Click to get a quoteCall us on 0800 170 7704

What is medical screening and why do I have to go through it?

Medical screening provides the insurer with all the relevant facts to make a decision on whether they can offer travel insurance.

It is used to calculate a risk score, which is determined from the questions you answer during medical screening. There will be a score for each of your medical conditions. The total score may also be affected by where you are travelling to. This is then used by the insurer to determine whether they will cover you and on what terms.

All of this may sound daunting. However, you will just need to answer a series of multiple-choice questions that takes a few minutes. Some of them might seem personal, but your answers are completely confidential. It is very important that you answer the questions as accurately as you can to ensure that you are covered. If you do not answer the questions, correctly, it may affect any claim.

Over 50s Medical Travel Insurance

Over 50s Medical Travel Insurance

At Free Spirit, we believe age should never stop you from travelling. That’s why we offer exceptional wide-ranging cover to keep you and your loved ones protected whilst on holiday in the UK or abroad.

Whether you need a single or annual multi-trip insurance policy, we will be able to offer you a quote, subject to medical screening.

Our single trip policy can provide up to 115 days of cover (45 days if aged 76 years or over) and if you think you might be jet setting more than once throughout the year, our annual multi-trip policy may be perfect for you. It lets you travel as much as you like, with no restriction. It provides a maximum single trip duration of 32 days on the ‘Super’ cover and 45 days on the ‘Super Duper’ cover.

 

What is over 50s medical travel insurance?

Specialist age-related and medical travel insurance companies including Free Spirit, offer tailored cover for travellers aged 50 plus. We cater for those with a number of pre-existing medical conditions, providing peace of mind to travellers, that they can travel in the UK, Europe, even Worldwide, and be covered in the case of an eventuality.

Why choose Free Spirit for 50 plus travel insurance?

  • Single trips covered up to 94 days (45 days if you’re aged 76 years or over)
  • The annual multi-trip cover provides an unlimited number of trips – travel up to 31 days per trip (Super) or 45 days (Super Duper)
  • A fully interactive website including online medical screening
  • Extended Journey Disruption cover (Super Duper cover only)
  • Cover for loss or damage to medical aids and prescribed medications

Click here to read a full list of reasons to choose Free Spirit.

Travel Insurance for over 50s with pre-existing medical conditions

Free Spirit specialises in providing travel insurance for customers with a wide range of pre-existing medical conditions including serious conditions such as cancer and heart problems. The majority of travel insurers will either refuse cover for serious medical conditions or charge an excessive premium (sometimes more than the cost of the holiday itself).
However, at Free Spirit, we do things differently. We will ask you a number of questions regarding your medical history, so we have a thorough understanding of your condition, then if we can, we will offer you a competitive quote for your travel cover.
We offer cover for a wide range of serious medical conditions, including:

FAQs and advice for over 50s holiday insurance

Below you can access a number of additional resources all about over 50s medical holiday insurance- just click on the links below.
Going on a cruise? Take a look at our cruise travel cover.
Purchasing travel insurance can be confusing, for everything you need to know, check out our blogs.

If you need more information, then why not contact our friendly customer service team.

Now for the FAQs:

Can I put any travel companions on the same policy?

Free Spirit can cover travel companions regardless of whether or not they have a medical condition. By including your travelling companions on the same policy, you will ensure the whole party is covered. For more information please read the Insurance Policy.

Do you cover mental health conditions?

Yes, we offer cover for mental health conditions. Whilst they are often invisible, they can be debilitating and are more common than many realise. Mental health issues can affect everyone, no matter their age. At Free Spirit, we offer cover for a range of conditions. For more information check out our medical insurance page.

How long can I go away for with a single trip policy?

Single trips cover up to 94 days (45 days if you are aged 76 years or over).

I don’t want to get a quote online, can I do it over the phone?

One of our friendly customer service team will be more than happy to speak to you. Please call 02392 419 080.

Can I extend my insurance policy?

Subject to Underwriters agreement, your single trip insurance policy can be extended, providing we are notified before your policy expires and at the time of requesting the extension you have not, and you are not intending to make, a claim.

Please note – this is subject to the total trip duration including the extended period not exceeding 94 days (45 days if aged 76 years or over), which is the maximum trip duration of our single trip policy. You will be advised of the additional premium at the time of the request.
Please contact us on 02392 419 080 to discuss your requirements.

Do I really need travel insurance?

Regardless of whether or not you have a health condition, it is important to take out a policy providing suitable cover for your trip. In the case of an emergency, you can relax knowing you are fully protected.

When you are purchasing your policy, make sure you declare all pre-existing medical conditions and thoroughly read the policy wording to make sure your cover meets the demands of your trip. Without having the right insurance, you may not be able to make a claim.

Click to get a quote, holiday insurance

 

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Travel insurance for children with medical conditions

children with medical conditions

At Free Spirit, we’re proud of the fact that our specialist travel insurance has no age limit. We look to ensure those aged 70, 80, 90 or older, so you might sooner associate the benefits of our cover with older holidaymakers. But our no age travel insurance applies to younger travellers too, in fact, we cover many children who are travelling with their parents or in groups.

