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Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Cover

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About This Guide – This page explains how pre-existing medical conditions cover works, what you need to declare, how medical screening is completed, and what pre-existing medical conditions are covered automatically. It also highlights key considerations, important health requirements and tips to help you ensure you have the right level of medical protection for your trip.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Cover

Travelling with a medical condition shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your holiday. At Covered2Go, we provide pre-existing medical conditions cover to help ensure you’re protected if a health-related emergency occurs while you are abroad.

Importantly, some common pre-existing medical conditions are covered automatically, meaning you don’t need to declare them and there is no additional premium. For all other conditions, a simple medical screening process ensures your cover is tailored correctly before you travel.

You can complete medical screening online or over the phone — whichever suits you best — giving you confidence and clarity before you go.

👉 Start your medical screening online
👉 Or call the Medical Screening Service on 0330 311 2648

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Covered Automatically

Our policy includes automatic cover for certain common pre-existing medical conditions. This means that if you only have one or more of the conditions listed below, you do not need to declare them, and no additional premium applies.

The following conditions are covered automatically:

  • Acid reflux / Gastric reflux

  • Acne

  • Blindness or partial sight

  • Cataracts

  • Deafness or partial hearing loss

  • Glaucoma

  • Hay fever

  • Hypothyroidism

  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

If these are the only medical conditions you have, no medical screening is required.

This automatic cover helps make arranging travel insurance quicker and simpler, while still ensuring you have the protection you need.

If you have any other medical conditions, or have received treatment, advice, or medication in the last 12 months, these will need to be declared through our medical screening process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Are pre-existing medical conditions automatically covered?Some common pre-existing medical conditions are covered automatically under our policy. This means you do not need to declare them and there is no additional premium.

If your condition appears on our list of automatically covered conditions and these are the only medical conditions you have, no medical screening is required.
Do I need to declare a medical condition for travel insurance?
Yes. With the exception of the conditions covered automatically, you must declare all medical conditions for which you have received treatment, medical advice, medication, or investigations within the last 12 months.

Declaring medical conditions ensures your cover is valid and helps avoid issues if you need to make a claim.
What happens if I don’t declare a medical condition?If you do not declare a medical condition that requires disclosure, your policy may not provide cover for claims related to that condition. In some cases, this could mean you have no right to make a claim.

To ensure you are fully protected while travelling, it’s important to declare all required medical information before you travel.

How Our Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Cover Works

To ensure full and valid cover, the process involves two steps:

  • Step 1 — Buy your Covered2Go travel insurance policy

Choose the policy that best suits your needs (Single Trip, Annual Multi-Trip, Longstay, Cruise, etc.) directly on covered2go.co.uk.

  • Step 2 — Complete your medical screening

Declare your medical conditions to our Medical Screening Service:

  • Online, or

  • By calling 0330 311 2648

If your conditions are accepted, an additional medical endorsement will be added. This part is a separate transaction from your main policy purchase.

Both the policy and the medical endorsement will then run concurrently — giving you complete pre-existing medical conditions cover while travelling.

We will soon be integrating medical screening into our online journey to make the process even clearer and more convenient.

Health Declaration – What You Must Tell Us

To qualify for valid pre-existing medical conditions cover, you must declare all conditions for which you have received:

  • Medication

  • Treatment

  • Medical advice

  • Investigations

…within the last 12 months, unless they appear on the automatically-covered list.

Declare online at: http://ctg.millstreamonline.com/
Or by phone: 0330 311 2648

⚠️ Important

Failure to declare your conditions could mean:

  • You are not covered, and

  • You may have no right to make a claim

If cover is approved, you will receive a medical endorsement once payment is made.

Change in Health Before You Travel

You must notify the Medical Screening Service immediately on +44 (0)330 311 2648 if, after your policy is issued and before the first day of your trip (or, for Annual Multi Trip policies, before booking any individual trip), you or anyone insured under this policy:

  • Receives treatment, advice or medication for any new medical conditions not previously declared to us

  • Experiences a change in an existing medical condition; or

  • Develops any conditions which could reasonably be expected to give rise to a claim.

Annual Multi-Trip Policies

You must notify us of any changes in health between the date the policy is issued and before the first day of your trip, including prior to booking any individual trip.

Single Trip and Long Stay Policies

You must notify us of any changes in health between the date the policy is issued and before the first day of your trip.

We will then decide whether we can continue to provide cover on the existing terms. We may require an additional premium and/or apply special conditions. If we are unable to provide cover, or you do not wish to accept the revised terms, you may cancel the policy and receive a pro-rata refund (provided no claim has been made or is intended). Failure to notify us may result in claims not being paid and could mean you travel without appropriate cover.

We reserve the right not to extend cover where the booked trip could reasonably be considered detrimental to your wellbeing.

Pregnancy and Your Travel Insurance

Our policy does not cover standard pregnancy-related costs or losses, including medically assisted deliveries, unless a complication develops due to unexpected illness or accidental injury while on your trip.

Cover excludes costs incurred during the period 12 weeks before and 12 weeks after your estimated due date.

Any complications must be declared as part of your medical screening process.

This Is Not Private Medical Insurance

We are not a private health insurance provider. We will cover private medical treatment only where:

  • No suitable public healthcare is available, or

  • No reciprocal healthcare agreement applies

Where appropriate, we may arrange transfer from a private facility to a public one.

For claims assessment, unrestricted access to your medical records may be required.

Why Accurate Medical Declaration Matters

Declaring your conditions ensures:

  • Your cover is valid

  • You are protected during medical emergencies

  • You avoid potentially high healthcare costs abroad

  • Your claims can be processed smoothly

  • You comply with your policy terms

Medical treatment abroad — particularly in the USA, Caribbean, Asia and cruise ships — can be extremely expensive. Having the right pre-existing medical conditions cover is essential.

