Travel Insurance for Haemophilia

What is haemophilia?

Haemophilia is an inherited condition where the blood doesn’t clot properly, because one of the clotting factors is missing or low. It’s among the rarer blood disorders and mostly affects males, though women who carry the gene can have bleeding problems too. Haemophilia A involves factor VIII; haemophilia B involves factor IX.

Severity ranges a lot. People with mild haemophilia may only bleed heavily after surgery, dental work, or an injury. With severe haemophilia, bleeding can happen with no obvious cause, often into joints and muscles. Most people with moderate or severe haemophilia use regular preventative treatment, either factor replacement or a newer non-factor medicine, given by injection. The NHS haemophilia page explains the types.

Why do I need to declare haemophilia for travel insurance?

Haemophilia is a lifelong condition, so it’s a pre-existing medical condition for travel cover. We need to know about it because a minor fall or knock that most travellers would shrug off could lead to bleeding that needs specialist treatment and factor treatment abroad. Joint bleeds can also flare up before departure and make travelling impractical.

If haemophilia isn’t declared, a claim where bleeding is part of the picture could be turned down or only partly paid.

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 haemophilia?

Yes, it can often be arranged, with the medical screening result deciding whether cover is offered. Severity matters, along with how well your bleeds are controlled on treatment, whether you’ve developed inhibitors, any joint damage from past bleeds, and recent hospital admissions.

What we’ll ask about your haemophilia

Our online medical screening is quick and straightforward. You’ll answer a handful of questions about your haemophilia, covering the type and severity of your haemophilia and the treatment you use. 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 haemophilia 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

Bleeding disorders can need a change of plan quickly. If, before your trip, you switch to a different product, a bad bleed needs admission, you’re referred for surgery, or you receive a new diagnosis, 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 haemophilia travel insurance cover?

Once haemophilia is accepted, emergency medical treatment abroad linked to it can be covered. If you twisted an ankle in Croatia and developed a bleed into the joint that needed hospital treatment, that care can be covered, and so can repatriation if you need medical support to get home. Cover is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

A serious bleed just before departure that stops you going may be claimable under cancellation cover, for costs you can’t recover.

Routine supplies of factor, planned treatment abroad and anything relating to undeclared conditions aren’t covered.

Will haemophilia affect the cost of travel insurance?

It can. Your result from our online medical screening decides how much haemophilia adds, if anything. You may be asked how it is treated and how well your bleeds are controlled, which gives a clearer picture than the diagnosis alone. Destination, age and trip length come into every quote too. Before you pay, you’ll see exactly what the policy costs.

Single trip or annual cover with haemophilia

Single trip insurance covers one holiday. If you’re away several times a year, an annual policy may be worth comparing, subject to your screening result.

Travelling with haemophilia: practical tips

Below are general tips. They’re separate from your insurance cover.

Talk to your haemophilia centre well before you travel. They can give you a letter describing your condition and treatment, and help you find a specialist treatment centre near where you’re staying. It’s much easier to know this in advance than to search in an emergency.

Take enough treatment for the whole trip, plus extra in case of a bleed or delay. Factor concentrates may need to be kept cool, so check the storage instructions and arrange a fridge. Carry everything in your hand luggage, along with a sharps container and a doctor’s letter to show at security.

Some countries have restrictions on bringing in injectable medicines or need advance paperwork. Check the GOV.UK foreign travel advice and our guide to travelling abroad with medication.

Avoid painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin that affect bleeding, unless your team has said otherwise. If you’re getting vaccines, tell the travel clinic you have haemophilia, as injections may be given differently. Think about holiday activities that carry a high risk of injury, and ask your centre about anything you’re unsure of.

If you also have another blood condition, such as von Willebrand disease or sickle cell disease, declare it separately, as each is assessed on its own.

How to get a quote

Enter your trip details, answer the medical questions about your haemophilia, and add any other conditions. The price appears before you buy.

Get a Quote

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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.