Travel Insurance for Hepatitis

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, and sits in our kidney, liver and urinary conditions. Viruses cause most cases in the UK. Hepatitis A usually clears up by itself within a few months, while hepatitis B and C can become long-term (chronic) infections that need monitoring or treatment. Heavy drinking and autoimmune disease can also inflame the liver.

Many people with chronic hepatitis feel well for years. Others notice tiredness, aches or tummy discomfort, and over time some develop scarring of the liver. Hepatitis C can now usually be cured with a course of tablets, and hepatitis B is often kept under control with antiviral medicine. You can read more on the NHS hepatitis page.

Why do I need to declare hepatitis for travel insurance?

Hepatitis counts as a pre-existing medical condition whether it’s current, being treated, or has been cleared. We ask about it because inflammation of the liver can flare up, and long-term hepatitis can lead to scarring and other complications that might mean treatment abroad or a cancelled trip.

Declaring it means your policy reflects your health properly. If hepatitis isn’t on your policy, a claim connected to your liver could be refused or reduced, even one that starts with something that seems unrelated.

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 hepatitis?

Usually you can. Hepatitis covers a range of conditions, and many people with a history of it can find cover.

Hepatitis C that has been cured, or hepatitis B that is stable on regular checks, tends to be looked at differently from active treatment, recent abnormal liver results or signs of cirrhosis. That affects whether hepatitis can be covered.

What we’ll ask about your hepatitis

The medical screening is online and simple to complete. For your hepatitis, it asks about the type of hepatitis you have and whether you’re having treatment. When you’ve finished with this condition, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

With the medical declaration complete, you’ll go through to the quote page. A list of quotes is shown if your hepatitis and any other conditions are coverable, and the premium quoted includes the cost of covering your medical. If we can’t offer cover, you’ll find that out before going any further.

If your health changes before travelling

Liver conditions can move on between check-ups. If you start or stop treatment, you spend time in hospital, you’re referred for more tests, or you’re diagnosed with something new 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 hepatitis travel insurance cover?

When hepatitis has been accepted, a medical emergency linked to it is handled in the same way as any other. Say you become unwell in Portugal with jaundice or severe tummy pain and need to be admitted. Emergency treatment abroad can be covered, along with repatriation if doctors agree you should come home with medical support. This is always subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

If your liver plays up shortly before departure and a doctor tells you not to go, you may be able to recover non-refundable costs through cancellation cover.

The policy won’t pay for treatment you plan to have overseas, such as starting a course of antivirals abroad, and it won’t cover claims arising from a condition you didn’t declare.

Will hepatitis affect the cost of travel insurance?

Hepatitis can change the price of a policy, and your screening result determines the size of any change. Using our online medical screening, you may be asked how your hepatitis has been treated and how well it is controlled now. Age, destination and how long you plan to travel are taken into account for everyone. You can see exactly what you would pay before you buy.

Single trip or annual cover with hepatitis

For one holiday, single trip insurance keeps things straightforward. If you travel a few times a year, annual travel insurance may suit you better. Whether annual cover is available depends on your screening result.

Travelling with hepatitis: practical tips

The points below are general travel advice. They are not part of the insurance.

Alcohol is hard on an inflamed liver, and holidays make it easy to drink more than usual. If your specialist has told you to cut back or stop, that advice still applies by the pool. Be careful with paracetamol and herbal remedies bought abroad too, and ask a pharmacist before taking anything new.

Your liver doesn’t need another infection. If you have hepatitis B or C, ask your GP or a travel clinic whether you should be vaccinated against hepatitis A (and B, if relevant) before you go. Food and water hygiene matters in places where hepatitis A and E are common, so stick to bottled or boiled water and food that is freshly cooked and hot. The TravelHealthPro country pages show the advice for each destination.

If you are part way through antiviral treatment, try to time the trip so you won’t miss doses or blood tests. Take enough tablets for the whole holiday plus a few spare days, and read our guide to travelling abroad with medication.

Some people with chronic hepatitis tire easily. A slower pace, an afternoon rest and a hotel with lifts rather than a long walk uphill all help.

How to get a quote

Enter where and when you are going, work through the hepatitis questions and choose your cover. The price is shown before you pay.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Kidney,Liver,Urinary Pages

• Acute Kidney Injury or Failure Travel Insurance
• Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Travel Insurance
• Bladder Stones Travel Insurance
• Chronic Kidney Disease Travel Insurance
• Enlarged Prostate Travel Insurance
• Fatty Liver Disease Travel Insurance
• Hepatitis Travel Insurance
• Interstitial Cystitis Travel Insurance
• Kidney Failure Travel Insurance
• Kidney Infection Travel Insurance
• Kidney Stones Travel Insurance
• Liver Cirrhosis Travel Insurance
• Liver Failure Travel Insurance
• Overactive Bladder Travel Insurance
• Polycystic Kidney Disease Travel Insurance
• Prostatitis Travel Insurance
• Urinary Retention Travel Insurance
• Urinary Tract Infection 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.