Need Support With Your Medical Screening?

Medical Screening Service:
📞 0330 311 2648

Covered2Go Travel Insurance:
👉 0333 400 7745

Related Travel Insurance Options

If you’re exploring different types of travel insurance alongside your pre-existing medical conditions cover, the following options may also be helpful:

Single Trip Travel Insurance

Suitable for one-off holidays or short breaks. You can add medical conditions cover through medical screening to ensure full protection for your trip.

Annual Multi-Trip Travel Insurance

Ideal if you travel several times a year. Medical conditions cover can be added to your annual policy, giving you consistent protection across multiple trips.

Over 65s Travel Insurance

Designed for senior travellers who may require tailored medical protection. Medical screening can be completed to ensure your conditions are fully covered.

Cruise Cover

If you’re travelling on a cruise, you can add Cruise Cover for cabin confinement, missed port benefits and onboard medical support, alongside your medical conditions cover.

Winter Sports Cover

For trips involving skiing or snowboarding, Winter Sports Cover can be added to protect against injuries, equipment loss and piste closures — with medical screening available for those with existing conditions.

Longstay Travel Insurance

Perfect for gap years, backpacking and extended trips abroad. You can add pre-existing medical conditions cover to ensure you’re protected throughout longer journeys.

Essential Travel Resources for UK Holidaymakers Booking a Cruise Holiday

Travel Advice & Requirements

  • UK Foreign Travel Advice – Get up-to-date information on visa requirements, travel restrictions, and safety tips for your destination.
  • NHS Fit for Travel – Find health advice, vaccinations, and travel health recommendations.
  • U.S. ESTA Application – If travelling to the USA, apply for your ESTA visa waiver online.

Cover limits, terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Please read the Policy Wording carefully to ensure the cover meets your needs.

Page last updated: December 2025

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FAQs: Pre-existing Medical Conditions Cover

Standard travel insurance may not cover any claims linked to your medical history. By choosing pre-existing medical conditions cover, you ensure that health-related issues — such as illness abroad, flare-ups of existing conditions, emergency treatment, hospital stays or repatriation — are included in your policy. This type of cover also helps protect you financially if you must cancel or cut short your trip due to a diagnosed condition, provided it has been declared and accepted through medical screening. Without this cover, you may be responsible for all medical costs incurred during your trip.

If you fail to declare your medical conditions during the medical screening process, your policy may become invalid. Any claims that arise from, relate to or are affected by an undeclared condition could be declined. Declaring your conditions ensures you receive the correct level of protection and avoids unexpected medical bills abroad. It also guarantees that your policy terms are correctly applied and that you have the appropriate medical endorsement in place. Always declare all relevant conditions to remain fully covered.

Yes — if you have declared your conditions and your policy includes cancellation cover. If a doctor advises that you are unfit to travel, or if your medical condition unexpectedly worsens before your departure date, your travel insurance may reimburse you for non-refundable costs such as flights, accommodation, excursions and transfers. This protection applies only when conditions are disclosed, accepted and appropriately endorsed at the time of purchasing cover. Full details can be found in your Policy Wording.

Yes. Many travellers with serious medical conditions can still obtain travel insurance, including those with heart conditions, diabetes, respiratory illnesses, cancer (current or in remission) and other long-term diagnoses. Acceptance depends on the outcome of your medical screening, which assesses the severity, stability and recent history of your condition. In most cases, Covered2Go’s medical screening system provides a decision within minutes.

If your condition cannot be covered by Covered2Go, GoodToGo Insurance — a specialist provider listed in the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) medical directory — may be able to offer suitable cover. If both providers are unable to help, you can freely access the wider pool of specialist insurers recommended by MaPS.

Yes, as long as your medical conditions have been declared, screened and accepted. Emergency medical expenses typically include hospital treatment, consultations, tests, medication, and, where necessary, repatriation back to the UK for further treatment. Covered2Go policies also provide 24/7 emergency medical assistance, ensuring you can access support at any time while travelling. All benefits are subject to the terms, conditions and limits stated in your Policy Wording.

Medical screening can be completed online or by phone. The process involves answering questions about your medical history, recent treatments, medications and diagnoses. Once assessed, you may be required to pay an additional premium to activate your medical endorsement. This screening transaction is separate from your main travel insurance purchase, and both must be completed for your pre-existing medical conditions cover to be valid. Screening must be repeated if your health changes before your trip.

If your health changes between the date you buy your policy and your departure date — including new symptoms, tests, diagnoses or medication changes — you must contact the Medical Screening Service immediately. They will determine whether your cover remains valid, whether additional premium or conditions apply, or whether cover can no longer continue. Failure to report a change in health may mean you are travelling without valid medical cover.

Yes. Some common, stable conditions are covered automatically at no additional premium and do not require medical screening. These include conditions such as acid reflux, cataracts, mild asthma, IBS, PCOS, and others listed in your Policy Wording. If these are your only conditions and no other diagnoses apply, your pre-existing medical conditions cover is included without additional steps. All other conditions must be declared and screened.

Routine pregnancy and childbirth costs are not covered, as they are not considered medical emergencies. However, unexpected complications arising from accidental injury or illness during your trip may be covered, depending on your stage of pregnancy and policy terms. Cover does not apply to costs incurred during the period between 12 weeks before and 12 weeks after your estimated due date. Any pregnancy-related complications should be declared during medical screening.

No. Travel insurance is not private medical insurance and does not guarantee access to private healthcare abroad. Private treatment is only covered when there is no appropriate state-funded medical service or reciprocal healthcare arrangement available. The insurer may arrange transfer to a public facility where appropriate. In the event of a claim, unrestricted access to relevant medical records may be required.