Travel Insurance for Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What is coronavirus (COVID-19)?

COVID-19 is an infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It affects the airways and lungs, so it’s grouped with our other respiratory conditions. For most people it feels like a cold or mild flu, with a cough, high temperature, sore throat, or tiredness, and passes within a few days to a couple of weeks.

Some people become much more unwell and may need hospital care, particularly if they are older or have a weakened immune system. A smaller group have symptoms that carry on for weeks or months afterwards, known as long COVID. The NHS COVID-19 pages cover symptoms, treatments, and vaccination.

Why do I need to declare COVID-19 for travel insurance?

A mild case that has cleared up is unlikely to matter. But if you’re still unwell, were admitted to hospital, are under follow-up, or have long COVID, it may count as a pre-existing medical condition. We need to know because lingering breathlessness, fatigue or heart and lung complications can make treatment abroad or a cancelled trip more likely. If it should have been declared and wasn’t, a related 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 if I’ve had COVID-19?

Usually, yes. Having had COVID-19 doesn’t in itself stop you getting a policy. Whether cover is offered tends to depend on how recent the infection was, whether you’re still being treated, and any lasting effects such as breathlessness, post-viral fatigue or heart and lung complications. Catching COVID-19 for the first time while you’re away is normally treated as a new illness.

What we’ll ask about COVID-19

It only takes a few minutes to get through the online medical screening. The questions about COVID-19 focus on how recently you had COVID-19 and whether you’re still having symptoms. Once that’s done, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

Once everything is declared, you’ll reach the quote page. If cover is available for COVID-19 and your other conditions, you’ll see a choice of quotes, each with the cost of your medical cover included in the premium. Should we be unable to cover you, you’ll know before proceeding.

If your health changes before travelling

Recovery from COVID-19 can be uneven. If, before your trip, you have a hospital stay, your medication changes, you’re referred for tests, or you receive a new diagnosis, 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 COVID-19 travel insurance cover?

Emergency treatment can be covered if you catch COVID-19 for the first time abroad, or if long COVID or other lasting effects have been declared and accepted. Say you became seriously ill in Thailand and needed hospital care, or a doctor decided you needed medical help to fly home. Those costs can be claimed, subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits, and excess. Cover for things like extra accommodation if you have to isolate varies a lot, so check the Policy Wording.

If you test positive or are too ill to travel before departure and a doctor advises you not to go, cancellation cover may help with non-refundable costs.

It won’t pay for planned treatment abroad, cancelling because you’ve changed your mind about travelling, or claims connected to a condition you didn’t declare.

Will COVID-19 affect the cost of travel insurance?

That depends on whether it needs declaring at all. If it does, our online medical screening works out any effect on the price, and it may ask how your illness was treated and whether any lingering symptoms are controlled. As with any trip, your age, where you’re heading and how long you’ll be away are factored in. The price is shown before you buy.

Single trip or annual cover after COVID-19

Booking one trip? Single trip travel insurance will do the job. Frequent travellers may find annual travel insurance better value, depending on your screening result.

Travelling after COVID-19: practical tips

These are general tips and aren’t part of your cover.

Don’t rush back to a packed itinerary. Even after a mild infection, some people feel tired for a while. If you’ve had long COVID, plan a gentler pace, with rest days, and avoid booking early flights straight after late nights.

Check whether you’re eligible for a COVID-19 or flu vaccine before you go, especially if you’re in a higher-risk group. A few countries still have health entry requirements, so look at the GOV.UK foreign travel advice for where you’re going.

Pack a few basics, such as paracetamol, a thermometer and a couple of lateral flow tests if you want them. If you start to feel unwell on holiday, stay away from others where you can.

If breathlessness has been a problem since the infection, mention your travel plans to your GP, particularly if you’re flying long-haul or going somewhere high up.

How to get a quote

Add your trip details, complete the medical questions, and choose your cover level. The price is shown before you buy.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Respiratory Pages

• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Travel Insurance
• Asthma Travel Insurance
• Bronchiolitis Travel Insurance
• Bronchitis Travel Insurance
• COPD Travel Insurance
• COVID-19 Travel Insurance
• Cystic Fibrosis Travel Insurance
• Laryngitis Travel Insurance
• Pneumonia Travel Insurance
• Respiratory Tract Infections Travel Insurance
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Travel Insurance
• Silicosis Travel Insurance
• Sleep Apnoea 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.