Myasthenia gravis travel insurance

Myasthenia gravis is a rare and chronic condition that affects muscle strength and stamina. It usually causes difficulty controlling the muscles in the face, although it can affect any part of the body.

What is myasthenia gravis?

Unless you, or someone you know, has myasthenia gravis, you may not have heard of it – it’s a rare condition. Muscular Dystrophy UK states that myasthenia gravis affects only 15 people in every 100,000 in the UK. Anyone can develop myasthenia gravis, but it’s more likely to affect younger women and older men.

Myasthenia gravis is an auto-immune condition, which means that it is caused by the body’s immune system attacking healthy cells by mistake, in this case, those that control communication between the nerves and the muscles.

At Free Spirit, we aim to offer myasthenia gravis travel insurance to people of any age.

Why do I need specialist travel insurance to cover myasthenia gravis?

A myasthenia gravis travel insurance policy will ensure that you receive the overseas medical care you need in case of an emergency or a worsening of your symptoms while you’re away and that you don’t have to find the funds to pay for it. Healthcare around the world can vary hugely in cost, and the last thing you want during your recovery is a hefty medical bill.

Myasthenia gravis travel insurance covers you against other travel-related problems too, such as losing your passport or your luggage, being separated from your medication or having your flight delayed or cancelled.

Providers like Free Spirit specialise in offering travel insurance for people with existing medical conditions like myasthenia gravis. That means you are far more likely to secure cover than you would be with a standard provider.

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

How can I get myasthenia gravis travel insurance?

We aim to make it as easy as possible to receive a free, no-obligation quote for myasthenia gravis travel insurance. You can either call and speak to one of our friendly travel insurance specialists over the phone, or you can apply online. Call us on 02392 419 080. If you prefer, use our online application system to receive a quote at any time.

Whatever way you choose to contact us, we will need to know a few details about your myasthenia gravis and how it affects you in order to give you a quote for travel insurance. The kind of questions you can expect to be asked include:

• How long ago was your myasthenia gravis diagnosed?
• Do you currently use any mobility aids?
• Are you able to look after yourself?
• Has your condition caused any respiratory problems or chest infections in the last two years?
• How many unplanned hospital admissions have you had for your myasthenia gravis in the last year?

Travelling with myasthenia gravis

When planning your next holiday, the first thing to do is to speak to your GP or clinical team. As myasthenia gravis is an unpredictable condition, it’s important that they let you know whether or not they think your travel plans will be suitable for you.

You may also need extra medication to cover your time away, as well as a doctor’s letter detailing your condition, any prescriptions you have, and with permission for you to carry your medicine with you to your chosen destination. Some countries have very strict laws that prevent visitors from travelling with certain medications without official sanctions, so make sure to check. What’s more, as myasthenia gravis is such a rare condition, it is a good idea to have a written description of the condition with you. You could also get a medical ID bracelet for myasthenia gravis, which can alert healthcare providers of your condition.

Be sure to ask your GP whether you need any vaccinations to go to your chosen destination too; as myasthenia gravis is an auto-immune condition, it can mean that some travel vaccinations may be unsafe for you.

In the run-up to your trip, if it’s not something you do already, it can help to keep a diary of your myasthenia gravis and how your symptoms vary on a daily basis. Although it’s always possible for your condition to worsen without warning, keeping track of how you feel from day-to-day can help you spot any patterns in how your symptoms come and go.

Myasthenia gravis can make you susceptible to infections, so remember to pack hand sanitiser and/or sanitising wipes to take with you. When it comes to food, try keeping a bottle of water with you so you can moisten anything particularly dry to make it easier to swallow.

While many standard travel insurance companies decline to cover pre-existing conditions such as myasthenia gravis, a specialist provider like Free Spirit is dedicated to offering medical travel cover. Our travel insurance can cover people of any age with medical conditions*.

In many parts of the world, it often does not take much to run up large medical costs, should the unexpected happen.  Therefore, Free Spirit travel insurance specifically designed to cover myasthenia gravis is essential. You need to be certain that you will be able to access the healthcare you might need wherever your travels take you, and that you will not be left with the bill. Our policy also provides, as standard, cover for cancellation, repatriation, cutting short your trip, personal possessions, passport & documents, travel delay and missed connections.

Contact us today to find out more about our travel insurance for myasthenia gravis. You can apply for a no-obligation quote online or, if you’d rather speak to someone, call our friendly team of UK-based travel insurance specialists on 02392 419 080.

*subject to terms, conditions and limits of the insurance policy.

Travel with, confidence

Holidaying somewhere hot and sunny? View the myaware.org website, which has expert medical advice about how to cope in hot weather if you’re living with Myasthenia.