DON’T RISK TRAVELLING UNINSURED WITH A MEDICAL CONDITION

says Lauren Stovell of MedicalTravelCompared.com

Shockingly, according to a recent report by ABTA and the FCO, nearly a quarter of UK travellers head off on overseas holidays without insurance. Irrespective of your current state of health, it is essential to have travel insurance. And for those with a pre-existing medical condition, the risks of travelling without cover are simply not worth taking. For some, however, it seems there’s a fear that by declaring their condition their insurance premium will become prohibitively expensive. Indeed, nearly a third of all travellers think insurance is too costly and, as a result, go on holiday without it.

The reality is somewhat different. There are now quite a number of insurers offering competitive travel insurance cover to the growing number of travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. But many of these travellers find it difficult to shop around for the right cover at the right price.

That’s where www.MedicalTravelCompared.com comes in. We offer a portal to over 25 products offering travel insurance to those with pre-existing conditions, reducing the time and stress involved in searching for cover. Our comprehensive question set guides travellers through the quotation process, asking the appropriate questions in order to give a list of providers who are able to offer the insurance to suit specific requirements and needs.

According to the ABTA and FCO report, many travellers simply don’t see the risk of travelling without insurance. Indeed 16% believe that the UK Government will pick up the bill if they need medical treatment abroad and there is a general lack of knowledge about the cost of medical care in other countries. Almost half of Brits think treatment for a broken leg in the USA would cost £5,000 or less, but the reality could be a medical bill of more than eight times that amount.

Others are of the misguided opinion that the EHIC card will provide all the necessary cover for medical treatment when they are abroad. Unfortunately, the reality is quite different. The number of countries that accept the EHIC card in exchange for medical care is decreasing. In addition, it was designed to provide medical treatment in emergency situations and does not factor in the potential complication of, for example, having to attend a hospital miles away from a resort or, missing your flight as a result of waiting times.

These stark facts highlight just how important it is to obtain a comprehensive travel insurance policy, irrespective of whether you have a pre-existing medical condition or not. And if you do have a medical condition, declaring it is essential if you want to be covered.

Anything to Declare?
One of the biggest issues for those with pre-existing conditions is simply remembering to tell the insurer when their health has changed. This is a particular issue for those with a ‘rolling’ annual policy or who rely on the cover provided by a credit card. Declaring their condition is simply not front of mind.

It’s also important not to be tempted to leave anything out to try to bring insurance cover down in price. Tell your insurer about:

• pre-existing medical conditions
• recurring illnesses or injuries
• on-going conditions
• recent and previous surgeries and operations
• any current illnesses
• Any changes to health, if you have already purchased a policy or have annual insurance, in order to ensure you’re still covered
• Any activities in which you may be intending to participate
• If you are pregnant
• If you are intending to do any manual labour

A Calculated Risk
Of course travel insurance is not just to cover the cost of emergency treatment or repatriation. Travellers also need to ensure they have cover for replacing lost medication, especially as not all policies offer cover for replacing medication.

This is particularly important for insulin dependent diabetics, numbers of which are growing at a pace. According to a recent study from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine, the number of people with type 2 diabetes shot up 275% between 1991 and 2010* and many of these are relatively young people who will be getting to grips with managing their condition.

But this condition doesn’t have to be a barrier to travel. Through Medical Travel Compared, the premium for a 56 year old insulin dependent diabetic travelling to Belgium for one week in June starts from £13.22 and goes up to £24.62 – so it’s not going to break the bank. However, the price differential in premiums does highlight the importance of comparing the different covers available.

Peace of mind
We understand that travel insurance is a necessary rather than sought after purchase but you cannot put a price on peace of mind. Obtaining a comprehensive insurance policy will allow you to go on holiday safe in the knowledge that, if the worst did occur, your insurance will cover it. But for those with a pre-existing condition, until now it hasn’t been particularly easy or pleasant to shop around for the best cover and price.This is because insurance cover when you have a pre-existing condition requires lengthy question sets, making the process of comparing cover and premiums quoted taxing and time-consuming for people who may already be under stress due to their condition.

It was in response to this dilemma that www.MedicalTravelCompared.com launched as the first stand- alone comparison site for travel insurance cover specifically for people with pre-existing conditions.

MedicalTravelCompared.com makes the whole process of comparing cover and premiums as uncomplicated as possible. After just one simple set of medical screening questions, MedicalTravelCompared provides a list of travel insurance policies, ensuring that those with a pre-existing medical condition, or who are in the older age brackets can get on with planning their holiday.We compare price, levels of cover and excesses, enabling travellers to streamline the process and arrange the right level of cover for their needs, rather than risk the huge emotional and financial cost of being stuck abroad without cover when they most need it.

Finding the Right Travel Cover
Living with a medical condition shouldn’t mean people have to avoid travelling abroad or worse, travelling without insurance cover. Everyone deserves to be able to travel with adequate insurance at a price they can afford – whether you have a minor or a complex condition. Through www.MedicalTravelCompared.com , we offer a wide range of policies to suit the needs of those managing a medical condition.