Travel Insurance for Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a long-term condition where the level of sugar (glucose) in your blood is too high, because your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly. It’s the most common condition in our diabetes and hormonal conditions section.

Type 1 diabetes happens when the immune system destroys the cells that make insulin, so people with it need insulin every day. Type 2 is far more common and is often managed with diet, tablets, or injections, and sometimes insulin as well. There is also gestational diabetes, which develops during pregnancy. The NHS diabetes page describes the different types and how they’re treated.

Why do I need to declare diabetes for travel insurance?

Diabetes is a pre-existing medical condition, whether it’s type 1, type 2,or controlled by diet alone. We need to know about it because it can lead to problems abroad, such as an episode of hypoglycaemia, high blood sugar during a stomach bug, or a foot infection that needs treatment. Long-term complications affecting the heart, kidneys, or eyes also raise the chance of needing medical help. If diabetes isn’t on your policy and you claim for something connected to it, that 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 diabetes?

For most people, yes. Diabetes is one of the most common conditions people travel with, and many policies can include it. Whether yours can be covered depends on how your diabetes is treated and whether it has caused complications. Problems with your eyes, kidneys, feet or heart, a recent hospital admission or episodes of very low blood sugar can all make a difference to what the screening offers.

What we’ll ask about your diabetes

The online medical screening is short and easy to get through. It asks a few things about your diabetes, how your diabetes is treated and whether you have any complications. When you’re done declaring this condition, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

After the declaration, you’ll be taken to the quote page. You’ll be shown a list of quotes if your diabetes and your other conditions are coverable, and each premium includes the cost of cover for your medical. If we’re unable to offer cover, you’ll be told before you proceed.

If your health changes before travelling

Diabetes treatment can change between check-ups. If you have a new complication, you move onto insulin or change treatment in another way, you have a hospital stay, or you’re referred to a specialist before you travel, you must let us know. Your cover might need another look, your medical situation may have to go to the underwriters, and in some cases we may not be able to continue with cover. A future claim can be affected or denied if a change in your medical isn’t reported.

What can diabetes travel insurance cover?

When your diabetes has been accepted, emergency treatment abroad related to it can be covered. For example, if you had a bad hypo in Greece and needed an ambulance and a night in hospital, those costs could be claimed. Repatriation to the UK can also be covered when it’s medically necessary. All claims are subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

Should your diabetes, or a complication of it, stop you from travelling, cancellation cover may help with prepaid costs that can’t be refunded.

The policy isn’t designed to pay for routine supplies, planned care abroad or anything connected to an undeclared condition. Lost or stolen medication may be covered under some policies, so check the wording.

Will diabetes affect the cost of travel insurance?

Diabetes can make a difference to the price, though the size of it rests on your screening outcome. Through our online medical screening you may be asked how your diabetes is treated and if you have other associated conditions. Beyond that, a quote takes in ordinary details like age, destination, and trip duration. The cost is shown up front, so you can see it before paying.

Single trip or annual cover with diabetes

Lots of people with diabetes travel several times a year, and annual travel insurance can cover all those trips under one policy if your screening result allows it. For a single holiday, single trip travel insurance does the job.

Travelling with diabetes: practical tips

None of this is part of your cover. It’s general advice that people with diabetes often find helpful.

Pack twice the supplies you think you’ll need, including insulin, needles, test strips, sensors and hypo treatments, and keep them in your hand luggage. Insulin shouldn’t go in the hold, where it can freeze. A letter from your GP or diabetes team explaining your medicines and devices will help at security.

Heat changes how fast insulin is absorbed and can push blood sugar down, while insulin itself spoils if it gets too hot. A cool wallet keeps it at a safe temperature on the beach or on a day trip. Check your levels more often than you would at home, especially if you’re walking more or swimming.

Crossing time zones can upset injection times. Talk to your diabetes nurse before a long-haul flight about how to adjust. Snacks are worth carrying on the plane and on excursions, as meals don’t always arrive on time.

Look after your feet. New sandals, hot sand and long walks cause blisters, and if you have nerve damage you may not notice them. Check your feet each evening and treat any cut early.

If you have frequent hypos or diabetic retinopathy, those are worth declaring too. Our guide to travelling abroad with medication has more on carrying insulin and sharps.

How to get a quote

Enter your trip, answer the diabetes questions and declare anything else on your medical record that the screening asks about. Choose your cover and you’ll see the price straight away.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Diabetes & Hormonal Pages

• Addison's Disease Travel Insurance
• Cushing's Syndrome Travel Insurance
• Diabetes Travel Insurance
• Hyperparathyroidism Travel Insurance
• Hypoparathyroidism Travel Insurance
• Low Blood Sugar Travel Insurance
• Menopause & HRT Travel Insurance
• Overactive Thyroid Travel Insurance
• Thyroiditis Travel Insurance
• Underactive Thyroid 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.