Importance of Declaring Mental Health Conditions

Setting off on holiday is an exciting experience that we all eagerly anticipate. Amongst the thrill of planning every detail of our trip, it’s crucial to remember an essential safeguard: travel insurance. Travel insurance not only adds an extra layer of security to your holiday but also helps protect against unforeseen circumstances that may arise.

When taking out a travel insurance policy it is essential that you disclose any current and pre-existing medical conditions that you have, to ensure you have appropriate cover in place that is suitable for your needs.

Something that you may not realise is that mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, also need to be declared on your travel insurance policy when you complete a medical declaration.  According to the Mental Health Foundation¹, approximately two thirds of people will be affected by a mental health problem in their lifetime. Even if you feel it isn’t worth mentioning or it won’t be a problem while away, it still needs to be declared to your travel insurance provider. There’s no shame in it, and doing so will help insurers gain a more thorough understanding of your medical conditions and overall health to provide you with cover that matches your needs. Failing to declare a medical or mental health condition and later needing to make a claim related to it, or the treatment of it, could lead to your claim being declined and leaving you to foot any associated bills.

Here are a few reasons why it’s so important to declare your mental health conditions on your travel insurance:

• Adequate cover: By declaring your mental health conditions fully when taking out a quote, you ensure that your insurance policy adequately covers potential issues related to your mental health, or the treatment of it, whilst away. This could include medical emergencies, treatment, or repatriation if medically necessary.

• Assessment: Declaring medical and mental health conditions correctly allows for your insurer to assess the risk associated with covering you. By being transparent when disclosing medical conditions, it will allow for your insurer to evaluate and price the policy accordingly, ensuring fair premiums and cover terms for you. It’s worth remembering, that declaring a medical condition doesn’t automatically mean your premium will increase.

• Change of health: As mentioned, when taking out a travel insurance policy you need to declare all medical conditions. However, it is also essential to remember to provide any updates to your health in the time between taking out the policy and going away, such as new medical and mental health conditions or changes in medication for example. Failure to update any changes in health could potentially result in your cover being voided or not being covered for the full amount in the event of a claim.

• Peace of Mind: Knowing you have provided all the relevant and up to date information about your health gives you peace of mind before and during your trip. It will allow you to focus on enjoying your holiday and not worry about potential financial burdens related to your medical conditions in case of a medical emergency.

Overall, declaring medical and mental health conditions on your travel insurance policy not only ensures your medical conditions will be appropriately covered in case of medical emergencies, it also covers cancelation or curtailment of your holiday due to your medical and mental health conditions as long as you have declared these to us.  It’s essential to review your policy terms and conditions carefully and consult with your insurance provider if you have any questions about how your mental health conditions may affect your travel insurance policy. Always remember make your mental wellbeing a priority so you can enjoy that holiday and break you deserve. We have more information about travel and mental health here.

^{_{1 Mental Health Foundation –https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/blogs/recognising-scale-mental-health-crisis-might-be-very-thing-brings-about-its-solution}}

View all posts by Lowri Turner