Allergy Travel Insurance

Compare allergy travel insurance

Over 20% of the UK population are affected by one or more allergic disorder, but living with an allergy shouldn’t prevent you from travelling to new countries.  Allergy travel insurance can help to open up new horizons to everyone from city-break lovers and back-packing wanderers alike. 

When abroad, you can feel free to enjoy new foods and experiences by taking precautions to minimise the risk of developing an allergic reaction.

Allergic reactions can vary in severity, resulting in anything from mild itching and sneezing to hives, vomiting, or even life-threatening anaphylaxis. And, experiencing a reaction in an unfamiliar setting can be all the more stressful and frightening.

From stocking up on allergy medication to ensuring you get the right travel insurance cover before you take off, you can really relax in your surroundings and get busy sampling new exotic tastes and flavours without the extra worry.

Travelling with food allergies

If you’re travelling with food allergies, there are things you can do to help reduce the risk of a food related allergic reaction and give yourself access to the correct and timely treatment in response to a reaction no matter the severity:

• Plan your travel in advance. If you’re flying, you can usually let the airline know that you or someone in your party has a food allergy. They can usually advise on in-flight meals and any measures they take to reduce your exposure to potential allergens.
• If you’re travelling to a non-English speaking country and don’t speak the native language, be prepared with a translation card. A translation card can be a quick and easy way to communicate the severity of the allergy and how a restaurant can help you avoid becoming ill.
• Take a little longer to examine a food menu to check for allergens, but be mindful of hidden ingredients. If in doubt, it’s best to avoid any meals you’re unsure about.
• If possible, observe food preparation areas, for example, if staff are using the same scoop for all flavours of ice cream. There could be an increased risk of cross-contamination if one of the flavours contains an allergen ingredient, so it’s best to steer clear if you want to avoid a reaction.
• Make sure you have any medication or supplies, like Adrenaline Auto-Injection pens, that you need. If you’re flying, you’ll probably need a letter from your doctor to allow you to carry things like liquid antihistamines or an EpiPen in your hand luggage.
• When you arrive at your destination, familiarise yourself with the location of nearby pharmacies, doctors, and the local emergency department. It’s also worth keeping a note of the emergency services number just in case you need to call for an ambulance.

Travel insurance for nut allergy sufferers

The prevalence of nut allergy is on the rise, with approximately 1 in 50 children developing a peanut allergy in the UK (Allergy UK). Nut allergies can result in severe reactions such as difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis which require urgent medical attention.

Nuts (especially peanuts) are a common ingredient in many sweet and savoury dishes in other countries.  Although many restaurants and food products around the world will provide suitable warnings, there can be a greater risk of a reaction abroad.  It can sometimes be difficult to identify whether a snack or meal contains nuts or has been prepared in the vicinity of nuts, especially if there is a language barrier.

Medical Travel Compared enables people with nut allergies access to compare different specialist policies, so they can choose the right cover for their trip and condition. Having a nut allergy won’t stop you from exploring the far-flung corners of the globe.

Declaring your allergies

When comparing travel insurance quotes, you may need to declare any allergies.  Making a pre-existing medical condition, like an allergy, known to the travel insurance provider will ensure you get the best possible cover tailored to your needs.  

Even if you’ve never needed to use an adrenaline pen or required medical intervention for your allergy, it’s still best to make sure you have the correct specialist cover.  Allergic reactions can be unpredictable in their severity and you could end up needing expensive medical treatment or a costly hospital stay that you will need to make a claim for.

Including cover for allergy or anaphylaxis on your travel insurance policy may result in a small additional charge.  But, if you fail to declare your condition and need to make a condition-specific claim, your standard insurance policy will be void and you could end up footing a rather large medical bill on your return home. Declaring your allergies is in your best interests. 

What does allergy travel insurance cover?

Opting for allergy travel insurance cover brings additional benefits should you need to make a claim for an allergic reaction while you’re away. Extended specialist allergy cover can offer protection against hospital bills and help to take the stress out of making alternative travel arrangements. Your travel insurance premium is likely to cost a little more, but it’s worth the peace of mind of knowing you won’t need to worry about expensive medical fees should you have a reaction.

Unrelated to your condition, a standard travel insurance policy typically covers:

• Holiday cancellation
• Personal accidents
• Emergency medical and repatriation expenses
• Mobility aids
• Missed connection
• Belongings and baggage loss
• Theft of passport, money, and documents

However, if you have a pre-existing condition like an allergy you’ll need a specialist allergy travel insurance policy with extended cover.  If you have an allergic reaction on holiday, an extended policy with Medical Travel Compared will give you:

• access to a 24-hour emergency medical assistance line from abroad
• cover for unplanned medical treatment
• cover for the cost of replacement medication
• cover for holiday cancellation if you’re unfit to fly or travel due to an allergic reaction before your departure date

Compare allergy travel insurance quotes

Get travel insurance for allergies with us. We ask the relevant questions to give you the right cover.

Compare allergy travel insurance quotes quickly and easily online with Medical Travel Compared. Free and independent, all you need to do is answer a single medical screen. You’ll get access to a selection of suitable allergy policy quotes from reliable insurers, so you can make your mind up in the comfort of your own home.

You can find out more about travelling with an allergy and get advice and tips about managing your allergy with Allergy UK.

Compare allergy cover simply today, without being placed on hold and without needing to repeat yourself.