Last Updated on August 15, 2026 by Nadia Halfway
📜 Introduction.
Searching for the best travel insurance for Type 1 Diabetes is like navigating a minefield.
Some policies seem to tick every box, but when you actually read the fine print, diabetes and other pre-existing conditions are excluded. Others will insure you, but only for some destinations, or for short holidays. Choosing the right policy can make the difference between travelling with total peace of mind and facing a terrifying medical bill abroad.
As a Type 1 diabetic seasoned traveller myself, I’ve spent years researching this topic, hoping that one day we too will have good travel insurance for long trips that really covers diabetes. That day is still a bit far away.
In this article, I’ll walk you through five travel insurance providers for Type 1 Diabetes. Here you can find all the essential details on maximum trip duration, eligible residents, and covered destinations. This way, you can choose the policy that actually fits your needs.
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📍 True Traveller.
When it comes to travel insurance for diabetics who love backpacking adventures, True Traveller is quite good.
They allow you to add pre-existing medical conditions, including diabetes, as an optional extra during the medical screening process. Unlike many insurers who quietly exclude chronic diseases altogether, True Traveller lets you declare your condition and obtain written acceptance of cover for it.
However, it’s crucial to understand what “covered” really means. According to the policy document, even after completing the medical screening and paying the additional premium:
“It does not mean your travel insurance will pay for medication or treatment which may be required to be continued during your trip to control any medical condition you screen for – for example the cost of your regular check-ups you may need to have to monitor Diabetes.”
In plain English: routine diabetes management is not covered. This includes insulin, testing strips, doctor appointments, and any medication you were already taking before departure. What the add-on can cover is the cost of emergency medical treatment abroad (severe hypoglycaemic episodes or DKA).
There are a couple of other important caveats to be aware of. First, if you have had one or more unexpected hospital admissions or A&E visits related to your diabetes in the past 12 months, you may find that cover is declined entirely at the screening stage. Second, the True Value tier (their most budget-friendly option) is only available to travellers aged 40 or under. In that case, older diabetic travellers could opt for Traveller or Traveller Plus tiers instead.
Nevertheless, True Traveller remains a strong option for well-managed diabetes particularly for backpackers and long-term travellers. Their Backpacker policy allows cover for up to 18 months in a single stretch, and you can even extend it while already abroad. For shorter or more frequent trips, their Annual Multi-Trip policy covers unlimited trips throughout the year.
⭐ Features.
- Residents. UK and any country within the European Economic Area (EEA). It includes also Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, and Switzerland.
- Destinations. Worldwide with region selected at quote stage that include Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Or worldwide excluding North America, and Worldwide including USA and Canada.
- Maximum trip duration. Up to 18 months on a single Backpacker policy. Or up to 70 days per trip on Annual Multi-Trip (Traveller Plus tier).
🔽 Ready to travel? Click the button below to get your free quote from True Traveller! 🔽
📍 VisitorsCoverage.
If you’re based outside of Europe and looking for a platform to compare and purchase travel insurance, VisitorsCoverage is one of the most comprehensive marketplaces available.
Founded in Silicon Valley in 2006 and trusted by millions of travellers from over 175 countries, VisitorsCoverage is an insurance comparison marketplace. Namely, it aggregates policies from multiple reputable providers, allowing you to compare coverage, limits, deductibles, and prices side by side. This is particularly useful for us diabetics, as different plans handle pre-existing conditions in very different ways.
For travellers with diabetes, there are two main types of coverage to look out for when browsing VisitorsCoverage: acute onset coverage (which covers sudden, unexpected flare-ups of your condition) and full pre-existing condition coverage (which covers ongoing management and complications). The latter is rarer and often more expensive, but it exists. Plans such as the Visitors Protect plan are specifically designed to cover pre-existing conditions like diabetes, while many other plans on the platform offer acute onset coverage up to various limits depending on age.
Maximum trip durations vary by plan, but most policies on the platform allow coverage for up to 364 days, with some being renewable for up to 24 months. Plans are available for both visitors travelling to the USA and for those travelling internationally, meaning outside your home country but not necessarily to the US.
⭐ Features.
- Residents. Primarily non-US citizens and non-US residents travelling internationally, as well as US citizens travelling abroad. Eligibility varies by plan so always check the specific plan’s requirements at the quote stage.
- Destinations. Worldwide, with specific plans for USA visits, international travel, and Schengen zone requirements.
- Maximum trip duration. Up to 364 days (with renewable options on select plans, up to 24 months total).
🔽 Ready to travel? Click the button below to get your free quote from VisitorsCoverage! 🔽
📍 Insubuy.
Another insurance marketplace for international travellers is Insubuy, a US-based platform with over 25 years of experience in international medical insurance. Like VisitorsCoverage, Insubuy aggregates plans from multiple providers, making it easy to compare options specifically tailored to travellers with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes.
Each plan listing clearly outlines how pre-existing conditions are handled (crucial when you’re travelling with diabetes). Plans are available in two broad categories: those covering the acute onset of pre-existing conditions (sudden, unexpected flare-ups) and those offering full pre-existing condition coverage (including the Visitors Protect plan, which is the only US visitor plan covering non-acute pre-existing conditions).
Most plans on Insubuy allow a maximum coverage period of 364 days, with some plans being extendable or renewable. The platform is particularly strong for visitors travelling to the USA, a destination where uninsured medical emergencies can result in truly astronomical bills. However, they also offer plans for international travel outside the US for non-American residents.
