When you buy travel insurance it’s important that everyone on the policy declare any pre-existing medical conditions they have, or had. This includes conditions that are managed by medication such as high blood pressure and conditions you have recently recovered from.

We’ve put together some frequently asked questions and answers to help you declare your medical conditions when you buy medical travel insurance for your next holiday.

What is a pre-existing medical condition?

The definition of a pre-existing medical condition may vary between insurers, but usually it is any medical condition for which you have seen a medical professional, take medication, received treatment or had any symptoms of within a certain timeframe.  Certain conditions may also need declaring if you have suffered with them in the past, no matter how long ago it was.

How do I know what medical conditions I need to declare?

When you get a quote for travel insurance you will be asked to compete a medical declaration, this is usually a small number of questions to which you can answer yes or no.  The aim of this declaration is to ascertain whether you have any medical conditions which need to be declared.

If you answer yes to any of the declaration questions, you must declare the medical conditions which caused you to answer yes.

Remember, it’s important to declare all your pre-existing medical conditions, if you declare some but not others any claim you make may be rejected or not fully paid. This could result in you being responsible for paying your own emergency medical costs abroad.

What if I am unsure of my medical history?

If you are unsure about what medical conditions you have or need help with the answer to a specific question, we recommend you talk to your GP surgery as it is vital to supply the correct information.

Why is it important to declare my pre-existing medical conditions?

The most important reason for buying travel insurance is to take away the financial risk of incurring large bills if you require emergency medical treatment abroad or need to be repatriated (returned home). 
To do this your travel insurer needs to assess the risk of you falling ill and needing emergency treatment whilst you are away and the cost that may be involved, therefore they need to get an understanding of your medical history.

What if my medical condition changes or I am diagnosed with another condition before I travel?

If the details of your medical history change before you travel, you should notify your insurer immediately so that your policy can be amended appropriately. Your insurer will need to have up to date information before you travel.

Get a travel insurance quote for your next holiday

Wherever you are going on holiday, go insured and make sure you are covered for your pre-existing medical conditions.  Goodtogoinsurance.com can cover all types of pre-existing medical conditions up to a high level of severity and our policies have no upper age limit.