Travel insurance whilst waiting for tests to confirm a condition

[SpainToday]

I saw my GP on Tuesday, she suspects kidney stones and has referred me for tests to confirm. I wanted to delay the appointment til after my trip but DH was pushing me to get it checked out.

I’m due to have a long weekend in Spain at the end of this month and I can’t work out what to do with travel insurance. I understand that no one will cover me for an undiagnosed condition (however I’m going privately and am hoping to get the scan early next week, so I may have a diagnosis). But if I can’t get an appointment before I go – I assume I just have to get on the plane knowing I wouldn’t be covered for this?

However – we have an existing annual travel insurance policy, so do I have to disclose this latest development, even though I know they wouldn’t cover me for it? I am only having mild symptoms at present, so currently feel fine to travel but if, hypothetically, I get worse and have to cancel, I assume they wouldn’t pay out for cancellation unless I’d told them about the current situation?

Any ideas?

been there. No travel insurance will cover you with things under investigation. Once you have a diagnosis, they can calculate the risk but they can't if they don't know what is wrong with you.

You either don't go or take the EHIC/GHIC card which will cover you for health issues should you need it (but not other travel disruptions).

not sure how it works with a cover in place. Have you read the t&C's?

No one will cover you, we had to cancel our holiday this year as my mum had a minor issue but the doctors wanted to investigate. The insurance said even if she was given the all clear they have an 8 week period where they wont insure after. Was very disappointing and we only got half our money back as TUI said it was our choice not to go without her, even though the holiday was for her 70th birthday.

You will need to let them know.

You either don't go or take the EHIC/GHIC card which will cover you for health issues should you need it (but not other travel disruptions).

Yes, I had wondered about this. It seems a shame to cancel a trip just in case something happens, but I'm usually quite risk-averse and crossing my fingers isn't my style. I'll have to investigate what the EHIC/GHIC card helps with

This is on the NHS website about GHIC cards (and I've got one) would this suffice for an emergency:

What your card covers
You can use your card to get state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK (sometimes called "medically necessary healthcare"). This includes things like:

• emergency treatment and visits to A&E
• treatment or routine medical care for long-term or pre-existing medical conditions
• routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth

If you tell your current insurers, your other cover will stay in place, but not for this "known" issue.

In Europe your GHIC card gets you the equivalent of what the locals get on the state, so you should be Ok in Spain, should you need treatment while you're away, but not for any repatriation or cancellation costs.

There is a new benefit that has been added to one travel insurance policy - https://www.itij.com/latest/news/staysure-enhances-cover-support-holidaymakers-nhs-waitlists you can get cover for a single trip so you can travel with peace of mind. Not selling or advising on this policy, but it's a new thing that an insurer is trying to meet the needs of customers!

Thank you for this, but having dug into it:

Staysure’s revised approach allows customers to insure diagnosed pre-existing conditions, with only claims relating solely to undiagnosed symptoms excluded. The change provides greater flexibility and peace of mind to travellers in diagnostic limbo.

It can depend on the order things happened in or individual annual policies. Our annual travel insurance policy covers trips which are booked before a new medical condition appears.

So as an example

1. Take out annual insurance 2024

1. Book trip to Spain eg April 2025

1. See doctor about kidney stones September 2025.

So in April 2025 when you booked the trip you had no idea that kidney stones or any medical investigations were needed. You would be covered under our policy.

There is still a requirement for new medical conditions to be reported to them under our policy though but it doesn't affect trips already booked before the condition appeared.

This means that this one particular investigation or condition won't be covered for any new travel you book until it's resolved or diagnosed and they have either accepted or rejected it.

Thank you to everyone who replied: all sorted now! I managed to get a policy with AllClear, only £29 for the two of us for a short break in Spain, it was very clear that it won't cover me for any undiagnosed conditions (which is fine) but will cover me normally for everything else. I phoned them just to check I had understood correctly, and I had.

Our annual policy is with Post Office, I rang them I explained the situation in full, and they said that if I travel with any undiagnosed conditions, the entire policy (for both of us ...... ) would be void.

I will be taking my GHIC card for any emergencies.