Tommy Lloyd, managing director at MedicalTravelCompared.co.uk, a comparison website for travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions, shares his tips to help you find the right cover for you.
Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.
Choosing travel insurance: what you need to know as a kidney patient
Worries about extra costs or complications from being on dialysis or waiting for a transplant can make looking for the right insurance provider an anxious experience. Having chronic kidney disease (CKD) can increase the cost of your travel insurance, which is why it is important to shop around and think carefully about your individual needs for your holiday.
But there’s good news as well: getting a quote can be a much faster process than you might think and can mostly be managed online. The extra costs may not be as high as people fear either, especially for closer trips, such as to Europe.
In fact, other factors such as how distant your destination is and how long you will be on holiday for can have a bigger impact on the quotes you receive than your medical condition.
Find a specialist provider
There are more travel insurance providers out there than ever; even big-name brands like supermarkets provide premiums.
However, these companies don’t always cover pre-existing conditions like CKD. It’s best to search for providers that specifically advertise pre-existing condition travel insurance, a specialist product for customers who may struggle to be insured because they have a long-term condition.
Kidney disease travel insurance usually includes cover for medical expenses such as hospital stays and treatments. These policies also often cover the cost of emergency repatriation if you need to return to the UK for medical reasons, and compensation for trip cancellations or interruptions due to medical issues.
Understand exactly what your policy does (and doesn’t!) cover
Once you have made sure your condition is covered, check your policy is right for all aspects of your holiday and read the terms carefully.
If you are planning on enjoying winter sports, such as skiing, your policy may have the option of an add-on covering relevant activities. If you are going on a cruise, you may want to consider a policy or add-on which specifically covers this kind of holiday. These policies can cover events such as missed port departures or confinement to your cabin for medical reasons.
Many travel insurance policies included gadget cover as an optional extra, providing additional cover for phones, laptops, cameras, and other expensive technology. Standard policies do not always cover these things or cover them only to a specific price limit, so if you are taking multiple gadgets or expensive equipment such as laptops or high-end cameras it may be worth considering this extra.
Don’t be afraid to declare your condition
When you’re arranging travel insurance, it’s vital to be accurate and honest about your condition. If you do have to claim on the policy and you haven’t disclosed some aspects of your medical history, the policy could be declared invalid and not pay out.
Most of the time, your medical declaration can be completed through a simple online form.
Once you make a declaration of your condition you will be asked tailored follow up questions so that the provider can get a better understanding of your medical situation.
For instance, you would be asked whether you are on dialysis. If you are, you would be asked if you have had any unplanned admissions to hospital in the last year, and if you are on the kidney transplant waiting list.
All the questions should be straightforward, and it is unlikely you will need to refer to your medical notes or get in touch with your kidney team to ask them to provide additional information.
Insurance can become more difficult to find (or expensive) if you are still waiting for a diagnosis. If your medical condition is being investigated, it is generally best to wait until you have had a clear diagnosis and an understanding of your potential treatment options before planning on a holiday.
Let your provider know if you are receiving dialysis
People on dialysis can usually find cover for their travel, though being on dialysis can increase the cost of your policy.
You will probably be asked how often you receive treatment, whether your condition is stable, and if you are on the transplant waiting list.
It is important to speak to your kidney team so that they can help plan your treatment while you are away, and to ensure that your needs are met on your return if you need to dialyse in unit.
For more information on travelling with dialysis, read our guide to going abroad as a kidney patient.
Share details of any other medical conditions
Many people with kidney disease are also managing other diagnosed conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
Give as much detail as you can and be clear about your medical history. If you are not sure if a particular detail is relevant, call the insurance company and discuss your quote over the phone. Remember that you are unlikely to be refused insurance because of your conditions, and the costs may be less expensive than you imagine.
Don’t worry about finding insurance if you’re on the transplant list
Travel insurance is available if you are on the kidney transplant waiting list, though you may have a slightly more limited selection of providers. Factors like your destination or the duration of your holiday can be just as important as the fact that you are waiting for a transplant.
It is important to let your kidney team if you are going on holiday as they may choose to suspend you from the waiting list. This does not mean you have to start again from the bottom, just that you will not be invited for a kidney transplant when you are away at that time.
If you travel to the Indian subcontinent or Africa, you will remain suspended for eight weeks after you have returned until virology tests have confirmed that you have not become infected with a virus such as hepatitis or HIV.
If you have received a kidney transplant, you will be asked specific follow-up questions, such as when you received your transplant, whether you have had any recent episodes of rejection or complications, and if your donation was from a living donor.
If you’re travelling as a group, consider insuring everyone together
If you have CKD and you are travelling with your family or a group, you may be thinking about whether to purchase an individual policy or a family or group policy.
In this situation people may consider purchasing separate policies for those with chronic conditions or and those without as they feel it could save them money.
However, the advantage of purchasing a family or group policy is that if the holiday needed to be cancelled or cut short due to the medical condition of the person with CKD, everyone on the policy could have their costs covered.
It’s advisable to consider this option to avoid difficulties should a member of your group need medical attention.
Think about investing in an annual multi-trip policy
If you are planning to make multiple trips in a year, it can be more economical to get an annual policy, even if you are travelling with a pre-existing condition.
Just remember that if the state of your health changes significantly, you need to contact your insurer to update them. An example of this would be if you progressed to a more advanced stage of CKD, or began dialysis.
What kind of costs can I expect?
Below you can see some projected costs for cover for one person with CKD across four different ages. This is for a 14-night trip to Spain over the end of May and the start of June.
Please note these are projected costs for specific dates. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors. Prices collated in May 2024.
Age 25
| Had a kidney transplant? | On dialysis? | Waiting for a transplant? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | £10.89 |
| Yes | No | No | £17.86 |
| No | Yes | No | £133.42 |
| No | Yes | Yes | £156.26 |
Age 45
| Had a kidney transplant? | On dialysis? | Waiting for a transplant? | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | £13.00 |
| Yes | No | No | £21.47 |
| No | Yes | No | £133.42 |
| No | Yes | No | £173.61 |
Age 65
| Had a kidney transplant? | On dialysis? | Waiting for a transplant? | Cost? |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | No | £17.98 |
| Yes | No | No | £33.34 |
| No | Yes | No | £256.00 |
| No | Yes | Yes | £261.99 |
UK medical travel insurance: find the right policy for you
At Kidney Care UK we work with a few firms who will make a donation to the charity for every policy sold, at no additional cost to you. But please note that we are not endorsing them as exclusive providers of cover.
- Medical Travel Compared (medical travel insurance comparison site)
- Goodtogoinsurance.com (travel insurance with cover for medical conditions and no age limit) or call 0330 024 9906. Please quote Kidney Care UK if you complete a quote over the phone.
- Just Travel Cover (medical travel insurance comparison site) or call 0800 542 7167. Please quote Kidney Care UK if you complete a quote over the phone.