How Much Does High Blood Pressure Increase Travel Insurance?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common health conditions in the UK, affecting an estimated one in three adults. Often managed effortlessly with daily medication, it’s a condition many live with without a second thought—until it’s time to book a holiday. Suddenly, a routine task like buying travel insurance can become a source of anxiety. You’re faced with the medical declaration form and the looming question: how much does high blood pressure increase travel insurance?

The straightforward answer is that for most people with well-controlled hypertension, the impact is often modest. However, failing to declare it can have severe consequences. Insurers classify high blood pressure as a pre-existing medical condition because it represents a potential health risk, which in turn influences their travel insurance risk assessment.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll demystify the process. We’ll explore how insurers calculate your premium, provide realistic cost expectations, and offer practical steps you can take to secure the best possible cover without breaking the bank.

How Insurers Assess Risk for High Blood Pressure

When you apply for travel insurance, the insurer is essentially calculating the likelihood that you will make a claim. This process of travel insurance risk assess is a detailed one, especially when a declared condition like hypertension is involved. The core principle of all insurance is that the higher the perceived risk, the higher the premium.

For high blood pressure, insurers aren’t just looking at the condition itself. They are assessing the potential for related, more serious medical events that could occur while you’re abroad, such as a heart attack or stroke. Their assessment of health risk and travel insurance is based on several key questions:

• Stability and Control: Is your blood pressure well-controlled with medication? Insurers favour stability. If your readings are consistently within a healthy range and your medication hasn’t changed recently, you represent a lower risk.

• Severity: What is your typical blood pressure reading? Mild hypertension (e.g., 135/85) is viewed very differently to severe hypertension (e.g., 180/110).

• Medication: What medication are you on? Simple, common medications like Ramipril or Amlodipine are standard. More complex drug regimens might trigger further questions.

• Associated Health Issues: Do you have any related complications, such as heart disease, kidney problems, or have you had a previous stroke? This significantly increases the perceived risk.

• Age and Overall Health: Your age is a major factor, as the risk of hypertension-related complications increases with age. Your BMI and lifestyle (e.g., smoking) will also be considered.

Related Reading: Before you travel, it’s useful to understand what your readings mean. Use our Blood Pressure Average Calculator to check where you stand.

How Much Does High Blood Pressure Increase Travel Insurance?

Let’s tackle the main question head-on. While every insurer and individual circumstance is different, you can generally expect a travel insurance premium increase of between 10% and 50%.

For a traveller with well-controlled, uncomplicated hypertension taking standard medication, the premium hike for hypertension will likely be at the lower end of this scale, perhaps 10-25%. However, if your condition is less stable, requires multiple medications, or you have associated health concerns, the increase could be 40% or more.

These blood pressure related insurance charges are not arbitrary. They reflect the statistical likelihood of a claim. For example, the British Heart Foundation highlights that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular events. An insurer must factor in the cost of potential emergency treatment, which could include hospital stays, specialist care, and even medical repatriation—costs that can easily run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.

A Hypothetical Cost Comparison

To make this real, let’s look at a typical insurance policy premium adjustment for a couple in their 60s taking a two-week holiday to Spain.

Table: Illustrative example only. Actual premiums will vary by provider.

This table clearly demonstrates the pre-existing conditions insurance impact. While a single, well-managed condition adds a modest amount, the cost can accumulate significantly with multiple health declarations.

Factors That Influence the Cost of Your Cover

The pre-existing conditions insurance impact is not calculated in isolation. The cost of covering your high blood pressure is intertwined with several other critical factors that insurers use to build your premium:

1. Your Age: This is a primary factor. A 40-year-old with hypertension will likely pay less than a 70-year-old with the same condition, as age itself increases general health risks.

2. Your Destination: Travelling to a country with high medical costs, like the USA or Canada, will always result in a higher premium. The NHS advises that anyone travelling abroad should have adequate travel insurance, as the cost of care in other countries is not covered by the NHS. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides travel advice for all destinations.

