Shingles Travel Insurance
A viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes Chickenpox, Shingles is also known as Zoster or Herpes. This disease causes a visible and painful skin rash, looking like a series of blister in a limited area on the body. It often appears on the torso or on the face. Shingles appears whenever the Chickenpox virus gets reactivated again, this time as Shingles, people who have had Chickenpox will carry the virus for the rest of their lives. While this is not a dangerous disease, it is uncomfortable and often quite painful.
To get a quote by telephone, contact us on 0800 047 5065 (FREEPHONE) or + 44 (0) 1273 773 017
JS Travel Insurance can now provide cover for your Gadgets, such as Mobile Phones, Tablets and Computer Game Consoles. You will be able to select this cover on the quote page of our website.
JS Travel Insurance provides cover for Residents of the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands. If you are a Resident of the Republic of Ireland, please call us for a quote.
Summary of Cover
| Section & Cover | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cancellation or Curtailment | - | £2,000 | £5,000 | |
| Medical and Repatriation | £10,000,000 | £10,000,000 | £10,000,000 | |
| Personal Property | - | £2,000 | £3,000 | |
| Personal Money | - | £400 | £400 | |
| Personal Liability | - | £2,000,000 | £2,000,000 | |
| Delayed Departure | - | £100 | £100 | |
| Missed Departure | - | £500 | £500 | |
| Legal Expenses | - | £25,000 | £25,000 | |
| Failure of Carrier | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 |
Shingles Medical Questions
When obtaining a Travel Insurance quote, you will be asked a number of questions to help ensure you get the right quote for you. These will be:
- Is the shingles rash (erupting) active at the moment ?
- Are you on long-term medication for pain due to shingles ?
Symptoms of Shingles
The first symptoms of Shingles are fairly generic so diagnosis is often slow. These include:
- Headache
- Fever
- Weakness
- Burning pain
- Itching
- Hyperesthesia
- Pins and needles
- Numbness
After a couple of days a rash appears as a band or patch of red spots on the side of the truck or face, which is normally only on one side. The rash then forms into fluid filled blisters that then collapse forming ulcers which dry out and form crusts.
Diagnosis by a Doctor is done visually as it is very easy to recognise, as Shingles is one of few diseases that produces a rash in a dermatomal pattern (an area of skin mainly supplied by a single nerve).
Treatment for Shingles
- Antiviral Medication like acyclovir this reduces the duration of symptoms and also the risk of post - herpetic neuralgia.
- Pain killers to help relieve the pain.
- Calamine lotion as it has a cooling effect on the skin which will reduce itchiness.
- Keep the rash clean and as dry as possible this will help reduce the risk of the rash becoming infected with bacteria.
- Do not use antibiotics or plaster as this can slow down the healing process.
Most symptoms subside in three to five weeks. Complications can occur after you have had Shingles, such as post-herpetic neuralgia. This is where severe nerve pain lasts for more than three months after the rash has gone.
In most cases, the painful rash of Shingles lasts 7 to 10 days and takes 2 to 4 weeks to fully heal. A number of different medicines can be used to treat the pain.
3 people in every 1,000 have Shingles in the UK every year. Anyone can get Shingles but is more common in people over 50 years of age.
The condition also affects your sleeping pattern so the stress of travelling will not aid this, and if travelling to somewhere with very hot weather this may aggravate the rash.
Important Information
Before you leave the country, it is important to purchase a Travel Insurance policy that will cover Shingles or any other pre existing medical condition you may have.
This Travel Insurance is provided by goodtogoinsurance.com. Goodtogoinsurance.com is a trading name of Ancile Insurance Group Limited, Registered Address: Kao Hockham Building, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2NQ. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority - No. 471641.
