Asthma Travel Insurance

Asthma is one of the most common medical conditions in the UK. It is estimated that 6.5% of adults in England have asthma¹ and a total 5.4 million people in the UK have asthma, this is about 8 in every 100 people.² Despite its commonality, asthma is a condition which is often overlooked and left undeclared when purchasing travel insurance.

Having asthma can often lead to many questions around your travel insurance, such as do I need to declare my asthma to my travel insurer? Can I get travel insurance with asthma? Or what’s the best travel insurance for people with asthma? These are all important questions, and we will try our best to answer them fully.

Whether you suffer from mild or severe asthma, the thought of having an asthma attack can be daunting enough in the comfort of your own home, let alone having an asthma attack whilst on holiday and in unfamiliar environments. This is why it’s important to make sure you tell your insurer if you have a condition like asthma and any other medical conditions so that you can travel with peace of mind knowing that you have suitable cover, should your condition flare up while you’re away.

Is asthma classed as a respiratory condition on my travel insurance?

Yes. asthma is the most common, chronic respiratory disease which affects the airways and other structures of the lungs³. Therefore, it is important to declare your asthma – no matter how mild – when taking out a travel insurance quote, in case anything affects you during your trip. It’s really easy to declare any medical conditions you may have via our quote journey. We will start by asking about your medical history and any medications you take, and then ask you questions related to these to provide you with a quote. We can then hopefully match you with a suitable travel insurance policy of ours to meet your needs. However, if you want to speak to a member of our customer service team instead, click here.

Will having asthma affect my travel insurance cover?

Having a medical condition such as asthma could have an impact on the price of your travel insurance, depending on how severe your condition is. This is because having a current or pre-existing medical condition could result in you being more likely to need medical care whilst away. However, at Get Going we aim to ensure your travel insurance quote is affordable even when travelling with medical conditions, where possible. Just make sure you declare all medical conditions and medication that you take.

We will ask a few questions to understand your overall health, then do our very best to offer cover. The questions we ask help us to provide the right cover and make sure that you’re protected if something were to go wrong on your trip.

Do I need to declare asthma on my travel insurance?

Whether your asthma is mild, severe, stable, or well-controlled, it’s still a respiratory medical condition. Therefore, like all other medical conditions, you must declare this when purchasing a policy to make sure you have suitable travel insurance protection and cover in place, should the unexpected happen while you are away.

What are the benefits of a travel insurance policy with asthma cover?

Living with asthma shouldn’t limit you from seeing the wonders of the world, or stop you from travelling to your favourite holiday destinations. Here at Get Going, we want to help you fulfil your travel goals and that means offering the right level of protection and cover for you.

Our policies are designed to offer suitable protection whilst giving you the assurance you need to set off on your adventures.

All standard travel insurance policies at Get Going include:

• 24/7 Emergency Medical Helpline
• 100’s of medical conditions considered, often for no extra cost
• Up to £10 million in medical cover available for declared and accepted conditions
• 100+ activities covered as standard
• Available for individual travellers, couples, families and groups
• All policies include a 14-day cooling off period – Giving you time to read your documents thoroughly and ensure the chosen policy is right for you.
• Take advantage of a 15% online discount, compared to our call centre prices.
• Travel insurance policies are also available for staycations, allowing you to take out cover for any Single Trip policy within the UK and any trip that is 3 days or more on an Annual Multi Trip policy.

Why Choose Get Going Travel Insurance with Asthma Cover?

Having asthma can make finding travel insurance more difficult. Our policies aim to offer you protection for your holiday whilst leaving you confident that your condition(s) will be covered, so you can travel with asthma and any other medical conditions you may have.