Travelling with children who have existing medical conditions or disabilities can be challenging, but there’s no reason why they can’t enjoy a holiday. However, the last thing parents, carers and guardians need is a complicated route to taking out travel cover.

Our medical travel insurance for children works in exactly the same way as it does for adults – we aim to offer a specialist travel policy for children with virtually any pre-existing health condition or disability and the same key features and protections. All we require is that there is an adult on the same policy and that the child’s doctor is happy for them to travel.

Why does my child need specialist travel insurance?

Covering your family for any overseas trip is always necessary; you never know when your holiday might take an unexpected turn. Accidents, injuries and even lost luggage can all disrupt a family trip away and run up huge expenses. If your child has a medical condition, disability or requires palliative care the need for suitable travel insurance is even greater.

Naturally, if your child does need emergency medical assistance while you’re away (if they have an unknown heart condition for instance), your first priority will be getting the care they require. Not only can a specialist travel insurance policy ensure you can access this help quickly, but it also means you won’t be responsible for paying the medical bill. Overseas medical care can be incredibly expensive, but travel insurance is there to meet the costs*.

Finding this cover from a standard travel insurance provider can be difficult though; many will decline to offer cover to those with health conditions or disabilities or will provide cover excluding the health conditions. That’s where a provider who specialises in tailored medical travel cover, like Free Spirit, can make all the difference – we can cover your child and their specific health needs, subject to a medical screening.

What constitutes a child when it comes to travel insurance?

In terms of our travel cover, a child is anyone under 18 years of age. For children to travel under a Free Spirit specialist policy, we simply require that an accompanying adult is named on the policy with them, if you’re holidaying abroad, in the UK or are away for a respite break.

In the case of most family holidays, this will usually be a parent or guardian, but could also be a teacher, family friend or carer if your child will be travelling without the rest of the family. School and college trips, excursions with friends’ families and tours with clubs or teams are all wonderful opportunities for older children to explore the world. Our specialist travel insurance allows them the freedom to do so, while also giving you the peace of mind that their medical condition or disability is covered.

Can I cover my child and the whole family on the same policy?

Yes, you can. We want to make it as straightforward as possible for you to secure travel insurance, which is why we can cover the entire travelling party, such as your family or the named adult(s) travelling alongside your child, on the same policy, even if they don’t have existing medical conditions or disabilities.

With travel insurance in place, you will not lose the money already spent on flights and/or accommodation should the trip have to be cancelled because your child has become too unwell to travel. Separate policies don’t normally offer this protection, plus, having a single travel policy for everyone means that you will all benefit from the same key features of Free Spirit cover*.

What’s included with medical travel insurance for children?

Our travel insurance for children with medical conditions or disabilities includes all of the same benefits as our policies for adults; there’s no difference in the levels of cover available (except for personal accident cover). You can still choose between our Super cover or Super Duper cover options, and you can select either single trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance, which enables your child to travel as many times as they like over the course of a year (as long as these trips are made with an insured adult).

By purchasing a medical travel insurance policy through Free Spirit, you can rest assured your child’s health condition or disability will be fully covered (subject to medical screening).

All of our customers have access to our dedicated 24-hour emergency medical assistance helpline, meaning help is just a phone call away.

There’s more to our specialist travel insurance than just medical cover though. Both our levels of cover offer essential benefits such as:

  • repatriation to your home country
  • aftercare following time in hospital
  • loss or damage to personal possessions including travel documents
  • loss or damage to medication and medical aids
  • cancellation cover

View the full list of our travel insurance features, or take a look at the full policy terms and conditions.

How do I apply for cover?

Applying for medical travel insurance for children with us is simple. You can apply online or call and speak to one of our friendly expert team on 02392 419 080. 

Tips for travelling with children with medical conditions

  • As we’ve already mentioned, the most important thing to establish before planning a trip is that your child’s doctor is happy for them to go. Speaking to your child’s GP will also enable them to make you aware of any additional medication or steps you might need to take ahead of the holiday, such as vaccinations. Or, depending on your child’s medication, you might need a doctor’s letter to allow you to take the medication onboard a flight with you, or into another country.
  • Make sure you know where the nearest hospital is to where you will be staying, and check ahead to see if you will be able to buy any non-prescription medications over the counter in your destination. If not, stock up before you go and split it across your luggage so that you’ll always have a supply with you, even if anything goes astray.
  • Be aware of the climate of the country your child will be visiting. If it’s very warm or cold, read up on how it could affect your child’s condition and take any recommended precautions. In hot weather, drinking plenty of water and applying plenty of high-factor sun cream is good advice for anyone, but it’s even more important for children with medical conditions or disabilities.

*Subject to terms, conditions & exclusions of the policy.

