Holiday health warning: a quarter of Brits risk invalidating travel insurance

Millions of Brits could be jetting off without valid travel insurance - simply because they didn’t realise they need to declare their medical conditions.

New research from Go.Compare found that almost a third of UK adults (30%) live with a medical condition, but fewer than half of these (48%) always declare it or double check what they need to disclose before travelling. The rest admit to taking risky shortcuts: one in seven (14%) have never bought travel insurance at all, while others “can’t find their illness on insurer lists” (9%), and skip declaring conditions because they are “worried how much it will cost” (5%) or simply “didn’t know they had to” (5%).*

Perhaps most worrying, a quarter (25%) wrongly believe no medical conditions need to be declared when buying travel insurance - a misunderstanding that could see them left thousands out of pocket if they fall ill abroad.

The knowledge around declaring certain conditions and treatments is especially low – despite the popularity of weight loss injections and medications in recent years, only 10% believe they need to tell their insurer about them. Additionally, only 11% of people think their insurer needs to be aware of ADHD medication, and just 8% think menopause treatments need to be declared.

Rhys Jones, Go.Compare travel insurance expert, explains: “Your travel insurer needs to be aware of any and all pre-existing conditions you may have – and this includes things like weight loss injections and ADHD.

“As well as declaring any conditions that require ongoing treatment, you must tell your insurer about recent surgeries or conditions that you have finished treatment for, as well as mental health issues and any prescription medication you’re on.”

Older travellers more savvy, young holidaymakers most at risk

Go.Compare’s latest research shows younger Brits are far less aware of which medical conditions travel insurers need to know about. Just 22% of 16–24-year-olds knew that heart conditions must be declared, compared with 55% of those aged 55+. The same pattern runs across most conditions: only 13% of 25–34-year-olds realised that recent surgery needs to be disclosed, compared with 40% of those aged 55+.

Even chronic or common conditions are widely misunderstood. While over a third (39%) of those aged 55+ said diabetes must be declared, only one in seven (14%) under-35s thought the same. Women were slightly more clued up than men with 44% of women knowing heart conditions must be reported versus 31% of men.

Rhys Jones said: “Health issues can make life a little more complicated, but don’t let that stop you from having the holiday of your dreams! You can get specialist travel insurance which covers pre-existing conditions so you can jet off with peace of mind.”

He added: “Failing to declare a condition could completely invalidate your policy. If you need medical help abroad, the bill could easily run into tens of thousands of pounds. Honesty really is the best policy when it comes to travel insurance.”

Go.Compare's top tips for getting the right cover before you fly:

• Be honest: Always declare any long-term health condition you’ve been diagnosed with, treated for, or prescribed medication for in the last few years.
• Check for changes: If your health changes after booking, tell your insurer (even dosage changes or new prescriptions can affect your cover)
• Don’t forget mental health: Anxiety, depression and stress-related conditions count, too
• Buy early: Take out travel insurance as soon as you book; you’ll be covered if you need to cancel due to illness or hospitalisation
• Shop around: compare specialist insurers online who cover a wide range of conditions, so you don’t pay more than you need to
• Know the real cost: Standard cover averages around £3 a day, but with a declared condition it’s around £5 - roughly the cost of a takeaway coffee, and far cheaper than a hospital bill abroad**

Rhys Jones, Go.Compare’s travel insurance expert, added:

“If you’re not sure what to declare, ask your insurer. There’s no shame in checking and a quick phone call could save you a fortune. Most conditions can be covered, and specialist insurers can tailor policies to your health. The key is honesty. Declare everything, and you can relax knowing you’re protected.”