Asthma Travel Insurance

If you have Asthma and are planning a trip abroad, a Travel Insurance policy should be taken out before the journey starts.

Asthma is covered as standard.

There are no health questions to ask as long as:

• The asthma was diagnosed before age 50 and the insured person is taking/using no more than two medications/inhalers.
• There have been no changes in your Medication in the last six months.
• In the last 12 months, you have not been referred to a specialist due to worsening or destabilisation of your Asthma.
• You have never had any hospital admissions with the condition.
• You are not on a waiting list for treatment for this condition.
• You are not awaiting the results of any tests or investigations into this condition.

Please Note: If the above statement and restrictions do not apply to you or you have any other medical conditions, you can get a quote and policy by following this link:

GET A QUOTE

To contact us by telephone, 0800 043 0020 / 01273 092 757.

• Summary of Cover
• Symptoms and Causes
• Treatment for Asthma
• What Can Trigger Asthma Symptoms When Travelling?
• How Does Temperature Affect Your Asthma?
• How do Sports and Activities Cause Asthma Symptoms?
• What Other Medical Conditions Can Cause Asthma for Asthma
• Top Tips for Travelling with Asthma
• Useful Websites

*Excess payables vary depending on the claim benefit.

Please read the Policy Wording for the complete list of Benefits.

Healix Insurance Services Ltd, on behalf of Hamilton Insurance DAC, arranges this Travel Insurance policy for Jade Stanley Ltd. Healix Insurance Ltd is registered in England and Wales under No. 5484190 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under No. 437248. Hamilton Insurance DAC is registered in Ireland No. 484148, authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland, and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority in connection with their UK branch. Jade Stanley Ltd is registered in England and Wales under No. 03570857 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under No. 306205.

When a patient comes into contact with an Asthma trigger, their condition can become irritated, leading to a tightening of the muscles around the walls of the airways. The lining of the airway also becomes inflamed and starts to swell.

Asthma triggers include air pollutants, colds and viruses, pollen, household dust mites, smoke and some foods.

What causes Asthma is unknown, but you are more likely to be a sufferer if you have a family history of Asthma, Eczema or other Allergies.

Rapid climate changes can bring on attacks; for example, travelling in an air-conditioned plane and coming out into a tropical climate can trigger an attack.

Asthma attacks often happen after a thunderstorm because the grass pollen ruptures and particles are released into the atmosphere.

Most people lead a public life by working on their condition through effective treatments. Some examples of treatments for Asthma include:

• Reliever and Preventer Inhalers (which deliver Medication directly to the lungs)
• Spacers (more common for children)
• Leukotriene Receptor Antagonists
• Theophyllines
• Oral Steroids
• Omalizumab
• Nebulisers (for severe Asthma attacks)
• Bronchial Thermoplasty (for severe Asthma)

• Allergens: Dust mites, mould, pet hair, pollen, and bugs such as cockroaches are common allergens that can trigger asthma symptoms. They can be found in various places, including hotels, aeroplanes, and other modes of transport.
• Air Irritants: Smoke, air pollution, and chemical solid odours can all irritate your airways.
• Respiratory Infections: Colds, flu, and respiratory infections can affect Asthma.
• Weather Changes: Cold, dry air and hot, humid air; find out more in the section below.

• Cold Weather: Cool air can irritate and dry out the airways, making them more likely to narrow and cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Cold air can also worsen respiratory infections, which can trigger asthma flare-ups. So, if you are getting Winter Sports Travel Insurance, you will be susceptible to this.
• Prevention: Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose when you go outside in cold weather to warm the air you breathe. Drink plenty of warm liquids to help moisten your airways.
• Hot Weather: Humid air and hot weather can increase allergens such as pollen, mould, and pollution levels, irritating the airways and triggering asthma symptoms. Major pollen areas are in the South of France.
• Prevention: Staying indoors during the hottest part of the day and air conditioning where you are, if possible. Drink lots of liquids to stay hydrated. If you exercise outdoors, do so in the early morning or evening when the temperatures are usually more relaxed.

• Sports and Activities can trigger asthma symptoms due to a condition called exercise-induced Asthma (EIA), otherwise known as Sports-induced Asthma.
• Ensure you have travel insurance for your Sports and Activities, which JS Travel covers.
• Rapid Breathing: You breathe faster and deeper during exercise, often through your mouth. This bypasses your nose, which generally warms and moistens the air entering your lungs.
• Cold, Dry Air: This colder, drier air irritates the airways in your lungs.
• Sensitive Airways: The airways are already sensitive and prone to inflammation, so if you are affected quite easily, sports and activities can trigger this.
• Intensity of Exercise: Activities that demand a lot of breath are more likely to trigger symptoms.

• Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever): Allergies trigger inflammation in the airways, which can worsen asthma symptoms.
• Sinusitis: Inflammation of the sinuses can irritate the airways and contribute to postnatal drips.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: When stomach acid backs up into the oesophagus, it can irritate the airways and trigger asthma symptoms, particularly at night.
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): COPD is a group of lung diseases that include Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis. It can be challenging to distinguish between Asthma and COPD, especially in older adults. While Asthma is reversible, COPD is not.
• Sleep Apnea: This sleep disorder causes breathing to stop and start repeatedly during sleep.
• Anxiety and Stress: While not directly causing Asthma, Anxiety and stress can worsen asthma symptoms by causing rapid breathing and tightening of the airways.
• Eczema is a chronic skin condition that causes itchy, inflamed skin. It is part of the atopic triad, a group of conditions including allergic rhinitis and Asthma.

Asthma should not restrict your holiday plans; you must plan to minimise any problems. However, it is not advisable to travel during an Asthma flare.

• Discuss your travel plans with your Doctor and research where you can get medical help and extra medicine when you arrive at your destination.
• Pack enough Medication and inhalers to cover you for the entirety of your trip, and include an extra supply in case of loss or baggage delay.
• Take your reliever inhaler onto the flight as hand luggage. You may also need your preventer inhaler and Medication if you take a long flight.
• If possible, take all your Medication onto the flight as hand luggage because Asthma medication would become less effective if it were to freeze in the hold.
• Remember to bring supporting documentation from your Doctor detailing why you must have your medicine on the flight.
• Know what to do during an Asthma attack, and do not ignore any gradually worsening symptoms.
• If you are travelling with a companion, inform them of your condition and what they can do to help you during an Asthma attack.
• Travelling to highly polluted cities may trigger a flare-up, so it is essential to be aware of the conditions at your destination.
• Travelling to mountainous and cold destinations may require an increase in Medication; consult your Doctor.
• If you know that you have specific triggers for your Asthma, such as animals, smoke or feather pillows, check ahead to see if you are likely to encounter them at your accommodation.
• If you are affected by pollen, plan your trip when pollen levels are low. Remember that you may react to pollens you have not previously encountered in your home country.
• Suppose you have severe Asthma and need assistance at the Airport. Let your Airline know at least 48 hours before your flight.
• If you use a Nebuliser, remember that other countries may have different power points. If your Nebuliser is battery-powered and you intend to take it on the plane, check with your Airline in advance.
• If you have not already had a flu shot, get one before flying, as air travel will increase your risk of getting the flu.

Asthma Society

Travelling with Asthma