Travelling with a Brain Abscess

What is a brain abscess?

A brain abscess is a swelling filled with pus that forms inside the brain, usually because bacteria or, less often, fungi have got into the brain tissue. They’re rare. It’s one of the more serious conditions in our infectious conditions section and always needs urgent hospital treatment.

The infection can spread from somewhere nearby, such as the ear, sinuses or a tooth, travel through the blood from elsewhere in the body, or follow a head injury or surgery. Treatment is with antibiotics, often for several weeks, and many people also need an operation to drain or remove the abscess. Recovery can take time, and some people are left with seizures or other after-effects. The NHS brain abscess page has the full picture.

Why do I need to declare a brain abscess for travel insurance?

A brain abscess is a serious infection, and once you’ve had one it’s a pre-existing medical condition. We ask because recovery can take months, and some people are left with seizures, headaches or weakness that could need urgent care abroad or lead to a cancelled trip.

If you don’t declare it, a claim connected to the abscess or anything it caused may be refused or reduced.

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 brain abscess?

It’s often possible, particularly once treatment has finished and you’re recovering well. Whether cover is offered depends on your screening result. Lasting effects such as epilepsy or another neurological problem, or treatment that is still going on, can influence the outcome.

What we’ll ask about your brain abscess

Declaring your brain abscess online doesn’t take long. The screening asks about how your recovery is going and whether you’ve had any seizures. After that, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions you have.

Once you’ve finished the medical declaration, you’ll go through to the quote page. If your brain abscess and your other conditions can be covered, you’ll see a list of quotes, and the premium shown includes the cost of cover for your medical. If we can’t provide cover, you’ll know before going any further.

If your health changes before travelling

Recovery after a brain abscess can be slow. If you have a seizure, you’re readmitted, you start new medicine, or you’re sent for more scans between now and departure, you must let us know. Your cover may need reviewing, we may need to refer your medical situation to the underwriters, and in some cases we may not be able to proceed with cover. If you don’t let us know of any changes in your medical, a future claim can be affected or denied.

What can brain abscess travel insurance cover?

Once the condition is accepted, a related emergency abroad can be covered. If you had a seizure in Portugal linked to your past abscess and needed hospital care, emergency treatment can be covered, and a medically supervised trip home can be too if doctors decide it’s necessary. Everything is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

If a setback in your recovery means your doctor tells you not to travel, cancellation cover may let you claim back costs you’ve already paid.

The policy won’t pay for planned scans or treatment abroad, or for anything linked to a condition that wasn’t declared.

Will a brain abscess affect the cost of travel insurance?

Possibly. Your price takes account of your medical history, so the outcome of online medical screening sets how much difference a brain abscess makes. The questions may touch on how it was treated and how well any after-effects are controlled now. Things that apply to every traveller, like age, destination and trip length, feed in as well. Check the quote before you buy and decide from there.

Single trip or annual cover after a brain abscess

A single trip policy covers one holiday, which may suit you while you’re still recovering. Later on, if you travel more, annual travel insurance might make sense. That will depend on the result of your screening.

Travelling after a brain abscess: practical tips

These general tips aren’t part of what your insurance covers.

Ask your neurosurgeon or consultant when it’s safe to fly, particularly if you’ve had an operation on your skull. Air can remain inside the head for a while after brain surgery, and changes in cabin pressure can be a problem until it has gone. Your team will know your case.

Fatigue is very common for months afterwards. A short trip close to home is often a better first holiday than a long-haul adventure. Build in rest and keep the plans flexible.

If you take anti-seizure medicine, keep to your usual times. Crossing time zones can confuse this, so ask your pharmacist how to adjust. Late nights, alcohol and missed sleep can make seizures more likely. Tell the people you’re travelling with what to do if you have one.

Carry a copy of your discharge summary and a list of your medicines. Doctors abroad will want to know about your surgery and treatment straight away if you become unwell. Severe headache, a new fever, confusion or drowsiness need urgent attention.

If you were left with weakness or balance problems, think about airport assistance and step-free accommodation. You can also read our page on meningitis, as the two conditions are sometimes linked.

How to get a quote

Tell us where you’re going, then declare the brain abscess and any after-effects in the screening. You’ll have a price before you decide.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Infectious Pages

• Abscesses Travel Insurance
• Brain Abscess Travel Insurance
• Breast Abscess Travel Insurance
• Cellulitis Travel Insurance
• Chickenpox Travel Insurance
• Glandular Fever Travel Insurance
• HIV Travel Insurance
• Influenza Travel Insurance
• Lyme Disease Travel Insurance
• Meningitis Travel Insurance
• Norovirus Travel Insurance
• Sepsis Travel Insurance
• Tuberculosis 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.