Travel insurance for high blood pressure: what you need to know (2024)

FAQs

Travel insurance for high blood pressure: what you need to know? ›

Yes, you have to tell your insurer you have high blood pressure. If you don't declare your condition and need to claim on your travel insurance for any reason, you won't be covered. If you have Admiral travel insurance, check your Admiral policy book to see if your pre-existing medical condition is covered.

What is considered high blood pressure for travel insurance? According to Blood Pressure UK, an ideal blood pressure reading is between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, anyone with consistent readings of 140/90mmHg and above is considered to have high blood pressure⁹.

Many life insurance companies consider high blood pressure as a systolic reading over 135 and a diastolic reading over 85. Others consider high blood pressure as a systolic reading over 130 and a diastolic reading over 80.

Most travel medical insurance companies consider high blood pressure a pre-existing condition. Other common pre-existing conditions include: Asthma. Heart disease.

The average blood pressure while sitting should not exceed 155 mm mercury systolic and 95 mm mercury diastolic maximum pressure for all classes. A medical assessment is specified for all applicants who need or use antihypertensive medication to control blood pressure.

If your blood pressure is higher than 120 over 80, seek medical advice before you travel.

Eat Healthily.

Limit high-cholesterol foods, salt, sugar, and fat. Avoid non-essential over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines and decongestants, which can raise blood pressure and glucose levels.

Blood pressure ranges: Important new medical guidelines issued by the American College of Cardiology in 2017 dramatically reduced the definition of high blood pressure from 140/90 to 130/80. In life insurance underwriting, the closer your blood pressure is to the 120/80 range, the less you'll likely pay for coverage.

To cope with treatment expenses, most opt for health insurance plans. They cover pre-existing diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. However, it is important to note this coverage only comes after you finish a waiting period and is subject to other terms before you can claim coverage.

Yes, because high blood pressure can cause several health problems - including making you more at risk of chest pain, heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease - there's a higher chance of needing to make a claim on your travel insurance. As a result, insurance providers charge more to cover this extra risk.

What qualifies as a pre-existing condition? ›

A medical illness or injury that you have before you start a new health care plan may be considered a pre-existing condition. Conditions like diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cancer, and sleep apnea, may be examples of pre-existing health conditions.

A pre-existing medical condition is any sickness, injury or condition that received medical care, including advice, diagnosis or prescribed medication. It also includes a condition where further treatment was recommended before your trip.

A pre-existing medical condition (PEMC) is an illness or injury you had before your policy began or was renewed. Examples of pre-existing medical conditions include, diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol or a long-term back condition.

Having high blood pressure should not be a barrier to travelling. In fact, all forms of travel should be fine if you have high blood pressure and it is well controlled, even long distance.

Treatment of high blood pressure often starts with lifestyle changes, including decreasing salt in your diet, losing weight if necessary, stopping smoking, cutting down on alcohol use, and engaging in regular exercise. In addition to lifestyle changes, medications are often used to lower blood pressure.

If you take regular medications to manage your blood pressure, pack them to have them with you on the flight. The dry conditions in the cabin may also lead to dehydration, which can sometimes cause your blood pressure to rise. Be sure to drink enough water and stay hydrated before, during, and after your flight.

There isn't any legally imposed limit as far as we're aware, but a high blood pressure must be controlled with medication before you travel for your safety. For example, blood pressure is considered high if over 140/90mmHg, so if your blood pressure is consistently above this value then it is important to reduce it.

Travel and holiday insurance for people with heart conditions. Heart conditions - it's a vague term and could be anything from heart arrhythmia to heart failure, disease, angina or heart attacks.

NOTE 1: For VA disability rating purposes, the term hypertension means that the diastolic blood pressure is predominantly 90mm or greater, and isolated systolic hypertension means that the systolic blood pressure is predominantly 160mm or greater with a diastolic blood pressure of less than 90mm.