Your medical travel insurance checklist

travel insurance checklists

Preparing for a holiday often means stocking up on sun cream and paperbacks. However, if you’re counting down the days until your next trip, there’s one element of holiday planning that’s arguably more important than any other – travel insurance.

What’s more, travel cover is even more important for people with pre-existing medical conditions or disabilities. There can be more to think about when arranging medical travel insurance, so we’ve created a travel insurance checklist (also available to download and/or print here) to help you ensure your travel insurance ticks all the boxes.

1. When should you purchase medical travel insurance?

Travel insurance, especially specialist cover for existing health conditions or disabilities, should never be left until the last minute. If anything were to happen during the run-up to your holiday that means you cannot go, such as a worsening of your health, you could lose any money you’d already spent on your travel plans, such as flight and accommodation expenses.

That’s why we strongly recommend taking out travel insurance as soon as you have booked your trip so that you have the benefit of cancellation cover straight away. You’ll be covered if you need to cancel your holiday from the moment your policy is in place, or, with an Annual Multi-trip policy, on the date you choose*.

2. Does your policy allow you to include travelling companions?

The ability to add those you will be travelling with to your travel insurance policy means that they too will be covered if you need to cancel your holiday because of your medical condition or disability, or if your trip had to be cut short due to your health*. At Free Spirit, we can include your entire travelling party on your policy.

3. Does your insurance provider understand your health needs?

When you have an existing health condition or disability, standard travel insurance policies tend to be limited in the cover they can offer. A specialist provider like Free Spirit will be more sympathetic to your unique medical needs. Our travel insurance policies are specially designed for people like you.

4. Are there any limits to where you can travel?

If you are well enough to travel to your dream destination, and more importantly, your doctor is happy for you to go, we believe you should be covered to do so. Our specialist travel insurance covers most places in the world excluding those where the FCdO advice against travel.

We aim to cover your medical condition(s) or disability(ies) for trips in Europe, as well as the USA, Canada or the Caribbean (although these countries mean higher premiums).

We will ask you to go through a simple medical screening process when applying for cover, however, we have designed this to be as quick and straightforward as possible.

5. Does the policy include wide-ranging travel cover?

Make sure your policy includes cover for cancellation and emergency medical expenses, including repatriation back to the UK, as well as for your luggage, travel documents, medication and medical aids (more on this below).

A complete travel insurance policy should also include cover in the event of journey delays, personal accident and legal expenses. Free Spirit medical travel insurance includes all this and more, although as with all travel insurance policies, terms and conditions will apply.

Most importantly, Free Spirit will, subject to medical screening, provide full cover for your medical conditions and disabilities.

Click here for details of Free Spirit’s wide-ranging travel cover

6. What medical questions should you expect to be asked when applying for a quote?

In most cases, travel insurance providers won’t need to see your formal medical records when you apply, but they may request them if you make a claim.

At Free Spirit, we will ask you a series of questions relating to your specific medical condition or disability when you apply for a medical travel insurance quote. Please ensure that you have all information to hand when you apply.

7. Is cover for terminal conditions included?

Many travel insurance providers will refuse to cover people with terminal conditions. However, here at Free Spirit, we are proud to be one of the few specialist providers that can offer cover for people with terminal or life-limiting conditions. To obtain a quote, please call us on 02392 419 080, Monday to Friday, 8 am-6 pm (closed Bank Holidays).

8. Are you covered to take part in activities during your holiday?

Having an existing health condition or disability needn’t stop you from participating in new activities and experiences when you’re on holiday. Specialist travel insurance policy will often include cover for a number of activities provided your doctor is happy for you to do so. Please check the policy wording or contact the provider to make sure you are covered before you travel.

At Free Spirit, we provide cover for over 100 activities free of charge.

9. Does your policy include cover for medical aids and medication?

Travelling with a medical condition or disability means that you may need to take medication and/or medical aids with you, so make sure that your travel insurance covers these. Our policies include cover for loss or damage to medical aids up to £1,000 with ‘Super’ cover and up to £2,000 with ‘Super Duper’ cover. We include cover for loss or damage to a prescribed medication of up to £250 with ‘Super’ cover and up to £500 with ‘Super’ Duper cover.

10. Still have questions about specialist travel insurance? Ask our team!

We at Free Spirit are recognised experts in providing specialist cover for people with medical conditions. Our dedicated team has extensive knowledge and experience helping people obtain cover for their medical conditions.

Ask a question, refer to our Q&As.

*Cover is subject to the terms, conditions, and limits of the Insurance Policy.

Specialist travel insurance for serious medical conditions

Travel insurance for serious medical conditions

Having a serious medical condition can have a significant impact on a person’s life, particularly if it’s a condition for which there is no cure. Yet, while someone with long-term medical issues will already know about the challenges it places on living a normal life, it’s clear that it shouldn’t stop them from being able to enjoy life to the full.

Unfortunately, many standard travel insurance companies don’t see it that way. If you have a serious medical condition, they are unlikely to be able to provide you with holiday insurance that covers your medical condition, which may mean that you don’t travel at all or that you travel without full cover (which we don’t recommend).

