Arthritis Travel Insurance
If you are diagnosed with arthritis it shouldn’t stop you travelling abroad and enjoying a holiday.
As long as your doctor or consultant has agreed you are fit to travel and provided you’re not awaiting surgery or further investigations, we will aim to offer a quotation for a specialist arthritis travel insurance policy and for any other associated medical conditions.
Free Spirit arthritis travel insurance is a comprehensive policy with all the key features you would expect from a specialist medical travel insurance cover to ensure you have a hassle-free break. We were the first scheme of its type dedicated to those being declined cover elsewhere due to their health and we are now one of the UK’s largest specialist travel insurance providers, for people with medical conditions and disabilities.
Why it’s important to cover your Arthritis
If you are unfortunate to have a medical emergency while travelling abroad because of your arthritis, failing to purchase adequate existing medical condition travel insurance could leave you open to paying for expensive emergency medical treatment especially in places such as Spain and the USA. Many standard travel insurance policies will exclude cover for medical conditions such as arthritis or will decline to offer cover. How would you feel if you were faced with a massive bill at the end of your hospital stay and you were left out of pocket!
Cancellation and emergency medical expenses cover
£5 million of emergency medical expenses is the minimum level of cover we offer, so should your condition take a turn for the worse or be unfortunate to have a slip or fall and require treatment, you won’t have to bear the cost. Remember though you must tell us about your medical condition to have full cover in place. In the event you need to cancel your holiday due to your arthritis, Free Spirit can provide cover for your unused travel and accommodation costs that you have already paid for or are contracted to pay (terms and conditions apply of course! See the insurance policy for full details).
Peace of mind included
Friends, family members, and carers can also be covered on Free Spirit, whether they have an existing medical condition or not. By including your travelling companions on the same Free Spirit policy, you will ensure the whole party is covered. If you had to cancel your holiday due to your arthritis, travelling companions on the same policy would be covered which may not be the case if they had taken out a separate policy elsewhere.
How to Travel abroad with Arthritis
Choose your holiday accommodation carefully. Ensure it is easily accessible even if you are not in a wheelchair, so as to avoid unnecessary steps or steep paths. Pre-book a wheelchair for transport to and from the plane if it is needed and remember that if you have to change planes en route you will need to arrange a wheelchair at all departure and arrival airports. Most airline carriers will carry standard-size wheelchairs free of charge. However, battery-powered chairs may need to be dismantled for carriage.
If you are travelling to a hot destination, think about the type of clothes you take and the fabric. Pack light, loose, long-sleeved cotton clothing to avoid heat discomfort and a light hat with a wide brim. It may be worth taking a warm jacket for the evenings, as many places are hot during the day and quite cool at night. Choose flat shoes rather than heels for walking in to avoid trips and falls.
Check that you have enough prescribed medication for the duration of your trip and a bit more just in case you are delayed on your return journey. Try and pack them in your hand baggage, just in case your hold luggage is lost or delayed whilst in transit. If you need to keep medication refrigerated, the aircraft crew could put them in their refrigerator but, make sure you retrieve them at the end of your journey. If you’re travelling to a new time zone, you’ll need to adjust the time you take your medication. Check with your doctor for your own personal situation to ensure you do not take too much or too little.
Travel insurance arthritis – Cover and benefits
It is important to ensure you have specialist existing medical condition travel insurance to ensure you are adequately covered for your medical conditions. With our arthritis travel insurance, you will receive the following cover and much more:
- Cancellation or Curtailment/Loss of holiday cover up to £5,000*
- Medical aids cover up to £2,000*
- Repatriation to your home country is automatically included
- Personal baggage cover up to £3,000*
*with Super Duper cover
Getting a travel quote couldn’t be easier!
Why not get a quote today for your arthritis travel insurance. Free Spirit provides online medical screening and we will ask you some questions about your medical condition so that you get the cover that’s right for you:
- What type of arthritis do you (or did you) have?
- Have you had any joints replaced or resurfaced?
- Do you currently use any mobility aids because of your arthritis?
- Have you ever needed treatment for any neck problems?
- Have you ever needed treatment for any back problems?
- How many unplanned hospital admissions have you had for arthritis in the last year?
Should you need any help whilst getting a quote or if you have any questions not covered by our frequently asked questions page, our dedicated UK-based customer services team is on hand to help you. Call us on 02392 419 080; we’re open Monday to Friday.
For full details of our arthritis travel insurance cover, please read our Free Spirit policy wording or click here, and even more important, make sure you declare all existing medical conditions for everyone that is to be insured on your policy.