Does diabetes affect travel insurance?
Written by Dr Ellen Welch
NHS GP and resident medical expert
Reviewed by Tracey Culwick
Travel Insurance Expert
Published
Updated
Short answer: yes, diabetes can affect the cost and terms of travel insurance, but cover is often available. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are pre-existing medical conditions, so declare your diabetes when buying a policy, even if it is managed without medication. Your insurer will ask about your treatment and any complications to assess whether it can offer cover and at what price.
If your diabetes is declared and accepted for cover, your policy can cover emergency medical treatment abroad related to it, subject to the policy’s terms, limits and exclusions.
If you don't declare it, you may not be covered for anything linked to your diabetes – and some insurers may refuse claims that seem unrelated, too.
Key takeaways
- Always declare all types of diabetes, and whether you manage it with insulin, tablets or diet alone.
- Expect a few extra questions – usually about your treatment, any recent hospital admissions and any complications.
- The effect on your premium depends on your individual circumstances. Well-managed diabetes without complications may be less expensive to insure than diabetes with complications.
- Your medical history, age, destination and trip length can affect the price. Cover for destinations with high medical costs, such as the USA, may cost more.
- A GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It does not cover the cost of bringing you home for medical reasons.
- Been turned down elsewhere? Specialist insurers like us, listed on the MoneyHelper travel insurance directory, cover people with more complex medical histories.
Why does diabetes affect travel insurance?
Travel insurance prices are based on how likely you are to claim and how much a claim could cost. Diabetes can occasionally lead to problems abroad that need medical treatment – such as a severe low blood sugar in people taking insulin or certain diabetes medicines, or complications of high blood sugar, including diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or an infection that is slower to heal. Travel itself can make blood sugar harder to manage. Changes in meal times, food, activity levels and temperature can affect blood sugar management. Crossing time zones can also mean adjusting medication schedules.
Planning ahead can help you manage these challenges. Insurers need to understand your diabetes, treatment and any complications to assess the risk, decide what cover they can offer and calculate your premium.
What will insurers ask about my diabetes?
When you declare diabetes, a medical screening will usually ask questions such as:
- Which type of diabetes you have – type 1, type 2 or another type
- How it's treated – insulin, tablets, other injectable medication or diet alone
- Hospital admissions – how many unplanned stays you've had for your diabetes, often in the last two to five years
- Complications – such as problems with your eyes (retinopathy), kidneys (nephropathy), nerves (neuropathy), feet or circulation
- Related conditions – such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease
- Recent changes – new medication, changes to your dose or outstanding tests and results
- Have your repeat prescription and a summary of your recent history to hand before you start. Answer every question as accurately as you can. If you're unsure, ask the insurer rather than guess.
How much does diabetes add to the cost of travel insurance?
There’s no single figure. The price depends on your diabetes, treatment, any complications and other medical conditions, as well as your age, destination and trip length. Insurers assess these factors differently, so the best way to find out is to get quotes for cover that includes your diabetes.
| Factor | Likely effect on price |
| Diabetes managed by diet or tablets, no complications | Small or no increase |
| Insulin-treated diabetes, no complications or recent admissions | Modest increase |
| Recent hospital admissions for hypos or DKA | Higher increase |
| Complications (eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart) | Higher increase – each may need declaring separately |
| Other medical conditions | Higher increase |
| Travelling to the USA, Canada or the Caribbean | Higher increase, because medical care costs more |
| Older age | Higher increase |
Think you have all the details you need? Get a quote with goodtogo now!
Do I need to declare diabetes on travel insurance?
Yes. You should always declare diabetes, even if it's well controlled or managed by diet alone. Insurers treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as pre-existing medical conditions.
If you don't declare it and later need to claim, your insurer may:
- refuse to pay for any treatment linked to your diabetes
- reduce or refuse other claims, if they decide you didn't answer their questions fully
- cancel your policy
You also need to tell your insurer if anything changes between buying your policy and travelling – for example, a new diagnosis, a change in medication or a hospital admission. Your policy will explain how to do this.
