COPD Travel Insurance

COPD travel insurance covers you if you have a lung condition and wish to travel with confidence. Lung condition travel insurance covers you for medical emergencies, which is vital to prevent unexpected medical bills and support you if you have any medical issues while you are away.

A comprehensive COPD travel insurance policy should cover you for your particular COPD condition e.g. chronic bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstructive airways disease.

Making sure they are covered

When completing your quote it’s important to declare any form of COPD you have. As part of our medical screening process for travel insurance with COPD, we’ll also ask you to provide information about your previous and current state of health.

There are a few easy to answer questions about your personal details and then you move onto declaring any pre-existing medical conditions you may have.

How to declare COPD

At AllClear we use COPD as an umbrella term to cover a variety of respiratory diseases. Once you declare your COPD we may ask you the following questions:

• How many medicines are prescribed for your condition? (We do not require the names of any medication).
• How many hospital admissions have you had in the past year?
• How short of breath do you get when walking on flat ground?
• Have you received a prescription for oxygen other than when in hospital?
• Have you ever been a smoker?
• In the last year have you had a chest infection or an episode of pneumonia?

The importance of declaring all conditions

Once you have successfully declared COPD you will also need to declare any other recurring illnesses, on-going or lifelong conditions, previous surgeries and any conditions you’re currently living with. This is because if you fail to declare your COPD, or any other condition you may have when taking out travel insurance, you could invalidate any claim resulting from a particular condition.

What will affect the price of your policy?

There are a number of factors we use to accurately calculate the quotes we offer you, for example:

• Medical condition.

Using more than 15 years of comprehensive claims data we accurately assess your medical conditions and their severity in order to calculate the level of risk and determine the premium of our AllClear policies.

• Age.

As we get older we become more likely to make a travel insurance claim, this consequently affects the price of your premium.

• Destination.

Some countries will treat you through private hospitals rather than the state system. This then means that if you need medical attention whilst on holiday your healthcare would be more expensive and this factors into your premium.

• Duration.

The longer you’re on holiday for the more likely it is that you will need to make a claim, so this is factored in when rating the risk of a claim. We offer quotes for you to review based on all these factors. You can then choose a policy and make your purchases.

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The importance of planning ahead when travelling with COPD

• Since difficulty breathing is a hallmark of COPD, if you have the condition you may be reluctant to travel far from home. The key to travelling with COPD is in the preparation, particularly if you use oxygen. Therefore, last minute deals might not be a good idea – you might want to aim to plan your trips at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. You should consider seeking medical advice before you book your holiday to ensure you’re fit to travel. Get the names of local doctors, hospitals, and clinics where you can get help if needed – your own doctor or healthcare provider may be able to help you here. Make sure the holiday providers at your destination understand your COPD and any special requirements.

• It’s also important to be realistic when deciding whether your destination is suitable for you, (think about terrain, access and the cost of travel insurance). If you’re able to go on long walks over hilly terrain that’s great, but if not then make sure you don’t plan for that holiday. Also, research travel insurance costs and remember to buy Travel Insurance for pre existing conditions!

Do you require a medical certificate?

• The amount of oxygen in an aircraft can be 15% (compared to 21% on the ground); this can cause complications if you have COPD. Because of this some airlines require medical certificates confirming that a patient is currently stable and fit to fly – your GP can advise you on this.

Using oxygen whilst flying

• If you use oxygen when travelling with COPD, you may want to check specific airport and airline regulations on oxygen prior to travel and see if they will allow you to carry a portable oxygen concentrator on board. You may be required to use a special inflight oxygen concentrator when on the plane. Book direct flights whenever possible as this eliminates the need to have oxygen during layovers. Always be sure to arrive at the airport early to help ensure a stress free check in.

On your holiday

• If you have prepared well for your holiday, then once you are away you should be able to relax and have fun. You might want to make sure to carry a list of emergency contacts and a list of your medication. It’s also important to keep your EHIC card on you (if you’re in Europe) and to have your travel insurance documents kept in a safe place.

• You may also want to locate the nearest medical facility to you so you can seek medical assistance quickly if you begin to feel unwell.
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