Travel insurance with medical conditions

Cancer - your cancer diagnosis shouldn’t stop you from seeing the world 

Breast cancer - whether you’ve just been diagnosed or you’re in remission, find out if we can cover your breast cancer 

Prostate cancer - finding good cover when you have prostate cancer can be tricky, but we‘re here to give you a helping hand 

Diabetes - type 1 or 2 diabetes shouldn’t stop you from going on holiday! 

Epilepsy - epilepsy can affect people in different ways, so your cover can always be personalised to you 

Multiple sclerosis - if you’re living with multiple sclerosis, we may be able to offer tailored travel insurance for your trip. 

Parkinson’s - tell us about your Parkinson’s disease, and know we’ll be by your side when you need us most 

Crohn’s disease - having Crohn’s disease shouldn’t stop you from getting away from it all! 

Diverticulitis - whether you’re living with symptoms of diverticulitis or you’ve had surgery, travel with confidence on your next trip 

Gastric reflux - if you’re living with GORD (Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease), gastric reflux or excess stomach acid, make sure you’re properly covered 

Gallstones and gallbladder conditions - gallstones and gallbladder conditions shouldn’t get in the way of a great holiday 

Cataracts - if you’re living with cataracts, or awaiting removal or surgery, we may be able to cover you 

Glaucoma - having travel insurance for glaucoma means you can enjoy your holiday with peace of mind 

Angina - we may be able to cover you if you’ve had a coronary angioplasty or a heart stent fitted for angina

Atrial fibrillation - tell us about your history of atrial fibrillation and travel knowing we’re there when you need us

Cardiomyopathy - get the go-ahead from your doctor that you’re fit to travel and relax with cardiomyopathy travel insurance that’s tailored to you 

Heart attack - if you’ve previously had a heart attack, as long as a doctor has given you the go-ahead to travel, we should be able to cover you 

Heart conditions - don’t let your heart condition get in the way of a great trip 

High blood pressure - get tailored travel insurance for your next holiday if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol 

Arthritis - make sure that you can travel to your favourite places, knowing that you’re covered if you need medical attention for your arthritis

Back and neck problems - from a slipped disc to sciatica, if you’ve got a previous history of back or neck issues it’s important that you tell us

Hernia - having a hernia shouldn’t get in the way of a great holiday

Joint replacements - if you’ve previously had a joint replacement, let us know about your surgery

Osteoporosis - being diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis shouldn’t get in the way of your next holiday.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - having DVT doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a well-earned holiday; get the cover that’s right for you.

Stroke - if you’ve had a stroke, tell us about your medical history to get tailored travel insurance

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) - don’t let a mini-stroke stop you from traveling; we’re here to help you get covered

HIV - include AIDS or HIV on your travel insurance, and travel with a policy that meets your needs 

Kidney conditions - whether you’re living with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), kidney stones, nephritis or renal failure, we know what’s what when it comes to travel insurance for kidney patients. Please note, we’re currently unable to cover kidney patients on or awaiting dialysis, or with a terminal diagnosis.  

Fibromyalgia - if you’re living with fibromyalgia, it’s important to choose specialist medical travel insurance 

Thyroid issues - living with hyperthyroidism is considered a pre-existing medical condition, so you need to declare it on your travel insurance 

Mental health - your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Get the right cover to travel with confidence and peace of mind. 

Awaiting surgery - find out if you can get travel insurance if you’re awaiting surgery or undergoing treatment 

Undiagnosed symptoms - we can often still cover you, just not for a condition which is awaiting diagnosis 

97% of people can get cover with us. But if any of the below applies, give our friendly agents a call to see if we can help.  

If you’re not sure if you’re fit enough to travel 

To get cover, you usually need to be fit enough to travel and know that your doctors wouldn’t advise against travel.  

If you’ve been told your condition is terminal 

We might not be able to offer cover for a terminal diagnosis – but we won’t leave you stranded. Call our friendly team for further support. If you can’t get a policy with us, we’ll help refer you to a relevant specialist in your condition.   

You do not need to declare pregnancy when getting travel insurance, unless you have a pre-existing condition relating to your pregnancy.  

Your policy can cover certain complications of pregnancy, but only if the due date is more than 8 weeks after your trip ends, or 16 weeks if you’re expecting multiple births. 
 

For a summary of what’s covered, check our insurance product information document. You can view the full policy wording with your quote. 

From the minute your insurance kicks in, we’re here to cover you if you need to cancel your trip because of illness. This includes whether it’s you who falls ill or someone you’re travelling with, staying with, or a close relative.   

For single-trip policies, this starts from when you buy your travel insurance. For annual multi-trips, you can delay the start date up to 90 days in advance.   

Being “fit to fly” simply means your health is stable enough that the cabin’s lower oxygen and confined space won’t put you or fellow passengers at risk. Most long-term conditions are fine if they’re well controlled, but airlines can refuse boarding if you look unwell, have a contagious illness or need urgent care mid-air. The Civil Aviation Authority says you usually don’t need a fit-to-fly certificate for stable asthma or diabetes, yet you might for recent heart surgery, unstable angina, severe lung disease, infectious rashes or pregnancy beyond 28 weeks. 

