Travel Insurance with Asthma 2025 Guide
It’s fair to say that asthma is very common in the UK, but this condition can be extremely mild with very little or no difference to lifestyle. You should still make sure that you disclose asthma when applying for travel insurance, so it’s taken into consideration.
Travel insurance will protect you financially if you suffer a serious asthma attack on holiday or lose your inhaler. You will also be well covered for other events such as lost luggage, flight delays or cancellations.
Note: Top UK charity Asthma + Lung UK has written a helpful guide which contains practical tips about travelling with asthma and other lung conditions. This includes guidance about travelling with medications and a useful packing checklist.
60 Second Summary – Can I get Travel Insurance with Asthma?
Travel insurance is usually available for people with asthma, and often from the UK’s top travel insurance companies. It’s essential to disclose that you have asthma when you apply for travel insurance to make sure that you get the appropriate level of cover.
- Some insurers will be cheaper and more suitable for people with lung conditions like asthma and it’s a good idea to shop around before choosing a policy.
- Asthma is generally considered to be a mild condition, so you may find that you are offered cover at a standard price or with a small price increase.
- The exact cost of asthma travel insurance will vary based on your age and severity of symptoms, as well as key details about your holiday (e.g. trip destination and duration).
- Check your policy documents carefully for anything that you can’t claim for (policy exclusions), so you don’t waste time by claiming for something you aren’t covered for.
Does travel insurance cover asthma?
You should be able to find a great travel insurance policy that will cover someone with asthma. If you have severe asthma, suffering an attack while abroad could cost you greatly. Medical treatment can be very expensive in some countries and travel insurance can help cover these costs.
Even with mild asthma, travel insurance can still be useful and save you a lot of money. You could become ill or injured for another reason or experience other events such as:
- Lost valuable items
- Lost medication (inhalers)
- Delayed flights
- Cancellations
- Lost cabin baggage or hand luggage
Travel insurance with protect you in all these situations, helping to prevent any major financial loss.
Is asthma a pre-existing condition for travel insurance?
YES – When you apply for travel insurance for someone with asthma, asthma will be classed as a pre existing condition. Standard travel insurance won’t cover pre existing conditions automatically.
It is always best to disclose asthma when you apply, to make sure you get the right level of cover. Our travel insurance partners are experts in travel insurance for pre existing conditions like asthma. They can compare the best quotes quickly and easily, so you never pay more than you need to for your policy.
Is asthma a respiratory condition for travel insurance?
YES – Asthma is a respiratory condition and will be classed as one when you apply for travel insurance. Asthma has different levels of severity of symptoms, so how much you pay can vary from person to person. You can get travel insurance for mild asthma or more severe asthma with the right advice.
The best way to get a fair price is to speak to a travel insurance expert before applying. A qualified advisor will know which providers work best for asthma, so you don’t waste time applying to the wrong ones.
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Do I need to declare asthma on travel insurance?
You should always declare asthma on travel insurance applications. Even if your symptoms are generally mild, you could encounter triggers when away which lead to a serious attack. This includes triggers such as:
- High altitudes
- Changing temperatures
- Allergens e.g. pollen or dust
- Dry air on the plane
- Increased physical activity
You could end up with huge costs for receiving treatment without travel insurance in place to support you. Insurers will want to know about any medical conditions you have, so they can give you the most suitable cover.
How does asthma travel insurance work?
When you apply for travel insurance you will be asked a few basic questions about your trip e.g. destination, duration of trip etc. You will then be asked about your health (medical screening process).
Common questions when applying for travel insurance with asthma:
- When were you diagnosed with asthma?
- How frequently do you experience symptoms?
- What is the severity of symptoms?
- What medication or treatment have you been prescribed for asthma? E.g. inhalers, steroids
- Do you smoke? (Can increase risk of medical issues)
- Have you ever been hospitalised due to asthma? Has there been recent hospital admissions?
Asthma is usually a milder condition, so in most cases it should be easy to get the cover you need at a reasonable price. It is also unlikely you will have exclusions applied to your policy unless your asthma is severe. In this situation, you may be prevented from claiming due to asthma or other respiratory issues.
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What does asthma travel insurance cover?
Specialist travel insurance for asthma (UK) will cover you in a range of situations. These policies are designed to prevent you losing money due to anything unexpected occurring on holiday. You will be covered for:
- Emergency medical expenses and repatriation (up to £15million)
- 24/7 medical assistance
- Lost baggage
- Missed departures
- Cancellation cover
- Personal liability (up to £2million)
Having travel insurance can allow you to relax, knowing you are covered from the moment your policy is bought.
