If you love going on holiday and take statins to manage your cholesterol, you may be wondering how statins affect the cost of your medical travel insurance.
A pre-existing condition, such as high cholesterol, is one of the things that insurers will often look at when working out the cost of your quote. Here, you'll find out whether statins could increase your travel insurance cost, and how to compare quotes for the best value cover, even with a medical condition.
Can statins increase the cost of your travel insurance?
Travel insurance companies look at the risk of you needing to make a claim either before or during your trip to work out how much your travel insurance should cost. One of the risk factors they look at is your pre-existing conditions.
People taking statins for high cholesterol could be seen as a higher risk - even if you’re fully managing your condition by taking the medication.
But if you’re taking statins as a precaution and your cholesterol levels have never been raised, then the cost of your policy shouldn’t be affected.
What if I take statins for high cholesterol?
High cholesterol, while a manageable condition, can sometimes lead to sudden and severe health emergencies, such as a heart attack. So if this happens before your trip, or while you're away, you'd need emergency medical attention, as well as help getting home. The cost involved in this to either help recoup the cost of your trip, or help you get the treatment you need is why your travel policy could cost more.
As well as your medical conditions, your age is also used when working out your quote. This is because as you get older, the risk of needing to claim on your cover also increases.
Comparing travel insurance quotes when taking statins for high cholesterol
Not all travel insurance policies will cover you when you have pre-existing conditions. It’s important to check that your chosen provider isn’t just offering a great price, but is covering you and what’s important to you.
When you get a quote for travel insurance from PayingTooMuch, you'll be asked a few questions about your health, including whether you've ever had medication for high cholesterol.
You'll then be asked to let us know about any medical conditions you have and to answer a few questions including:
- Has a blood test ever shown your cholesterol to be raised?
- Have you ever been a smoker?
- Have you been advised to take medication for high blood pressure?
It's important to be honest when it comes to telling us about any pre-existing conditions. That way you can feel peace of mind that you're covered if you need help.
Once you get your quotes, you can compare the cover available. It's important to remember that the cheapest policy may not always give you the level of cover you need, especially if you're going to places with costly healthcare.
Buying travel insurance when you have medical conditions can be more expensive. But you shouldn’t ever feel ripped off when comparing cover. With PayingTooMuch, you’ll be shown a fair price for great quality cover you can trust.
Always read the policy's terms and conditions before you buy (we know it’s not the most thrilling of reads, but it is important), so you understand what is and isn't covered. A condition you live with day-to-day shouldn't stop you taking that dream holiday, so compare travel insurance to find great value cover with PayingTooMuch.
By Mikaela Bartlett
Mikaela Bartlett is SEO Editor at PayingTooMuch. She loves to explore places off the beaten path and sharing tips to make travel as easy and stress-free as possible.
FAQs
People taking statins for high cholesterol could be seen as a higher risk - even if you're fully managing your condition by taking the medication. But if you're taking statins as a precaution and your cholesterol levels have never been raised, then the cost of your policy shouldn't be affected.
Do you have to tell travel insurance about statins? ›
High levels of cholesterol in your blood can lead to greater risk of heart conditions and strokes, therefore it is important to notify your insurer of this medication to ensure you are fully covered for anything that could be directly or indirectly related.
Can I get travel insurance with high cholesterol? ›
High cholesterol travel insurance covers you if you're living with high cholesterol and wish to travel with confidence. This type of insurance covers you for medical emergencies, which is vital to prevent unexpected medical bills and give you the support you need if you have any medical problems while you are away.
Can you fly while taking statins? ›
Lovastatin was followed by simvastatin (Zocor®), fluvastatin (Lescol®), pravastatin (Pravachol®), atorvastatin (Lipitor®), pitavastatin (Livalo®), and rosuvastatin (Crestor®). Every statin listed here is on the FAA Accepted Medications Database as approved for use while flying.
Can you take a statin vacation? ›
Your doctor might ask you to go through several steps, including the following: Take a statin vacation. This is when you stop the drug for 3 to 4 weeks. Your muscle pain should go away by then if it's related to your statin.
Are statins considered preventive care? ›
The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that statin use for the prevention of CVD events and all-cause mortality in adults aged 40 to 75 years with no history of CVD and who have 1 or more of these CVD risk factors and an estimated 10-year CVD event risk of 7.5% to less than 10% has at least a small net benefit.
Is high cholesterol considered a preexisting condition? ›
In the health insurance world, a pre-existing condition is any injury, sickness or condition that exists before the date an insurance policy takes effect. Examples include asthma, diabetes, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and so on.
What do insurance companies consider high cholesterol? ›
What is considered high cholesterol when applying for life insurance? Typically, cholesterol over 200 is considered borderline high from a medical perspective. However, insurance companies may still offer preferred best rates for people with cholesterol of 275 or 300.
What is considered high cholesterol for insurance? ›
High cholesterol and life insurance
| Cholesterol levels (mmol/L) | Category |
|---|
| Below 5.0 | Normal (or low) |
| 5.0 to 6.4 | High |
| 6.5 to 7.8 | Very high |
| Above 7.9 | Extremely high |
Conditions which may not be covered
Conditions like terminal illness, the need for oxygen, pending surgery, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, specific types of cancer, congestive heart failure, and recurring pain are generally excluded from coverage.
The short answer is, yes! Although high cholesterol is often seen as a minor condition, it's important to declare it on your travel insurance policy in case of any linked conditions. That way, if something happens to you whilst you're away, you can rest assured with peace of mind that it is covered.
How long do statins stay in your system? ›
It takes about 77 hours (3 days) for atorvastatin to be out of your system. The elimination half life of atorvastatin is approximately 14 hours. This is the time it takes for your body to reduce plasma drug levels by half. It takes approximately 5.5 x elimination half lives for a medicine to be out of ones system.
When should you avoid taking statins? ›
Do not start a statin in patients ages ≥ 75 years who do not have known vascular disease or type 2 diabetes; start or continue a statin in all patients ages 75 to 84 with type 2 diabetes to prevent cardiovascular events and mortality; and start or continue a statin in patients ages > 75 years who have known vascular ...
Is it OK to stop taking statins for a few days? ›
It's important to know that stopping statins cold turkey, or even gradually, can cause serious health problems and you should talk to your doctor before doing so. To understand more about your heart health, take a health risk assessment at Baptist Health.
What do cardiologists think of statins? ›
“We know that if you have heart disease, specifically atherosclerosis, statins, if tolerated, are an absolute must,” says Brian Cambi, MD, a Yale Medicine cardiologist. “As far as who should take statins for prevention, that continues to get refined.”
Can I skip my statin for a day? ›
If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the next day, skip the missed dose and take the next one at the usual time. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you.
Do you have to declare blood thinners on travel insurance? ›
Travel insurers will most likely take into consideration the pre-existing medical condition for which you are taking the blood thinners, in addition to the potential for any complications that may arise from you taking the blood thinners.
What if I forgot my Lipitor on vacation? ›
Call the pharmacy and explain the situation. Call your home pharmacy and ask them to transfer your medication. If your home pharmacy won't transfer the prescription, call your primary care provider.
Does cholesterol medication affect life insurance? ›
To be perfectly honest, insurance companies don't have much interest at all in the fact that you are taking cholesterol medication, as long as it is working. They care more about the ratio of HDL to your total cholesterol and your overall health. To sum it up: cholesterol medication = not a bad thing.
