Heart failure and travelling to Spain

[LaBelleSauvage123]

I have class 1 heart failure for which I take beta blockers and ace inhibitors. Im
basically asymptomatic but do have some swelling of the ankles and breathlessness climbing hills. I’m due to travel to Southern Spain on Sunday and the forecast has rocketed, with temps in the mid 30s but feeling like 40 plus. I’ve felt a bit dizzy this week in 30 degree heat when I first stand up but have managed by basically doing very little. I’m going to ask my GP in the morning but does anyone else with this condition have experience of travelling in these sorts of temperatures?

You have comprehensive travel insurance, yes?

I’m embarrassed to say, but no.

So you can afford Spanish healthcare costs, repatriation and worst case scenario being brought home in a box, yes?

Nobody should travel without a fully declared insurance policy. I think you are taking a huge risk, given that you are already struggling.

Why would you even consider travelling abroad without travel insurance?? You should book travel insurance at the same time as you book to go away.

You aren't due to go until Sunday so you have more than enough time to sort it. You need to look at insurers who deal with existing medical conditions.
Do you have a GHIC card? If not, go onto GOV.UK and sort one. They are free, so don't pay for one. But this does not mean not to get travel insurance, a GHIC card will only give basic cover, not cover if you end up in hospital or have to be repatriated home.

Agree with others.
See your gp.
Ok to travel - take out insurance and go
Not ok to travel - don't go and take the financial hit.

Always take out insurance when booking a holiday as you are covered from then.

I suspect OP that you've either had a quote or know that the insurance will be high. Please don't travel without it, its not worth it.

Total madness to travel without insurance and a GHIC card. Will the trip even be enjoyable in this heat for you?

I don't understand people who don't take out insurance at the time of booking their holiday.

I can’t believe how daft I’ve been not sorting it. We haven’t been abroad for years because I’ve been a full time carer. Our accommodation has been paid for and we’ve only had to pay for flights, which I guess is why I didn’t think. So stupid. Will contact my GP as soon as the surgery opens and then if she says it’s ok to travel, I’ll sort the insurance.

I have stage 2 heart failure on meds including water tablets. I would think carefully if I really wanted to go as I know I'd be mostly lying on a Sunday lounger reading a book, or gently swimming in a pool as I would struggle walking around in excess heat and would get breathless and I know it would worry DH if that happened. I also have asthma. If I went I'd get the best travel insurance. I always buy it as I book so from that point I'm covered. Don't go overseas without travel insurance. It's worth paying more to be covered in every eventually.

You’re fine. As long as you sort it out before you go. I can be a bit last minute so often get it the day before I fly out!

Do you have a GHIC card? If not, go onto GOV.UK and sort one. They are free, so don't pay for one. But this does not mean not to get travel insurance, a GHIC card will only give basic cover, not cover if you end up in hospital or have to be repatriated home. @Londonnight

So regarding the GHIC card as far as I know they will actually cover your stay in hospital. I was unwell last year and stayed for a week on a ward in southern Spain and GHIC covered it totally . I didn’t even have one at the time but applied for it when I was discharged and received a code within minutes, which I then sent to the hospital who confirmed that everything was settled now!

But then I was not cleared to fly for 2 weeks so had to pay for a hotel while I waited . That of course was not covered by the GHIC, Thankfully the travel insurance reimbursed me for the accommodation…eventually!

You may find that the GP surgery do not consider this a clinical priority today (you wanting to clarify if you are fit to fly on Sunday)
You may need to find a private GP online
re the insurance - declare absolutely everything. Read it all very carefully when ticking boxes.

i know someone who genuinely lost their house (had to sell to pay their medical bills) due to non declaration of conditions.

Make sure you declare EVERYTHING to the travel insurance though or they’ll use undeclared pre existing conditions - even if unrelated to deny your claim if you need it.

Thats what they tried to do me. I hadn’t declared I may have asthma because it doesn’t meet their threshold for declaring it (I had no episodes within the last 3 years) but because I mentioned I may have asthma when I went to see a doctor about a chest infection a year earlier they tried to seize on that from the doctors notes. But it was a chest infection, not an asthma attack. I was just giving the HCP background info since I know I’m not officially diagnosed as having asthma.

Neither the chest infection or asthma had anything to do with my illness in Spain but they’ll use what they can to discount you.

It is better to tell them too much than to risk leaving anything out that they can use again you.

GHIC will cover the level of care that is provided for free in that European country. Sometimes it is the same as the UK, but most European have additional healthcare to provide cover for more than the basic level of care.

Try Staysure for travel insurance with medical conditions to declare.

Try Insurancewith for travel insurance. I use it when I take my elderly mum abroad and she has a few pre existing conditions.
Having had quotes from many others we always find them cheapest and very comprehensive.

Run it by your GP too though.

I do think it’s bonkers that in this day and age grown adults are travelling without travel insurance even if they are previously generally considered healthy - like I was before my last trip to Spain. But especially when you’re someone managed various health conditions.

I wonder if it’s something we need to educate people on as I believe some otherwise sensible people simply don’t think about it.

It would save a lot of these very sad gofundme collections from being necessary, although sometimes insurance do screw people over regardless.

Good luck Op, I hope the doctors are able to declare you fit to fly and you have a great time.

Get insurance, try staysure, but there’s a few other that cover health conditions, it won’t be cheap. Take your ghic too

I have multiple complex medical issues - on highest rates of PIP long term to give you some idea of severity - and always use Staysure for insurance. If your condition is fairly stable it actually won’t necessarily be that expensive, they look at how many hospital admissions you’ve had in the last year. Although my issues can suddenly be very severe (999 / hospital type thing) they are generally well controlled so for example for the 4 of us (me, dh and two dc) to go to Spain for the week it cost us £170 with Staysure for insurance.

GP has just rung back and cleared me for travel. DH has just told me he’s midway through sorting insurance - we’ve been so busy recently it’s been ships that pass in the night. So looks like we’re set. Thanks all for the advice.

Insurewith - best people who cover pre existing medical conditions my uncle is wheelchair bound with numerous problems and they've been great

If you only book travel insurance the day before you fly, you aren't necessarily covered if you have to cancel the flight. You should have cover from as soon as you purchase your trip, which will cover you in case you have to cancel or make changes due to ill health or other events.

yes, that is best practice. I was more talking in respect of the OP’s situation as she’s already booked the holiday to Spain and we can’t turn back the clock. My point was all is not lost - she can still sort it out now even though it’s last minute.

My recent trips have all been to Spain/Europe and they’ve been super cheap so I wasn’t too bothered about losing money if I cancelled a flight, but actually back in May 2025 I got annual insurance cover the night before I went to either Belgrade or NYC, so I was covered well in advance of all my other trips until recently. I think it’s auto renewed but I must check…

Glad to hear you’re able to fly @LaBelleSauvage123 and will be getting insurance.

Allclear is pretty good for travel insurance with pre existing conditions.