Here at Free Spirit, we specialise in offering travel insurance to people of all ages with even the most serious conditions, including:

Liver cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is the name for the scarring of the liver caused by long-term damage. That scarring can prevent the liver from working correctly and, without proper treatment, could lead to complete liver failure. The liver is one of our most vital organs, so any impairment to its function is extremely serious.

The liver is where our bodies store glycogen for energy, where bile is produced to break down fats, where substances are made to clot the blood and where all the toxins in our body are processed. There is currently no cure for liver cirrhosis, but treatment can manage the condition and slow its progression. For someone with a well-managed condition, there is no reason why they cannot take a holiday.

Free Spirit provides travel insurance for many people with existing liver conditions, including liver cirrhosis.

HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, damages cells in your immune system, weakening them and making you susceptible to serious infections. There is no cure, however, the development of antiretroviral medication over the past few years has been significant and now with the right medication, a person can see their HIV become almost non-existent.

Providing you are fit to travel, there is no reason why a person with HIV cannot go on holiday, however, it should be noted that in some countries there are still restrictions on people with HIV entering the country. The charity, Terrence Higgins Trust, has details you may find helpful.

Sickle Cell Anaemia

Sickle cell is a condition that people are born with and is caused by a faulty gene which affects how red blood cells develop. It’s a serious and variable circulatory condition, and although it can be managed through medication and treatments such as blood transfusions, it can have a significant impact on a person’s life expectancy.

With medical travel insurance in place, such as Free Spirit, that covers your condition (subject to acceptance); you will have the peace of mind that should you have a sickle cell crisis whilst travelling, you can get emergency medical assistance 24 hours a day.

 

Why do I need specialist travel insurance for serious medical conditions?

The above are just a few of the serious medical conditions which we can offer travel insurance to cover, subject to medical screening either online or over the phone.  We also cover many other medical conditions and disabilities.

Having specialist travel insurance when you have a long-term health problem is vital.

Firstly, if you were to be taken ill abroad and didn’t have travel insurance, the cost of hospital treatment could be very expensive. Specialist travel insurance, such as the Free Spirit policy, will mean emergency medical costs are covered*, allowing you to get the treatment you need as soon as you need it.

Secondly, our travel insurance will also cover you for cancellation. Having any medical condition, particularly a serious one, is unpredictable. While you may be well when you book your holiday, your condition could flare up before departure and mean that you’re unable to travel. Having our holiday insurance in place will mean that some of the costs you have already paid out can be recovered*.

At Free Spirit, we will also cover the cancellation costs of those you are travelling with if they are also named on your policy*.

How do I get specialist medical travel insurance cover for serious medical conditions?

Getting yourself covered with Free Spirit is really simple. While we do offer an option to get a quote for insurance online with serious medical conditions such as those listed above, it may be better to contact us on 02392 419 080 to discuss your needs**.

Our friendly team of experts will ask you a series of medical screening questions designed to understand more about your medical condition. This is to make sure that we get the information we need to be able to provide you with an instant quote and provide you with the necessary cover for your trip.

Having specialist travel insurance in place and knowing you are covered if you have a problem with your long-term medical condition while away is essential to having a relaxing and peaceful holiday.

*Cover is subject to the terms, conditions and limits of the Insurance Policy.

** In some cases, a quotation is not available online and you will be asked to telephone us to see if we can provide cover.

Top 10 medical conditions covered by Free Spirit travel insurance

Couple choosing medical travel insurance medical conditions

As a specialist travel insurance provider, we help thousands of people every year to take a holiday or travel abroad, safe in the knowledge that help will be available to them should they need it.  This is, of course, a real benefit to those looking for cover, as many standard travel insurance policies exclude pre-existing medical conditions on the basis that hospital treatment or unexpected cancellations cost too much for them to cover.

However, we believe that people who have health problems are perhaps those who need a holiday the most and that’s why we work hard to ensure that we can provide the best cover.

We cater for a wide range of medical conditions. Here are the top ten conditions we frequently cover and the ways in which we can help people.

High blood pressure

More than one in four adults in the UK are thought to suffer from high blood pressure, so it’s easy to see why it’s one of the most common conditions among Free Spirit customers. While high blood pressure itself can be managed through medication, it can lead to a number of other serious conditions, such as heart attack or stroke. If you have high blood pressure and want to travel on holiday you’ll need to ensure that you have all your medication and that your doctor is happy that travelling, particularly on an aeroplane, will be suitable for you.

Read more about high blood pressure travel insurance.

Asthma

5.4 million people in the UK currently receive treatment for asthma with varying levels of severity. For those most severely affected, it can be a life-threatening condition. Asthma can be triggered by changes in the environment so before you go away you’ll need to make sure you have all your medication with you.

Read more about asthma travel insurance.

Type 2 Diabetes

It is estimated that of the 4.5 million people thought to be living with diabetes in the UK, 90 per cent have type 2 diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are caused by a lack of the hormone insulin, which controls the level of glucose in the blood. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t properly react to insulin.