• Rated 4.7 out of 5 (Excellent) based on over 7000 customer reviews on Trustpilot. $
• 24/7 Emergency Medical Helpline
• 93% of our customers rated us 4 or 5 stars $
• UK, Europe and Worldwide policies available
• Discounts available when buying cover online Ɨ
• Discounts on Couples & Family policies

Travel insurance for mild and severe asthma

Asthma impacts many people in many different ways, it is mostly categorised as either mild or severe, for some, having asthma is just an inconvenience. However, for others, having asthma can be an everyday struggle and cause problems in day-to-day life, from walking up the stairs to performing regular errands. But why should that stop you from getting travel insurance for your asthma and experiencing your much-needed holiday?

We’re here to enable you to travel and offer you the right level of cover and protection needed for your trip. Although travelling with asthma can require a few more precautions and considerations than the usual traveller, with our cover in place, you’ll have the reassurance you need to fly away to your chosen destination.

Our top tips for managing asthma abroad:

Preparation is key when travelling with asthma or with someone who has asthma. If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some travel tips for asthma sufferers and some of the most important things to consider:

– Climate: For some people, changes in temperature and humidity can make asthma symptoms worse.⁴ No one knows you better than you, so make sure you choose a destination where the climate won’t worsen your condition. If you know your conditions get worse when it’s cold, maybe opt for somewhere hot. Don’t agree to go somewhere that could seriously impact your health just to please other people.

– Keep your inhaler on you at all times: Make sure you carry your reliever inhaler with you at all times (even in your hand luggage) and continue taking your regular preventer inhaler, as prescribed by your doctor.

– Know your triggers: Knowing your asthma triggers while travelling is important, especially when you’re on holiday. Second-hand smoke, animals, alcohol consumption and open fires are just some of the many things that may worsen your condition.⁵ Try and avoid these situations as much as possible. You can do this by researching asthma-friendly travel destinations, ensuring your accommodation meets your needs, avoiding certain activities, and planning ahead, in case you do potentially face an asthma trigger.

– Keep people informed: It’s important to let people know that you have asthma, especially those that you are travelling with. You don’t have to make a big deal about it, but make sure that they know where your reliever inhaler is, just in case your symptoms worsen. You could also give them a copy of your written asthma action plan, which is extremely handy if you’re visiting a country where not many people speak English and need help or emergency asthma care abroad.

– Speak to a doctor: If you have any concerns about going on holiday, flying with asthma or taking your asthma medication on trips make sure that you speak to a doctor or nurse, so they can answer all of your queries and concerns. For many, stress can be a trigger of Asthma, so try and stay as relaxed as possible. When you have severe asthma, going away can be a scary thought, but as long as you have suitable cover and are well prepared, everything should run smoothly on your holiday.

For further information about going on holiday with asthma, please see the following resources:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/travelling-with-asthma/

https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/living-with-asthma/travel/

Ɨ Please note, Get Going ‘s online prices automatically include a 15% discount against our Customer Service Centre prices. This is discounted from our core policy price before you add any additional cost of optional extensions or additional medical premium.

$Get Going has been rated 4.7 out of 5 (Excellent) based on over 7000 customer reviews on Trustpilot. Based on Trustpilot data 2024.

§ Up to £10 million emergency medical expenses on all single trip and annual multi-trip policies and/ or repatriation cover, where medically necessary. Cover limits may vary depending on the level of cover, please refer to our policy wordings for more information

§ Up to £5,000 cancellation cover if cancelling your trip. Cover limits may vary depending on the level of cover, please refer to our policy wordings for more information.

References

1 https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/Asthma/background-information/prevalence/

2 https://www.Asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/Asthma/what-Asthma#:~:text=In%20the%20UK%2C%205.4%20million,cough%20or%20a%20tight%20chest.

3 https://www.who.int/health-topics/chronic-respiratory-diseases#tab=tab_1

4 https://www.Asthma.com/understanding-Asthma/Asthma-triggers/weather-changes-and-Asthma/#:~:text=From%20high%20heat%20and%20humidity,unpredictable%2C%20you%20can%20stay%20prepared.

5 https://www.Asthmaandlung.org.uk/conditions/Asthma/Asthma-triggers/understanding-Asthma-triggers