Yes. If you’ve been prescribed statins, we recommend telling us about this when completing your medical screening - even if you take them purely as a precaution and have never been diagnosed with high cholesterol.
We ask this because the insurance providers we compare can have different medical declaration requirements. By telling us about medication you’ve been prescribed, we can make sure the quotes we show are based on the same, accurate information about your health.
What if I’ve never had high cholesterol?
That’s okay.
Some people are prescribed statins to reduce their future risk of high cholesterol or cardiovascular problems because of factors such as their age or general health, rather than because a blood test has shown raised cholesterol.
When you tell us about this during your medical screening, you may be asked:
“Has a blood test EVER at any time shown your cholesterol level to be raised?”
If your cholesterol has never been raised, simply answer No.
This helps the medical screening distinguish between someone taking statins as a preventative measure and someone who has previously had raised cholesterol.
Why do I need to tell you if I haven't been diagnosed?
Different insurance providers can ask for different information about medication and medical conditions.
Medical Travel Compared compares policies from a panel of providers, so we need to collect enough information to make sure the quotes we show are appropriate for your circumstances.
That means if you've been prescribed medication within the last two years, you should answer Yes when we ask:
“Within the last 2 years, have you or anyone to be named on the policy been prescribed medication, received treatment or had a consultation with a doctor or hospital specialist for any medical condition?”
During the medical screening, tell us about the condition or health risk the medication has been prescribed to manage and answer the follow-up questions as accurately as you can.
For example, if you take statins as a precaution but have never had a raised cholesterol reading, you should still declare cholesterol as a pre-existing medical condition. When asked whether a blood test has ever shown your cholesterol to be raised, answer “No”.
This allows the medical screening to reflect that the statin has been prescribed as a precaution, rather than because you have previously had a raised cholesterol reading.
Will taking preventative statins increase the price of my travel insurance?
Not necessarily.
The follow-up questions are there to help insurers understand your individual circumstances. If your cholesterol has never been raised and your statins are purely preventative, answering the questions accurately allows this to be taken into account when your quotes are calculated.
Prices and medical screening requirements can vary between insurance providers, so the best approach is always to tell us about the medication and answer the questions that follow accurately.
That way, you can compare quotes knowing the providers have been given the information they need.