Travel insurance

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information@lymphoma-action.org.uk

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Travel insurance

If you have lymphoma and you plan to travel to another country, it’s important

to arrange suitable insurance before you go.

On this page

What is travel insurance and why is it important?

Is travel insurance expensive for people who have lymphoma?

Travel insurance policies

Where can I find travel insurance?

Frequently asked questions about travel insurance and lymphoma

We have separate information about the topics in bold font. Please get in

touch if you’d like to request copies or if you would like further information

about any aspect of lymphoma. Phone 0808 808 5555 or email

information@lymphoma-action.org.uk.

What is travel insurance and why is it important?

Travel insurance helps to cover the costs of things that don’t go to plan while

you’re travelling away from home, such as cancelled flights and lost baggage.

Many policies also include medical cover.

Having medical cover as part of your insurance could help if you become

unwell while you’re away. It might:

• save you from paying for any unexpected treatment you need

• cover expenses such as the cost of your flight ticket if you need to

return home sooner than planned.

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Often, with this type of cover, if you need to make a claim, the insurer might

pay directly for large expenses such as hospital bills. For smaller costs, you

might pay for smaller costs yourself and then claim the money back later. It’s

important to read all the information in the terms and conditions of your policy

document. Tell your insurer as soon as possible about any costs you get –

wherever possible, before you have any treatment.

I was diagnosed with lymphoma while I was travelling between

Australia and America so had to receive initial scans and

general care in America before returning home. Thankfully, I

had adequate travel insurance in place so the costs were

covered by the insurance company.

Greg, diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma

Is travel insurance expensive for people who

have lymphoma?

Travel insurance is usually more expensive for people who have a health

condition, including lymphoma. This is because insurance companies work out

the cost of the cover (premium) based on how likely it is that someone will

make a claim. To do this, they consider:

• how likely you are to cancel your trip

• how likely you are to become unwell when you’re away

• the cost of any medical treatment you might need.

Medical screening questions

To help insurers work out how likely you are to make a claim, they ask

questions about your lymphoma. This is known as ‘medical screening’.

Generally, medical screening includes questions about:

• your lymphoma diagnosis (type and, if relevant, its stage)

• whether your lymphoma affects your brain and spinal cord

• what treatment you have had

• whether you’re currently having treatment or when it finished. (Note that

if you are on maintenance therapy, some companies might count you

as ‘currently having treatment’ but others might not.

• your outlook (prognosis)

• when you had your last check-up

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• the date of your next planned hospital appointment

• if you have any upcoming tests or scans

• if you are taking any medication, including strong painkillers.

It’s a good idea to have this information ready before you start looking for

insurance.

Answer the questions honestly. If you don’t tell your insurance company

everything they need to know about your health, you might not be covered if

you need to make a claim.

If you have more than one medical condition, you’ll be asked separate medical

screening questions for each of them. This is so that your insurance company

can create a suitable policy for you.

Travel insurance policies

Your policy lists exactly what you are covered for. Ask your insurer to explain

anything you are unsure about. When you travel, take your policy number and

the contact details of your insurance company with you. You could take a

photo of your insurance document and last hospital letter with you on your

mobile phone.

If there are any changes to your health, let your insurer know before you travel

so that you can discuss updating your policy.

Levels of cover

There are different cover options. Think about how much you are willing and

able to pay, and what an insurance company is offering for the price.

A company might offer cover for:

• all medical conditions, including your lymphoma

• all medical conditions except for your lymphoma. (This is known as an

‘exemption’ or ‘exclusion’ policy.)

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Exemption policies are usually cheaper than cover that includes your

lymphoma, but might mean you’re not covered for a health issue that could

be linked to your lymphoma, even if it’s unlikely to be. For example, you might

develop heart problems that aren’t caused by the lymphoma. However, an

insurer could refuse to cover you if there could be a link

between chemotherapy drugs you’ve had in the past and your heart

problems now. Another example is if you develop an illness related to having

a lowered immune system. An insurance company could argue that this

might be connected to your lymphoma. In this case, it wouldn’t be covered by

an exemption policy.

If you are thinking about taking cover that excludes your lymphoma, discuss

this first with your doctor.

Single-trip and multi-trip cover

Single-trip insurance could be cheaper than an annual policy, even if you

travel more than once a year. This is because your risk might be considered

lower by the time you next need cover, which would lower the price.

Existing policies

If you already have an annual travel insurance policy, you should tell your

insurer about your diagnosis of lymphoma. They might agree to cover you for

your lymphoma for an additional cost. If you don’t tell them, you are unlikely to

be fully covered if you need to make a claim.

If your existing insurance company won’t offer cover for your lymphoma, you

could get separate insurance from another company to provide this cover.

I think it is so important to my mental health to plan something

ahead, even if it’s a weekend break not too far away. When I

am at risk of relapse or in the midst of treatment, we choose

places to go within the UK or a country where you are confident

that good medical care is easily available. We love to go to

remote Greek islands which don’t have any medical care so we

only go there when we are reasonably confident that I am well

or can get back in me to the UK in time to get help if I need it.

Nuala, diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma

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Where can I find travel insurance?

Searching online is a good starting point to help you to see what insurance is

available. You should also be able to get a rough idea of the price. However,

you usually need to speak to a company on the phone to answer their

medical screening questions. The final price is likely to be higher than the

initial online quote.

Below, we list some insurance providers you could try. The cover a

company offers depends on your individual circumstances, so we’re unable to

recommend specific companies.