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Does asthma affect travel insurance?
Asthma is classed as a pre-existing medical condition for travel insurance, and you will be asked about it when you apply. You could apply for a standard travel insurance policy, but this won’t offer the comprehensive cover needed for serious medical issues.
Most travel insurance policies will include a certain limited level of medical cover for expenses. A travel insurance policy for someone with asthma will also make sure that you’re covered for any asthma-related treatment whilst on holiday.
How much is travel insurance with asthma?
Most policies where asthma is disclosed will take in to account the additional potential medical requirements whilst traveling. The level of impact on the cost of cover will depend on how severe, recent, and frequent your symptoms are.
There are several other factors that will have an impact on costs, such as:
- Destination
- Length of stay
- Type of cover (e.g. single trip vs annual)
You can shop around to find the right cover and often a more specialist company would be better suited because they are more equipped to help.
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How to get cheaper travel insurance with asthma
Cheapest isn’t always the best option but you certainly shouldn’t pay more than you need to for travel insurance. Getting the right cover at an affordable price can make a big difference to your holiday.
To get cheap travel insurance for asthma sufferers, you should speak to a travel insurance specialist. They will be best qualified to find the cover you need at the right price. Our carefully selected travel partners have years of expertise and can help you sort your cover in minutes.
What is the best travel insurance for asthma sufferers?
There isn’t one ‘best’ type of travel insurance, as the level and type of cover needed by each person can vary. There are two main options for travel insurance which are:
- Single trip cover: Can be a lower cost option, will only cover one specified trip.
- Annual travel cover: Useful for frequent travellers, as this covers multiple trips within one year (12 months)
It is important to think about where you are going and how much cover you might need before applying. This can help you get an estimate of cost more quickly and helps the insurer work out which policy is most suitable.
Are there restrictions or age limits on travel insurance with asthma?
There shouldn’t be any restrictions for where you can travel to with an asthma travel insurance policy. There are also NO AGE LIMITS if you take out cover through our carefully selected travel insurance partner.
Just enter your age and trip details and you can receive a personalised quote for your cover.
Frequently asked questions about asthma
Can you travel with asthma?
YES – Asthma shouldn’t prevent you from going on holiday if you want to. The dry air on airplanes can be triggering for asthma though, so make sure to keep your inhaler with you.
What are the most common asthma symptoms?
The most common symptoms of asthma are difficulty breathing, coughing, chest tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath.
What triggers asthma?
A variety of things can trigger asthma symptoms. Your asthma may be made worse by allergies, air pollution, physical activity and respiratory infections.
What are the signs of an asthma attack (NHS)?
The NHS states the main symptoms of an asthma attack are:
- Severe wheezing, coughing and chest tightness
- Breathlessness that prevents eating, speaking or sleeping
- Rapid heartbeat
- Drowsiness of dizziness
- Fainting and blue lips or fingers (severe attacks)
What is an asthma action plan UK?
An asthma action plan is a management plan to help you manage and control your asthma symptoms. This will be developed alongside a doctor or nurse.
It may be useful to take this on holiday with you, in case your symptoms become worse while you are away.
Compare travel insurance with asthma cover
Over 12% of the UK population has been diagnosed with asthma, which is more than 8 million people affected.*
If you are looking for travel insurance for asthma patients, this is what you should do.
1. Speak to a travel insurance expert (or get an online quote)
A specialist adviser or comparison website can help you find the most cost-effective policies with the level of cover you need. It is always advisable to get cover in place as soon as your holiday is booked, in case anything goes wrong.
2. Answer some simple questions about your travel insurance and asthma
You will be asked a few quick easy questions about your trip and the type of travel insurance you need. This will be followed by some simple questions about your asthma and any other conditions (medical screening).
3. Receive personalised quotes for travel insurance for people with asthma
You will receive tailored quotes for your travel insurance cover from our specially selected travel insurance partners.
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Useful resources
Asthma + Lung UK
Asthma + Lung UK are the UK's leading charity focusing on lung health and respiratory conditions. They consistently campaign for changes to improve the nation's access to better respiratory care, with their main mission being 'a world where everyone has healthy lungs'.
There are a lot of useful resources on their website, which includes links to find local support groups and free online guidance for living with lung conditions like COPD, asthma, sleep apnoea, and more.
Contact Asthma + Lung UK
Telephone - 0300 222 5800
Email - info@asthmaandlung.org.uk
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