Travel Insurance for an Ear Infection

What is an ear infection?

Ear infections are very common in both children and adults, and usually present in two different kinds. A middle ear infection (otitis media) causes a pressure behind the eardrum, resulting in earache and muffled hearing. An outer ear infection (otitis externa), also called swimmer's ear, affects the ear canal and is usually due to water getting trapped in the ear. Both are part of the wider group of ear, nose and throat conditions.

Most ear infections get better on their own within about three days, though some last a week or so. Painkillers help with the discomfort, and a GP may prescribe drops or antibiotics if needed. More on symptoms and when to get help is on the NHS ear infections page.

Why do I need to declare an ear infection for travel insurance?

An ear infection you have right now, or ones that keep coming back, can count as a pre-existing medical condition when you buy a policy. We need to know about it because an active or recurrent infection is more likely to flare up on a flight or after a swim abroad. That can mean seeing a doctor overseas, or even cancelling if it gets bad in the days before you go. If it should have been declared and wasn’t, a claim connected to it could be refused or the payout 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 an ear infection?

In most cases, yes. A one-off ear infection that has cleared up usually isn’t something that affects your cover. Recurrent or long-lasting ear infections are where the screening tends to dig a bit deeper, particularly if you’ve got grommets, a perforated eardrum, or you’re waiting to see an ENT specialist. Your result decides what can be offered.

What we’ll ask about your ear infection

Our online medical screening is quick and straightforward. You’ll answer a handful of questions about your ear infection, covering how recently you had it and whether it keeps coming back. Once this condition is done, carry on and declare any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

When the medical declaration is complete, you’ll move on to the quote page. Where your ear infection and any other conditions are coverable, a list of quotes appears, with the cost of covering your medical already built into the premium. If cover isn’t possible, you’ll find out before you proceed.

If your health changes before travelling

Ear infections can return at short notice. If, before your trip, you have a fresh infection, you start a new course of antibiotics, you’re referred to ENT, or you visit hospital, 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 ear infection travel insurance cover?

An ear infection that starts on holiday, when you were fine before you left, is normally treated as a new illness rather than a pre-existing one. Swimmer’s ear after a week of pool days in Florida is a typical example. Seeing a local doctor and any prescribed treatment can be claimed under the emergency medical section, subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess. Medical bills in the US can be high, so this is where cover really counts.

If you’ve declared recurrent ear infections and they’ve been accepted, related emergency treatment abroad can be covered in the same way, along with medical repatriation in the unlikely event it’s needed. A bad infection just before you go that means a doctor tells you not to travel may be claimable through cancellation cover.

There’s no cover for planned ear treatment abroad, or for claims linked to an ear problem that wasn’t declared when it should have been.

Will an ear infection affect the cost of travel insurance?

It might. Declaring ear infections can change the price, and the result of our online medical screening is what settles whether there’s anything extra and how much. The screening may ask how your ear infections are treated and how well they’re kept under control. Your age, where you’re heading and how long you’re away play a part as well, as they do for everyone. You’ll see the price on screen before you buy.

Single trip or annual cover with an ear infection

A one-off trip is easily covered with a single trip policy. Families who travel in every school holiday often find annual multi-trip cover works out better value. If recurrent ear infections are declared, the screening result decides whether annual cover is available.

Travelling with an ear infection: practical tips

These general tips may help you or your children stay comfortable. None of them form part of your insurance.

Flying with a middle ear infection, or a heavy cold, can be painful because the tube that equalises pressure in the ear gets blocked. Descent is usually the worst part. Swallowing, yawning, chewing gum or sucking a boiled sweet can help, and babies and toddlers often do better feeding or using a dummy as the plane comes down. If you or your child has an active infection close to the flight, a GP or pharmacist can advise whether it’s sensible to fly and what might ease the pressure.

For outer ear infections, the aim is to keep the ear canal dry. Earplugs or a swimming cap help if you’re prone to swimmer’s ear, and tilting your head to let water drain after swimming makes a difference. Avoid cotton buds, which can scratch the canal and make things worse. Warm, humid places tend to be the worst for outer ear trouble.

Some infections need antibiotics, and these can be harder to get abroad without seeing a doctor. If you’re on a course already, take enough to finish it, plus a little spare.

1. pack your usual painkillers, suitable for children if they’re travelling with you
2. keep ear drops in hand luggage, in their original packaging
3. see a doctor abroad if there’s a high temperature, swelling behind the ear, or discharge
4. if you’ve had a perforated eardrum, stay out of the water until a doctor says it’s healed

Ear infections often go hand in hand with tonsillitis or sinus problems, so mention those too if the screening asks.

How to get a quote

Tell us about your trip and who’s going, answer the medical questions for everyone travelling, and choose your cover. The price appears before you pay.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Eye,Ear,Nose,Throat Pages

• Burst or Perforated Eardrum Travel Insurance
• Cataracts Travel Insurance
• Conjunctivitis Travel Insurance
• Ear Infection Travel Insurance
• Meniere's Disease Travel Insurance
• Retinopathy Travel Insurance
• Sinusitis Travel Insurance
• Tinnitus Travel Insurance
• Tonsillitis Travel Insurance
• Vertigo 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.