Top10 Medical Conditions That Are Covered for Emergency Medical Costs

Whether it’s inherited from birth (Familial Hypercholesterolaemia [FH]) or it develops later in life, six out of ten people live with high levels of cholesterol across the UK. As levels of cholesterol increase, the chances of heart and circulatory conditions increase. So, it’s wise to obtain travel insurance for high cholesterol, which includes cover for emergency medical costs.

Travel Tip: When travelling by air, don’t sit still for long; move around the cabin frequently. While seated, do some regular stretching and exercises.

More than one in four adults in the UK is thought to suffer from high blood pressure. As such, 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 several serious conditions. These include the risk of a heart attack or stroke. If you have high blood pressure and want to travel on holiday, you’ll need travel insurance for high blood pressure.

Travel Tip: Ensure you have enough medication for your trip. Speak with your medical professional if you’ll be travelling for more than a few weeks to ensure you have everything you need.

Over eight million people in the UK receive treatment for asthma, a condition which has varying levels of severity. For some, it can be a life-threatening condition. For most, asthma is triggered by a change in the environment. If you plan to visit somewhere new, ensure you take out asthma travel insurance that includes cover for emergency medical costs.

Travel Tip: Plan to ensure you have some emergency antibiotics or steroids available, should you need them. Refer to the Asthma & Lung UK website, which has a handy holiday checklist to help you prepare for a trip.

A well-deserved holiday can provide a welcome boost for your mental health and wellbeing. However, if you live with a mental health condition like anxiety, its physical symptoms, such as an increased heart rate, can still be challenging.

Luckily, Free Spirit Travel Insurance can give sufferers peace of mind from the moment they take out travel insurance for anxiety. We may all feel anxious before passing through passport control, but if you feel like you need to cancel or curtail your trip, our policy allows you to claim back some costs.

Travel Tip: If you live with anxiety, reduce the unknowns by exploring somewhere you have been before. On the other hand, if it’s the act of travelling that causes concern, arrive early at the airport to check in and familiarise yourself with the environment.

We all feel sad or fed up from time to time due to life’s challenges. However, if you feel overwhelmed by these negative feelings, it may well be a sign that you deserve a much-needed break! If you live with depression and require emergency medical treatment on your holiday, travel insurance for depression will be an invaluable addition to your kit list, whatever your age.

Travel Tip: If you feel unwell at the airport, seek help from the Travel Care team, who provide assessments, advice and support for vulnerable people in distress. The UK’s major airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Edinburgh and Manchester – each provide crisis social work services.

With all types of arthritis (inflammation in the joints), 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 condition, though, so our holiday insurance can give you the peace of mind you need. You can be confident that you are covered if you are not fit to go*, or if you need medical help while you are away.

* Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy

Read more about arthritis travel insurance.

Stress can worsen the symptoms of ischaemic heart disease, which is caused by a reduction of blood flow to the heart due to the narrowing of arteries. If you’re one of the seven million people in the UK who live with a type of cardiovascular or heart disease, taking regular stress-reducing holidays can help. Taking out heart disease travel insurance that provides cover for emergency medical treatment will also help you to relax whenever you choose to travel.

Travel tip: Pick a holiday destination which is not going to put unnecessary stress on your heart. Ideally, choose somewhere that is not too hot, cold or at a high altitude – blissful Baltic countries such as Denmark, Finland or Lithuania may be just the ticket!

Did you know that 80% of the population suffers from back and/or neck pain? Although back pain can impact everyday tasks, specialist travel insurance for back and/or neck problems can assist if you have a flare-up abroad. Back problems covered on a Free Spirit Policy include osteoarthritis, sciatica and rheumatoid arthritis.

Travel Tip: When booking holiday accommodation, seek out and stay in a major hotel chain. As well as catering for all of your general vacation requirements, it’s more likely to have accessible rooms, toilets and parking, should you need them.

Technically referred to as hypothyroidism, this condition occurs when the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormones for our body’s needs. In effect, it becomes an underactive thyroid (gland). As it is a common condition, Free Spirit provides specialist travel insurance for hypothyroidism. Fatigue and concentration problems are often associated with underactive thyroid. If you live with these symptoms, a restful holiday may be something to really look forward to!

Travel Tip: Always pack your medication in your hand luggage with the original packaging. You may also wish to pack your prescription script if you require treatment or misplace your medication while travelling.