Don’t put off buying insurance until the last minute. Arrange it as soon as you have booked your travel so that you are covered in case you need to cancel.
Insurance companies may charge more for travel insurance if you have kidney disease, so it's a good idea to shop around and get quotes from a variety of insurance providers.
Companies will normally require details of any medical conditions, and giving as much information as you can helps to find cover that meets your needs.
It is very important you check what is and what isn't covered by your insurance.
Do I need travel insurance if I have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)?
Yes, you need to buy travel insurance. The free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.
You will need to arrange both an EHIC/GHIC and medical travel insurance before you travel.
The EHIC/GHIC will allow you to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland.
Find out more about using an EHIC/GHIC card and travelling in Europe on the NHS website and read the Kidney Care UK guide to arranging a trip abroad if you are living with kidney disease.
Finding medical travel insurance when you are living with kidney disease
Some companies exclude claims relating to pre-existing medical conditions, and some may cover them at an additional cost. Travel insurance quotes may be high because they are calculated on the likelihood of you needing to make a claim.
Search for medical travel insurance to find a company that provides tailored cover for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions. To choose the best policy for you, compare prices and coverage from a few different companies.
By law, we cannot recommend any insurer or financial services provider, but these are some of the options you may want to consider when you are choosing the travel insurance policy that best suits your needs.
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.
Travel insurance companies used by other kidney patients
People with kidney disease have used these companies and have had positive experiences, which they have shared with us in our online community group on Facebook.
Please note that Kidney Care UK cannot recommend or endorse any of these insurers and we do not make an independent assessment of their services. If have any feedback about your experience with these companies, please let us know by emailing [email protected]
- All Clear - 0800 848 8608
- Insure and Go - 0330 400 1383
- Cover Cloud - 0345 812 0033
- Insurance With - 020 3829 3875
- OK to Travel - 01223 446 920
- Free Spirit - 02392 419 070
- Saga - 0800 015 0757
- JD Travel Insurance - 0344 247 4749
- Puffin - 0333 772 0346
- Asda - 0800 138 2373
- Get Going - 0203 8296 613
- Esure - 0345 600 3949
- World First - 0345 90 80 161
- Medisafe - 01279 621 640
- Post Office - 0330 123 3690
BIBA's Travel Medical Directory
The British Insurance Brokers' Association offers BIBA’s Travel Medical Directory, which lists approved specialist providers and is free to use.
When you contact different insurance companies to enquire about cover, start your conversation by outlining the details of your condition to make sure you don't find out you wouldn't be eligible until you've spent time sharing your details. For example:
- "I am a dialysis patient. Do you offer medical travel insurance for dialysis patients?"
- "I am a transplant recipient. Do you cover transplant recipients under your medical travel insurance policy?"
Remember to take your insurance documents with you in case you do need to make a claim when you are away.
