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Travel insurance for diabetics

Diabetes is one of the existing health conditions we cover most frequently at Free Spirit. Both type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes appear in the top ten medical conditions covered by our specialist travel insurance.

It is estimated that 4 million people are living with diabetes in the UK, with about 500,000 of these being undiagnosed cases. Diabetes is a common medical condition and it’s on the rise; Diabetes UK state that if current trends continue, one in ten people will have type 2 diabetes by 2034.

Free Spirit believes that everyone, including those with existing medical conditions like diabetes, should be able to enjoy a holiday. That’s the reason we look at travel insurance differently and do all we can to offer specialist travel insurance to people with diabetes.

Why do I need specialist holiday insurance to cover diabetes?

Medical travel insurance that covers both types of diabetes is incredibly important. If you have diabetes, you need to know that you have wide-ranging holiday insurance in place that covers your condition in the event that you have to cancel your trip or if you have a medical emergency whilst you are away. This in turn means that you can get on with enjoying your break without worrying about these eventualities.

Diabetes can cause related health complications, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, poor circulation, and leg and foot ulcers, all of which can greatly affect your holiday if they flare up during your trip. If you are overseas, treatment for these associated conditions can be very expensive without specialist travel insurance in place.

At Free Spirit, our medical travel insurance for diabetes not only covers you if you need hospitalisation or medical treatment while you are away (subject to Free Spirit insurance terms and conditions) but also in the event that your insulin, metformin, or any other medication you need to take for your diabetes, is lost or stolen. We understand that medication for diabetes is crucial for keeping the condition under control, so this is a key feature of our diabetes travel insurance.

In addition to this, as soon as you take out our specialist travel insurance, you and any other travellers on your policy will be covered for any costs you have paid out ahead of your holiday if you become too ill to make the trip as a result of your diabetes and you need to cancel. Terms and conditions apply of course.

How do I get medical travel insurance to cover my diabetes?

If you have diabetes, we aim to offer specialist travel insurance that will cover your condition, including any existing associated symptoms and complications. At Free Spirit, there is no age limit to our medical travel insurance for diabetes.

Arranging diabetes travel insurance with us is straightforward. We will ask you a few questions about your diabetes as part of a medical screening process, and we do our best to make this as brief and uncomplicated as possible. Please give us as much information as you can about both your current condition and any complications you may have experienced in the past so that we can give you a quote for diabetes travel insurance that is tailored specifically to your needs.

If you would like a no-obligation quote for specialist travel insurance for diabetes, please give our friendly expert team a call free of charge on 02392 419 080. You can also apply for diabetes travel insurance online quickly and simply.

What will I be asked as part of a medical screening for diabetes travel insurance?

Our expert medical travel insurance team approach every person who applies for Free Spirit cover individually, but generally, these are the kind of questions we will ask you about your diabetes:

  • Do you take insulin for your diabetes?
  • Do you take medication for high blood pressure or to control your cholesterol level?
  • Have you been unexpectedly admitted to hospital at all in the last two years?
  • Do you have, or have you ever had, any of the following conditions as a result of your diabetes?
    • Leg or foot ulcers
    • Kidney function impairment
    • Nerve damage
    • Heart attack
    • Narrowed arteries of the heart
    • Angina
    • Damage to the retinas (eyes)
    • Stroke and/or TIA (mini-stroke)
    • Leg, foot or toe amputation

Advice for travelling with diabetes

Make sure you speak to your doctor about where you want to go and what you plan to do before you book any trip away. You must ensure that your doctor is satisfied with your holiday plans and that your diabetes does not pose too great a risk to travel.

We recommend taking your diabetes ID and a letter from your doctor with you – this should state your condition and list any medication you take to treat it, and ideally should be translated into the language of the country you will be travelling to.

It’s likely that you will need to take insulin, metformin, and/or other medications for your diabetes, and if so, it’s best to take more than you should need for the duration of your holiday. Split your medication supply between the bags you’re taking with you to prevent losing the entire amount in the event that one of them goes missing on the way. If you are travelling overseas, it’s a good idea to check that you will be able to access your prescribed brand of insulin (or other medication), and where from, in the country you will be visiting.

If you will be travelling by air, the Civil Aviation Authority’s Advisory Health Unit recommends that you contact your airline several weeks before travelling to discuss the medical devices you need to take on board the plane. For example, you will need a letter from your doctor to enable you to take syringes and insulin on board. If you treat your diabetes with a pump or use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), it is essential that you contact your airline prior to travel, if possible a few weeks before you fly.

Your doctor will be able to advise you of how the climate in your destination may affect you, and of any changes to your treatment plan, you should make as a result. Very warm or cold climates can alter the way your insulin or blood glucose monitor work, so it’s important to be aware of this.

With a little preparation and the peace of mind made possible by having specialist travel insurance in place, there’s no reason why those with diabetes shouldn’t be able to enjoy a holiday. For more information refer to the 21 Tips for Traveling With Diabetes on the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website.

Travelling with type 1 diabetes?

For more detailed travel advice visit the JDRF website. JDRF’s vision is a world without type 1 diabetes. It has led research to develop diabetes technology and treatment for a cure.

However, for first hand travel advice and tips from someone who lives with type 1 diabetes read this blog written by Emma Cathro on the  – hidden disabilities website.

If you have diabetes and you’re looking to travel, get in touch with us today for a diabetes travel insurance quote.

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