Read more about type 2 diabetes travel insurance.

Heart attack

Having a heart attack is one of the most life-changing events that a person can go through – but it shouldn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy your life to the full afterwards. While many standard travel insurance policies won’t cover someone who has had a heart attack, at Free Spirit, in most cases, we will. Relaxation, of course, is really important, as is knowing that cover is in place should you be taken ill at any time on your holiday.

Read more about heart attack travel insurance.

Atrial Fibrillation

Of course, as our most vital organ any conditions to do with the heart is serious, and that includes heart rhythm disturbances. Atrial fibrillation is the most common of heart conditions, affecting around one million people in the UK. An episode can require urgent medical assistance and if you are abroad without adequate travel insurance that can be extremely costly. Free Spirit travel insurance allows you to enjoy your holiday knowing if anything were to happen, you can call the 24-hour Medical Emergency Assistance phone number for help and be covered for up to £10,000,000 for emergency medical costs with Super Duper cover (or up to £5,000,000 with Super cover).

Read more about atrial fibrillation travel insurance.

Breast Cancer

In the UK, one in eight women and one in 870 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, making it the most common cancer. If you are currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer or are now in remission, having rest and relaxation is vitally important to aid your recovery. We’ve helped thousands of breast cancer patients to enjoy a holiday, safe in the knowledge that medical assistance can be sought if needed.

Read more about breast cancer travel insurance.

COPD

COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, affects around three million people in the UK. It causes difficulty breathing and while there is currently no cure, treatment can relieve the symptoms. If you have COPD then you need to ensure that you have all the medication you need before travelling abroad. You’ll also want to have a copy of your medical notes or a statement about your condition so that if you were to be taken ill, those treating you will be able to understand what’s happening.

Read more about COPD travel insurance.

Arthritis

With all types of arthritis, rest and relaxation are vital to controlling flare-ups. Before travelling you need to ensure that you have all the medication you need and that your doctor has said you are fit to travel. It’s an unpredictable illness though, so our holiday insurance can give you the peace of mind you need knowing you are covered if you are too ill to go*, or if you need medical assistance while you are away.

* Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy

Read more about arthritis travel insurance.

Type 1 Diabetes

This is the less common form of diabetes, affecting an estimated 10 per cent of people with diabetes in the UK. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce any insulin at all, which means there is nothing to control the glucose level in the blood.

Read more about diabetes travel insurance.

Epilepsy

As an unpredictable illness, many standard travel insurance policies won’t cover people with epilepsy but Free Spirit in most cases will. Every day in the UK, 87 people are diagnosed with epilepsy and it’s a condition which leads to a number of significant life changes. However, it shouldn’t stop you from being able to see the world and enjoy a holiday. Our travel insurance means you are taking a break while knowing your medical condition(s) are covered.

Read more about epilepsy travel insurance.

If you have any of the above medical conditions or suffer from any other condition or disability, get in touch with us today. At Free Spirit, we are dedicated to providing specialist travel insurance which allows everyone to enjoy a holiday†. Call us on 02392 419 080 or you can get a quote online at any time.

† All Free Spirit enquiries are subject to medical screening; however, there may be some occasions when we will not be able to offer cover.

Do you think it is possible for me to get travel insurance for my medical condition(s)?

In my experience, many people with medical conditions are able to obtain travel insurance through a specialist provider. You will be assessed on an individual basis, which will take into account a number of things like your health, age, where you are travelling to and how long you are going away for.

If you find it difficult to talk about your condition, you might want to consider asking a friend or relative to be there while you make the call or they could do it for you as long as they have all the relevant information to hand.

It is also useful to know that most travel insurance companies use a medical screening process to determine if they can cover you.

I already have a policy but have recently been diagnosed with a new medical condition, what should I do?

If there is a change in health of anyone insured under an existing policy you must contact our Medical Screening Service on 02392 419 080 as soon as possible. We will tell you if your change in health will affect your insurance and if cover can continue.

If your health changes after you purchased your policy but before you commence your trip (or in the case of Annual Multi-trip cover before booking your next trip) or pay the balance or any further instalments for your trip, you must tell us about these changes, if:

• you have seen a medical practitioner because you develop a new medical condition, your prescribed medication changes or an existing medical condition deteriorates;

• you have seen or been referred to a consultant or specialist;

• you are waiting to receive treatment (including surgery, tests or investigations) or the results of tests and investigations, or have been admitted to hospital.

We will then tell you if we can cover your medical condition(s) free of charge or for an additional premium.

If we cannot cover your medical condition(s), or you do not want to pay any additional premium quoted, we will give you the choice of either:

• making a cancellation claim for any pre-booked trips; or

• cancelling your policy and receiving a proportionate/partial refund, provided that you have not made a claim or are about to.

