Travel Insurance for Lupus

What is lupus?

Lupus is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system, which normally fights infection, starts attacking healthy tissue instead. For some people that means sore joints and tiredness. Others get rashes, often across the cheeks and nose, and in some cases the kidneys, heart or lungs are involved.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the type most people mean when they say lupus. Discoid lupus is different, as it mostly affects the skin. Both tend to come and go, with flare-ups and then quieter spells that can last months. The NHS lupus page has more detail on symptoms and treatment.

Why do I need to declare lupus for travel insurance?

Lupus is a long-term condition, so it counts as a pre-existing medical condition on any travel policy. We ask about it because a flare-up can arrive with little warning, and the medicines many people take to control it lower resistance to infection. Either could mean seeing a doctor abroad or calling off a trip at short notice.

If lupus isn’t declared and you then claim for something connected to it, such as a chest infection picked up while on immunosuppressants, the claim may be refused or only partly paid.

You won’t need to declare every medical condition you’ve ever had or been diagnosed with, only those that fall into the initial set of medical questions.

Can I get travel insurance with lupus?

In many cases, yes. Plenty of people with lupus travel with cover in place, and the online medical screening is what decides whether it can be offered. Lupus that’s been settled for a while on the same medication is viewed differently from a recent flare-up, a hospital stay or kidney involvement, and those details can affect whether cover is available.

What we’ll ask about your lupus

Declaring your lupus online doesn’t take long. The screening asks about the medication you take and whether any organs are affected. After that, carry on declaring any other relevant pre-existing medical conditions you have.

Once you’ve finished the medical declaration, you’ll go through to the quote page. If your lupus and your other conditions can be covered, you’ll see a list of quotes, and the premium shown includes the cost of cover for your medical. If we can’t provide cover, you’ll know before going any further.

If your health changes before travelling

Lupus can flare without much warning. If your medication changes, you have a hospital admission, you’re referred for tests, or you receive a new diagnosis between now and departure, you must let us know. It may mean reviewing your cover or referring your medical situation to the underwriters, and in some cases we may not be able to proceed with cover. Not telling us about a change in your medical can lead to a future claim being affected or denied.

What can lupus travel insurance cover?

Once lupus is accepted on your policy, a flare-up abroad is treated like any other medical emergency. If you’re taken ill in Spain and end up in hospital, emergency medical treatment can be covered, and so can repatriation if you need to come home with medical help. All of this is subject to the policy terms, exclusions, limits and excess.

Cover can also apply before you go. If a flare-up shortly before departure means your doctor advises you not to travel, you may be able to claim back non-refundable trip costs under cancellation cover.

It won’t pay for treatment you’d planned to have abroad, or for anything linked to a condition you didn’t declare. The policy wording has the full detail.

Will lupus affect the cost of travel insurance?

It can, and your result from our online medical screening is what decides by how much. The screening may ask how your lupus is treated and how well it has been controlled lately, so it helps to have your medication details to hand. General things such as your age, where you’re going and how long you’ll be away also play a part. Either way, you’ll see the price before you buy.

Single trip or annual cover with lupus

Going away once this year? Single trip cover is the simple option. If you’re likely to go away twice or more, have a look at annual multi-trip cover, which can work out better value. Annual cover depends on your screening result, and you only answer the lupus questions once per policy.

Travelling with lupus: practical tips

These are general tips for staying well on holiday. They aren’t part of your insurance cover.

Sun is the big one. UV light is a common trigger for lupus, so pack a high-factor sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and something with long sleeves. Try to plan the middle of the day around shade, a long lunch or a museum.

Don’t cram the itinerary either. If fatigue is part of your lupus, a rest day built in after a long flight makes a real difference.

If you take immunosuppressants, check vaccinations early. Some travel vaccines, including live ones such as yellow fever, may not be suitable for you. Speak to your GP, specialist or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you go, and check the TravelHealthPro country pages for what your destination needs.

Plan how you’ll store and top up your medication. Some lupus treatments, such as biologic injections, need to stay cool, so a travel cool bag and a fridge in your room are worth arranging. Don’t count on buying more abroad, as the same medicine may not be available or may go by a different name.

A few other things that help:

1. keep your medication in your hand luggage, in its original boxes, with a few days’ spare in case of delays
2. take a copy of your prescription, and a letter from your doctor listing your medicines
3. if you’re crossing time zones, ask your doctor or pharmacist how to adjust your dose times
4. look up the nearest hospital before you arrive, not when you need it

How to get a quote

Pop in your trip details, answer the medical questions for lupus (and anything else you need to declare), then pick your level of cover. You’ll see the price before you pay.

Get a Quote

Other Useful Autoimmune Pages

• Lupus Travel Insurance
• Rheumatoid Arthritis Travel Insurance
• Sarcoidosis Travel Insurance
• Sjogren's Syndrome Travel Insurance

Don't worry if your condition is not listed above - we cover plenty more medical conditions.
* Please note that cover will vary depending on individual medical screenings.