Travel and cancer
You have travel insurance to help you get compensation for anything that might go wrong with your travel. This usually means anything from having to cancel your trip, to losing your suitcases. But the most important part is the medical expenses cover.
Suppose you’re going to a country with high medical costs and you need to be flown back in an emergency. Without medical expense cover, the cost to you could be huge.
On this page we look at:
Why is it so hard to get travel insurance?
Travel insurance for people with cancer.
Travel insurance if you have had cancer.
Destinations and costs.
Finding insurance.
Healthcare abroad.
Tips on what you need to know.
Getting travel insurance when you have or have had cancer can be difficult.
Insurance companies only make money from people who don't claim. Because you’ve been ill, they think you’re more likely to claim. For example, you might need to cancel your trip or have medical treatment abroad. This makes you a bigger risk to the company, and they can refuse to give you travel insurance.
But finding travel insurance is getting easier. Many insurance companies now look at individual cases rather than refusing everyone who has had cancer.
Some travel insurance companies will give you medical cover if you have a doctor’s letter saying you’re fit enough to travel. But other companies might only insure you for treatment that isn't to do with your cancer.
So although you'll have travel insurance, it won't cover any treatment you might need because of your cancer. You'll have to pay for that yourself.
For emergency medical problems relating to your cancer while you’re travelling, you'll need an insurance policy that covers you for this. So you must tell the insurance company about the cancer when you apply for cover.
Whether you can get insurance, and how much it costs, will depend on your cancer type.
When you apply for travel insurance, be prepared for questions about:
your cancer type
how big your cancer is or was at diagnosis and whether it had spread (stage)
the grade of your cancer
the treatment you are having or have had
your outlook (prognosis)
follow up care you are having
It’s best if you have these details before you apply. Ask your doctor or specialist nurse if you're unsure about anything. They can answer your questions.
Some insurance companies specialise in policies for people with pre existing medical conditions. This includes cancer. It's worth shopping around. Try insurance brokers as well as travel insurance companies.
Many travel insurance companies will give you medical cover if you have a doctor’s certificate saying you no longer have cancer and are fit enough to travel.
Some companies won’t offer you insurance until you’ve been cancer free for some months or even years. Be prepared for the cost to be higher if you finished treatment recently. Prices generally go down the longer you’re cancer free.
You need to be able to claim for emergency medical care abroad. This includes treatment related to your previous cancer.
To be covered for this, you need a policy that says the insurance company will pay for emergency medical problems that are related to your cancer. Again, you must tell the insurance company your full medical history when you apply for cover. They must pay according to the policy if they agreed to cover you.
Whether you have had cancer or not, travel insurance costs vary depending on where you want to go.
The UK has mutual agreements with some countries that are not in the European Economic Area (EEA). So they may provide medical care at a lower cost or in some cases free. The NHS website has a list of these countries. It also explains briefly what:
is free
you’ll need to pay
documents you need
Find out more at the NHS website
Medical costs in the USA are very high. So it’s hard to get cover if you’re planning a holiday there.
You may not be able to get insurance for the USA if you have incurable cancer, particularly cancer that has spread. So you may need to rethink your holiday plans.
There are different ways to look for travel insurance including:
contacting an insurance broker
comparison websites
contact the money advice service
Insurance brokers An insurance broker can try to arrange a policy for you. Or they can give you a list of insurance companies with special policies for people with cancer or other medical conditions.
Brokers make a service charge. So it’s always best to make an informal approach to a few brokers before you make a decision. Make sure you feel happy that they know what's available for people with cancer.
The British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) can suggest brokers. They can look for travel insurance policies for people with cancer.
The British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) website
Comparison websites Other ways to look for policies would be to use comparison websites such as:
Money Helper
Another way is to contact Money Helper. They can direct you to specialist travel insurance firms that cover serious medical conditions.
Information the travel insurance companies and brokers might want to know
Being ready with answers to questions the companies might ask will help when you contact them. They will ask about your cancer and about your holiday.
Questions about your cancer might include:
when you were diagnosed
what type of cancer it is
how advanced it is and whether it is terminal
what treatment you have had or are having, or if you are due to start treatment
any medicines you are taking
any appointments you have with your GP or specialist
symptoms you have
Questions about your holiday:
where you want to go
how long for
who will be travelling with you
Questions you might want to ask include:
How much does the insurance cover you for?
What is the excess? Does it vary depending on what you are claiming for, for example a medical claim or lost luggage
Are you and whoever you are travelling with covered if you cancel?
