New research has uncovered a dangerous trend among British holidaymakers, with one in four admitting to hiding pre-existing medical conditions when buying travel insurance in an attempt to save money.
The High Cost of Withholding Medical Information
A study by insurance firm Gigasure shows that 24% of travellers intentionally avoid disclosing their full medical history during the insurance purchase process. The primary motivation is the fear that being honest will lead to a significant increase in their policy premium.
However, this gamble can have catastrophic financial consequences. Data from the Financial Ombudsman Service reveals a worrying 19% increase in customers having their insurance claims rejected because pre-existing conditions were not properly declared.
Failure to disclose, whether intentional or accidental, can mean the difference between being fully covered on holiday or facing ruinous medical and repatriation bills alone.
Staggering Potential Costs for Uninsured Medical Care
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) reported its members paid out £472 million across more than 500,000 travel insurance claims last year. Medical expenses were the most common, making up 34% of claims and totalling £262 million, with an average payout of £1,528.
If a claim is rejected, the travaker is left personally liable. The potential costs are immense:
- In France, the average cost for a heart attack and bypass is £6,000, while a broken leg with repatriation could reach £1,800 (Admiral).
- Treatment for altitude sickness in Peru could cost up to £18,000.
- A heart attack in the United States could result in a medical bill as high as £230,000.
Common Conditions That Often Don't Inflate Premiums
Experts stress that many common, well-managed conditions should not make travel insurance prohibitively expensive. The risk of these conditions affecting travel is relatively low, and declaring them is crucial for valid cover.
Commonly declared conditions include:
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol
- Type 2 diabetes and asthma
- Arrhythmia and ischaemic heart disease
- Hypothyroidism, and back or neck problems
Ernesto Suarez, travel insurance expert and CEO of Gigasure, warns: 'Unlike home or car insurance, travel insurance isn't mandatory - so what's the point of buying it but not declaring your medical conditions and then it being invalid? That's no use to anyone.'
He emphasises that the true cost of declaring a condition at the time of purchase could be just a few pounds, whereas non-disclosure could leave an individual with thousands of pounds in unpaid medical bills.
Each insurance provider has its own rules, and it is vital that holidaymakers answer all medical questions accurately during the purchase process. An incorrect answer could mean being left thousands of pounds out of pocket if treatment is needed abroad and the insurer finds information was withheld.
