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A complete guide with everything you need to know about travel insurance and type 1 diabetes. I’ve also included my top recommendations to make getting covered for your next trip quicker, easier, and cheaper!
There are a few hurdles that make travelling a bit more challenging for people with type 1 diabetes.
And as a diabetic backpacker and digital nomad since 2018, I’ve faced my fair share of these – one being finding adequate travel insurance to cover each of my trips.
Travel insurance is yet another example of something that’s slightly different for us compared to the average Joe because many insurers don’t cover diabetes (and many other medical conditions) as standard.
But thankfully there are providers out there that do, it’s just a case of finding them. Which I’ve spent a lot of time doing over the years!
So, I’ve put together this guide to make things much faster and easier for you! I’ve included my recommended travel insurance companies as well as all the essential details that will ensure you’re fully covered for travelling abroad with type 1 diabetes!
You can then swiftly get back to the fun stuff like planning itineraries, tours, and amazing things to do!
Just here for my top recommendation?
True Traveller is my favourite and trusted travel insurance that I’ve used for all my trips since 2023!
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- My Favourite Travel insurance Companies covering Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
- Do I Really Need Travel Insurance?
- How does diabetes affect travel insurance?
- What should your travel insurance cover?
- Things Pre-Existing Medical Condition Insurance Doesn’t Cover
- Backpacker Travel Insurance and Type 1 Diabetes
- Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) – For British Travellers
- Travel Insurance with Type 1 Diabetes FAQs
- To Finish
- More Travel and Diabetes Guides
My Favourite Travel insurance Companies covering Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Have you ever read travel blogs, seen they’ve recommended their favourite travel insurance companies, and clicked on the link to get a quote – only to realise the provider doesn’t cover people with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes?
I’ve been there. So many times!
There are normally three very popular providers that I see about 95% of bloggers recommending but frustratingly none of them fully cover diabetics.
So I’ve always ended up back to trawling through Google searching for ones that do. Sigh!
But I’ve managed to find various suitable insurance providers over the years and since 2023 I’ve stuck with True Traveller as I’ve not been able to beat their price and customer service – especially for the long-term backpacker policies that I need.
However, they’re not the only option and I’ve created a shortlist of three companies that provide travel insurance for people with diabetes. Below I’ll give an overview of each to help determine if they’re right for you.
Note: It’s always important to do your own research, read the fine print and choose a reputable company that has the right cover for you – which might not be the absolute cheapest that a comparison site gives you!
1. True Traveller – Best Value and Cheap Travel Insurance for Diabetics
“Travel insurance designed by travellers” is the slogan of my current and favourite travel insurance company: True Traveller.
While their affordable pricing is a big reason I keep using them, their customer service has also been great and fast! Which is something you want from a company that is to be there to help if things take a turn for the worse!
But don’t just take my word for it. They have a current score 4.6 on TrustPilot from over 3000 reviews which means I’m not the only one who’s had a great experience!
True Traveller insurance is my top pick for:
- Price and Value
- Backpackers
- Cruisers
- Under 65s
Some aspects I love about this provider are the ability to extend your policy if you decide to travel for longer, cover a one-way trip, and add on motorbike and extreme activity cover.
However, a really unique feature of True Traveller is that you can also buy travel insurance when you are already travelling. Almost all other providers require you to purchase before you leave your home country.
Some other key details of True Traveller insurance are:
- For residents of: the UK and any country within the European Economic Area.
- Available policies: Single trip, Annual Multi-trip, and Backpacker policies.
- Choose from three policy tiers: True Value, Traveller, and Traveller Plus – depending on the level of medical and cancellation coverage you’re comfortable with.
- Cruise cover: Included as standard.
- Trust Pilot Score: 4.6 from over 3000 reviews.
It’s important to note that baggage and personal item coverage are optional add-ons and not included as standard with True Traveller. But personally I like this ‘add on’ aspect as it allows you to only cover for what you need, keeping the cost down!
2. All Clear Travel Insurance – Best for Over 65s with Diabetes
Touted as the UK’s most trusted travel insurance provider, All Clear Travel Insurance are also Diabetes UK’s top pick. And in case you need any more reassurance, they have a 4.8 Trust Pilot score from over 160,000 reviews along with over 20 awards.
As well as covering diabetes and other pre-existing medical conditions, All Clear also don’t have an age limit on their policies. This makes them the best choice for over 65 travellers who might otherwise have required specialised insurance.
I love their belief that everyone should have the right to travel which is resonated in their mission to help people of all ages with medical conditions get the travel insurance cover they require.
Some key details of All Clear Travel Insurance are:
- For residents of: the UK only.
- Available policies: Single trip, annual multi-trip, long stay, group, and gadget policies.
- Cruise cover: Optional add-on.
