Over 16 million People Unaware of Travel Insurance Rule That Could Cost Them Thousands
18 November 2025
- Co-op Insurance reveals that an estimated 16 million people* are unaware that failing to declare an undiagnosed condition could void their travel insurance.
- Despite two-fifths** (40%) of survey respondents purchasing at least one travel insurance policy in the last year, one in five (21%) admitted to having an undiagnosed condition, which could put their cover at risk.
- Purchasing a travel insurance policy without declaring an undiagnosed condition could result in the traveller’s claim being rejected, even if their claim has nothing to do with the undiagnosed condition, potentially leaving them with hefty medical bills.
- Many UK travel insurance providers will not insure those with an unconfirmed health status even if their undiagnosed condition has no impact on their risk profile.
- Prompted by an employee’s personal experience, Co-op Insurance has expanded its travel insurance offering so that those with undiagnosed conditions are no longer prohibited from obtaining a policy.
A survey commissioned by Co-op Insurance, part of the Co-op Group, reveals that nearly a third (30%) of people in the UK aged 16+, equivalent to around 16 million, are unaware that failing to declare an undiagnosed condition could invalidate their travel insurance.
Despite two-fifths (40%) of respondents purchasing at least one travel insurance policy in the last year, one in five (21%) admitted to having an undiagnosed condition, which could put their cover at risk.
In the UK, hundreds of thousands of people on ADHD and autism waiting lists, as well as those awaiting test results for conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, and more could face hefty medical bills if they travel without declaring their undiagnosed status as this may invalidate their insurance, even if their claim has nothing to do with their undiagnosed condition.
To make matters worse, many insurers won’t provide cover at all to those in diagnostic limbo, leaving them in a vulnerable position when travelling abroad.
Co-op Insurance has re-shaped its travel insurance policy in response to a colleague sharing her personal experience with the aim of removing barriers and improving inclusivity in the insurance industry.
The change was sparked by Katy Brown, Head of Transformation Delivery at Co-op, who was booking a family holiday to America. Her son Sam, who lives with a rare condition, was also on a waiting list for an unrelated medical assessment. To her shock, Katy discovered that many insurers would refuse to cover Sam, not because of his existing diagnosis, but because of his undiagnosed condition, despite it having no impact on his risk profile.
Having a strong travel insurance policy in place was vital for Katy to ensure she would not have to pay potentially thousands should Sam experience medical issues while in America. Despite Katy usually having to pay extra for Sam’s travel cover due to his rare condition, she had never previously faced issues with securing cover for him. Katy was therefore shocked when she was told by providers that they would not cover Sam simply due to the fact he was on a waiting list.
Following this experience, Katy reached out to Co-op Insurance’s travel team to highlight the lack of inclusivity in the insurance industry and how this creates additional, unnecessary worries. She collaborated with Ellis German, Head of travel Insurance at Co-op Insurance, to discuss ways in which Co-op's own travel cover could become more inclusive.
As a result, Co-op's expanded travel insurance offering enables those awaiting medical assessments and official diagnosis to obtain travel insurance, forming part of the member-owned organisation’s broader commitment to social value and inclusivity.
Although Co-op’s updated policy doesn’t include cancellation, cutting a trip short and medical emergency expenses relating to the undiagnosed condition, the updated cover means that having an undiagnosed condition will no longer prohibit travellers from obtaining a policy, as it does with many other insurance providers.
This move is extremely important as NHS England reports that over 549,000 people may be waiting for an ADHD assessment as of March 2025. Meanwhile, nearly 213,000 people had an open referral for suspected autism as of December 2024, with 90% waiting over three months. In some parts of the UK, waits for an ADHD assessment can stretch up to 10 years, according to a Freedom of Information data request from the charity ADHD UK.
Katy Brown said:
“Having travel insurance in place for my son Sam was essential when travelling abroad. I was therefore saddened to discover that so many providers would reject Sam from having travel protection due to the fact of him being on a waiting list even though it was completely unrelated to his health status and risk profile.
"I reached out to my colleagues at Co-op Insurance because I wanted to ensure that families such as my own could experience peace of mind knowing that they are not prohibited to make a travel insurance claim if needed and therefore would be protected financially should anything go wrong while abroad. I am grateful to the Co-op Insurance team for taking an active role in making travel insurance more inclusive.”
Ellis German, Head of Travel Insurance at Co-op Insurance, said:
"“This expansion of our travel cover was shaped by one of our colleagues, Katy Brown, who shared the barriers she faced in securing travel insurance for her son. We listened – and acted. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every policy are real people, and we’re proud to make insurance more inclusive and responsive to real-life challenges”.
Henry Shelford, CEO of ADHD UK said:
"Getting travel insurance while on a medical waitlist is a challenging, complex process as many providers would prohibit you from accessing travel cover with an unconfirmed health status. Anything that simplifies the process and allows people to relax when on holiday has to be celebrated.”
Find out more about Co-op Travel Insurance
ENDS
Notes to the editor
* Figure based on 30% of 16+ population figure (54,711,707)
*Survey conducted by Opinion Matters, between 3-6 October 2025 among a sample of 2,001 UK Nat Rep Respondents.
For more information please contact: pressoffice@coop.co.uk
About Co-op Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates over 2,400 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 5,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited.
Employing almost 60,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11billion and is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.