A handy guide for travelling during and after cancer treatment from our friends at Maggie’s, everyone’s home of cancer care. 

As part of One Traveller’s partnership with Maggie’s, their friendly team has put together a guide for our guests on applying for travel insurance after a cancer diagnosis. They have also shared some practical packing advice and tips on how to prepare for your holiday.  

Some hints and tips for travel if you have cancer: 

• Ask your medical team if they are happy for you to travel 

• Keep travel insurance up to date with your diagnosis and treatment 

• Ask your airline if you need ‘fit to fly’ documents 

• Check if you need any vaccinations and if you can take these alongside any treatments 

• Take extra care in the sun 

• Research local pharmacies or hospitals in case you need them 

• Make sure you have enough medication and supplies and pack these in your hand luggage 

• Check for any restrictions between countries 

• Carry a treatment summary and list of medications 

• If you need to carry syringes or needles – ask your doctor for a letter 

• Assistance is often available in airports to support travellers through the terminal. Call ahead to ask what provisions are available. 

Insurance companies will look at an individual’s situation and where they want to travel to and will ask some fairly direct questions about the nature and extent of your diagnosis. 

Most of these companies use a medical screening service which will ask whether you have a terminal diagnosis, and the extent and spread of your disease. This can seem impersonal and direct and it is worth preparing for that. They cannot guarantee to offer you insurance and people with advanced disease and people currently undergoing treatment may find it more difficult to get cover. 

Insurance to some countries where health care is expensive or which involve long haul flights, such as the USA, Canada and Australia, can be more difficult to obtain. Some companies may not offer cover for cancellations. 

Some companies may ask for a letter from your doctor stating that you are well enough to travel. If you have an EHIC card, this remains valid until the card expires. You can then apply for a GHIC (Global Health Insurance card) which gives the right to access state provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Union. Further information on the GHIC and how to apply can be found here. 

Some countries outside the EU have mutual healthcare agreements with the UK. These countries will provide free or reduced-cost emergency medical treatment to people from the UK. You will be treated in the same way as a resident of that country. This may be different from what you would expect from the NHS. Because the agreements do not cover every situation, you will still need to get travel insurance. 

To claim free or reduced-cost treatment in these countries, you will need to prove you are a UK resident, usually by showing a UK passport. 

You can find an up-to-date list of countries that have a mutual agreement with the UK here. 

Helpful websites 

A useful guide from MSE on sourcing travel insurance

Macmillan – helpful hints and tips on buying insurance

MoneyHelper a website (provided by HM Government and Money & Pensions service) has a directory of travel insurance companies who provide insurance for people with serious medical conditions or disabilities. The list includes Staysure, with whom One Traveller has an agreement for guests to obtain a reduced rate. 

One Traveller will always ensure our guests are fully prepared for their holidays. From the information provided online and, in our brochures, to help you select the perfect destination and timing for your holiday, to the additional details we send before you depart. You should never be wondering what to do for long! We can of course help you with any additional queries you may have and many of the points raised here by Maggie’s will be forthcoming in our comprehensive pre-holiday information packs.  

Our friendly team will always be happy to help with further enquiries, however, so please do get in touch. 

Our thanks to Maggie’s for their kind permission in allowing us to reproduce their guide here.