A third of UK holidaymakers are travelling with undeclared medical conditions

The Staysure study revealed that over half of those surveyed (53%) didn’t think it necessary to declare a mental health issue to their insurer with a third (33%) unaware they would need to cover their pre-existing medical conditions when they buy their policy.

Almost all those surveyed (90%) reported that they understood what ‘declaring all pre-existing medical conditions’means. However, when asked about specific ailments, significantly less than 90% successfully identified conditions that would need to be covered such as osteoarthritis (37%), infections (30%), anxiety (22%), and headaches/migraines (16%). These could all be considered a ‘pre-existing medical condition’ by an insurer if you have experienced symptoms, take medication, consulted your GP, or visited a hospital regarding them.

Furthermore, the study revealed that 10% of the population believe there isn’t anything that can invalidate a travel insurance policy, despite one in 10 Brits having previously had a travel insurance claim declined.

Some of the reasons found for invalid claims were not checking the terms and conditions of the annual policy (14%), changing holiday plans without notifying the insurer (9%), and flying against the advice of a doctor (8%). 

The study also showed that more than three in 10 Brits (34%) didn’t know that being intoxicated often contravenes travel insurance terms and conditions where high levels of alcohol have been reported in hospital or police reports.

Staysure recently appointed new Group CEO Finn Walsh. The company said his appointment to the role was expected to begin a “new age of automation and digitisation”.