Before travelling abroad it is important to buy the right travel insurance. It is advisable to choose the correct travel insurance for your needs and to consider:
- The very high costs you might face for emergency medical treatment and help getting back to the UK
- The importance of understanding what your travel insurance does and does not cover
Always declare your medical conditions, including any pre-existing illness that you have had advice for. These are the most common:
- Heart conditions including high blood pressure
- Cancer
- Breathing conditions including asthma
- Joint and bone conditions
- Diabetes
- Gastrointestinal conditions
Each insurance company will have a list of conditions/ illnesses that they will want to know about so check with each company. Many insurers will need to know about any conditions or illnesses which can be linked to your pre-existing condition i.e. for an asthmatic who develops a chest infection, the insurance policy would need to cover asthma. If your insurer does not know about your medical history any pre-existing conditions will be excluded.
There are a wide range of policies it is important to shop around to get the correct policy for your needs and the best value for money. We would advise that you speak to the companies and explain your needs so that they can look for the best policy for you at the right price.
Your travel insurance should cover:
- Emergency medical treatment costs, including hospital charges, and ambulance fees.
- Returning home following medical treatment abroad if you cannot use your original ticket.
- Reasonable additional transport and accommodation for your travelling companion.
- Temporary dental treatment
- 24 hours assistance telephone help lines to offer support and guidance.
Also consider:
- How often you need to travel
- The length of your trip/s
- Where you are going
- What possessions you are taking
- How many people are travelling with you
- The cost of cancellation of your trip/s
- Skiing and cruises will need specific cover and policies so it is advisable to check that you have the correct policy to cover you.
Further information can be found on the Association of British Insurers (ABI) travel insurance page (opens in a new window)