Always declare your medical conditions or you may not be covered

Always declare your medical conditions or you may not be covered

A pre-existing condition is an illness or disease that you have had advice for, symptoms of or treatment for. Different insurers will have their own list of conditions they need to be informed about before you travel – the following are the most common...

• Heart conditions (which usually includes high blood pressure)
• Cancer
• Breathing conditions (including asthma)
• Joint and bone conditions
• Diabetes
• Gastrointestinal condition (problems with your stomach)

Many insurers will also need to know about conditions or illnesses that can be linked to your pre-existing condition. For example, an asthmatic who develops a chest infection while on holiday will only be insured if the policy includes coverage for asthma.

As you are statistically more likely to fall ill while abroad if you have medical conditions it's important you give a full and frank run down of all your health issues, or those you've had in the past, when you apply for a policy.

If your insurer doesn't know about your medical history any pre-existing conditions will be excluded and you could face a massive bill if you become unwell.