Travel Insurance for Congenital Heart Disease

What is congenital heart disease?

A congenital heart disease means that a person was born with problems regarding the structure of their heart. It might be a hole between two chambers, a narrowed valve or blood vessel, or a more complex arrangement. It’s one of the many heart conditions travellers are concerned about receiving cover for.

Some defects are minor and resolve on their own. Others need lifelong follow-up at a specialist centre, sometimes with further procedures as an adult. The NHS guide to congenital heart disease explains the common types and how they’re treated.

Why do I need to declare congenital heart disease for travel insurance?

Congenital heart disease is a pre-existing medical condition, even if the repair was done decades ago. We ask because some defects, and some childhood operations, can lead to rhythm problems, valve issues, or heart failure later in life, and these can flare up while you’re away from your usual specialist team.

If it isn’t on your policy and you need heart-related treatment abroad, 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 congenital heart disease?

Usually, yes. Screening looks at what the defect is, whether it has been repaired, and whether there are other issues such as rhythm problems, raised pressure in the lungs, or a planned operation. A minor defect that has closed or been repaired successfully is often more straightforward to cover than a complex one still under close follow-up.

What we’ll ask about your congenital heart disease

The medical screening is online and simple to complete. For your congenital heart disease, you may be asked about heart rhythm, treatment, or further specifics about the condition. When you’ve finished with this one, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

With the medical declaration complete, you’ll go through to the quote page. A list of quotes is shown if your congenital heart disease and any other conditions are coverable, and the premium quoted includes the cost of covering your medical. If we can’t offer cover, you’ll find that out before going any further.

If your health changes before travelling

There can be news from the cardiology clinic at any time. If the medication changes, there’s a hospital stay, there’s a referral for tests or surgery, or you receive a new diagnosis before you travel, you must let us know. We may have to review your cover and refer your medical details to the underwriters, and sometimes we may not be able to proceed with cover. If changes in your medical go unreported, a future claim can be affected or denied.

What can congenital heart disease travel insurance cover?

Once accepted, your heart condition can be covered for emergencies abroad. If you develop palpitations and breathlessness in Florida and need to be admitted, emergency medical treatment can be covered, along with getting you home with medical help if that becomes necessary. Cover is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

Should you or your child become too unwell to travel before the holiday, cancellation cover may pay back non-refundable costs.

The policy won’t pay for treatment you’ve arranged to have abroad, or for anything linked to a condition that wasn’t declared.

Will congenital heart disease affect the cost of travel insurance?

Congenital heart disease can change the price of cover, with our online medical screening deciding by how much. Depending on your history, it may ask how your heart condition has been treated over the years and how well it’s controlled now. The trip itself counts too: destination and length, plus your age. The quote shows the price clearly before you decide.

Single trip or annual cover with congenital heart disease

A single trip policy suits one holiday. Families who travel more often may find annual cover better value, depending on what the screening shows.

Travelling with congenital heart disease: practical tips

These are general pointers and aren’t part of what the policy covers.

Ask the specialist team who know your heart. Adult congenital heart services see a lot of travellers, and they can advise on long flights, hot climates and altitude in a way a general leaflet can’t. Some people with complex conditions or raised lung pressure need extra oxygen on a plane, which the airline arranges in advance.

Take a summary of the condition with you. A short letter or care summary describing the defect, what operations have been done and current medication will save time if you need to see a doctor abroad, especially where English isn’t widely spoken.

Look after your teeth and skin. Some people with congenital heart disease are at higher risk of endocarditis, an infection of the heart lining. Keeping up with dental check-ups before you go, and getting any infection or fever looked at promptly while you’re away, are sensible precautions.

If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, plan blood tests around the trip and be aware that changes in diet and alcohol on holiday can affect warfarin levels. Check any travel vaccines and antimalarials with your GP or a travel clinic, and look up your destination on TravelHealthPro.

People whose valves are affected might also find our heart valve disease page useful.

How to get a quote

Tell us about the trip, answer the medical questions for everyone travelling, and choose your cover. The price is there before you pay.

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.