travel

Some issues can make it harder to find affordable travel insurance

Expert advice has been issued for many Brits planning to go abroad. People with disabilities and long-term medical conditions are being warned to shop around for travel insurance as their health history can send premiums soaring.

Having a medical condition does not mean you cannot get travel insurance – but it can make finding affordable cover considerably harder. Research by Which? highlighted in a new post on X on Wednesday, September 2 found that seven in 10 of its members who had bought travel insurance in the previous two years had declared a medical condition. While most said this had only a minor effect on their ability to find an insurer willing to cover them, many reported that their condition pushed up the price.

One in four said their medical conditions had a major impact on what they paid. The problem can become particularly acute for older travellers.

Data from Compare the Market cited by Which? suggests customers aged over 65 pay roughly double once their medical conditions are taken into account. And simply buying a standard travel policy without declaring a condition could leave holidaymakers dangerously exposed.

Insurers usually require travellers to disclose their medical history, with specialist medical screening companies assessing the risks involved. The resulting risk assessment can affect whether an insurer will provide cover and how much it charges.

But different insurers can make different decisions – meaning it pays to shop around rather than accepting the first quote.

Specialist policies to consider

Which? assessed policies from specialist providers and identified several as Best Buys. Saga came out on top, with its Plus annual multi-trip policy scoring 82%.

It provides up to £20 million of medical expenses cover, £20,000 cancellation cover and £10,000 for baggage and valuables. Saga’s Plus single-trip policy scored 81%, while its Standard annual multi-trip policy scored 77%.

Staysure Signature scored 74%, with unlimited medical expenses cover, £15,000 cancellation cover and £5,000 for baggage. AllClear Platinum scored 70%, also offering unlimited medical expenses cover.

Which? also highlighted InsuranceWith’s Platinum policy, which scored 68% and includes £5,000 of gadget cover.

Don’t hide your medical condition

Travellers should be completely open about their health when buying cover. A medical condition may result in a higher premium or an exclusion being added to a policy. An exclusion could mean claims linked to that condition are not covered – potentially leaving someone facing a huge bill if they become ill abroad.

Which? insurance expert Dean Sobers said there is a reason it publishes information about the medical screening companies used by insurers. The organisation found that 80% of the policies it assessed used Verisk for medical screening, while 12% used Protectif.

This can matter because insurers may reach different decisions about whether to cover someone – and what to charge – even when the same screening process is involved. He said: “When searching for quotes, you may have found yourself answering what feels like identical health-related questions over and over even when trying different insurers. You’re not imagining it: medical screening is outsourced by most travel insurers, with the vast majority using just two firms – Verisk and Protectif.

“While the insurer makes the ultimate decision about how much to charge you, the different approaches of the screening companies can lead to a different picture of your risk. Verisk, for example, asks you to state the name of your medical condition, while Protectif begins by asking you which medications you’re taking and works backwards from that.

“No particular screening company is necessarily going to deliver a cheaper quote, but if you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall with one, trying another could be worth it.”

Specialist insurers are specifically designed to deal with travellers who may be rejected, heavily loaded or offered limited cover by mainstream providers. And with the cost of holidays already high, shopping around could make the difference between being properly protected and taking a potentially disastrous gamble by travelling without adequate insurance.

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