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It’s important to purchase travel insurance when going abroad to make sure you’re covered if the worst happens.

But it can be even more critical to do this if you have a pre-existing medical condition – even if it can end up costing you more.

Some providers will only cover you for medical emergencies that are unrelated to pre-existing conditions. 

This means if you’ve been to the hospital or GP, or you’ve taken any medication for a medical condition in the last two years, you’ll need specialist insurance.

According to research from travel insurer AllClear, a third of travellers with pre-existing medical conditions admitted they won’t declare all of them when buying insurance.

AllClear says this is part of a larger trend in which travellers are placing less emphasis on safety abroad, and more on cutting costs.

Here are some tips to ensure you get cover that won’t break the bank in the process:

Don’t assume you’ll get automatic cover for your pre-existing conditions

If it isn’t stated in your policy documents that your medical conditions are included, they’re probably not.

Your best bet is to ask the insurer directly to have your conditions added. If it’s unclear, it’s always best to contact them to make sure you’re covered.

Check the small print

Don’t just look at the cost of your policy. It’s important to also check the small print to ensure you’re covered in the right away.

Look at the “policy exclusions” section of the policy wording, which place limits on other sections – for example, in some cases ruling out claims related to pandemics.

Make sure you shop around for the best deal

It should go without saying that going with the very first insurer you find without shopping around is bad practise.

There will almost always be a better deal available for you elsewhere, and there are plenty of tools to help make this an easy process.

Hop on to a price comparison website to check the prices of all the mainstream insurers, then try to track down some of the more specialist insurers.

These specialise in covering customers with medical conditions – and so may be able to cover you where a bigger provider won’t, and at a more reasonable cost.

The British Insurance Brokers’ Association has a list of insurers that cover serious medical conditions here. 

Be truthful when applying

If your exact medical condition isn’t mentioned in your policy, it might not be valid if you end up with medical bills or cancellation costs.

You must be upfront about your conditions, and be truthful when answering questions.