1/3 of Brits admit they have lied about medical conditions when buying travel

Declaring a medical condition when taking out travel insurance may incur an additional premium depending on the severity of the condition, so it’s no wonder Travel Insurance Explained’s research found 33% of British holidaymakers have withheld the truth when buying a policy. But with Brexit looming and the cost of medical treatment abroad likely to increase with the loss of the EHIC is this a risk we should be taking?

Fiona Macrae, Head of consumer awareness campaign, Travel Insurance Explained provides some much-needed answers about how these premiums are decided and why you should always be truthful when taking out travel insurance.

What is the impact of not declaring your medical condition to your travel insurer?

As with all insurance, travel insurance premiums are calculated based on the average risk posed by the travelling public, this means that anyone who falls outside the average risk could be subject to payment of an additional premium. So, travellers who declare during the sales process that they have a medical condition, will be asked a series of additional questions to enable the insurers to assess whether or there is an increased risk of them making a claim. Depending on the answers to these questions, the insurer may ask for an additional premium or they may add an increased medical excess to the policy (this is only paid in the event of a claim related to the declared condition).

The worry about paying increased premiums is causing some people to avoid declaring their medical conditions, or to not fully declare their conditions. But this could prove to be a false economy, because if they have to make a claim that is a direct result of their medical condition or anything that could be attributed to the treatment of the condition, such as side effects to medicines, then that claim may be turned down, leaving the person responsible for a very large bill.

What is the cost of not declaring your medical condition with your travel insurer?

With the fate of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC, formally the E111) still undecided there is every possibility that holidaymakers, if they don’t have a travel insurance policy, will be left to pay the entire bill if emergency medical treatment is needed whilst travelling in Europe post-Brexit.

To put things into perspective the cost of medical treatment for a broken leg in France is just under £4000 and treatment for a heart attack in Greece will cost just over £7000 (not including nursing costs). Eye watering figures which you might have to pay if your travel insurance claim is turned down because you did not declare all your medical conditions.

What if I am diagnosed with a condition after I’ve bought my policy?

If you are diagnosed with a condition, or referred for investigations or test for a possible medical condition, or sustain an injury after you buy your travel insurance policy, you should always call your insurer let them know. You may be asked to complete a medical declaration, so that the insurer can assess whether or not there is an increased risk of you

making a claim whilst travelling. There may be an additional premium to pay for the extra cover.

In the unlikely instance that your medical situation is such that the insurer feels that they can no longer provide cover, you should be entitled to a refund or given the option to cancel the holiday and claim on the policy. Refund amounts and conditions will differ between insurers so it is best to check their individual process.