So, you've checked your passport expiry date. Made sure your suitcase fits the airline's rules. Even your liquids are sorted. But do you really have nothing to declare?
Telling your travel insurer (that's us, we hope!) about your medical conditions shouldn't be an afterthought.
Medical care abroad can be really expensive, from over-the-counter medicines to serious surgeries.
And if you haven't declared your medical conditions, you could be looking at thousands of pounds worth of costs if something goes wrong.
We want to make sure you have the cover you need if the worst happens, so you can enjoy your getaway with complete peace of mind. From a handy pre-travel checklist to what medical conditions you need to tell us about, we're here to help.
As a financial safety net, travel insurance is primarily designed to cover the cost of receiving emergency medical treatment abroad, which can run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Obviously, you never plan to get ill or have an accident abroad. In fact, it's probably the last thing on your mind.
But sometimes, things go wrong. Slipping in a puddle by the pool, getting a chest infection, running out of your insulin - whatever it might be.
Nearly half of the travel claims we get here at Admiral (44%) are for some kind of medical costs - whether that's for medication or a life-saving surgery.* But what's the real cost of getting ill abroad?
We've looked at some popular holiday destinations to see how much common medicines and treatments could cost if you aren't covered by travel insurance.
| Doctor's consultation |
Ambulance callout |
Being medically escorted back to the UK | Heart attack and bypass surgery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | £1,250 | £3,500 | £37,000 | £150,000 |
| Spain | £200 | £500 | £7,000 | £38,000 |
| Thailand | £500 | £600 | £20,000 | 40,000 |
| Turkey | £175 | £450 | £7,000 | 40,000 |
If you're heading somewhere in Europe, you might have packed your GHIC or EHIC card.
But it's important to remember these cards don't cover all medical costs. And more importantly, they're not a replacement for travel insurance.
Our handy guide has more info on what these health cards can (and can't) be used for if you're holidaying in Europe.
Of the 6 million people who said they didn't tell their insurer about all their medical conditions, 26% of them said it was because they thought it'd make the cost of their policy go up.*
But how much more would your insurance really cost if you declared everything you needed to?
In reality, it'll probably be a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of medical bills if something went wrong.
We ran some example quotes to show you what it could look like.
Who? |
The cost of their policy |
|
A 35-year-old heading to Spain for a week on their own with no medical conditions |
£8.08 |
|
A 35-year-old heading to Spain for a week on their own who's declared they have epilepsy |
£11.93 |
That's only a £3.85 difference - the cost of your morning coffee.
Who? |
The cost of their policy |
|
A 58-year-old heading to the USA for two weeks on their own with no medical conditions |
£81.26 |
|
A 58-year-old heading to the USA for two weeks on their own who’s declared they have high blood pressure |
£145.01 |
A little more - but that £63.75 difference means you can be confident in your cover if the worst happens.
These are example quotes we ran on 3 March 2026. Everyone’s quote is individual to them and will be different depending on lots of different factors.
If you're not sure what you need to tell your insurer about, you're not alone.
15% of Brits think a 'pre-existing condition' only counts as a chronic condition.
While a fifth of people (21%) think they only need to tell us about conditions that they're still being treated for.*
We're here to clear things up - here's exactly what we need to know:
The simple rule is: if your doctor knows about it, we should too. Find out a little bit more about what we need to know below.
Hitting the slopes or cruising the high seas?
You'll need our Winter sports or Cruise cover add-ons.
We cover lots of adventurous sports as standard - think surfing, snorkelling and even hot air ballooning.
But if you really want to push the boat out, you need check with your insurer as you might need to pay for extra cover.
Make sure you're covered for every single country you're going to - even if it's just a quick stopover.
Insurers usually split their cover by Europe and Worldwide, so check you've got the right one for you.
With us, our cover is split into three options:
Make sure you're covered for the whole time you're away. With our annual multi-trip policies, we'll cover you for trips up to 31 days as standard.
Let us know if you're planning a big getaway though, as we might be able to cover you for longer.
Flights booked, hotel sorted - but do you have your travel insurance yet? Over half of Brits (59%) who buy single trip cover say they don't buy travel insurance at the same time as booking their trip.*
But ideally, you should be sorting travel insurance as soon as you book your trip. Remember - the sooner you buy, the sooner you're covered.
Like everyone else, from the moment I book a trip, I'm looking forward to it. And every traveller deserves peace of mind - so you need to make sure you're covered by travel insurance from day one.
Your cover is only effective if you're open and transparent about your health. Insurers are keen to protect travellers - but they need to be able to assess your situation and offer the right policy at the right price.
If you're not sure what you need to tell your insurer about, you're not alone.
15% of Brits think a 'pre-existing condition' only counts as a chronic condition.
While a fifth of people (21%) think they only need to tell us about conditions that they're still being treated for.*
We're here to clear things up - here's exactly what we need to know:
For general conditions, like UTIs and chest infections, you need to tell us if you've been diagnosed with them in the last two years.
For more serious conditions, like cancer or heart conditions, you need to tell us if you've been diagnosed with or treated for them in the last five years.
You need to tell us:
That way, we can make sure you're properly covered if you need any medical help while you're abroad.
If we can't cover your medical condition, you can use the MoneyHelper directory to find a specialist insurer who might be able to cover you if you've been:
refused travel insurance or had your policy cancelled
offered cover with a medical exclusion that you can't remove from your policy
quoted a price for a travel insurance policy with high medical costs
MoneyHelper makes it easier to find and compare policies you can afford that cover your condition and medical needs.
Find the MoneyHelper directory online or call them on 0800 138 7777 (phone lines are open Monday to Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm, excluding bank holidays).
Find out a little more about travelling with a medical condition, and what our travel insurance will cover you for.
Medical conditions and travel insurance
“6 million Brits have admitted to not telling their insurer about medical conditions when they take out their travel insurance”
Based on data from an online consumer survey sent by Atomik Research to 2,002 respondents from across the UK on 31 March - 2 April 2026.
“Nearly half of the travel claims we get here at Admiral (44%) are for some kind of medical costs”
Based on our internal claims data from 2025.
“Popular holiday destinations and how much common medicines and treatments cost there”
The data in this table is based on estimated average costs for treatments and medical assistance.
“Of the 6 million people who said they didn't tell their insurer about all their medical conditions, 26% of them said it was because they thought it'd make the cost of their policy go up”
Based on data from an online consumer survey sent by Atomik Research to 2,002 respondents from across the UK on 31 March - 2 April 2026.
“Over half of Brits (59%) say they don't buy travel insurance at the same time as booking their trip.”
Based on data from an online consumer survey sent by Atomik Research to 2,002 respondents from across the UK on 31 March - 2 April 2026.
“15% of Brits think a 'pre-existing condition' only counts as a chronic condition, while 21% think they only need to say about conditions that they're still being treated for”
Based on data from an online consumer survey sent by Atomik Research to 2,002 respondents from across the UK on 31 March - 2 April 2026.
