Friday 06 June 2025
Maggie's calls for urgent government action to ensure people with cancer can access fair travel insurance.
People with cancer are routinely refused cover or quoted unaffordable premiums, even when they are in a stable condition, leaving many forced to travel without insurance or not travel at all.
Not only does this mean that people with cancer are discouraged from taking an often much-needed holiday, but it also prevents individuals from visiting family and friends living abroad, or carrying out work-related travel.
Maggie’s is now urging the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Emma Reynolds, to assemble a taskforce to tackle the excessive travel insurance prices faced by people with a history of cancer.
Maggie's is calling for the Treasury to work with cancer charities, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), consumer groups, industry experts and insurers to create a fairer deal for people cancer in the travel insurance market.
Josh Cull from Lincolnshire was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma, a brain cancer rare in adults, in 2021 when he was just 25.
Following many months of gruelling treatment and a challenging recovery, Josh decided to visit southeast Asia with his fiancée and brother. However, he could not find a single travel insurance company that would cover him for a price he could afford.
Josh says: “My cancer was completely unexpected, especially as I was so young, and initially I was told I only had three months to live. I went through chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as major surgery to remove the tumour, which affected my eyesight and my ability to walk.
“It was an incredibly difficult time, but I was lucky to come out the other side, and the trip was supposed to be a reward for everything we’d been through.
“However, I couldn’t get an insurance quote for less than £3,000. At that point, I had been out of treatment for two and a half years, and I was healthy and fully recovered. But simply having a cancer diagnosis in my past meant the insurance was extremely expensive. It felt so unfair.
I ended up travelling uninsured because I just couldn’t afford the cover.
Millie Tharakan, 72, from North London, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, and her cancer returned in 2020. She has since been receiving immunotherapy and undergoes regular CT scans to monitor her condition.
Despite her oncologist describing her as “steady” and declaring her fit to fly, Millie was quoted an extortionate £1,300 for gold cover for a single trip to Spain, with the most basic level of cover coming in at £705.
Millie has three sons and five grandchildren, and says that being diagnosed with cancer made her realise just how important spending time with family is.
“We wanted to go on a family holiday, and given my health, I didn’t feel comfortable travelling without insurance. But it’s been incredibly stressful,” Millie says.
Most insurance companies I spoke to wouldn’t even consider covering me. It feels so unfair.
Staff at Maggie’s helped Millie navigate the system and provided a list of insurance companies who cover people with cancer. Despite this, Millie was still unable to find any cheaper prices for comprehensive cover, and ended up paying £1,300 for a year’s insurance in Europe.
Maggie’s recently hosted a drop-in event in parliament to bring this issue to the attention of MPs, in the hope of bringing about change for people with cancer.
Dame Laura Lee DBE, chief executive of Maggie’s, said: “More and more frequently, we are hearing about the barriers people with cancer face when trying to obtain travel insurance, and the emotional distress this can cause.
“At Maggie’s, we know how stressful a cancer diagnosis can be, and the last thing people should have to think about is inflated insurance costs when they should be focused on recovering from treatment and living well with cancer.
“Travelling and taking holidays can be so important for someone’s wellbeing and recovery, and it is extremely unfair that people with cancer are being priced out of the opportunity to visit family and friends abroad or simply explore the world.
“We believe a taskforce could help understand why people with a history of cancer are routinely refused cover or quoted unaffordable prices and could develop clear recommendations to ensure people are treated more fairly by insurance companies.
If you or someone you know is worried about a cancer diagnosis or getting travel insurance after a cancer diagnosis, we have expert staff in our centres available to help you.
We also have more information about travel insurance and cancer, including guidance from one of our cancer support specialists.
To find your nearest Maggie's centre, enter your postcode or town below.
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