Travel insurance is essential for anyone wishing to leave the UK and allows for peace of mind during the duration of your trip.
If the worst does happen, knowing you’re covered will prevent any nasty and unaffordable bills.
But what do you do if you can’t get cover?
According to new research, one in five Britons can’t get travel cover due to pre-existing medical conditions.
The study, released today by the Co-op, reveals a third of the UK holidaymakers (32 per cent) have admitted that they struggle to find a provider that will cover them.
A further 60 per cent of those say that this is due to a pre-existing medical condition.
Cancer patients are the worst affected, with 21 per cent admitting a lack of cover interferes with their holiday plans.
Also unable to receive travel cover are diabetic patients and people suffering from either high or low blood pressure. Both rank as second most common medical refusal reason.
However, it’s not just pre-exciting conditions that are taken into consideration.
Age is also scrutinised. Eighty-three per cent of travellers aged over 65 said they find it difficult to find an insurance provider if they have an existing medical condition.
Over a quarter of people that took part in the research explained that they had to turn to a specialist provider who, in turn, raise the premium.
As a result, 27 per cent admit that holiday plans have been changed or cancelled when their insurance cover is denied and 19 per cent refuse to declare their condition in order to keep cost down.
Colin Butler, Head of Travel Insurance at the Co-op commented: “It’s really quite worrying to think that people who find it difficult to get suitable travel insurance product are resorting to not declaring important details about their medical conditions or are ignoring travel insurance completely.”
GP and TV personality, Dr Dawn Harper, added: “A large population of the UK live with conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, the risks of which sadly increases with age.”
“However, many people in their 60s and over are still very active and want to live out their later years travelling.”
So what do travellers do if they can’t find affordable travel insurance?
• A third (32 per cent) now travel without having insurance in place
• A third (28 per cent) use specialist providers
• A quarter (27 per cent) changed their holiday plans
• A fifth (21 per cent) cancelled the holiday
• A fifth (19 per cent) took out insurance but didn’t declare their medical condition