Insurance providers include:

• General insurers and brokers – some general insurance companies

and brokers might offer you cover. This is more likely if you’ve been in

remission (no evidence of lymphoma on tests and scans) for a number

of years.

• Specialist travel brokers that provide cover for people who have

medical conditions.

• High street banks and building societies – some offer travel

insurance if you have an account with them.

• Credit card companies – some offer travel insurance if you pay for

your trip using their credit card.

• Private healthcare insurance – some companies offer travel

insurance. Some employers offer private healthcare as part of their

employee benefits package.

• Package tours – companies who provide these often offer travel

insurance, although it can be very expensive.

Not all companies offer cover for pre-existing medical conditions. You

might find it helpful to look at price comparison websites. Some of these

include companies that do.

Searching for travel insurance can be tiring, and it can be emotionally difficult

to answer questions about your lymphoma. Although you will need to answer

the questions yourself, you could ask someone to be with you for support. You

might also find it helpful to limit the number of companies you approach in a

day.

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Frequently asked questions about travel insurance and

lymphoma

In this section, we answer some questions people often have about travel

insurance and lymphoma. Your medical team and travel insurers can give you

advice and information specific to your situation.

Should I speak to my medical team before I travel?

Yes. They can advise you on whether your plans are safe. Your consultant or

clinical nurse specialist might also have useful suggestions for finding travel

insurance based on what they’ve heard from other people affected by

lymphoma.

Your travel insurance company might ask that you have a ‘fit to travel’

certificate from your GP. If you’re travelling by aeroplane, this is sometimes

called a ‘fit to fly’ certificate. Ask your GP surgery how much they charge for

one. It usually costs £20 to £40. You’ll need a fit to travel note each time you

travel, even if you have multi-trip cover.

Does having lymphoma make it difficult to get travel insurance?

Different insurance companies take different approaches to people who have

a pre-existing medical condition:

• Some companies won’t offer insurance at all because they think the

risk of you making a claim is too high.

• Some companies might offer only cover that excludes your

lymphoma.

• Most companies do not offer insurance to people who are having

treatment.

• Many companies won’t offer cover for a set amount of time (often 12

months) after finishing treatment.

A company might not offer you cover if another company has already said

they won’t. Some people find it helps to first talk in general terms and ask a

company what cover they could provide, instead of getting a detailed quote

straightaway.

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© Lymphoma Action 
Do my friends and family need to tell their insurers about my 
lymphoma? 
Even if they’re travelling on a completely separate trip from you, close family 
members and friends might want to let their insurers know about your 
lymphoma. This is in case they choose to come early if you are unwell, or if 
they want to travel to stay with you where you are. Their policy should outline 
exactly what they’re covered for. 
If I’m travelling with other people, should we all use the same 
insurers? 
This might be helpful. Some companies will only offer cover if you take this 
approach, in case the trip needs to be cut short for everyone if you’re unwell. 
How might the UK leaving the European Union (Brexit) affect travel 
insurance? 
At the time of writing, this is not clear. It depends on the agreements the UK 
makes with different countries, including whether the European Union 
Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme will still be active. You can find out more on 
the NHS website.  
Medical Travel Compared is a comparison website that is free to use. It 
answers some frequently asked questions about how Brexit affects travel 
insurance.   
How does the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) affect travel? 
You can find up-to-date guidance on travel advice during the pandemic on the 
UK government website and Northern Ireland direct government services 
website. Medical Travel Compared also has updates about covid-19 and 
travel insurance. 
 
 
References 
British Medical Association, 2020. Medico-legal aspects of providing 
certificates. Available at: https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-
contracts/fees/medico-legal-fees/medico-legal-aspects-of-providing-
certificates (Accessed September 2020). 

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© Lymphoma Action 
Cancer Research UK, 2019. Getting travel insurance. Available at: 
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-
cancer/coping/practically/travelling-with-cancer/travel-insurance/getting-
travel-insurance (Accessed September 2020). 
GOV.UK, 2020. Healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU. Available at: 
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/uk-residents-visiting-the-eueea-and-
switzerland-healthcare (Accessed September 2020). 
Medical Travel Compared, 2020. The 2020 guide to fit to fly certificates. 
Available at: https://www.medicaltravelcompared.co.uk/travel-
insurance/medical/fit-to-fly-certificates/ (Accessed September 2020). 
Which, 2020. Travel insurance for cancer patients. Available at: 
https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/travel-insurance/travel-
insurance-for-cancer-patients-a6kuw6h7x384#headline_1 (Accessed 
September 2020). 
 
Acknowledgements  
▪  Lisa Castellaro, Macmillan Lymphoma Clinical Nurse Specialist, 
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust 
▪  Aileen Chadwick, Macmillan Haematology Clinical Nurse Specialist, 
Manchester Royal Infirmary NHS Foundation Trust. 
▪  We would like to thank the members of our Reader Panel who gave 
their time to review this information. 
 
Content last reviewed: November 2020 
Next planned review: November 2023 
LYMweb0093TravelIns2020v4 
© Lymphoma Action 
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Disclaimer

We make every effort to make sure that the information we provide is accurate

at time of publication, but medical research is constantly changing. Our

information is not a substitute for individual medical advice from a trained

clinician. If you are concerned about your health, consult your doctor.

Lymphoma Action cannot accept liability for any loss or damage resulting from

any inaccuracy in this information or third party information we refer to,

including that on third party websites.