Travel Insurance for Frozen Shoulder

What is a frozen shoulder?

A frozen shoulder happens when the tissue surrounding the shoulder joint becomes inflamed, thickens, and tightens. Doctors sometimes call it adhesive capsulitis. The result is pain and a shoulder that gradually stops moving the way it should, so reaching up to a shelf or behind your back becomes hard. It’s one of the more common musculoskeletal conditions seen in people in their 40s and 50s, and it’s more likely if you have diabetes.

It tends to go through stages. The shoulder is usually most painful early on, then stiffness takes over, and movement slowly comes back. The whole process can take months and sometimes a couple of years. Painkillers, exercises, physiotherapy. and steroid injections are the usual treatments, but a small number of people need a procedure. The NHS frozen shoulder page explains the stages in more detail.

Why do I need to declare a frozen shoulder for travel insurance?

A frozen shoulder you’ve had treatment or advice for is classed as a pre-existing medical condition. We ask about it because pain and stiffness can flare without warning, making it hard to lift cases or sleep, and some people need extra treatment such as injections at fairly short notice. A procedure you’re due to have could also affect your travel dates.

If your frozen shoulder hasn’t been declared when it should have been, a claim connected to it could be turned down 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 a frozen shoulder?

For most people the answer is yes. Whether it can be included comes down to your medical screening. A shoulder that’s on the mend is likely to be seen differently from one where you’ve recently had an injection or manipulation under anaesthetic, or where you’re on a waiting list for surgery. If diabetes is behind it, that will need declaring too.

What we’ll ask about your frozen shoulder

The online medical screening is short and easy to get through. It may ask a few things about your frozen shoulder, the treatment you’ve had, and whether a shoulder procedure is planned. 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 frozen shoulder 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

A frozen shoulder can take a long time to settle. If your medication changes, you’re admitted to hospital, you’re booked in for a procedure, 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 frozen shoulder travel insurance cover?

Once your frozen shoulder is accepted, emergency treatment related to it while you’re away can be covered. A frozen shoulder rarely causes emergencies on its own, but a sudden bout of severe pain, or a fall that injures the stiff shoulder on a walking holiday in Madeira, could mean a trip to a local hospital. Emergency medical costs can be covered, as can repatriation if you need help getting home. All of this is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

If something connected to your shoulder means your doctor tells you not to travel shortly before you leave, you may be able to claim non-refundable costs back through cancellation cover.

Planned physiotherapy or injections abroad aren’t covered. Neither is anything linked to a condition you left off the policy.

Will a frozen shoulder affect the cost of travel insurance?

You might pay a bit more with a frozen shoulder, though the result of online medical screening is what settles it. Questions may come up on how the shoulder is being treated and how well the pain and stiffness are controlled. Separately, age, destination, and the length of your trip are part of the premium too. The quote appears before you buy, so you can think it over first.

Single trip or annual cover with a frozen shoulder

If it’s one holiday you’re planning, single trip insurance keeps things simple. For people who get away a few times a year, annual cover is worth comparing, subject to your screening result.

Travelling with a frozen shoulder: practical tips

These general suggestions may help you stay comfortable. They’re not part of your policy.

Luggage is often the biggest problem. Lifting a bag into an overhead locker uses exactly the movement a frozen shoulder resists. Pack light, use a case with four wheels that you can push rather than pull, and don’t be shy about asking cabin crew to help. A cross-body bag worn on the good side is easier than a backpack.

Book a seat that keeps the bad shoulder away from the aisle, so trolleys and passing passengers don’t knock it. Bring a small cushion to support the arm on long flights or coach journeys. If you drive abroad, think about whether you can manage a manual gear stick and steering comfortably, and choose an automatic hire car if not.

Keep doing your exercises. It’s easy to stop for a fortnight on holiday, but stiffness can creep back. Gentle movement in a warm pool can feel good. Avoid activities that jerk or overload the arm, such as water skiing, rowing or being pulled along on an inflatable.

Sleep is often disturbed by frozen shoulder pain. Extra pillows to prop the arm can help in an unfamiliar bed, and it’s worth asking for them when you check in.

If you also have arthritis or bursitis, declare those separately and plan around them in the same way.

How to get a quote

Tell us where and when you’re going, answer the questions about your shoulder and anything else you need to declare, then compare the cover levels on offer. You’ll see the price before buying.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Musculoskeletal Pages

• Arthritis Travel Insurance
• Back and Neck Pain Travel Insurance
• Baker's Cyst Travel Insurance
• Broken Bones Travel Insurance
• Bunions Travel Insurance
• Bursitis Travel Insurance
• Fibromyalgia Travel Insurance
• Frozen Shoulder Travel Insurance
• Gout Travel Insurance
• Knee Pain Travel Insurance
• Osteophyte Travel Insurance
• Osteoporosis Travel Insurance
• Plantar Fasciitis Travel Insurance
• Repetitive Strain Injury Travel Insurance
• Sciatica Travel Insurance
• Slipped Disc Travel Insurance
• Tendonitis 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.