3. Trip Duration: A longer trip means a longer window for a medical event to occur, so a month-long holiday will cost more than a weekend break.

4. The Number of Declared Conditions: This is a major component of the insured health conditions cost impact. Declaring high blood pressure alongside other conditions like high cholesterol or diabetes will have a compounding effect on your premium.

5. Level of Cover: Opting for a higher grade of cover (e.g., a policy that includes a higher medical expenses limit, cancellation cover, and baggage cover) will naturally cost more.

Key Takeaway: The final cost is a blend of your personal health profile and your travel plans. A well-controlled condition travelling to Europe may only see a small premium hike, while the same condition for a long-haul trip to the USA will see a more significant increase.

How to Reduce the Extra Cost of Cover

While a premium hike for hypertension is often unavoidable, there are several savvy strategies to minimise your high blood pressure coverage costs.

• Compare, Compare, Compare: Never accept the first quote you get. Use comparison websites that specialise in pre-existing medical conditions, such as MoneySuperMarket or Compare the Market. Also, go directly to specialist insurers like AllClear, Staysure, or Free Spirit, who are experts in assessing medical risk and may offer more competitive rates.

• Consider an Annual Policy: If you travel more than twice a year, an annual multi-trip policy can be more cost-effective than buying single-trip cover each time, even with your condition declared.

• Opt for a Higher Excess: The excess is the amount you pay towards a claim. Agreeing to a higher voluntary excess (e.g., £250 instead of £100) can reduce your upfront premium. Just ensure you can afford to pay that amount if you need to make a claim.

• Provide a Stable Health Picture: If you’ve recently changed medication or had a concerning reading, it may be worth waiting (if possible) until your condition is stable again before taking out a new policy. A stable health history is looked upon favourably.

• Travel Within Europe: As shown in our example, staying within Europe is generally cheaper for travel insurance than travelling to the USA or worldwide.

• Seek a Specialist Broker: They have the expertise to match your specific health profile with the most appropriate and competitively priced insurers.

The Critical Importance of Declaring Your Condition

This cannot be overstated: you must declare your high blood pressure when applying for travel insurance.

Failing to do so is called “non-disclosure” and can have devastating financial consequences. If you need to make a claim related to your blood pressure—or even for an unrelated issue—the insurer will investigate your medical records. If they find you failed to declare a known condition, they are within their rights to:

• Cancel your policy entirely.

• Refuse to pay your claim.

• Refund none of your premium.

This applies even if you believe your hypertension is “under control” or “mild.” The condition travel insurance implications of non-disclosure are severe. Honesty is always the best policy. For official guidance on your rights and responsibilities, you can consult the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Related Reading: Wondering about the practicalities of travelling? Read our guide, Can You Fly With High Blood Pressure? A Complete UK Guide for Safe Travel, for pre-flight tips and advice. Furthermore, if you’re feeling run down, it’s worth understanding the link between hypertension and fatigue in our article, Does High Blood Pressure Cause Exhaustion?.

Conclusion: Knowledge is Power

So, how much does high blood pressure increase travel insurance? The data and examples show that the impact is typically a manageable 10-50% increase, heavily dependent on the stability of your condition, your age, and your travel destination.

The key takeaway is this: In most cases, having high blood pressure may slightly increase your travel insurance premium, but the impact is manageable if your condition is well controlled. The peace of mind that comes from having a valid, honest policy in place is invaluable. Don’t let the fear of a modest premium hike for hypertension put you off declaring your condition and securing the comprehensive cover you need.

By understanding how insurers think, comparing quotes from specialist providers, and maintaining a stable health profile, you can confidently find a policy that protects you on your adventures, without undue financial stress.

1. NHS – Travel Health and Insurance (Mentioned in “Factors That Influence the Cost”)

2. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice (Mentioned in “Factors That Influence the Cost”)

3. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (Mentioned in “Declaring Your Condition”)