Compare travel insurance after a heart attack
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Key things to know about travel insurance for heart attack survivors
- Specialist Protection: Standard policies often exclude cardiovascular history; specialist cover ensures you are protected for emergency cardiac care, stent complications, and medication replacement abroad.
- Repatriation Costs: Medical flights for heart conditions can cost between £10,000 and over £100,0001 depending on the destination; comprehensive policies cover these expenses plus 24/7 medical assistance and hospital stays.
- Stability & Testing: Insurers usually require a 3–6 month "stability period" after a heart attack and are likely to exclude claims if you are currently awaiting tests/the results of tests. But it may still be possible to get cover from a specialist insurer, depending on what those tests are.
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Compare travel insurance after heart attack
Because of specialist insurers that are built to help people like yourself, with manageable conditions, you can still enjoy travelling, even after having a heart attack, or having stents fitted. Whatever your age, you can still explore the world with the peace of mind knowing your travel insurance has you covered.
Comparing policies can also help you to find the right policy for your trip at a fair price. You can compare benefits, e.g., medication cover, and find the right balance between cost and cover. The ‘right’ policy looks different for everyone, but generally it should:
- Cover you for your heart condition and any other pre-existing medical conditions
- Cover all the activities you’re planning to do
- Is available at a price you think is fair
What does travel insurance after a heart attack cover?
Emergency Medical Expenses | You're covered for any hospital stays, surgery, and consultations if you suffer a cardiac event while you’re abroad. |
Medical Repatriation | If you’re unable to return home on a commercial flight due to illness, the cost of repatriation with an air ambulance is usually covered. |
Cancellation and Curtailment | If you have to cancel your trip or end it early because of a medical emergency, you can claim back any non-refundable costs. |
Stent and procedure complications | Any complications from coronary stent surgeries are covered. |
Medication Management | You're able to use your insurance to replace any stolen or lost cardiac medications, e.g., blood thinners or statins. |
Why you need specialist travel insurance after a heart attack
Many standard travel insurance policies exclude most pre-existing medical conditions. So, having any history of cardiovascular issues can make it very difficult to find standard insurance policies for your trip. A specialist insurer is designed to deal with the higher risk of people with heart conditions.
This means that if your heart condition flares up while on holiday abroad and you need specialist care, you'll be covered for any hospital stays, and medication. Without specialist travel insurance, a minor flare-up could leave you with a medical bill ranging from £10,000 to £150,000 depending on where it happened.
What is not covered by travel insurance after a heart attack?
Travelling against medical advice | If a doctor has advised you not to travel, any claim you make while on holiday will be rejected. |
Awaiting further tests or surgery | If you are currently on a waiting list for an MRI or a bypass operation, most insurers will exclude any claims until you have positive results of those procedures, and have successfully recovered from them. |
Have undiagnosed symptoms | If you are suffering from new related symptoms such as chest pains or breathlessness but haven't seen a doctor, these are classed as "undiagnosed" and are usually strictly excluded. |
How much does travel insurance after a heart attack cost?
The following factors can influence your travel insurance costs after having a heart attack:
- Destination – Travelling to the USA, instead of France, for example, makes travel insurance more expensive because of the very high healthcare costs.
- Time since your last heart attack – Generally, the longer the period since your last heart attack, the lower the risk. Usually you’ll pay a much higher premium if your heart attack was 6 months ago than if it was 5 years ago.
- Age – As you get older, insurers see you as a higher risk as the likelihood of illness and injury increases, which pushes premium prices up.
- Medical stability – If your medication has changed recently, this will also impact the cost.
- Other medical conditions – If you also have other pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or asthma, the price of your premium is likely to be higher. But, if these conditions are well managed, the increase can be negligible.
While cover from a specialist insurer is generally more expensive, it’s still great value for money, as you won’t have to worry about paying tens of thousands of pounds in medical costs if you were to get ill while on your trip.
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Tips on finding affordable travel insurance after a heart attack
To lower the cost of your premium, consider doing the following:
- Increase your voluntary excess – This can help to reduce your premium, but make sure that you can comfortably afford the higher excess cost. For example, if your original excess charge for making a claim is £50, you can increase it to £150.
- Choose a cheaper destination – When it comes to travel insurance, travelling within Europe is usually significantly cheaper than visiting the US, which has the highest medical costs in the world. Always carry a valid GHIC or EHIC; while not a substitute for insurance, it can reduce the financial burden on your insurer for state-provided care, which some providers reward with lower rates.
- Disclose your full medical history – It's important to be fully transparent during your medical screening. Even if one of your conditions feels minor, if you don’t declare it, it invalidates your policy.
Use PayingTooMuch to compare all the options available to find the right travel insurance policy that will cover your heart condition.