Tick through this quick list: 

• Condition stable for the past fortnight? 
• No hospital admission or major surgery in the last ten days? 
• No need for in-flight oxygen or specialist equipment? 
• Airline medical rules checked? 

If you can answer “yes” to every point, you’re likely good to go. If in doubt, ask your GP for a fit-to-fly certificate (typically valid for 7-14 days) and bring it with you, or email it to the airline’s medical desk. 

If you're taking medication abroad, there's a few things to bear in mind to make your journey as smooth as possible. 

Start by checking if your medicines appear on the destination’s controlled-drug list; the quickest route is the embassy website or the FCDO country guide. What’s over-the-counter in the UK (for example, codeine or strong decongestants) can be banned elsewhere. If it’s restricted, download the import form or carry a doctor’s letter stating the drug name, dose and that it’s for personal use. 

Pack medication in your hand luggage, in the original pharmacy box with your name on it, and take at least a week’s extra for delays. Liquids over 100 ml and sharps (EpiPens, insulin pens, syringes) are exempt from the airport liquid limit when shown with a prescription or doctor’s note. Security staff see them daily. 

Temperature-sensitive medicines? Slip them into a small, insulated pouch with a gel pack and ask cabin crew to store it in a cool compartment on ultra-long flights.  

Crossing time zones? Set phone alarms in local time or ask your GP for a revised schedule. 

In an emergency, contact the local emergency services first, and then call our 24-hour emergency helpline. Our team will help arrange your care and find the most appropriate place for treatment and follow-up care.  

• Our helpline is open 24/7, 365 days a year:  

• Calling from outside the UK: +44 1403 288 414  

• Calling from USA or Canada: +1 844 780 0639  

• Calling from Mexico: +1 819 780 0639  

• Calling from the UK: 01403 288 414  

If you or someone on your policy is admitted to hospital or your outpatient treatment is likely to cost more than £350, contact us as soon as possible.  

Where you have a valid claim and your medical expenses exceed £350, we will look to settle the bill directly with the medical provider where possible.  

If you have a non-urgent medical concern, such as sickness, headaches, or mild pain, contact our helpline first for advice on where to go for assistance. 

Whenever you travel abroad, it’s a good idea to take out travel insurance. If you’re planning a trip to Europe with health conditions, you’ll want to get medical travel insurance that includes those conditions.  

You should take out medical travel insurance even if you have:  

• A Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)  

• A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) 

These schemes can help you access free or discounted treatment, but you may still pay significant costs towards your care. Your card also won’t cover you if you need to go to hospital for private treatment.  

A Global or European Health Insurance Card is only valid for countries in the European Economic Area, which does not include all countries in the European continent.  

Check our guide for more information about the switch from EHIC to GHIC.  

Which? currently recommends at least £5 million of emergency medical cover. That figure isn’t plucked from thin air. In 2024, UK insurers paid £262 million in overseas medical bills, averaging £1,528 each, and one ABI member settled a single US case that topped £1 million once repatriation was included. 

Staysure’s Comprehensive and Signature tiers remove the guesswork entirely with up to unlimited emergency medical expenses.  

The good news is, you can often still take out travel insurance while you’re awaiting test results or a diagnosis, but it’s important to understand the difference between being insured in general and being insured for your specific medical condition.  

If you’ve got undiagnosed symptoms, you should still be able to take out a policy, however, we won’t be able to cover claims for anything relating to them. You can still be insured for things like cancellation unrelated to your symptoms, lost baggage and other declared pre-existing medical conditions.  

If you’re awaiting tests or test results for a condition that’s already been diagnosed, we should be able to cover you, but can’t include cover for any pre-existing medical conditions. You’ll still be able to claim for things like lost baggage, cancellation and emergency treatment for any new medical conditions (unrelated to anything that’s been declared or that you’re awaiting test results for). 

Specialist holiday insurance for pre-existing medical conditions is what we do. Being turned down by a comparison site or other provider often just means their panel couldn’t price the risk. We assess each case individually and can insure more than 1,300 conditions at all ages.*  

On the odd occasion we’re unable to provide the cover you need, we’ll signpost you to the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) medical directory. They can match complex cases with niche insurance providers. One way or another, there’s nearly always a route to safe travels. 

Some holiday insurance providers slam the door at milestone birthdays like 60 or 70. Yet 90% of people aged 85 and above report at least one long-term health condition – exactly the group who benefit most from specialist cover. At Staysure, we believe that, as your age gets bigger, so should your dreams. 

That’s why we cover pre-existing medical conditions and all ages, from toddlers on their first flight to 90-somethings ticking off bucket-list trips. 

When you’re travelling with a pre-existing medical condition, you want to know you’ve got everything you need. But it can be tricky to track down medicines abroad.  

If you ever find yourself short while you're away, we’re here to help. We can assist you in finding a nearby pharmacy that stocks your medication, so you’re not left searching in an unfamiliar place.  

If your prescription is lost or stolen, we can cover the cost of replacements up to £250 on Comprehensive and Signature policies. See our policy documents for full details of what’s included.