Can high blood pressure prevent you from flying?

Going on holiday with a medical condition, such as high blood pressure, doesn’t have to be fraught with uncertainty. In this article, we explore what a pre-existing medical condition can mean for both your flight and insurance policy

What health conditions should I not fly with?

Let’s start with the big ones. Individual situations will vary, but in general it’s not advisable to fly if you suffer from:

• Deep vein thrombosis
• Have an infectious disease
• Have recently had a stroke
• Recently undergone major surgery, such as hip replacement

These aren’t fixed rules, but if you have any of these conditions, it would be wise to seek medical advice before making any travel plans.

Can I still go on holiday with high blood pressure?

In terms of finding travel insurance, there are a whole host of medical conditions insurers consider, including hypertension or high blood pressure as it is commonly known.

Age Co Travel Insurance is provided by AllClear, experts in medical travel insurance. We spoke to Garry Nelson, Head of Corporate Affairs, to learn more about how high blood pressure might impact your holiday.

“While it can be a serious condition, in most cases securing travel insurance with high blood pressure shouldn’t be difficult. Usually, it won’t affect the cost of the premium,” says Garry.

“If the high blood pressure is known about, well medicated and isn’t being caused by other conditions, then it isn’t really an issue for insurers. It should be declared when buying the policy, but it is unlikely to increase the cost.”

Can I fly with high blood pressure?

That all depends on the individual. As Garry stresses, common sense should be applied when making a decision.

“It’s really down to the individual to study the risk. We know our own bodies,” he says.

“Someone who has a variety of medical issues should ask themselves whether they should be headed towards 40-degree heat, and they should understand the standard of medical facilities in their destination country.”

Do I need to speak to my GP before travelling?

It’s important to be vigilant about your health and to be transparent about it when buying travel insurance. But common sense should once again prevail.

Garry says: “It all depends on whether you’ve been to the hospital recently or have been experiencing new symptoms. If you’ve been unwell, it’s only right that you speak to your doctor before booking a holiday or buying travel insurance.”

If you have any doubts or have had a recent flare-up of symptoms, then speak to your GP. It’s worth noting that if you do travel against the advice of a doctor, your travel policy could be invalidated.

What is specialist medical travel insurance?

Many mainstream insurers have a greater appetite to provide cover to the ‘general population’ while others prefer to support people with a less standard risk profile.

These are the specialists, like AllClear who provide Age Co Travel Insurance, which offers cover to those with pre-existing medical conditions. What’s more, there’s no upper age limit, allowing more people to travel with confidence.

The verdict?

In the world of travel insurance, pre-existing medical conditions play an important role in getting good-quality cover. While some conditions are more serious than others, not all of them should have you worrying about your insurance.

But most importantly of all: if you have high blood pressure or any other recent or current medical condition, be sure to declare it to your travel insurance company. If you don’t and there is a medical emergency on holiday, your claim may be declined, which could mean added costs and difficulties on top of an already stressful situation.

High blood pressure, while potentially serious, shouldn't necessarily put a stop to your holiday plans. If you think it might be an issue, speak to your GP and get their expert opinion.