Travel insurance and dialysis: what to check before you buy

Standard travel insurance is written around unexpected events. Dialysis is scheduled and ongoing, so a generic policy will often exclude it entirely unless you declare it and the insurer explicitly agrees to cover it.

When you get a quote, declare dialysis (and any other pre-existing conditions) as part of the medical screening, not as a side note. If the insurer doesn't ask, call them and confirm in writing that dialysis-related treatment is covered — a verbal assurance from a call centre isn't something you can claim against later.

Check what's actually included: routine sessions at your destination, emergency dialysis if your schedule changes unexpectedly, and cover for missed or extended travel if a medical issue delays you. These are often priced and covered separately.

Look at the claim limit for dialysis specifically. Some policies cap it well below the real cost of a course of sessions abroad, which defeats the purpose of buying cover in the first place.

Keep every document: the clinic's invoice, proof of payment, and your confirmation email from us. Insurers ask for an itemised receipt, not just a card statement, so ask the clinic for one at the time rather than after you're home.

Some national health systems have reciprocal agreements that cover a portion of dialysis costs in specific countries — worth checking before you assume you need full private cover.