A change in health includes any changes to your health which you are aware of and for which you may need to seek professional medical advice, any new medical conditions or symptoms which may or may not yet have been diagnosed, changes to any existing medical condition already declared or a change to your treatment or prescribed medication (which can include a change in dosage which may be an increase or decrease in the amount of medication that you take) or you are waiting for tests or test results, or have been placed on a medical waiting list.

If you are not sure whether something is relevant you must tell us anyway.

Travel insurance for over 70s with medical conditions

Travel insurance for over 70s

While advancing in years can give you more time and opportunity to explore the world, the irony is that older travellers can often struggle to find the travel insurance that would enable them to do so. Holiday and travel insurance for over 70s can be hard to secure, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or disability, or if you want to travel further afield than Europe.

Many standard policies exclude customers over 70 simply due to their age. Even if a policy is offered, some travel insurance providers will omit cover for existing health conditions or disabilities.

Specialist holiday insurance over 70

Here at Free Spirit, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to travel wherever they want to, no matter what age they are, which is why we designed our over 70s travel insurance policy.

Our specially trained team will be more than happy to assist you in arranging over 70s travel cover suited to your individual requirements. We have no age limits on either single trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance policies so, if you’re over 70, there’s nothing to stop you from travelling the world and seeking out new holiday destinations.* Long stay travel insurance if you’re over 70 is possible too!

For example, we can offer specialist travel insurance for a week in Majorca or, if you’re planning on visiting relatives in Australia for a month, our cover for the over 70s can provide for that as well. Our single trip policy has a maximum trip duration of up to 94 days, or 45 days if you’re aged 76 or over.

You can even take more than one trip with our annual multi-trip cover. In fact, you can travel as many times as you like throughout the year! With Super cover you can travel for a maximum of 31 days per trip and 45 days per trip if you select Super Duper cover.

*In certain cases we can only offer single trip policies.

travel insurance over 70s

Each of our policy options for travel insurance over 70 includes cover for cancellation and emergency medical expenses as well as many additional features to ensure cover is as comprehensive as possible.

You are covered for aftercare at home following hospitalisation, personal accident, personal liability, the loss or theft of money and/or documents, missed or delayed departure, legal expenses and even a winter sports option.

One of the key benefits to our over 70s travel insurance is cover for the loss of or damage to your medical aids and prescribed medication. Should this happen while you are away you can be safe in the knowledge our 24-hour medical emergency assistance helpline will be on hand to help.

Cover for you and your travelling companions too

One of the best aspects of our travel insurance for over 70s is that you can cover whoever you’re travelling with on the same policy, including family, friends and carers, whether or not they have a pre-existing medical condition. With your whole travelling party included under your specialist over 70s insurance, everyone would be covered if you had to cancel your holiday due to your medical condition, which may not be the case if they each took out travel cover elsewhere.

Why choose Free Spirit for travel insurance over 70?

  • Single trips covered up to 94 days (45 days if you’re aged 76 years or over)
  • Annual multi-trip cover provides unlimited number of trips – travel up to 32 days per trip (Super) or 45 days (Super Duper)
  • Fully interactive website including online medical screening
  • Extended journey disruption cover (Super Duper cover only)
  • Cover for loss or damage to medical aids and prescribed medications

Click here to read a full list of reasons to choose Free Spirit.

Please read the insurance policy for the full terms and conditions of our over 70s travel insurance to make sure it’s suitable for your needs.

Travel insurance for over 70s with pre-existing medical conditions

On top of all the aspects of cover we’ve already mentioned, we can also tailor our travel insurance to cover a huge range of existing medical conditions and disabilities. Unlike many other travel insurance providers, cover with our over 70s travel insurance with medical conditions includes:

How can I get over 70s travel insurance?

At Free Spirit, we customise each travel insurance policy we offer to suit the unique health needs of our customers. This means that we need to ask you about your existing medical conditions or disabilities and about your holiday plans in order to create an over 70s travel insurance policy specifically for you.

You can apply for a free, no-obligation quote for over 70s holiday cover via our website, which includes an easy-to-use online medical screening process.

Please let us know about all of your existing medical conditions when you contact us so that you can be fully protected should you need to make a claim. We recommend having all relevant medical information to hand when you are applying for a quote so you can accurately answer all the questions.

Always remember, we provide travel insurance for all ages. So when you reach your 80’s we can continue to give you the freedom to travel with confidence.

Further advice on travel insurance for over 70’s

Do you want to know more about travel insurance for the over 70s? We’ve found and put together some extra resources all about over 70s travel insurance with medical conditions, or if you’d prefer, please contact us to find out more.

Take look at our top tips for specialist travel insurance for over 70s.

Over 70 and looking to go on a cruise? Take a look at our cruise travel cover.

Plus, find some useful information from agespace to understand why travel insurance is important.

Also, from guides to buying travel insurance online, through to the best times to buy medical travel cover – this over 70s travel resource has everything you need to know before you go on holiday.

