Quick answer: Declare your arthritis, medicines, and any pending tests or surgery, as the FCDO warns that not declaring a condition may invalidate your policy. If an insurer refuses you or quotes a medical premium of £200 or more, FCA rules mean it must point you to a directory of specialist insurers. A free GHIC helps in the EEA but does not replace insurance.
Checked on 10 October 2026 against FCDO guidance on foreign travel insurance, the NHS page on the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), the FCA Handbook rules on travel insurance and medical conditions (ICOBS 6A.4) and GOV.UK guidance on taking medicine abroad. We do not recommend or receive money from any insurer.
Travel insurance can feel like a maze when you have arthritis. Some people are quoted high prices; others are tempted to leave their condition off the form to keep the cost down. This guide explains what the official guidance says you should declare, how the rules protect people with medical conditions, what a GHIC does and does not cover, and how to compare policies sensibly. It is general information, not financial advice.
Why the right cover matters
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) says you should buy travel insurance before you travel that covers existing physical and mental health conditions, including those currently under investigation, and any activities you plan to do. Without it, you could be liable for emergency costs, including medical treatment and getting home, which can run to thousands of pounds. The FCDO gives examples of costs to show how expensive emergency care can be, such as more than £25,000 for a broken leg in Spain needing hospital treatment and possibly repatriation.
The FCDO also advises buying insurance as soon as possible after booking, so that you are covered if you need to cancel because of illness before you go.
What you need to declare
The FCDO says to declare existing conditions or pending treatment or tests, so you are covered if there are related complications during your trip, and that failing to declare something may invalidate your insurance. For arthritis, this usually means telling the insurer about:
- your type of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis or gout
- your medicines, including disease-modifying drugs, biologics, steroids and strong painkillers
- recent changes, such as new medicines, hospital stays, injections or flares
- pending tests, referrals or surgery, including being on a waiting list for a joint replacement
- related conditions, such as osteoporosis, lung disease linked to rheumatoid arthritis, heart or kidney problems
- mental health conditions, which the FCDO says must also be declared
Answer every medical screening question honestly and exactly as asked. If you are not sure whether something counts, ask the insurer and make a note of who you spoke to and when.
If your health changes after you buy the policy, such as a new diagnosis, a referral or a change in medicine, check your policy wording. Many policies require you to tell them about changes before you travel, and the insurer may change the terms.
Your rights if you are refused or quoted a high premium
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has rules to help people with more serious medical conditions find cover. Under ICOBS 6A.4, a travel insurer must tell you about a medical cover firm directory, with its phone number and website, if it:
- declines to give you a quote, or cancels your policy, wholly or partly because of a medical condition
- offers a policy with a medical condition exclusion that cannot be removed
- offers a policy where the extra premium for your medical condition is £200 or more (a figure the FCA will adjust in line with inflation every 5 years from 2030)
- offers a policy where the medical condition premium is not known
The FCDO points people to the MoneyHelper travel insurance directory and the British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA) Travel Medical Directory, which list specialist providers that cover serious medical conditions. These are directories, not recommendations.
The GHIC: useful, but not a replacement for insurance
The NHS says the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in the European Economic Area and some other countries, including Australia and Montenegro, on the same basis as a resident. In some circumstances it also applies in Switzerland. Key points from the NHS page:
- It is free and lasts for up to 5 years. Apply through the official NHS website, as unofficial sites may charge a fee.
- It covers healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return, including emergency treatment and treatment or routine care for long-term or pre-existing conditions.
- Some treatments, such as kidney dialysis or chemotherapy, need to be arranged in advance.
- Treatment may not be free. You pay what a local resident would pay.
- It does not cover private treatment, being flown back to the UK, or mountain rescue.
The NHS and FCDO both advise having a GHIC and travel insurance. The FCDO notes that some insurers waive the medical excess if you use your GHIC.
What to check in a policy
Based on the FCDO's checklist, make sure your policy covers:
- the full length of your trip, and any limit on total days abroad per year for annual policies
- treatment in state and private hospitals, and emergency transport such as an ambulance
- your declared pre-existing conditions, including complications related to them
- repatriation and getting home after treatment if you cannot use your original ticket
- reasonable costs for someone to stay with you or travel out to bring you home
- every country you will visit, even in transit
- all activities you plan to do, such as walking holidays or winter sports
Also check:
- Cancellation cover limits, and whether a flare before you travel counts as a reason to cancel
- Cover for medicines and mobility equipment that are lost, stolen or damaged
- Whether a 24-hour emergency assistance line is included
- Cruise cover, which the FCDO says generally needs an extra level of cover
- Exclusions, for example for travel against FCDO advice, alcohol-related incidents or certain activities
A medical details sheet you can copy
Insurers' screening questions are easier to answer if you have everything in one place. Copy this and fill it in before you start getting quotes:
- Diagnoses and year diagnosed: ______
- Medicines, doses and how often: ______
- Any change to medicines in the last 6 to 12 months: ______
- Hospital admissions, injections or surgery in the last few years: ______
- Tests, referrals or operations you are waiting for: ______
- Other conditions, including mental health: ______
- Mobility aids you will take: ______
- Insurer, date, name of person spoken to and what they said: ______
Your GP surgery or the NHS App can help you check dates and medicine names. Keep a copy with your policy documents.
Travelling with a partner, family or carer
If you are buying a joint or family policy, everyone's conditions usually need to be declared, and one person's condition can affect the price for everyone. FCA guidance notes that people applying for a joint policy may need to consider the consequences of buying separate policies instead. Compare both options. If someone is travelling to help you, check that the policy covers their costs if you become ill and they need to stay with you or bring you home.
