Travel Insurance for Cardiomyopathy

What is cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is the name for diseases of the heart muscle. It sits within the wider group of heart conditions, and the common thread is that the muscle becomes stretched, thickened or stiff, so the heart has to work harder to pump blood. Some people have few symptoms for years. Others notice breathlessness, swollen ankles, palpitations or tiredness that gets in the way of everyday life.

There are several types, including dilated, hypertrophic and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, and some run in families. Treatment ranges from tablets and regular check-ups to a pacemaker or an implanted defibrillator (ICD). The NHS cardiomyopathy page explains the different types in more detail.

Why do I need to declare cardiomyopathy for travel insurance?

Cardiomyopathy is a pre-existing medical condition, and we need to know about it because a weakened or thickened heart muscle can lead to heart failure, an abnormal rhythm or fainting. Flying, heat and a busier pace than usual can put extra strain on the heart, so the chance of needing emergency care abroad may be higher.

If it’s not declared and you need treatment connected to your heart, the claim could 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 with cardiomyopathy?

Often you can. For cardiomyopathy, the details that tend to count are how stable things have been, any recent hospital admissions, whether you have heart failure or an abnormal heart rhythm alongside it, and whether you have a device fitted or are waiting for one. Stable cardiomyopathy with regular follow-up is generally easier to cover than a condition that has recently got worse.

What we’ll ask about your cardiomyopathy

Our online screening is easy to follow. It asks a few questions about your cardiomyopathy, including the type of cardiomyopathy you have and the medication 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 cardiomyopathy 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

Heart conditions can move on between appointments. If your tablets are changed, you’re admitted to hospital, you’re referred for further investigation, or you’re diagnosed with something new 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 cardiomyopathy travel insurance cover?

When cardiomyopathy is accepted on your policy, emergency medical treatment abroad can be covered if your heart causes problems on holiday. Say you become very breathless in Lanzarote and are admitted to hospital with fluid on the lungs. The hospital bills, and repatriation to the UK with medical support if that’s needed, can be covered, subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

If your condition gets worse before you leave and your doctor says you shouldn’t go, cancellation cover may help you recover non-refundable costs.

Planned treatment abroad isn’t covered, and nor is anything connected to a condition you haven’t declared.

Will cardiomyopathy affect the cost of travel insurance?

Your premium may reflect your cardiomyopathy, and how far it does is settled by our online medical screening. Questions there may cover how you’re treated and how well your condition is controlled. Away from your health, your age, where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone all feed in. Check the price once it appears; you don’t pay until you’re happy with it.

Single trip or annual cover with cardiomyopathy

For one holiday, single trip cover keeps things simple. If you travel a few times a year, annual travel insurance could be worth comparing. Whether annual cover is available will depend on your screening result.

Travelling with cardiomyopathy: practical tips

The suggestions below are general advice and aren’t part of your policy.

Pace the trip to suit your heart. Long walks between airport gates can be tiring, and most airports will arrange free assistance if you book it ahead with your airline. Hilly towns and lots of stairs are worth checking for before you book a hotel.

Heat matters more than people expect. Hot weather can make you lose fluid and salt, which affects some heart medicines, while others work by limiting how much fluid you keep. If you’re on diuretics or a fluid restriction, ask your heart team how to manage this in a hot country rather than guessing.

If you have a pacemaker or ICD, carry your device card. Show it at security; you can usually ask for a hand search instead of walking through the arch. Your cardiology team can tell you if there’s a device clinic near where you’re staying.

High altitude can put extra strain on the heart, so mention any mountain trips or high cities to your specialist before you book. Keep your tablets in your hand luggage with some spare, and take a list of your medicines with their generic names. Our guide to travelling abroad with medication covers the rest.

If your cardiomyopathy causes an irregular rhythm, our arrhythmia page has more on that side of things, and there’s a separate page on heart failure.

How to get a quote

Enter where and when you’re going, declare your cardiomyopathy along with any other conditions, and the price is shown before you commit to anything.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Heart Pages

• Angina Travel Insurance
• Aortic Valve Disease Travel Insurance
• Arrhythmia Travel Insurance
• Atrial Fibrillation Travel Insurance
• Cardiomyopathy Travel Insurance
• Congenital Heart Disease Travel Insurance
• Coronary Heart Disease Travel Insurance
• Endocarditis Travel Insurance
• Heart Attack Travel Insurance
• Heart Conditions Travel Insurance
• Heart Failure Travel Insurance
• Heart Valve Disease Travel Insurance
• Pericarditis Travel Insurance
• Supraventricular Tachycardia 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.