Do I need to have had both my Covid jabs to be covered?
As long as you’ve had the vaccines you’ve been offered for Covid-19, you should be covered. If you haven’t been offered both doses yet or you’re medically exempt then you can also be covered.
If you’ve refused any doses of the vaccine or haven’t been able to have a dose you’ve been offered, you won’t be covered.
When I’m getting my travel insurance, do I need to tell you about my heart condition?
If you’ve ever had a heart condition, it’s important you let us know about it.
That way, your policy will be personalised to your needs, so you can travel with confidence that you have travel insurance that’s with you all the way.
We know that no two heart conditions are the same. You may have coronary heart disease (CHD) with or without high blood pressure, or an irregular heartbeat controlled by medication.
We can cover many types of heart conditions, including:
- Heart attack
- Heart bypass (including double, triple and quadruple surgery)
- Heart-valve disease
- Heart failure
- Blocked heart valve/vessels/arteries
- Coronary heart disease
- Atrial fibrillation
- Angina
- Cardiomyopathy
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
You’ll also need to let us know about any pre-existing medical conditions that you have had symptoms, surgery, investigations or medical appointments for in the past two years.
If I need treatment when I’m abroad, what do I do?
Having a medical emergency, at home or away, is not something we really want to think about. Which is why it’s reassuring to know we’re here 24/7.
As soon as possible, call our free 24-hour medical emergency helpline. We’ll hold your hand every step of the way, explaining everything you need to do – even translate if language becomes a barrier.
If your medical emergency bill is more than £350, we will settle it directly with the hospital whenever possible. We’ll also help with rearranging your return flight home when it’s safe for you to travel again. If doctors decide you’d receive better medical treatment at home, we can arrange emergency transport for you to get back quickly and safely.
Knowing we’re here to take care of you, means you can focus on feeling better.
Can I get travel insurance if I’m waiting for heart surgery?
If you’re waiting to have your heart surgery, we may be able to offer a level of travel insurance (for things such as lost luggage or travel delays.) But we wouldn’t be able to cover any emergency treatment related to your heart condition or other pre-existing health conditions.
Once you’ve had all your post-operative checks and been discharged, we should be able to cover your pre-existing conditions, including your heart condition, as long as you don’t need further treatment or surgery.
What questions will you ask about my heart condition?
We’ll ask you a few questions to find out how your heart condition affects your day-to-day life. There’s really nothing to worry about, you can go through the questions at a pace that suits you – we’ll never rush you.
These are the sorts of questions we commonly ask about heart conditions:
- How long ago was your most recent heart procedure?
- At any time before your most recent heart procedure, had you suffered a heart attack?
- Have you had angina symptoms, such as chest pain or tightness, since your last procedure?
- Have you had a heart attack since your most recent heart procedure?
- Can you always walk 200 yards on the flat without getting short of breath?
- Have you been advised to take medication for high blood pressure?
- Have you ever had a heart bypass, angioplasty or coronary stent?
- Have you ever been a smoker?
- How many (if any) heart attacks have you had?
- How long ago was the onset or treatment for your heart condition?
- How has your heart problem been treated?
- If you have an irregular heartbeat, how many unplanned hospital visits have you had in the past 12 months?
- Is any further investigation or treatment planned?
- Are you on blood thinning medication?
- Have you ever collapsed, fainted or blacked out as a result of your heart rhythm?
- Has a doctor told you the arteries in your heart are blocked or narrowed?
Is my heart condition covered by my Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)?
If you’re planning a holiday to Europe, you’ll need to take a free GHIC (or an EHIC) as a condition of our travel insurance.
When the United Kingdom left the European Union, the GHIC replaced the EHIC as the means for accessing free or subsidised healthcare in selected European countries. Before you travel, make sure you check that your destination is covered by GHIC, just so you’re ready if you do need any emergency or necessary treatment for your heart condition during your trip.
Remember, your GHIC is not the same as having good health conditions travel insurance. For example, it won’t cover you if you need to cancel your holiday.
Your GHIC helps reduce your medical costs where subsidised healthcare is available. If you can use your GHIC and have to pay a subsidised fee for your treatment, we’ll remove the excess fee on medical emergency claims for you.
I’ve bought travel insurance for my heart condition already. Should I tell you if my condition changes?
Yes, please keep us up-to-date on any changes in your health. If you have a new diagnosis be sure to let us know as soon as you can, so we can add them in your cover. If you fail to let us know of any changes to your health, this may affect your policy and your claim being accepted if you needed us.
