Travel Insurance for Vertigo

What is vertigo?

Vertigo is the feeling that you, or everything around you, is spinning or tilting when nothing is actually moving. It’s usually a sign of a problem in the inner ear, which is why it appears with our other ear, nose and throat conditions, although now and then it comes from the brain instead.

Common causes include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis, or vestibular neuritis. Ménière’s disease and migraines can also cause it. Vertigo can last seconds, hours, or days, and may come with nausea or problems with balance. The NHS vertigo page explains the causes and treatments.

Why do I need to declare vertigo for travel insurance?

Vertigo you’ve seen a doctor about, take medication for, or still get episodes of is a pre-existing medical condition. It matters for your cover because a dizzy spell can cause a fall, and abroad that could mean a broken wrist or a head injury needing emergency treatment. Frequent attacks before a trip might also mean you have to cancel. If vertigo isn’t declared, a claim connected to it, including an injury from a fall, 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 vertigo?

For most people, yes - it's unlikely that the vertigo itself will prevent you being able to get travel insurance. However, the cause might make a difference, be that a stroke, brain tumour, or multiple sclerosis. A single bout of BPPV treated in the GP surgery is viewed differently from frequent attacks with falls, recent hospital admissions, or vertigo that’s under investigation.

What we’ll ask about your vertigo

It only takes a few minutes to get through the online medical screening. The questions about your vertigo focus on what’s causing your vertigo and will guide you through the questions for related conditions. Once that’s done, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions.

Once everything is declared, you’ll reach the quote page. If cover is available for your vertigo and your other conditions, you’ll see a choice of quotes, each with the cost of your medical cover included in the premium. Should we be unable to cover you, you’ll know before proceeding.

If your health changes before travelling

Vertigo can come and go. If, before your trip, your vertigo gets worse, your medication changes, you go into hospital, or you’re referred for tests, 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 vertigo travel insurance cover?

Once your vertigo is accepted, emergency treatment abroad linked to it can be covered. If a severe episode in Tenerife leaves you vomiting and unable to walk, and you’re taken to hospital, the medical costs could be met. Repatriation can be covered too if a doctor decides you need help getting home. All of this is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

If a bad spell just before departure means you’re advised not to travel, cancellation cover may help with costs you can’t recover.

It doesn’t pay for planned treatment abroad, such as physiotherapy you’d arranged before going, or for any claim linked to a condition you didn’t declare.

Will vertigo affect the cost of travel insurance?

Vertigo on its own is unlikely to affect the overall premium. In conjunction with other medical conditions, complications, and factors like age, destination, and trip duration, however, it may make a small impact. You can look over the final cost before you decide.

Single trip or annual cover with vertigo

A single trip policy covers just the one journey. Annual multi-trip cover is often the better option if you travel more often, and your screening result will show whether it’s available.

Travelling with vertigo: practical tips

These general suggestions may help. They aren’t part of your insurance.

If your vertigo is positional, think about your sleeping arrangements. Hotel pillows can be flatter or higher than you’re used to, and rolling over in an unfamiliar bed can set off a spell. Some people bring their own pillow. If you’ve been shown repositioning exercises, ask your GP or physiotherapist whether you can do them yourself if symptoms come back while you’re away.

Plan your seat. An aisle seat on the plane means you don’t have to climb over anyone, and choosing a seat over the wing tends to feel steadier. On trains and coaches, facing forwards and looking at the horizon helps. Boats can be harder, so a short ferry crossing might be more manageable than a week at sea.

Be wary of heights and uneven ground, especially somewhere with steep steps or no handrails. A walking pole can make a real difference on cobbled streets. Avoid swimming alone, and take care in the sea where you could lose your footing.

Dehydration, heat, alcohol and tiredness can all make dizziness worse. Keep a water bottle with you and pace yourself in hot weather.

Ask your airline or airport about assistance if long walks through terminals feel risky. It costs nothing to book and can take a lot of the stress out of a journey.

How to get a quote

Fill in where you’re going and when, answer the medical questions for vertigo and anything else you need to declare, then select your cover. You’ll see the price first.

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.