Travel Insurance for Liver Cirrhosis

What is liver cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver that builds up after years of damage. It is among the more serious liver conditions we see. The main causes in the UK are drinking too much alcohol, long-term hepatitis B or C, and fatty liver disease linked to weight. The scarring can’t usually be reversed, but treating the cause can slow it down or stop it getting worse.

In the early stages there may be few symptoms. As the liver struggles more, people can have tiredness, itching, fluid in the tummy or legs, yellowing of the skin and eyes, easy bruising, and confusion. The NHS cirrhosis page describes the stages and treatment.

Why do I need to declare liver cirrhosis for travel insurance?

Cirrhosis counts as a pre-existing medical condition, and it’s one we need to hear about in detail. A scarred liver can lead to sudden problems away from home, such as bleeding from varices, fluid build-up or confusion, and any of these could mean an emergency admission abroad or a cancelled trip.

Declaring it means your policy reflects your health as it really is. If cirrhosis is left out and you then need help for something linked to your liver, the claim 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 liver cirrhosis?

It may be possible, depending on how your liver is doing. Some people with stable cirrhosis can be offered cover, while others with more advanced disease may find it harder to get.

The screening will look at whether the cirrhosis is compensated (stable) or causing complications, such as fluid build-up, bleeding varices or confusion. Being assessed for a transplant and the underlying cause can also play a part in whether cover is offered.

What we’ll ask about your liver cirrhosis

Declaring your liver cirrhosis online doesn’t take long. The screening asks about how your cirrhosis affects you and whether you’ve had any hospital admissions. After that, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions you have.

Once you’ve finished the medical declaration, you’ll go through to the quote page. If your liver cirrhosis and your other conditions can be covered, you’ll see a list of quotes, and the premium shown includes the cost of cover for your medical. If we can’t provide cover, you’ll know before going any further.

If your health changes before travelling

Liver health can change between buying cover and leaving. If your medication changes, you have a hospital admission or procedure, you’re referred elsewhere, or you receive a new diagnosis between now and departure, 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 liver cirrhosis travel insurance cover?

If cirrhosis is accepted, an unexpected problem with your liver abroad can be covered. If you were in Lanzarote and developed vomiting of blood or sudden confusion, emergency hospital treatment could be included, as could medical repatriation to the UK. As always, this is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

Should your health get worse before departure and a doctor advise against travel, cancellation cover may help you get back non-refundable costs.

Planned treatment overseas, such as booked procedures or check-ups, isn’t covered. Neither is anything linked to a condition that wasn’t declared. If your cirrhosis is related to alcohol, our page on alcohol-related liver disease may also be useful.

Will liver cirrhosis affect the cost of travel insurance?

Cirrhosis can push the price up, and how far is settled by your result from our online medical screening. Expect questions on how your liver condition is being treated and how well it’s controlled at the moment, all asked in plain language. Your age, where you’re going and how long you’ll be away feed into the quote as well. The full price appears before you buy, so you can weigh it up first.

Single trip or annual cover with liver cirrhosis

Single trip cover works for one holiday and lets you answer the questions based on your health at the time. If you travel more often, annual travel insurance may be more sensible, but be aware that the nature of the condition might mean it is not coverable on an annual basis.

Travelling with liver cirrhosis: practical tips

The following is general advice for travelling. It isn’t part of your policy.

Think about where you’re going. With cirrhosis, good access to hospital care matters more than usual, so a short-haul trip somewhere with reliable healthcare is often easier than a remote location. Ask your liver team whether there is anything about your destination or the journey they would want you to plan for.

Avoid alcohol completely if you’ve been advised to, holiday or not. Be careful with food too. People with cirrhosis are more vulnerable to some infections, and raw shellfish such as oysters carry a particular risk. Stick to well-cooked food and safe water, and ask about vaccinations, including hepatitis A and B, at a travel clinic. The TravelHealthPro country pages list what is recommended for each country.

If you take medicines like water tablets or lactulose, keep to your usual routine and pack plenty. Check before taking any painkillers or remedies bought abroad, as some can be harmful to the liver. Our guide to travelling abroad with medication has more on carrying medicines.

Some other ideas that may help:

1. carry a short summary from your liver clinic, including any recent blood results
2. know the warning signs your team has told you about, such as black stools or confusion, and get help quickly
3. if you have fluid in your tummy or legs, ask about support stockings and keep moving on long journeys
4. book airport assistance if walking long distances is tiring

How to get a quote

Give us your trip details and work through the medical questions, being as accurate as you can about your liver. You’ll see the outcome and price before you commit.

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.