We can offer cover for a wide range of pre-existing medical conditions. 

When purchasing travel insurance, a pre-existing medical condition includes:

• Conditions that you are currently being treated for, even if these are controlled with medication.
• A condition that you have been diagnosed within the last 12 months, even if treatment is completed.
• Conditions diagnosed more than 12 months ago where you need to go for check-ups, even if these are only once a year.

Declaration of pre-existing medical conditions

If you or someone travelling on the travel insurance policy has a pre-existing medical condition(s), you will be required to declare this condition to ensure that you have full cover in place. Pre-existing medical conditions are not covered unless they are declared to us, agreed by us on your policy schedule and an extra premium paid (if required). 

When declaring medical conditions, you will be asked to complete a medical screening process where questions are asked about the condition so that risk can be assessed. In most cases, we will be able to provide cover for the medical condition by paying an additional premium. Very low risk conditions can be covered with no additional premium. This premium is optional, so you can choose not to have cover, but we would encourage you to travel with full cover. 

If you choose not to cover your medical condition(s) then any claims arising due to the medical condition(s) would not be covered. This would mean that a claim for medical costs or cancellation of the holiday would not be met, this includes the holiday costs of anyone else insured on the policy.

How do I add cover for a pre-existing medical condition online?

You’ll be asked whether you have any pre-existing medical conditions on step 4 when getting a quote online – under the heading ‘Medical Declaration’.  If you answer ‘Yes’ to having a pre-existing condition, you will be able to select ‘Add a medical condition(s)’ underneath where you enter the dates of birth for the relevant member of your party. You will then be presented with a series of questions to answer relevant to the specific condition, which will identify if we can provide cover.

For example:

What if cover cannot be offered for my pre-existing medical condition? 

In some cases, we may not be able to offer cover for the declared medical conditions. In those instances, we cannot offer a travel insurance policy and would provide a link to a company that we have partnered with that specialise in covering existing medical conditions.

Customers that have a medical condition have access to a directory that has been set up by the Money and Pensions Service on behalf of the Financial Conduct Authority. 

This has been created to give customers with pre-existing medical conditions a place where they can easily access details of companies that specialise in providing cover to assist customers if they are having difficulty getting competitively priced cover, or any cover at all. The directory can be accessed by clicking here or by calling 0800 138 7777.

Why won’t Columbus Direct cover my medical condition when other companies do?  

Other companies use their own methods for medical screening and there is no industry standard – some companies are able to cover risks which we can’t, and vice versa. When we screen for pre-existing medical conditions we use a market leading, independent medical screening rating system that asks a series of questions to determine a risk score. That risk score is then used to determine the additional premium that we charge to cover that condition. A number of factors are taken into consideration, including the current status of your medical condition and your destination.

Why won’t Columbus Direct cover my medical condition when you have previously? 

In some circumstances, we may not be able to offer cover for a pre-existing medical condition which was covered on a previous policy. This could be due to a change in your medical condition, although other factors may apply too – such as where you are travelling to. The screening system used to assess risk is also reviewed regularly to ensure that medical conditions are being considered based on the most up to date view of that condition and the risk that it may present. This could lead to our underwriters’ consideration of a condition changing even if the diagnosis and treatment hasn't.

What happens if my health changes after I have purchased my policy?

If your health or the health of someone travelling on your policy changes after you have purchased your policy, it is very important that you let us know to ensure you have the correct cover in place when you travel.  A member of our customer services team will be able to go through the medical screening process with you to see if cover can be added to your policy. 

Can I exclude a medical condition(s) on my travel insurance policy?

You can choose not to cover your pre-existing medical conditions once you have screened and declared the conditions to us. However, any claims arising due to the medical condition(s) would not be covered by your travel insurance policy. This would mean that a claim for medical costs or cancellation of the holiday would not be met, this includes the holiday costs of anyone else insured on the policy.

Can I get travel insurance with an undiagnosed medical condition?

You can purchase travel insurance with an undiagnosed medical condition. However if you or anyone travelling on the policy has an undiagnosed medical conditions (for example, if waiting for tests, investigations or treatment), they will not be covered for any related claim against the cancellation, curtailment or medical emergency expenses and repatriation sections of the travel insurance policy.