Jab users can be at risk of discrediting their travel insurance, and many are not sure to be mentioned as a drug.
More than a quarter of the 1,000 British adults surveyed by the market researcher’s consumer information said they do not know that drugs such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic count a drug for a pre -existing disease when purchasing coverage.
The poll asked participants how they can classify their weight loss JABs, with 11 % classify them as a cosmetic treatment, 10 % say they are a lifestyle tool and 24 % classify Jabs as medical therapies.
In most cases, insurers need to be covered in order to disclose pre -existing medical conditions – but making this mistake can invalidate their insurance.
Ian Hughes, the Consumer Information Executive Director, warned that this confusion about weight shifting could bring people out of pocket.
“This is not an academic confusion; it has real consequences for millions of British who buy travel and medical insurance,” Mr Hughes said.
“When a quarter of the population does not know whether their drugs are pre -existing, we see a complete storm for claims and coverage gaps,” he said.
The Financial Judicial Service announced a 23 percent increase in travel insurance complaints in 2024, with 8366 complaints and medical disclosure disputes been a major reason.
“This difference is not just semantics; this shows how the text of insurance questions can unwittingly lead to lack of information,” Mr Hughes added.
About 1.5 million people in the UK take medications such as obesity and diabetes, such as Mourse, Ozempic and Wegovy.
These drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, mainly treat diabetes but are also available in the NHS or through private providers to help adults with high body mass index (BMI).
These drugs are mainly used to control blood sugar levels, but also reduce food cravings and thus can rapidly lose weight.
However, those who use GLP-1 drugs for obesity, hypertension or diabetes can raise their insurance prices-in some cases pre-existing conditions can lead to insurer’s lack of coverage.
Mr Hughes warned that “the behavior using GLP-1 as pre-existing conditions is potentially insure customers.”
According to the comparison site, comparing the average cost of a travel insurance for customers with pre-existing medical conditions is £ 5 a day-this is 2 pounds more than those who are already available.
However, some insurers, such as admirals, have specific sections on their websites about weight loss Jabs to warn customers to announce that they use them when buying coverage.
The UK insurer (ABI) Association emphasizes on its website that if “you are inappropriate and try to hide important details about your health, it may not be covered.”
“You need to disclose any pre -existing medical conditions as well as any medication or treatment prescribed,” said ABI. The industry still emphasizes the importance of disclosing pre -existing medical conditions and if you are not sure what to say, you should contact your insurer directly to check. “
