Which pre-existing medical conditions do I need to declare for travel insurance?
Key takeaways
Insurers have different medical screening questions, so answer all questions you’re asked fully and accurately.
You may need to declare ongoing conditions, previous serious illnesses, treatment and medical investigations
You can usually get travel insurance with a pre-existing condition, but you may have to use a specialist provider.
What counts as a pre-existing medical condition?
A pre-existing medical condition is generally an illness, injury or health condition you had before taking out your travel insurance. Insurers use different definitions and medical screening questions, so there won't be one list that applies to every policy; you might also be asked about:
Previous surgery or hospital treatment
Ongoing tests or investigations
Symptoms that haven't yet been diagnosed.
Conditions that are stable or in remission
If you’re waiting for a diagnosis, the symptoms themselves may not be a diagnosed condition, but you should still answer any questions about ongoing tests, referrals, or investigations accurately.
Which medical conditions do I need to declare?
You should declare any condition that falls within the health questions your insurer asks, including both physical and mental health conditions. The table below gives examples of the types of medical history an insurer may ask about, but it isn't a complete list.
Type of medical history | Examples | What should I do? |
Ongoing medical conditions | Declare them when asked | |
Heart and circulatory conditions | Angina, heart attack, high blood pressure | Go through questions carefully, as insurers may ask about serious heart conditions from further back |
Autoimmune conditions | Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis | Answer all medical questions and declare the condition if requested |
Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder | Treat mental health questions in the same way as questions about physical health | |
Previous treatment or surgery | Heart bypass, angioplasty, coronary stent | Don’t assume old treatment no longer needs declaring |
Tests and investigations | Scans, referrals, tests awaiting results | Declare these if you're asked about ongoing investigations |
If you’re unsure whether something needs to be included, it’s safer to check with the insurer rather than guess.
How far back do I need to declare medical conditions?
There is no single time limit that applies to every insurer or medical condition, so your insurer could ask about treatment, medication, or hospital visits within any number of years. For some serious conditions, particularly heart or circulatory conditions, you might be asked whether you have ever been diagnosed or received particular treatment.
What about previous surgery or treatment?
Surgery or treatment you've had previously might still be relevant even if you've fully recovered; for example, your insurer may ask whether you have ever had a heart bypass, angioplasty, or coronary stent.
If you had a stent fitted five years ago, don't omit it because of how much time has passed. Be sure to honestly answer the questions you’re given and contact your insurer if you’re not sure.
How do I declare a medical condition?
You’ll normally declare your medical conditions when you get a travel insurance quote. When comparing travel insurance through MoneySuperMarket, you’ll be asked about yourself and your trip as well as a few questions about your health - you might then need to:
Search for your diagnosed medical condition
Answer additional questions about your health
Provide details about treatment, medication or hospital visits where requested
Compare policies available based on the information you’ve provided
If you have a diagnosed condition, you'll need to tell your insurer about the condition itself rather than only disclosing a symptom or treatment. For example, if you take medication for high blood pressure, you should declare the diagnosed condition rather than simply listing the medication.
Remember, if you have couples travel insuranceor family travel insurance, the insurer will need to know about pre-existing conditions for everyone covered by the policy.
What happens if I don't declare a medical condition?
If you give inaccurate or incomplete information when answering medical questions or any other questions for an insurance quote, it could affect your policy or a future claim. Depending on the circumstances, your insurer could:
Pay less towards your claim
Reject your claim
Change the terms of your cover
Treat the policy as though it had not been taken out
This won't mean every mistake automatically invalidates your insurance. What happens can also depend on the information you were asked for, how clearly the question was worded and whether the missing information would have affected the insurer’s decision.
The best way to ensure you're fully covered is to answer every medical screening question as accurately as you can.
What if my health changes after I buy travel insurance?
Check your policy wording and contact your insurer if there is a significant change to your health after you buy your travel insurance, such as:
A new diagnosis
Starting new treatment
Being admitted to hospital
Being referred for tests or investigations
Your existing condition getting significantly worse
Being told you need surgery
Insurers will have different rules about changes in health, so be sure to check what your insurer expects you to report. If your circumstances change before you travel, don’t assume your existing cover will automatically remain the same.
What if I can't get cover for my medical condition?
You may still be able to get travel insurance if a standard insurer cannot cover your medical condition. Some insurers specialise in people with pre-existing medical conditions and may be able to cover more complex medical histories.
You may also be offered a policy that covers your trip but excludes claims connected to a particular condition. Check any exclusions carefully before buying so you understand what you would and wouldn’t be covered for.
