Travel insurance for cancer patients

Travel insurance is important for any holiday abroad, whether you have cancer or not. It covers you for events including emergency medical treatment, cancellations or long delays, and lost or stolen belongings. Without it, you could end up with expensive medical bills or lose money if anything goes wrong.

If you want to go on holiday, you should get advice from your doctor or healthcare team first. They can tell you if it’s a good idea or not. If they think you will be fit to fly or travel abroad by boat, this does not guarantee you’ll always find insurance cover for your trip.

Many people with cancer find affordable travel insurance and enjoy holidays safe in the knowledge that they are covered if anything goes wrong. But travel insurance for cancer patients can sometimes be challenging to find. It’s also important to note that cancer travel insurance will not cover any planned trips abroad for treatment.

To be covered for cancer-related claims on holiday, you’ll need to tell the insurer about your condition and go through a medical screening process - normally done over the phone. This is likely to go into lots of details about your condition such as the type of cancer, date of diagnosis and treatment or surgery you’ve had or will need. Make sure you have this information handy. You’re also likely to need a letter from your doctor to confirm that you’re well enough to fly.

Some insurance providers might offer policies that provide financial cover for situations like lost baggage, but not medical expenses related to cancer. This will mean that, if you do fall ill on holiday, you could be left with hospital bills running into the hundreds if not thousands of pounds or more. Travelling without medical cover is not recommended so if you are thinking about doing this, speak to your doctor about the risks.

You may already have an annual policy in place when you are diagnosed with cancer. This should cover you for trip changes or cancellations, and could mean you are insured to travel with cancer - but you’ll need to check this in your policy or with your provider.

The cost of travel insurance for cancer is unfortunately likely to be higher than standard policies if it covers your condition, as it would be for many illnesses. Various other factors will impact the cost and eligibility, such as age, activities on the trip (such as skiing or scuba diving), the type of holiday (for example, a cruise or a beach break), and the country you’re travelling to.

If approved, cover for pre-existing medical conditions - including cancer - usually requires paying a premium on top of the standard policy cost. Policies can be taken out for single holidays or annually, to cover multiple trips. Some companies specialise in travel insurance for cancer patients, which may make the process easier or more reasonably priced. An experienced insurance broker knowledgeable in travel insurance for cancer may also help.

Prices for holiday insurance to cover cancer will vary from one person to the next. And you can either take out single-trip travel insurance or an annual policy, which covers you for multiple holidays throughout the year. Annual policies could work out more cost-effective if you plan to go away more than once.

It’s a good idea to shop around and get some quotes from different providers before taking out a travel insurance policy when you have cancer. Read the small print of each policy and make sure you’re clear on what exactly is and isn’t covered, as well as the cost of excess payments for claims. You may need to ensure the policy also covers claims that aren’t hospital-related but because of your condition, such as the cost of medical equipment that you might need to take.

Getting travel insurance with terminal illnesses like cancer can be challenging, but some companies do offer this type of cover. Like with any form of cancer or illness, a doctor will need to certify that you’re fit to fly and you’ll need to go through a detailed medical screening with each travel insurance provider before being offered a quote.

The cost of terminal cancer travel insurance is likely to be higher, but it is always a good idea. Without it, you will not be covered for medical expenses or repatriation (being flown home), and therefore risk bills running into the thousands of pounds, potentially more.

If you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), it’s still valid until its expiry date. Some EHICs continue to be issued but they have largely been replaced with the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for new applications since the UK left the EU. 

Both cards allow you to get state healthcare in the European Union at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. It’s not a substitute for travel insurance, and getting both is highly recommended if you’re travelling to Europe whether you have cancer or not.

An EHIC or GHIC will not cover you for planned treatment abroad for cancer but will cover medical treatment - unexpected or emergency - for pre-existing conditions including cancer. Find out if you’re eligible and apply on the NHS website.