing medical condition this likelihood increases further.

WITHOUT comprehensive medical travel insurance:

•   You could be liable for very large medical costs if you get ill on holiday: £25,000 plus in some areas of Europe.
•   You’ll have to pay for all your travel costs home in case of an emergency: £80 to 100K for an air ambulance from USA.
•   You won’t be covered for other problems you may have while travelling – including lost luggage and trip cancellations.

On the other hand, if you choose comprehensive travel insurance with medical cover, you will be reassured that…

• You are covered for emergency medical care (normally up to £15 million).
• You will have access to 24-hour medical emergency assistance.
• You’ll be covered in almost every country in the world.
• You can claim for lost baggage (normally up to £3K).
• You can claim if you need to cancel your holiday because of your medical condition (normally up to £5K).
• You can claim for medical inconvenience benefits when you’re in hospital abroad as an in-patient.

Want to know more about our cover? Learn Lynne’s story to find out how AllClear helped insure her very serious pre-existing medical conditions and make her dream cruise trip a reality…

It’s frustrating visiting website after website or phoning multiple insurers.

But with our user friendly website, you only have to submit your details once to get reasonably priced quotes from several specialist providers.

• Value for money: Compare policies and find the the cheapest travel insurance with medical conditions that suits you.
• Complete your quote once and then choose from all the options available to you.

A variety of choice from the UK’s leading specialists: We compare over 40 prices from providers to help you find the right cover.

Here are some examples of pre-existing medical conditions our customers have obtained cover for:

• Diabetes (1 and 2)
• Heart Conditions
• Cancer
• High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Asthma
• HIV
• Epilepsy
• Stroke

All policies are not made equal

When comparing policies, look beyond price and pay close attention to what you’re actually covered for.

Here’s why.

While cheaper priced policies may seem attractive, it can be a false economy.

You should check the cover levels and the excesses you may be required to pay in the event of a claim.

Before you buy the policy, ask yourself questions like:

Will I be bringing expensive personal belongings?

• Check the baggage cover limits.
  

Will I be carrying a relatively large amount of foreign currency?

• Check the personal property cover limits.
  

Will I be taking part in winter sports?

• Make sure cover is available.
  

Am I covered if need to cancel?

• Check your holiday price is not more expensive than the standard payout offered.

This checklist will help you decide what cover is right for you and best fits your needs.

Your medical emergency assistance cover is the most important part of any medical travel insurance policy.

It will take care of any treatment costs and pay for you to go home in case of an emergency (repatriation). It can also cover a friend or relative flying out to support you if you have to be accompanied home for medical reasons.

Healthcare at your destination: Top 5 things to think about

One of the benefits of comprehensive travel insurance is the peace of mind that should the unthinkable happen, your medical treatment will be taken care of.

However, the quality of care is only as good as the medical infrastructure of the country you are visiting.

This in many cases can present a challenge. There are huge variations in the level of healthcare offered around the world which you may wish to consider when planning your trip. 

Consider the following:

1. What is the availability and affordability of private healthcare?

2. Does the country offer a free healthcare system?

3. Is English widely spoken in hospitals?  

4. Are there any specific health risks or diseases associated with the destination? If so, what vaccinations are required?   

5. Travelling to a rural area? Where is the nearest hospital?

On the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website you can find useful, country-specific advice on healthcare standards and general safety issues. You can find more country-specific information on the NHS Fit To Travel website too.

How the cost of your medical cover travel insurance is calculated

The price of a policy is calculated based on age, destination, the length of your trip, and the medical conditions you have declared. The answers you give to the medical screening questions will reflect the level of cover you require.

The price of your policy depends not only on your health, but also on how expensive healthcare is at your destination. For example, Spain, the United States and Canada are among the more expensive countries to receive medical treatment.

The medical screening process

This is a set of simple questions about your health. It will help determine your conditions and make sure you get the right level of cover.

Making sure you are ‘Fit to travel’

You need to be verbally confirmed as fit to travel (fit to fly) to get a quote. If you need to make a claim, the underwriter may ask for your GP to provide this in writing. However, we do not require this for you to buy a policy. 

Travel insurance and the EHIC

With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you will receive treatment in any of the EU’s 28 states as a local citizen. However, this is based on treatments received in public, not private hospitals.

The EHIC isn’t a substitute for travel insurance. It doesn’t cover you for:

• The costs of rescue and repatriation (an air ambulance from Spain back to the UK costs upwards of £10,000).
• Lost or stolen property such as passports, baggage or precious items.
• Losses from trip cancellation, curtailment and interruption.
• Extra travel and accommodation costs due to illness.
• Any medical coverage outside of the EU.

The EHIC is also date-specific, so check the expiry on your card before you travel.

What counts as a pre-existing medical condition

Let’s help you understand the definition of a pre existing medical condition within the insurance world…

When you get a quote on AllClear, a pre-existing medical condition is:

• Any condition for which you have received treatment, including: • Respiratory conditions (relating to the lungs or breathing). Any heart, kidney, liver, circulatory or brain condition. • Psychological conditions, including anxiety, stress and depression. • Strokes or central nervous system disorders. • Cancerous conditions. • Terminal conditions.
• Any condition for which you have undergone surgery, in or out-patient treatment, tests or investigations in a hospital, clinic or GP surgery within the last 24 months.
• Any condition for which you have been prescribed medication in the last 5 years.

You may think that your condition is not important or relevant.

Think again.

You’ll need to make sure your insurance provider knows about any medical conditions you have which fall within the medical warranty – so you are fully covered.

Enjoy peace of mind on your trip. Find cheap travel insurance with a medical condition by starting a quote today.

Quote now

And don’t forget, if you get stuck at any point, our Help Centre and Live Chat can help you along the way.

AllClear has already helped over 1 million customers with pre existing conditions find the best medical travel insurance policies to fit their needs.

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