Does it matter if I have type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes generally requires lifelong insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes may be managed through diet and lifestyle, tablets, other injectable medicines, insulin or a combination of these.
For either type, insurers may ask about hospital admissions, complications and other medical conditions. The effect on your premium and cover depends on your individual circumstances and the insurer’s assessment.
In both cases, what usually affects your premium most is not the type of diabetes but how stable it is and whether you have complications.
What does travel insurance for diabetics cover?
If your diabetes has been declared and accepted for cover, your policy can include claims relating to it, subject to the policy’s terms, limits and exclusions. Depending on the cover you choose, benefits may include:
- Emergency medical treatment abroad, including hospital stays for a severe low blood sugar, DKA or other acute complications
- Medical repatriation-bringing you back to the UK when medically necessary and arranged or approved by your insurer’s assistance team.
- Cancellation or cutting your trip short if you or a close relative become unwell. T&Cs apply. Please make sure to read the policy wording carefully to undrstand what is and isn’t covered.
- Emergency replacement of lost or stolen medication, depending on your policy wording
What isn't usually covered?
- Any condition you didn't declare
- Routine diabetes care while you're away, such as check-ups or repeat prescriptions
- Travelling against your doctor's advice, or to get medical treatment abroad
- Travelling to a country the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against
- Claims arising from not taking your medication as prescribed
Always read your policy wording, including the limits for medical equipment such as insulin pumps, CGMs and glucose monitors.
Can I get travel insurance if I've been refused because of my diabetes?
You may still be able to find cover elsewhere. Insurers assess medical conditions differently, so being refused by one provider does not mean every insurer will decline you.
If you’re refused cover because of your diabetes, or offered a policy with a medical exclusion that cannot be removed, FCA rules generally require the provider to direct you to a specialist travel insurance directory, such as MoneyHelper or BIBA. Goodtogo is listed on the directory.
Avoid travelling with a policy that excludes your diabetes – if you need treatment abroad because of it, you'd have to pay the bills yourself.
Do I need travel insurance if I have a GHIC?
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you access to state healthcare in participating EU countries and some others, on the same terms as local residents. It covers urgent treatment needed because of your diabetes, but not routine monitoring.
A GHIC won't cover flying you home to the UK, cancelling your trip, or lost or stolen medication and equipment. You should travel with both a GHIC and travel insurance that covers your diabetes.
Tips for travelling with diabetes
Before you go
- Speak to your GP or diabetes team,about managing medication across time zones, particularly if you use insulin and especially if you're crossing time zones or changing your insulin routine
- Request a travel letter explaining your medication and equipment needs, and take a recent prescription. Allow time to arrange this; a fee may apply.
- Arrange extra medication, supplies and backup equipment in case of delays or device failure. Diabetes UK recommends taking two to three times your usual requirements.
- Check which travel vaccinations you need well before departure.
- Buy travel insurance that explicitly covers your diabetes. Check whether a GHIC is valid at your destination and apply if eligible.
At the airport and on the plane
- Keep all insulin and equipment in your hand luggage –Hold temperatures may damage insulin, and checked bags can go missing
- Tell security staff you're carrying insulin and sharps, and have your letter ready
- If you use an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM), check manufacturer guidance and airport arrangements before travelling. At UK airports, ask for alternative screening for these devices, including spares, rather than putting them through X-ray machines or body scanners.
- Keep snacks and, if you are at risk of hypos, fast-acting glucose within easy reach.
- Consider dividing spare supplies between your hand luggage and a travelling companion’s cabin bag, while keeping what you need during the journey with you.
While you're away
- If you monitor your glucose, you may need to check it more often because heat, different meals and activity can affect levels. Agree a plan with your diabetes team.
- Follow the storage instructions for your insulin. Protect it from heat and freezing; use a suitable cooling wallet when needed and never place insulin directly against ice packs.
- Wear well-fitting footwear and check your feet daily for blisters or cuts, especially if you have reduced sensation or circulation problems.
- Carry ID or a medical alert bracelet showing you have diabetes
- Keep your insurer's 24-hour emergency number to hand