Anything to declare? Why you need to tell us if you’re taking weight-loss medication

Millions of UK adults are using weight-loss medication, but our latest research suggests many travellers still don’t realise they need to tell their travel insurance provider about it. 

In fact, between January 2024 and March 2026, weight-loss medication was declared in just 0.03% of our travel insurance quotes.* According to the Health Foundation, an estimated 2.4 million UK adults are now using prescribed weight-loss treatment, which suggests there’s a clear gap between the number of people taking these medications and the number who declare it to their insurer.  

If you're planning an adventure and taking weight loss medication like Wegovy, Ozempic, or Mounjaro, it’s important to mention this when you get a quote for your travel insurance. 

Weight-loss treatment can be life-changing but, like any prescription medication, you need to declare it when buying travel insurance. Whether you’re taking it for weight management or to help treat a diagnosed medical condition, we need to know about it to fully understand:  

• any pre-existing conditions that the medication is linked to 
• what side-effects or complications you could experience 
• what support your policy needs to include, so you have the right level of cover for your individual needs. 

If you aren’t sure whether a particular medication needs to be covered by your policy and declared before you travel, it’s always best to check. Read through your policy documents and contact us before you travel if you have any questions. 

If you don’t disclose this information to us, your travel insurance may not cover everything you need it to, which could lead to complications when it comes to making a medical claim abroad. If you don’t declare your treatment, you could face problems later, such as: 

• your policy being invalidated  
• a claim being rejected, whether or not your illness or side-effects are linked to the drug  
• no financial protection against foreign medical bills. 

This could put you at risk of having to pay for emergency treatment, medication or even repatriation if you need to return to the UK due to a medical issue. 

As weight-loss treatment has become so popular in recent years, you may find that there isn’t a dedicated question for this kind of medication yet. 

Instead, as part of our medical screening process, you can tell us about an underlying condition, such as obesity or diabetes, or you can enter “weight loss injections” and tell us the name of the medication you’re taking if it’s not connected to a specific condition.  

• Step 1 – Have your prescription and medical information to hand before starting your quote. 
• Step 2 – Declare your weight loss medication, and any condition it’s been prescribed for, during the medical screening. 
• Step 3 – We’ll confirm whether we can offer cover. If approved, you’ll see your quote straight away and you can choose your level of cover. 

The information you provide needs to match your medical records, should you need to make a claim for medical treatment abroad. Declaring all relevant medical information is your responsibility when buying travel insurance but we’re here to help guide you.  

Start your quote now or call 0330 127 8304 to speak to our team on the phone. 

As a medical travel insurance specialist, we have years of experience with complex cases, and the claims team understand the realities of travelling with a health condition. We cover over 1,300 medical conditions and all ages, so 97% of customers are able to get medical cover with us.**  

• Properly prescribed medications with complete GP documentation and medical supervision.   
• Supervised programmes where your weight-loss medication forms part of a medical weight management programme. 
• Declared conditions - both medication and underlying condition disclosed. 
• Legitimate prescriptions from registered UK pharmacies or GPs. 
• Medication if taken as prescribed. 

• Unregulated purchases i.e. medication obtained without proper medical oversight from unregulated suppliers. 
• Any weight-loss medication not disclosed on your travel insurance. 
• Self-medication without professional supervision. 
• Off-label use without proper medical records and GP awareness. 

On the odd occasion we’re unable to provide the cover you need, you can contact the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) on 0370 950 1790 for a directory of specialist insurers, like us! You can also search BIBA's medical directory online.  

The general advice for safe travel with GLP-1 weight-loss medication is similar to travelling with any form of prescription medication. You need to consider time-zone changes, storage temperature, import rules for your destination and what’s required for taking medication through airport security. 

Familiarise yourself with our guide to travelling with medication abroad before you set off to be prepared and avoid delays. 

Be mindful of how certain medicines and other substances can interact with GLP-1 treatments. Things like alcohol, oral contraceptives and over-the-counter medicines (like paracetamol) can affect how your weight-loss medication is absorbed. It’s worth speaking to your doctor or checking the information leaflet that comes with your medication before you travel.

Needles need to be disposed of responsibly, often with proper disposal containers. Regulations vary by destination, so confirm arrangements before you travel and see if your prescriber can provide you with travel-sized sharps containers. 

