Travel Insurance with pre-existing conditions

[TravellingT]

Trying to book a holiday secretly for a friend and in need of some advice.

Friend has multiple health conditions- not terminal, and only taking medication, no other treatments. He's able to fly and travel.

I know he has a NHS GHIC, but having googled it, it seems you need more cover than that.

Most insurance providers who cater to people with pre-existing conditions are charging much more than the plans for healthy people.

So! Do I make sure he has the GHIC and get a basic travel insurance plan covering luggage, cancellation, gadgets etc but no pre-existing conditions, only normal medical cover (for emergencies, new conditions etc) OR do I get the pre-existing conditions insurance?

Apologies if this makes zero sense, I'm quite frazzled!

TIA

I have pre existing conditions and would never go away without travel insurance.
I use all clear, found them pretty good. Last year was very expensive but this year a bit cheaper (still dearer than standard!) as I’ve had an operation. Be worth calling them. Good luck.

I have pre-existing conditions (many) and would never have went away without insurance until, whilst waiting on chemotherapy starting, I couldn't get any and at that point I did take a measured guess and did go without insurance. Mainly the decision to do so was based on the fact luckily I could have afforded private transport home if I needed to. Not sure even my partner would be able to sort travel insurance correctly for me!

InsuranceWith has been good for me in the past

I'd never travel without covering existing conditions. Try this site. I'm not sure you'd be able to answer the medical questions accurately as hhey ask a lot of detail.
https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/travel-insurance-directory#

Also he may need a letter from gp depending on what drugs/equipment he needs to take with him. Our gp charges £25 and says request at least a week in advance.

My bank account includes travel insurance and it doesn't require declaration of conditions. Don't suppose your friend has similar?

You're all gems, thank you so much. Will go forward with getting the full cover insurance for pre-existing then. It's such a minefield!

@Chewbecca I will see if I can sneakily find that out!

I do have a lot of insight into his conditions, and his sister manages any contact with GP so I'll check with her if he needs that letter @Cupofteaandcrackers

Thank you all, will pop back here if anything else frazzles me. If in doubt, I'd rather ask him and ruin the surprise than get him in a pickle, but I'm one step closer to the surprise going well!

I think you should book the holiday and speak to your friend about insurance when they know about the holiday.

You can't make declarations for him regarding his health.

Always get the pre-existing medical conditions cover. It just is not worth the risk.

I "only" have asthma, but I have been blue lighted into hospital before on oxygen and kept on oxygen for two days. There was no warning of that attack coming. If that happened to me on holiday without it declared on my insurance, I wouldn't be covered, if for example I missed my flight home and needed my medical bills covered and new flights.