For anyone travelling abroad for work or leisure, insurance is an essentially requirement.

We have all seen the horror stories in the press. Why risk being stuck abroad with huge hospital bills and no realistic way of returning home.

There are many great providers of travel insurance in the UK offering cover for trips anywhere in the world. They cover annual policies and single trips, cruises, backpacking holidays and winter sports trips.

Great options for the consumer, this is vital if you need medical treatment abroad.

Travel insurance as part of your private medical insurance cover

Private health insurance policies tend to offer all types of add-on benefits including travel insurance. Not all of the major UK brands offer it but many of them do. So, why would you consider an add-on travel insurance policy rather than a separate policy from a travel insurance specialist?

Pre-existing conditions covered on a “fit to travel” basis

If you have pre-existing medical conditions you will know that buying travel insurance means you have to disclose your medical history. The insurance offered as an add-on to your private medical insurance is usually provided on a fit to travel basis. Even if you do have pre-existing medical conditions, providing you have not been advised against travel by a medical professional then your cover should be valid.

How long can I travel for?

The insurance offered as an add-on to private medical insurance will usually have a maximum time limit of travel. As an example the worldwide travel add-on from Vitality Health has a maximum trip length of 120 days so if you were planning to be away for a 6 month trip, you would need to look at an alternative option.

Is a travel insurance add-on the same as a stand alone policy?

Although each insurer will have different terms & conditions and benefit limits, you will see the same type of benefits.

Repatriation, cancellation, delayed departure, medical emergencies, loss of passport, loss of money, personal accident and legal expenses are usually all covered as standard.

We would recommend however that you fully check the benefit values to ensure that the cover limits are suitable before you travel.

What if my health insurance provides emergency overseas cover?

Emergency overseas medical cover is not the same thing! Even if your health insurance policy has a benefit limit of emergency overseas cover we would urge people to still purchase travel insurance.

For detailed information, please follow the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance

The team at SMP Healthcare have access to and relationships with the major health insurance providers in the UK market. We can help you find a policy that includes travel insurance if this is a benefit you would like to add to your core cover. We have no affiliation to any provider and therefore you can be sure the recommendation we provide has no bias. If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact us on:

Email: lianne@smphealthcare.com

Telephone: 01245 929129 or Freephone 0800 047 0127