Older travellers
The FCDO highlights that some policies have age restrictions, particularly annual policies. If you are over 65, compare policies carefully and check upper age limits, medical cover limits and whether an annual policy is renewable as you get older.
Comparing quotes sensibly
- Gather your details first: your diagnoses, medicines and doses, and dates of recent appointments or changes.
- Get several quotes, including from specialist providers if the price is high or you are refused.
- Compare like for like: the medical cover limit, excess, cancellation limit and exclusions, not just the price.
- Consider single-trip versus annual cover and check whether an annual policy covers your condition for every trip.
- Check if you already have cover through a bank account or credit card, and whether it includes your pre-existing conditions. Many require you to declare them separately.
- Consider a broker who specialises in medical conditions. Brokers can be found through the BIBA directory.
The price of cover for a declared condition varies a great deal between insurers. A higher premium for honest cover is usually better than a cheaper policy that may not pay out.
Medicines, letters and equipment
GOV.UK says if your medicine contains a controlled drug, you must carry it in your hand luggage when entering or leaving the UK, and check the rules of the country you are visiting with its embassy before you travel. You may need a prescription or a letter from your doctor to prove it is yours. Ask your pharmacist whether any of your medicines are controlled drugs; some strong painkillers are.
- Carry a list of your medicines and doses, ideally with generic names.
- Pack medicines in your hand luggage in original packaging, with extra in case of delays.
- If you inject a biologic, check how to keep it cool and ask your specialist team for a letter about needles and medicines.
- Note your policy number and emergency assistance number somewhere you and your travel companions can find it.
Our guide to travelling with arthritis medicines covers this in more detail.
Immunosuppressants and travel health
If you take medicines that suppress the immune system, some vaccines may not be suitable and you may be more at risk from infections. Speak to your GP, practice nurse or specialist team well before you travel. Ask how to manage your medicines if you become unwell abroad, and whether your insurer needs to know about recent changes.
If you need to claim
- Contact your insurer's emergency assistance line as soon as possible if you need medical treatment abroad. Many insurers need to approve treatment.
- Keep copies of all medical reports, receipts and correspondence.
- If your claim is refused and you disagree, use the insurer's complaints process. If you are still unhappy, you can take your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
Disability and fair treatment
Under the Equality Act 2010, insurers can only treat you differently because of a disability if this is based on relevant and reliable information about risk. If you think you have been treated unfairly, ask the insurer to explain its decision. Free advice is available from Citizens Advice.
Holidays in the UK
For trips within the UK, you can use NHS services as normal, so you do not need medical travel insurance. You might still want cover for cancellation, lost belongings or equipment. See our guide to arthritis-friendly holidays for planning tips.
When to get medical help
Before you travel, speak to your GP or specialist team if your arthritis is not well controlled, you have recently started a new medicine, or you are waiting for tests. Abroad, use local emergency services in an emergency (112 works across the EU) and contact your insurer as soon as you can. Get urgent help if you have a hot, swollen joint with a fever, signs of infection while on immune-suppressing medicine, or a painful swollen calf or sudden breathlessness after a long journey, which can be signs of a blood clot. Our guide to flying with arthritis covers long-haul tips.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to declare arthritis on travel insurance?
Yes. The FCDO says to declare existing conditions, including those under investigation and pending treatment, as failing to declare something may invalidate your insurance.
What if I am on a waiting list for surgery?
Declare it. Pending treatment or tests should be declared, and some policies have specific rules about travelling while waiting. Tell the hospital your travel dates too, so you do not miss an appointment offer. Our waiting list guide explains how to stay on the list while you are away.
Does a GHIC cover my arthritis abroad?
It covers necessary state healthcare, including routine care for pre-existing conditions, in the EEA and some other countries. It does not cover private care, repatriation or mountain rescue, so you still need insurance.
What can I do if I am refused cover?
FCA rules mean the insurer must tell you about a medical cover directory listing specialist firms. The FCDO points to the MoneyHelper and BIBA directories.
Does my bank account travel insurance cover arthritis?
Not necessarily. Many packaged policies need you to declare and sometimes pay extra for pre-existing conditions. Check the terms.
Do I need travel insurance for a UK holiday?
Not for medical care, as you can use the NHS. You might want cover for cancellation or belongings.
Can I complain if my claim is refused?
Yes. Use the insurer's complaints process first, then the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
My symptoms are being investigated but I have no diagnosis yet. What do I declare?
The FCDO says to declare conditions currently under investigation. Describe your symptoms and the tests or referrals you are waiting for, and answer the screening questions as accurately as you can.
Sources and further reading
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Foreign travel insurance
- NHS: Get healthcare cover abroad with a UK GHIC or UK EHIC
- FCA Handbook: ICOBS 6A.4 Travel insurance and medical conditions
- GOV.UK: Take medicine in or out of the UK
- BIBA: Travel Medical Directory
- Financial Ombudsman Service
Educational information for people in the United Kingdom, not personal medical, legal or financial advice. NHS processes, rules and prices change, so check the linked official sources and speak to your GP, specialist team or pharmacist about your own situation. Charity no. 1218461. Pending clinical review. If you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.
Continue with related help
- Flying with arthritis — airport assistance
- Travelling with arthritis medicines — a checklist
- Travel with arthritis hub — planning your trip
- Arthritis-friendly holidays — choosing a trip