How to save money on travel insurance with a pre-existing medical condition
If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may find travel insurance slightly more expensive than usual to cover the increased risk of requiring medical treatment. However, there are still ways you can reduce the cost of cover:
Choose the right cover: Don’t pay for features you don’t need, but make sure your policy includes enough medical, cancellation and curtailment cover for your trip and circumstances
Consider an annual policy: If you’re planning more than one trip in the next 12 months, an annual policy could work out cheaper than buying separate cover for each trip
Be accurate: Answer the medical screening questions fully and honestly - remember, leaving out information could affect a claim and cost you more in the long run
Check the excess: A higher excess can reduce your premium, but make sure you could afford to pay it if you need to claim
Shop around for specialist cover: If a standard policy is expensive or excludes your condition, a specialist insurer may offer more suitable cover at a better price
Buy early: Taking out insurance soon after booking your trip can give you cancellation cover and can help you avoid paying more if your health changes before you travel
Check any exclusions: A cheaper policy could exclude claims linked to your condition, so check the terms of each policy carefully before buying
Where can I find cheap travel insurance for a pre-existing condition?
If you have a pre-existing condition and are looking to buy travel insurance, the best place to start is comparing quotes.
Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions starts from £4.90
If you find that you’re unable to find adequate insurance for your condition, you can also try a specialist provider. Although generally more expensive, these are also better equipped to help with your particular needs.
The government-backed MoneyHelper has a directory of specialist travel insurance providers which can help if you have a serious medical condition or disability.
These providers are experts in covering travellers with pre-existing conditions and will carry out medical screening to ensure you find the right travel insurance and level of cover for you. You might also be offered extra cover relevant to your condition, such as cover for medical equipment or lost medication.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to declare a heart stent fitted five years ago?
Coronary stents are included in our medical screening questionnaire, and follow-up questions can also ask about older heart treatment, including whether you have ever had bypass surgery. You shouldn't assume a procedure no longer matters just because it happened several years ago.
Do I need to declare prediabetes?
Yes, prediabetes can be declared through MoneySuperMarket’s medical screening - 'pre-diabetes' is available as a condition when you answer questions about your medical history when looking for quotes. If your answers to the initial health questions mean you need to disclose a condition, select pre-diabetes and answer the follow-up questions about your medical history.
Do I need to declare an autoimmune condition?
Yes, autoimmune conditions can form part of your medical declaration - MoneySuperMarket’s screening includes conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, with further questions depending on the condition. For example, rheumatoid arthritis screening can ask whether you have had any joints replaced or resurfaced.
Answer any initial health questions accurately and disclose your diagnosed condition if you're asked to continue to medical screening.
What if my condition isn't listed in the first health questions?
The initial health questions aren't a complete list of conditions you can declare - they're used to decide whether you need further medical screening. If you do, you can search a much wider database of diagnosed conditions, including conditions that are not specifically named on the first screen.
Look for the diagnosed name of your condition rather than only a symptom, treatment or medicine.
Do I need to declare high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
Yes, if your circumstances fall within the health questions on our quote journey. High blood pressure and cholesterol are specifically included in its five-year question about heart and circulatory conditions, while our medical screening also offers both high blood pressure and hypertension.
Follow-up questions can vary by condition. For example, if you have high blood pressure you may be asked how many medicines you take, while our cholesterol question-set can ask whether a blood test has ever shown high cholesterol.
Do I need to declare anxiety or depression?
Yes, if you have been diagnosed with or treated for anxiety, depression or another psychological condition within the period you're asked about. Our initial health questionnaire specifically includes stress, anxiety and depression within its five-year psychological-health question.
If you continue to our medical screening, anxiety and depression can be selected separately and you may be asked whether the condition has ever been diagnosed by a medical practitioner.
How far back do I need to declare a medical condition?
There isn’t a single time limit for every medical question, and our initial health questions use different periods:
Five years for cancerous, liver, respiratory, heart or circulatory and psychological conditions
Two years for hospital or clinic visits, prescribed medication, treatment and visits to a medical practitioner
Your current circumstances if you are waiting for treatment or investigation
If you continue to our condition-specific medical screening, you may be asked about a much longer period. Some questions ask whether something has ever happened, while cancer screening can include treatment from more than 10 years ago.
What if I'm waiting for tests, treatment or an investigation?
Answer yes if you are currently on a waiting list for treatment or investigation - unlike our two-year and five-year health questions, this question is about your current circumstances rather than a set period in the past. You may then be asked for more information before we can show you available policies.
Author
Mehdi Punjwani
Insurance specialist
Mehdi is a financial writer and editor with over six years of experience in personal finance. He has written for organisations and publications including Equifax, The AA, and USAToday, covering a...
Reviewer
Beth Leslie
Senior Insurance Content Editor
Beth is an experienced writer and editor who specialises in financial and economic content. She is currently the Senior Insurance Content Editor for MoneySuperMarket. Beth is passionate about making...
