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Last minute changes to plans or urgent medical treatment are sadly common occurrences for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). And, if these happen just before or during a holiday they could end up being financially costly if you don't have travel insurance.
But, if you have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis travel insurance can be more complicated and expensive than for those without medical conditions.
Almost all standard travel insurance policies don't cover conditions such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. If you don't have a policy which covers your condition then you won't be able to make a claim on your insurance if you need emergency treatment while on holiday, or if you have to cancel your trip as a result of your inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
As a result, it is recommended you get a specialist travel insurance policy which covers your Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and any other medical conditions you may have. It's best to take out insurance as soon after booking your trip as possible in case you need to cancel it before leaving as a result of getting unwell.
You should check that your travel insurance includes emergency medical treatment, medical evacuation and repatriation.
People with many different medical conditions are able to get travel insurance through specialist, and even some mainstream, insurance providers. You will probably be required to answer a series of questions about your condition and your health now and in the past. You may also need to speak to someone on the phone about your condition to answer additional questions.
The insurance company will take into account a number of things - such as your age, the last time you had a flare, any recent hospitalisations or surgery, your current health, where you are travelling to and how long you are going away for.
Each decision is made on an individual basis so it is difficult to say how easy it will be for you to get insurance.
If you have previously had travel insurance before your diagnosis you could check with the company to see if they will continue insuring you. Otherwise, a quick Google search will return lots of companies who specialise in medical travel insurance.
You could also try a travel insurance comparison website. We have partnered with Medical Travel Compared* - a specialist medical travel insurance company which helps people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to find cover at the best available price.
Medical screening is the process in which insurance companies ask you questions about your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. This screening helps them decide whether they can offer you travel insurance or not. The questions tend to be a series of multiple-choice or yes/no questions. Some of them are of a personal nature, but the answers you give will be confidential. You must answer the questions as accurately as you can. If you don't it may affect any claim you make on your travel insurance.
From the medical screening a risk score is calculated from the answers you give. A score is created for each of the medical conditions you disclose. This score may also be affected by where you are travelling to. When they have your final scores the insurance company will determine whether they can offer you travel insurance and on what terms.
You will be asked what medical condition(s) you have, how long you have had it for, if you've had any surgery and if you are on any medication. You may also be asked if you have ever been hospitalised and when that was as well as some other general questions about your health and your condition.
At this stage the insurance company will not seek to view your formal medical records. However, they may request them if you make a claim so it's important that you answer the questions as accurately as possible so as not to affect any claim you may make.
If you have had recent surgery or a hospital stay for your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis you may require a letter from your doctor to confirm you are fit to travel. Make sure you leave plenty of time to allow you to obtain a letter before you travel.
Sadly the answer is that your travel insurance is likely to cost more than for someone without any medical conditions.
The cost may also be affected by the country you are travelling to due to different healthcare systems and costs around the world and any recent surgeries or hospital stays you have had. It is suggested that you get quotes for travel insurance before booking your trip in case the cost of the insurance means you will be unable to afford the trip.
Many insurance providers will request that you call them if you try to buy travel insurance online and declare your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. They do this because they want to individually assess you. It's important to remember that just because you have been asked to call the provider it doesn't mean you won't be able to get travel insurance.
Even if your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis is under control you should still declare it in case something changes while you are away and you need to access healthcare while on holiday.
If you are currently undergoing tests for your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis many insurers will not provide cover until you have had the results of the tests back, or your cover may be more expensive.
Ideally you should arrange travel insurance as soon as you have booked your holiday to make sure you are covered in case you need to cancel your trip.
In the event that your Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis changes after you have got the insurance (such as having surgery or starting a new medication) you will need to inform your insurer.
Some people have an annual insurance policy. If you do you may need to contact your insurer each time you book a trip or holiday to inform them of any changes to your IBD.
Some insurers are happy to do this. This means that anything directly or indirectly related to your IBD isn't covered. However, it is not advised that you do this. Healthcare in other countries can be very expensive and you could end up with a significant bill (in the tens of thousands of pounds) which you will need to pay if you don't have insurance.
*This is an affiliate link. This means if you buy from the company IBDrelief may receive a commission which we will use to continue providing information and resources for people with IBD. This will not affect the price you pay.
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