Declaring Medical Conditions on UK Travel Insurance: What Counts, and What Happens If You Don't
One undeclared condition can void every medical claim on your trip, including claims with nothing to do with it. Here is exactly what the screening questions capture, what the FCA's signposting rule now entitles you to, and why a GHIC is not the safety net people assume.
The short version
- Non-disclosure can void your entire medical section, not merely the undeclared condition. A broken ankle claim can fail because of an undeclared heart condition.
- The common screening standard captures anything treated, investigated or seen by a doctor in roughly the last two years, anything awaiting tests or surgery, and serious conditions ever.
- From 1 January 2026 the FCA's medical signposting threshold rose from £100 to £200, and will be re-indexed to CPI every five years.
- If a quote is declined or loaded above that threshold, the insurer must direct you to a specialist provider rather than simply turning you away.
- A GHIC covers state healthcare in the EU. It does not cover repatriation, private treatment, cancellation, or baggage — and repatriation is the expensive part.
The short answer
Travel insurers price medical risk from what you tell them at the point of sale. If a screening question captures a condition and you do not declare it, the insurer can decline the whole medical and repatriation section of your claim — not just the part connected to that condition. That asymmetry is what makes non-disclosure so much more expensive than the extra premium ever would have been.
It is also worth saying plainly that declaring is usually cheaper than people fear. Most conditions are accepted for a modest additional premium; outright refusal is uncommon, and there is now a regulatory route when it happens.
What the screening questions actually capture
Wording varies between insurers, but the widely used standard is close to the definition MoneyHelper publishes. Read it as a broad net rather than a narrow one — the questions capture investigation and advice, not only diagnosis and treatment.
Two traps recur. The first is the well-managed condition: blood pressure controlled by medication for a decade still counts, because the medication is itself the answer to the question. The second is the pending investigation — a referral you have been given but not yet attended is squarely within scope, and is one of the most commonly omitted items.
- Anything treated, investigated, or seen by a doctor within roughly the last two years.
- Anything you are currently awaiting tests, results, referral, or surgery for.
- Any serious condition at any point in your life — cancer, cardiac, respiratory, neurological, and similar.
- Any prescribed medication you currently take, including repeat prescriptions for a stable condition.
- Any condition under review, monitoring, or routine follow-up, even if you feel entirely well.
Why it matters more than it seems
Insurers reserve the right to decline the entire medical section for material non-disclosure. A claim for an unrelated injury can be refused because of a condition you never mentioned.
The FCA signposting rule, and what changed in 2026
Travellers with serious medical histories were historically quoted a refusal or an unaffordable premium and simply left to give up. The FCA's signposting regime exists to stop that. Where an insurer declines cover or loads the medical premium above a threshold, it must direct the customer to a directory of specialist providers who can handle the risk.
From 1 January 2026 that threshold rose from £100 to £200, set out in the FCA's Handbook Notice 133, and it is to be re-indexed to CPI every five years. The increase widens the band in which a mainstream insurer must either quote a fair price or hand you on to somebody who will, rather than leaving you at a dead end.
The practical instruction is simple: if you are refused, or quoted a medical loading that looks punitive, ask explicitly to be signposted. Specialist medical travel insurers routinely cover conditions that mainstream comparison sites will not price at all, and a declined mainstream quote says very little about whether affordable cover exists.
What a GHIC does and does not do
The UK Global Health Insurance Card gives access to state-provided medically necessary healthcare in the EU on the same basis as a local resident. That is genuinely valuable and it is free. It is not travel insurance, and the gap between the two is where the large bills live.
Repatriation is the line that matters most. Bringing an ill or injured patient home — sometimes by air ambulance, sometimes with a medical escort on a scheduled flight — is routinely the largest single element of a serious travel claim, and no GHIC contributes to it. The card also does nothing at all outside the countries it covers.
| Scenario | GHIC | Travel insurance |
|---|---|---|
| State hospital treatment in the EU | Yes | Yes |
| Treatment in a private clinic | No | Usually yes |
| Medical repatriation to the UK | No | Yes |
| Cancelling the trip before you go | No | Yes, if the reason is covered |
| Lost baggage or delay | No | Yes |
| Travel outside the EU | No | Yes, per the policy region |
Getting a fair price once you have declared
Declaring honestly does not mean accepting the first number you are shown. The medical loading is the most variable component of a travel policy, and the spread between providers on the same declared history is often large.
If a condition changes after you buy — a new diagnosis, a new medication, a referral — tell the insurer before you travel. Most policies impose a continuing duty to disclose material changes between purchase and departure, and a condition that arises in that window is precisely the sort of thing that is later found to have voided the medical section.
- Screen with several providers, including specialist medical travel insurers rather than only comparison sites.
- For a stable condition, an annual multi-trip policy is often better value than repeated single-trip screening, and it removes the temptation to under-declare on a short break.
- Check the medical excess separately from the premium. A low headline price with a high medical excess is a different product.
- Confirm the repatriation limit and the emergency assistance line, which are the parts you would actually rely on.
- Keep a copy of exactly what you declared, with the date. If a claim is ever questioned, that record is your defence.
Common questions
What happens if I do not declare a medical condition?
The insurer can decline the entire medical and repatriation section of a claim for material non-disclosure — including claims unrelated to the undeclared condition. In practice that can mean a refused claim on a broken bone because a heart condition was never mentioned.
Do I need to declare a condition that is under control?
Yes, if it falls within the screening questions, and a controlled condition usually does. Ongoing medication is itself a declarable item, so long-managed high blood pressure or thyroid treatment still needs to be disclosed even though you feel perfectly well.
What is the FCA signposting threshold in 2026?
£200, raised from £100 with effect from 1 January 2026 under FCA Handbook Notice 133, and due to be re-indexed to CPI every five years. Where cover is refused or the medical premium exceeds the threshold, the insurer must signpost you to a directory of specialist providers.
Is a GHIC enough for a trip to Europe?
No. A GHIC gives access to state healthcare on local terms but pays nothing toward repatriation to the UK, private treatment, cancellation or baggage. Repatriation alone is usually the largest cost in a serious claim, so the card complements travel insurance rather than replacing it.
I was refused cover because of my medical history. What now?
Ask the insurer to signpost you, which it is obliged to do where cover is declined or loaded above the threshold. Specialist medical travel insurers price conditions that mainstream providers will not, and a mainstream refusal is a poor guide to whether affordable cover is available.
Do I need to tell the insurer if my health changes before I travel?
Yes. Most policies impose a continuing duty to disclose material changes between buying the policy and departing. A new diagnosis, a new medication or a new referral in that window should be reported before you travel.
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Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or investment advice. Tax laws change and individual circumstances differ — consult a qualified professional before acting. World Best Insurer does not sell insurance and has no commercial relationship with any insurer or tax advisor mentioned.