- Trust Pilot Score: 4.8 from over 160,000 reviews.
3. CoverForYou – Best for Zero Excess Travel Insurance
Another provider I’ve used for backpacker policies in the past is CoverForYou.
I’ve had to claim twice due to a family bereavement and a delayed flight to the UAE and both claims went very smoothly. I was reimbursed efficiently with no hassle.
CoverForYou were also very professional and empathetic in their communication in which was a very difficult time for me.
While I have switched to True Traveller because of their cheaper policies, a standout feature of CoverForYou that you don’t see very often is the zero excess that is currently included with their policies.
Other key details of CoverForYou are:
- For residents of: the UK only.
- Available policies: Single trip, Annual multi-trip, Backpacker, Gadget, and Car Hire Excess.
- Three policy tiers: Silver, Gold, and Platinum – depending on the level of medical and cancellation coverage you’re comfortable with.
- Cruise cover: Included as standard.
- Trust Pilot score: 4.8 from over 19,000 reviews.
Important: Always refer to policy wording for exact details of what is/isn’t included and covered.
Do I Really Need Travel Insurance?
To answer the question bluntly – yes! Simple as that.
But I understand why you might be questioning if you really need to pay all this extra money. I mean, travel insurance is something we probably won’t need right?
I get it, however, I also can’t stress enough how essential having an adequate travel insurance policy is. No matter how careful you are, accidents and disruptions can happen out of your control at any time.
You only have to Google ‘no travel insurance horror story’ to read stories where people have been handed huge medical bills after accidents for falling ill while abroad because they didn’t have travel insurance.
Dennis is one example who accidentally fell down a flight of stairs while in South Africa. As he’d forgotten to take out travel insurance he was handed a medical bill of nearly £10,000 that he only managed to pay through donations to a fundraiser.
But this is far from the only story, and recent surveys show that over a quarter of travellers from the UK take off on trips without travel insurance.
But please, don’t be one of these people and make sure to secure appropriate cover as far in advance as possible!
How does diabetes affect travel insurance?
Pre-existing Medical Conditions
So you understand that travel insurance is essential. And you know that you need a provider that covers diabetes. But you’re not going to see a ‘diabetes travel insurance’ label on most travel insurance websites.
So how do we know if diabetes is covered or not?
Well, it’s all to do with this term: Pre-existing medical conditions.
It’s a bit of a mouthful and I’ll be using it a lot in this article, but essentially this refers to any medical condition (including diabetes) you have before your travel insurance policy starts.
And this is what you need to look out for when choosing an insurance policy as many providers don’t cover pre-existing medical conditions.
A quick way to check if they do is to head to the FAQ section of their website. I’ve often found that providers address this there.
But if in doubt, contact customer service, who will be able to give you definite advice.
Declaring a Pre-Existing Medical Condition
Once you have found an insurance that covers pre-existing medical conditions, it’s essential to declare that you have type 1 diabetes.
I’ve found this to be a very similar process for most companies and is normally done during the quote process.
Usually, you’ll add type 1 diabetes as a condition before answering a standard medical questionnaire to give the provider a better insight into your health and diabetes.
Common questions include:
- Do you use insulin?
- How many unplanned hospital visits have you had because of diabetes in the last 1 or 2 years?
- Have you ever been a smoker?
- Do you take medicine for high blood pressure?
- Do you take medicine to lower your cholesterol?
- Do you suffer from other conditions/complications? (Choose from a drop-down list)
Once you have answered honestly and declared your diabetes, you can continue your quote and buy your policy knowing you are fully covered for your trip.
Important: Don’t hide anything from the insurance provider, even if it increases the price, as it could render your policy invalid if you need to claim.
What should your travel insurance cover?
As well as your diabetes, there are a whole host of things that travel insurance can cover. Some that it could cover, some that it should cover, and some that, in my opinion, it must cover.
No matter what kind of trip I am going on, I will never buy a policy that doesn’t include cover for the following:
Emergency medical, hospital and dental costs: Expenses incurred from sudden or unexpected sickness, accidents, and injuries – including medical evacuation, ambulance, and outpatient treatment costs. I usually look for £10 million in medical coverage and £350 in dental coverage.
Repatriation: Travel insurance will return you to your home country in the event of serious injury or illness while travelling.
Curtailment: Travel insurance will reimburse unused and incurred travel and accommodation costs in the event of ending your trip early due to illness, injury, or death of either a relative, person you are travelling with or person you intend to visit.
Missed Departure: Compensation if you miss your first overseas destination from your country of residence. Accommodation and public transport travel expenses will be covered.
Personal Liability and Legal Expenses: This covers if you accidentally injure others or damage property while overseas as well as the legal expenses to claim damages against a third party if you are injured or die while overseas.