 

  • Testimonials

    Just to say how wonderful to speak to an operator who was efficient and very pleasant. It was a pleasure to do business with you today.
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Medical Conditions

Travel insurance with medical conditions and disabilities

At Free Spirit, we’re proud to be different. We aim to provide travel insurance with medical conditions that covers pre-existing conditions and disabilities for people of any age. This is what makes us different to standard travel insurance providers; we do our upmost to help people with medical conditions and disabilities have the holiday or trip away they deserve.

 

Specialist travel insurance with medical conditions

As the first specialist travel insurance scheme of its type, Free Spirit is dedicated to those who have been declined travel insurance cover elsewhere due to their health. Ours is now one of the UK’s largest medical travel insurance schemes for people with pre-existing conditions and disabilities.

So, don’t worry if you have struggled to find travel insurance for your medical condition or disability in the past. We’ll do all we can to offer you a specialist travel insurance policy to suit you.

What are pre-existing medical conditions?

Essentially, a pre-existing medical condition can be defined as anything you’ve received a diagnosis for, or take prescribed medication for.

At Free Spirit, we do our best to offer travel insurance for almost any pre-existing condition or disability. Some of the most common medical condition we cover include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Asthma
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart attack
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Breast cancer
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Kidney conditions
  • Arthritis

Take a look at our more detailed list below of medical conditions and disabilities that Free Spirit can cover.

Free quote for travel insurance cover for medical conditions

When looking for a quote for travel insurance to cover your pre-existing condition, it’s vital to let the insurance provider know your full medical history, as failing to mention any medical condition could invalidate your policy. It’s also important to answer all medical questions accurately as providing incorrect answers could affect any claim you make.

At Free Spirit, our medical screening process is designed to enable you to declare all of your medical conditions and answer a series of simple questions, so that you get the cover that’s right for you.

Why is it so important to cover your pre-existing medical conditions before you travel?

While it’s not a legal requirement to have travel insurance for pre-existing conditions and disabilities in place, if you needed to cancel your trip due to your medical condition without insurance, you could be liable for loss of deposit or cancellation costs. Having specialist travel insurance means you will be protected for irrecoverable costs that you incur. Equally, your travelling companions will also be covered provided they are included on your policy. It’s important to read the Insurance Policy as terms and conditions will apply.

The importance of cover for your pre-existing medical conditions when you travel

One of the main reasons people purchase travel insurance is to cover themselves for emergency medical expenses. Provided you have declared your medical condition(s), you will be protected whilst travelling in the event you have a medical emergency due to your pre-existing medical condition and need treatment. Without the correct cover in place, you could be faced with having to pay thousands of pounds for medical costs or repatriation charges.

Plenty of standard travel insurance providers offer cheap prices, but it’s unlikely they will include the level of cover you need for your medical condition or disability.

Many of these insurance providers will exclude cover for health conditions, or may simply refuse to offer travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions or disabilities altogether. This can lead to people travelling abroad without adequate cover, but it’s simply not worth the gamble. Not only can this put your health at risk but it can also leave you liable for enormous bills if you need medical treatment while overseas, or if you need to be repatriated back home.

Is there really no age limit to Free Spirit medical travel insurance?

Our travel insurance for medical conditions and disabilities has no upper age limit, so whatever your age you can ensure you are covered when you go on holiday.

Over 65s
  • We can offer over 65s cover for single trips of up to 115 days or up to 45 days if you are aged 76 years or over.
Over 70s
Over 80s and over 90s
  • For over 80s and over 90s, we can offer cover for single trips of up to 45 days.

Your medical travel insurance checklist

Make sure to consider these key features when looking for travel insurance for medical conditions or disabilities:

1. When should I purchase cover?

It’s best to take out your travel insurance as soon as you have booked your trip so that you have the benefit of cancellation cover.

With an Annual Multi-trip policy, cancellation cover begins on the date you choose to start your policy. If you already have a trip booked and you want to be covered immediately, you should select today’s date.

With Free Spirit, you can choose to start your Annual Multi-trip policy later (up to 32 days from today’s date) but there would not be any cancellation cover between now and the start date you choose.

2. Can you add your travelling companions to your policy?

With Free Spirit, you can. They too can claim if you needed to cancel your holiday because of your pre-existing medical condition or if your trip had to be cut short because you became unwell.

3. Does your insurance provider understand your health needs?

A specialist provider like Free Spirit will be more sympathetic to your unique medical needs. Our travel insurance policies are specially designed for people like you.

4. Do you have the freedom to travel where you want to?

We believe if you are well enough to travel to your dream destination, you should be covered to do so. Free Spirit will aim to cover your medical conditions or disability throughout Europe, as well as further afield such as the USA, Canada or the Caribbean (although these countries mean higher premiums).

5. Will you be covered for other essential aspects of travel?

Make sure your policy has cover not just for emergency medical and cancellation costs, but for your personal belongings and travel documents too. If your flight is late leaving, will you be covered for travel delay or journey disruption? How about if you lose your prescribed medication or medical aids? With Free Spirit, you’re covered*.