Is there anything it doesn’t cover?
Depending on the situation some people might want to know if it would cover them if they died and their family wanted to get them home to bury them
How much is the travel insurance policy?
The UK has now left the European Union (EU). This means there are changes to the healthcare agreements between the UK and EU countries.
To be able to receive state provided healthcare when visiting an EU country. You should hold either a:
UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
These cards mean you can get necessary healthcare free or at a reduced cost in the EU country you are visiting. This is healthcare that cannot wait until you get home. It means you’ll have the same care as a citizen of the country you’re visiting. Remember, the cards might not cover everything you'd get in the NHS. This is because each healthcare system is different.
Ask where you are being referred to. Sometimes people are sent to a private practice or hospital. If this happens, you may not be covered for the costs of care unless you have travel medical insurance. If you have insurance, check the terms and conditions of the policy before agreeing to any treatment.
If you still hold a valid EHIC card you can use this until it expires. You will then need to apply for a UK GHIC. The EHIC will still be around but will only apply to some UK residents and is now replaced with the new UK EHIC card. To see if you should apply for a new UK EHIC card find out more on the NHS website.
Visit the NHS website for information about the new UK EHIC card
The UK government website has information about the different healthcare arrangements and systems in countries abroad.
Go to the UK government website
The UK EHIC and UK GHIC doesn't cover the cost of any medical treatment that you planned in advance, only for unexpected needs. But if you need continued treatment for an ongoing illness while you're abroad, such as regular injections, the UK EHIC or UK GHIC covers this.
The UK EHIC or UK GHIC doesn’t always cover the full cost of treatment. For instance, it won’t cover the cost of getting you home in an emergency. So it’s important to have the right travel insurance even when travelling in the EU.
You still need a UK EHIC or UK GHIC because your insurance company might not cover the cost of treatment that the card covers. If you try to claim in full, they might say you should have had the UK EHIC or UK GHIC.
Find out more about healthcare abroad on the NHS website
If you're a resident in the UK, you can get healthcare that cannot wait until you get home (necessary healthcare) from state healthcare services in Ireland during your visit. This includes medically necessary treatment for a pre-existing or chronic condition. Some treatments will need to be pre-arranged with the relevant healthcare provider in Ireland, for example chemotherapy. But you will still need travel insurance.
Guidance on how to get healthcare when visiting Ireland
The UK has an agreement with a number of non-EU countries so that people from the UK can receive urgent care. Usually, only immediate medical treatment is free of charge. Find out more on the UK government website.
Go to the UK government website to find out more
Medical care on cruise ships is quite expensive. You should have travel insurance to cover any medical care costs. If you require additional medical care that cannot be provided on board the ship, you will be transferred to medical facilities on land. What you are covered for depends on the country the cruise ship drops you in. So, it is not a good idea to rely on the UK EHIC or UK GHIC. You need medical care cover for anywhere that the ship could stop in. This includes unscheduled stops.
Many insurance companies have exclusions on their policies for people who have medical conditions such as cancer.
If you had cancer in the past, you still need to tell the insurance company about it. You must declare all existing and pre existing conditions. Otherwise the insurance company might say you misinformed them and may not pay out.
Regular high street travel insurance companies will not cover you if you have a terminal illness or if you aren't fit to travel.
Get a letter from your doctor saying that you are fit to travel, even if you haven’t had any treatment for some time. It’s always best to get advice from your doctor before going abroad.
You’ll need an updated doctor’s certificate every time you travel if you have an annual or multi trip policy.
Start by making informal enquiries. Some companies might ask if you’ve been refused insurance before. If you’ve only made informal enquiries, this won’t affect any applications you make.
As a condition of covering you, some insurance companies insist that you also get their travel insurance for everyone travelling with you.
Always check a policy carefully. Make sure it covers everything you might need. Such as getting you home if you become unwell whilst abroad.
Check the cost of insurance (premium) as well as the excess and whether there is a separate excess for everyone travelling.
Last reviewed: 16 Jun 2025
Next review due: 16 Jun 2028
Travelling abroad when you have cancer might not affect where or how you travel. It's important to have travel insurance.
Get information on coping with practical matters such as money and travel, as well as treatment for overseas visitors.
Plan a safe and pleasant journey with these travel tips for people who have cancer, are having treatment, or are recovering from treatment.
Travelling when you have cancer or are having treatment might need some extra planning. Find out how cancer can affect travelling in the UK and abroad and get tips to make it easier.
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