Accidental Death or Disability: You’re covered in case of loss of a limb, sight or life in an accident abroad.
Things Pre-Existing Medical Condition Insurance Doesn’t Cover
There are some standard things that most insurance policies don’t cover – such as claims that occur somewhere that the FCDO advises against travelling to, from excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs, and from extreme sports.
However, from a pre-existing condition standpoint, even if you have declared your diabetes there are some things that insurance doesn’t normally cover you for. These include:
General Health Checkups: You’ll not be reimbursed for the cost of routine doctor appointments, checkups, or getting medical clearance for activities. Make sure to get up to date with these as part of your pre-travel checklist!
Buying Medication Abroad: Unfortunately topping up medication abroad isn’t covered by travel insurance. It will only be covered if a medical practitioner prescribes it to you while connected to an accident or injury.
Medical Tourism: If you are travelling to get tests, consultations, or an operation abroad this won’t be covered by standard travel insurance.
Travelling against the advice of a medical practitioner: You’ll not be covered if you travel after a doctor has advised that you don’t.
Essentially, it is mostly just in the case of a medical emergency relating to your diabetes that the pre-existing medical condition element adds cover for.
Important: This is just a guideline, always check the small print!
Backpacker Travel Insurance and Type 1 Diabetes
Here’s where things started to get tricky for me.
Trying to find backpacker insurance that also included coverage for pre-existing medical conditions has not been so straightforward!
There are many providers that cover backpacker travel (multiple destinations for periods of longer than 90 days) OR pre-existing medical conditions. But wow have I had a hard time finding a policy that will include both – as well as being affordable!
Well friends, this is where True Traveller has pulled it out of the bag again! They answered my prayers and not only offer multi-destination backpacker policies of up to 18 months that can also be purchased or extended while travelling, but you can also add on a pre-existing medical condition!
This makes True Traveller a godsend for diabetic backpackers!
And the cherry on top? Their prices for backpacker policies are some of the cheapest I can find! (Even for travellers who don’t need pre-existing medical condition cover).
So go ahead and get your free quote!
Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) – For British Travellers
This article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for British travellers – which replaced the EHIC after Brexit.
But what actually is the GHIC I hear you asking?
Well, as explained by the NHS the GHIC “lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area (EEA), and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.”
The ‘some other countries’ that are included are Montenegro, Switzerland and Australia.
And according to the European Union, this necessary healthcare means you can also get prescriptions in pharmacies at the same rate as a resident of the country would. Just make sure to have your GHIC and a copy of your prescription from home with you.
I haven’t actually tested this myself as I’ve only purchased insulin abroad from Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, and Australia (I was enrolled in Australia’s Medicare at the time). But it’s great to see this from an official source, even if the language seems a little evasive to me – presumably because it’s hard to generalise for all healthcare systems.
But does having a GHIC mean you don’t need travel insurance?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. The GHIC doesn’t replace travel insurance and you’ll need to have both to be fully covered in the stated countries.
And even if you have comprehensive travel insurance, it’s important to still carry your GHIC with you when travelling in these countries to avoid any hassle or delay should you need medical care.
You can get your GHIC for free from the NHS by applying online and it remains valid for five years.
Travel Insurance with Type 1 Diabetes FAQs
Is diabetes covered by travel insurance?
In most cases, diabetes is not covered by standard travel insurance. It’s only covered if it’s declared with a provider that covers pre-existing conditions.
Can you get travel insurance if you are diabetic?
Absolutely, as long as you declare your diabetes as a pre-existing medical condition and answer the medical questionnaire honestly.
Is diabetes considered a pre-existing medical condition?
From a travel insurance perspective yes, type 1 diabetes is considered a pre-existing medical condition and must be declared.
Is travel insurance more expensive with diabetes?
This will depend on the provider but in general yes, I have found my policies which cover type 1 diabetes to always be slightly more expensive than my partner Lucy’s policies, who doesn’t have any conditions to declare.
What does travel insurance for diabetes cover?
Normally, if you have declared type 1 diabetes as a pre-existing medical condition your travel insurance will cover any medical emergencies or cancellations related to your diabetes.
But always check the fine print for exact details.
To Finish
I hope this article has cleared up any doubts about how diabetes affects travel insurance and that you found my shortlist of providers helpful.
While of course there are more out there, these three are trusted and reputable options that I have used myself.
Travel insurance is far from the most exciting part of travel but it’s essential we’re covered for all of our trips! You just never know what might happen and being fully insured takes away any underlying stress!
If you have any questions or other travel insurance recommendations, let me know in the comments below!
More Travel and Diabetes Guides
Check out some of my other Travel and Diabetes blog posts which are full of helpful information and my personal experiences!