6. What medical questions will I be asked when I apply for a quote?

You will be asked a series of questions relating to your specific medical condition. It is important to have all that information to hand when you are applying for a quote so you can accurately answer all the questions.

Insurers do not normally ask to see your formal medical records when you apply for travel insurance, but may request them if you make a claim.

7. Can I obtain travel insurance if my condition is terminal?

Free Spirit is one of the few specialist providers that can provide cover for people with terminal or life-limiting conditions. For a quotation, please call us on 02392 419 080.

8. I am on a waiting list for treatment/investigation, can I apply for cover?

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide cover under these circumstances. However, we will be able to consider quoting once all treatment and or investigation have been completed (including results).

9. What is the excess on the policy?

Check the excess you will have to pay in the event of a claim. Some standard travel insurance policies with cheap rates may be tempting, but the excess can catch you out! Our policy excess is never more than £100 per person.

10. Am I covered for taking part in activities whilst I’m away?

If you are planning to take part in activities on holiday, it’s important to check if you are covered. Free Spirit provides cover for over 100 activities free of charge.

11. Does the policy include cover for medical aids and medication?

For those travelling with a medical condition, the chances are that you will be taking medication with you. The Free Spirit policy includes cover for loss or damage to medical aids up to £1,000 (‘Super’ cover) and up to £2,000 (‘Super’ Duper). Loss or damage to prescribed medication is covered up to £250 (‘Super’ cover) and up to £500 (‘Super Duper’ cover).

Comparing medical travel insurance – The pre-existing medical conditions and disabilities we cover

We aim to provide specialist travel insurance for virtually any medical condition or disability, including:

Cancer (all types) Travel Insurance

We are specialists in providing cover for all types of cancer, including:

Read more

Heart Condition Travel Insurance

Don’t let a heart condition stop you from travelling. Get a specialist quote and cover today from Free Spirit.

Read more

Mental Health Travel Insurance

If you have a mental health condition, we can provide you with the cover you need when you travel abroad.

Read more

Brain and Cerebral Conditions Travel Insurance

Most types of brain-related condition can be covered with Free Spirit travel insurance.

Read more

HIV and AIDS Travel Insurance

With Free Spirit, you get travel insurance to cover HIV and AIDS that includes cover for the complications that may occur as a result of the condition.

Read more

Back Problems and Neck Conditions Travel Insurance

Free Spirit can provide travel insurance for people with back problems. No matter what the issue, we hope to be able to offer you the peace of mind you need when you travel.

Read more

Circulatory and Blood Conditions Travel Insurance

Don’t let circulatory conditions stop you from travelling. Our specialist travel insurance includes cover for loss or damage to prescribed medications.

Read more

Bowel and Bladder Conditions Travel Insurance

Travelling with a bowel condition can be uncomfortable. Take the stress out of your planning and get a travel insurance quote and cover with Free Spirit

Read more

Central Nervous System Disorders Travel Insurance

Most types of central nervous system disorder can be included in your travel insurance cover with us.

Read more

Breathing and Lung Conditions Travel Insurance

Most pre-existing breathing conditions will need specialist travel insurance. Cover yourself with Free Spirit’s specialist travel insurance policy.

Read more

Joint and Bone Conditions Travel Insurance

We can provide travel insurance for people with pre-existing joint conditions.

  • Arthritis
  • Brittle bone disease
  • Broken bone
  • Osteopenia
  • Osteoporosis
  • Sciatica

Read more

Kidney Conditions Travel Insurance

If you have a kidney condition, travel insurance that covers it can be hard to find. Use our online medical screening and get an immediate quote.

Read more

Rare Conditions Travel Insurance

Protect yourself when you travel with medical condition travel insurance. Make sure you disclose your rare condition when you get a quote and purchase your Free Spirit policy.

  • Genetic disorders
  • Epidermolysis bullosa
  • Neuroendocrine cancer
  • Progeria

Read more

Liver Conditions Travel Insurance

Pre-existing conditions relating to the liver may be covered by Free Spirit travel insurance. Apply for cover today for peace of mind travel.

  • Cirrhosis
  • Fatty liver
  • Gall stones
  • Hepatitis
  • Liver failure

Read more

Disability Travel Insurance

Don’t let a disability stop you from travelling. We cater to a number of different disabilities and include cover for loss or damage to medical aids and prescribed medications.

  • Cerebral palsy
  • Motor neurone
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Parkinson’s
  • Polio

Read more

Organ Transplant Travel Insurance

If you have had an organ transplant, it can be hard to find the travel insurance cover you need.

  • Heart transplant
  • Kidney transplant
  • Liver transplant
  • Lung transplant
  • Pancreas transplant

Read more

Call us today on 02392 419 080 and talk to our friendly staff.

*As with all travel insurance policies, terms, conditions and exclusions will apply.

  • Testimonials

    Just to say how wonderful to speak to an operator who was efficient and very pleasant. It was a pleasure to do business with you today.
    A. De BailleulGuernsey
  • Read Reviews


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