Some countries have strict rules around bringing prescription medication across their borders. It’s important to check these before you travel, as GLP-1 treatments may be classed as controlled or restricted in certain destinations. Always verify the entry requirements for your destination well before you travel, ideally through the country’s official health or embassy website. 

Emergency numbers vary between countries, so it’s worth noting the local number before you travel. For example, dial 112 in Europe or 911 in the USA.  

If you do feel unwell while you’re away, here’s a full overview of what to do and how your travel insurance can help. 

Medical emergencies abroad can become very expensive very quickly. Especially if you need specialist treatment back in the UK. 

In 2025, we managed 33 emergency air ambulance repatriations from Spanish resorts. The average cost of an emergency air ambulance back to the UK was:*** 

• £22,930 from the Balearics 
• £25,583 from mainland Spain 
• £37,853 from the Canary Islands 

These costs just relate to the arranged flight home, often with an onboard medical escort. They don’t include any hospital stay or treatment before the journey home. While these examples aren’t specific to weight-loss medication, they show how expensive a medical repatriation can be. 

Most people who don’t declare weight-loss medication probably aren’t trying to hide anything. The use of these medications has risen sharply in recent years, so it’s more likely that people simply don’t realise that they need to be declared. 

In fact, our research suggests the issue may be that many travellers don’t realise medication needs to be mentioned at all.  

Among our customers who did tell us about weight-loss medication between January 2024 and March 2026, we found that 98% also declared at least one other medical condition.* That suggests people who understand what they need to declare often give the full picture. The issue may be that others just don’t realise that we need to know about all prescription medication before they travel. 

It’s still very relevant. We need to know about any prescription medication you’re taking because it helps us understand any underlying conditions, treatment or medical advice that need to be taken into account. 

It’s great that you’ve not experienced any side-effects, but you still need to declare the fact that you’re taking weight-loss medication. We need to know about anything you’ve been prescribed in the last two years, as well as any medical advice you’ve been given in that time. 

Declaring weight-loss medication doesn’t automatically mean you’ll pay more. Based on example quotes for travellers aged 40, 50, 60 and 70 going to Spain for seven days, there was no increase in cost purely for adding weight-loss medication to the policy. 

Your premium could change because of an underlying condition, for which weight-loss medication has been prescribed, like diabetes or a high BMI. But your quote depends on your full health picture, individual circumstances and travel plans. 

If you’re taking weight-loss medication that hasn’t been prescribed by a doctor, there can be an even greater risk of complications if you need to make a claim. We don’t cover any weight-loss medication that’s been obtained through unregulated suppliers or taken without advice from a qualified medical professional. 

That means that your claim could be complicated or invalidated by any weight-loss drugs that haven’t been legally prescribed – whether the medical issue is directly or indirectly linked to the medication.

You still need to declare your weight-loss treatment. Enter the name of your medication during the quote process. If you’re unsure how or where to declare it, get in touch and one of our advisors will be able to help you. 

Medication from unregulated suppliers, or medication taken without advice from a qualified medical professional, isn’t covered. More broadly, you should be very cautious about buying any medication through unofficial or unregulated routes. 

You’ll need proof that your medication is part of a proper medical programme, not just a one-off purchase. Ideally, your NHS GP should have it on your records. If not, get written confirmation from whoever prescribed it – ask your online provider for a letter or email that documents your prescription.  

Any new prescription or change to your health can affect your policy. We need up-to-date information to be able to provide the right cover, so get in touch and update your details before you travel.

If you’ve recently stopped taking weight loss injections, you should still mention them in your medical declaration. They’re part of your medical history and including them helps make sure your policy reflects your health accurately. You’ll need to declare them if you’ve used them within the last two years. 

You won’t usually need to submit medical documents when applying for travel insurance, but it helps to have certain details to hand when completing your medical screening declaration. We may also ask for supporting information if you make a claim or if further checks are needed.   

Taking prescribed weight-loss medication shouldn’t stop you from planning a brilliant holiday. We just need to ensure you have the right cover in place before you go. 

Whether you get a quote online or over the phone, making a declaration is simple, and our friendly team is always on hand to help you. Our award-winning travel insurance covers pre-existing medical conditions and all ages, so you can travel with confidence and make memories on your next adventure. 

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^{*Based on Staysure’s travel insurance quote data. Includes declared medical conditions at point of quote.} 

^{**Subject to screening. See our policy documents for full details.} 

^{***Based on Staysure’s claims data from October 2024 to October 2025, looking at repatriation costs from Spain, Canary and Balearic Islands.}