Travel Insurance for a Blood Clot

What are blood clots?

Clotting is how the body stops bleeding after a cut. Problems start when a clot forms inside a blood vessel where it shouldn’t, and blocks the flow of blood. Clots in the veins are the most common type, and they belong with other blood and circulatory conditions that need declaring for travel insurance.

A clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg, is called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If part of it breaks off and travels to the lungs, that’s a pulmonary embolism, which is a medical emergency. Clots in arteries can cause heart attacks and strokes. Most people are treated with anticoagulants (blood thinners) for at least a few months. More information is on the NHS page for DVTs.

Why do I need to declare a blood clot for travel insurance?

A blood clot, whether recent or some years ago, is treated as a pre-existing medical condition. We ask because having had one raises the chance of another, and long flights, time sitting still and dehydration can add to that risk. Blood thinners also bring a small risk of excessive bleeding, which might need treatment while you’re away.

If you decide not to declare a blood clot or thrombosis on your policy, a related claim payout could be refused.

You won’t need to declare every medical condition you’ve ever had or been diagnosed with, only those that fall into the initial set of medical questions.

Can I get travel insurance after a blood clot?

Generally, yes, and what’s offered comes down to your medical screening result. How recent the clot was makes a real difference. So does where it was, whether you’ve had more than one, whether you’re still on blood thinners, and whether there’s an underlying cause such as cancer or a clotting disorder.

What we’ll ask about your blood clot

Our online screening is easy to follow. It asks a few questions about your blood clot, including when it happened and the blood thinner you take. When you’ve declared this condition, carry on with any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

Finishing the medical declaration takes you through to the quote page. Provided your blood clot and your other declared conditions can be covered, you’ll be presented with a list of quotes. The premium you see already includes cover for your medical, and if we cannot provide cover, you’ll know before going ahead.

If your health changes before travelling

Clots can come back, and treatment can change. If you have another clot, you switch to a different blood thinner, you have a stay in hospital, or you’re referred for more tests between now and departure, you must let us know. We may need to review your cover or refer your medical situation to the underwriters, and occasionally we may not be able to proceed with cover. Any change in your medical you don’t tell us about could mean a future claim is affected or denied.

What can blood clot travel insurance cover?

Once you've completed the medical declaration and bought your policy, you can receive cover for blood clot-related complications while abroad. If you develop a swollen, painful leg after a long flight to Florida and are diagnosed with another DVT, the hospital treatment can be covered, and so can repatriation if you need medical help to get home. Everything is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

Should a new clot before departure stop you travelling, cancellation cover may also be able to help with costs you can’t get back.

Planned treatment overseas and conditions you haven’t declared fall outside the cover.

Will a blood clot affect the cost of travel insurance?

A past clot can have an effect on the premium. The figure comes from your answers to our online medical screening, which may cover how the clot was treated and how well things are controlled now. As for anyone else, your age, trip length and destination make a difference too. You’ll always see what it costs before you pay.

Single trip or annual cover after a blood clot

Single trip cover is designed for one journey, while annual travel insurance covers all your trips for a year. Whether you can have annual cover depends on your screening result.

Travelling after a blood clot: practical tips

Here’s some general advice. It isn’t part of your insurance policy.

Long journeys of four hours or more, whether by plane, coach or car, slightly raise the risk of a clot because you sit still for so long. Walk around when you can, do ankle circles and calf raises in your seat, and avoid sleeping in one position for hours. Choose an aisle seat if possible.

Drink plenty of water and keep alcohol modest on the journey. Loose, comfortable clothing helps too.

Ask your GP or specialist whether you should wear compression stockings, and if so, get them properly fitted before you go. Don’t buy them off the shelf at the airport and guess the size.

If you’re on blood thinners, take enough for the whole trip and keep to your usual times. Some anticoagulants interact with alcohol or certain foods, and warfarin needs regular blood tests, so ask your anticoagulation clinic how to manage a long trip. Be a bit more careful with activities where you could fall or cut yourself badly.

Learn the warning signs: pain or swelling in one leg, sudden breathlessness, chest pain or coughing up blood. Any of these needs urgent medical help.

How to get a quote

Put in your travel plans, answer the screening questions about your clot and any other conditions, and pick a cover level. You’ll know the cost before you buy.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Circulatory Pages

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Travel Insurance
• Atherosclerosis Travel Insurance
• Blood Clots Travel Insurance
• Brain Aneurysm Travel Insurance
• Cardiovascular Disease Travel Insurance
• Deep Vein Thrombosis Travel Insurance
• Haemophilia Travel Insurance
• High Blood Pressure Travel Insurance
• High Cholesterol Travel Insurance
• Iron Deficiency Anaemia Travel Insurance
• Kawasaki Disease Travel Insurance
• Low Blood Pressure Travel Insurance
• Lymphoedema Travel Insurance
• Peripheral Vascular Disease Travel Insurance
• Pulmonary Embolism Travel Insurance
• Pulmonary Hypertension Travel Insurance
• Sickle Cell Disease Travel Insurance
• Stroke Travel Insurance
• Thalassaemia Travel Insurance
• Transient Ischaemic Attack Travel Insurance
• Varicose Veins Travel Insurance
• Vascular Dementia Travel Insurance

Don't worry if your condition is not listed above - we cover plenty more medical conditions.
* Please note that cover will vary depending on individual medical screenings.