It’s worth noting that some plans are not available in all US states, so always check eligibility at the quote stage.
⭐ Features.
- Residents. Primarily available to non-US citizens and non-US residents travelling to the USA or internationally. Some plans are also available to US citizens travelling abroad.
- Destinations. USA (including combination of USA and worldwide travel), and international destinations outside the USA.
- Maximum trip duration. Up to 364 days on most plans (extendable on select plans).
🔽 Ready to travel? Click the button below to get your free quote from Insubuy! 🔽
📍 Globy Rosso.
For Italian residents, or anyone living in Italy, Globy Rosso by Allianz Partners is the most accessible and well-known option for travel insurance covering pre-existing diseases.
What makes Globy Rosso stand out in the Italian market is that it explicitly covers chronic and pre-existing conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, and others, provided these conditions are stabilised and there is no medical advice against travelling. Conditions in an acute phase, or trips undertaken against medical advice, are excluded from cover.
The policy covers both medical expenses and travel assistance (including emergency repatriation, return of a family member, and even an interpreter). Baggage protection and mobile phone cover are included as standard. Medical expense limits are generous: up to €5,000,000 for trips to the USA and Canada, and up to €1,000,000 for the rest of the world.
One thing to be aware of is that a single trip policy has a maximum duration of 60 days. For frequent travellers, an annual policy option is also available.
⭐ Features.
- Residents. Italy (the policy is distributed through Italian-based intermediaries and issued by Allianz Partners Italia).
- Destinations. Worldwide, including USA and Canada (with higher medical expense limits for North America).
- Maximum trip duration. Up to 60 days per trip (single trip policy).
🔽 Ready to travel? Click the button below to get your free quote from Globy Rosso! 🔽
📍 AllClear Travel.
Touted as the UK’s most trusted travel insurance provider for people with medical conditions, AllClear Travel is the official travel insurance partner of Diabetes UK. They operate also in Australia via their au. domain.
AllClear covers over 1,300 pre-existing medical conditions, including both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and has no upper age limit on either their Single Trip or Annual Multi-Trip policies. This makes them a particularly strong choice for older diabetic travellers who often find themselves turned away elsewhere.
Their Single Trip policy covers journeys lasting up to 365 consecutive days, making it a genuinely competitive option for long-term travellers too. For those who prefer the flexibility of multiple shorter breaks, the Annual Multi-Trip policy covers unlimited trips in a 12-month period, with individual trips lasting up to 45 days as standard (extendable to 55 days with an optional upgrade, subject to age and destination).
AllClear also offers a Long Stay policy specifically designed for trips between 31 and 365 days. It’s perfect if you’re planning an extended adventure and want a policy built around that need.
⭐ Features.
- Residents. United Kingdom and Australia.
- Destinations. Worldwide, including USA and Canada. Destinations must be selected at quote stage.
- Maximum trip duration. Up to 365 consecutive days (Single Trip and Long Stay policies), and up to 45-55 days per trip (Annual Multi-Trip).
🔽 Ready to travel? Click the button below to get your free quote from AllClear Travel! 🔽
🤔 Which policy you should choose?
The choice highly depends on your country of residence, your destination, your trip duration, and your travel style. A backpacker from Germany heading off for a year in Southeast Asia will have very different needs from a retired couple in London planning a three-week cruise, or an Italian traveller on a sabbatical trip in South America.
What all these situations have in common, though, is the need for a policy that explicitly covers diabetes as a pre-existing condition, not just standard medical emergencies. Always read the fine print, complete the medical screening where required, and make sure you receive written confirmation of your cover before you leave home.
One thing that applies regardless of which provider you choose: always declare your diabetes. Without a formal declaration and written acceptance from the insurer, you could find yourself entirely unprotected in the event of a claim, no matter how comprehensive the policy looks on paper.
| Insurance | Residents | Destinations | Duration |
| True Traveller | UK + EEA | Worldwide | 18 months (backpacker) or 70 days (annual) |
| VisitorsCoverage | Non-US residents and US citizens | Worldwide | 364 days (renewable) |
| Insubuy | Non-US residents and expats | USA and international | 364 days (many plans) |
| Globy Rosso | Italy | Worldwide | 60 days (single trip) |
| AllClear Travel | UK and Australia | Worldwide | 365 days (single trip) or 45-55 days annual) |
🎀 My Experience.
As I recount in more detail in my post Travelling with Type 1 Diabetes, travelling and living abroad with T1 Diabetes has taught me some hard lessons about travel insurance.
My most serious experience happened in Canada, during a postgraduate placement. I developed pneumonia which quickly led to sepsis and DKA, landing me in hospital for an entire week. My insurance at the time was with Columbus, that did not cover pre-existing conditions. Fortunately, the primary cause of my admission was pneumonia rather than DKA, which meant the claim was technically valid. The total bill came to $13,000 CAD and Columbus paid it all.
My second experience was during my time in Bulgaria, where I lived first as an Erasmus Mundus student and then for two further years while working. I developed a severe kidney infection that once again triggered DKA and resulted in another week in hospital. On that occasion I was covered by Generali, an insurance policy provided by my employer.
Finally, during my trip in Thailand, the kindergarten staff where I was volunteering accidentally stored my insulin bag in the freezer instead of the fridge, destroying six months’ worth of insulin supply in one go. I was insured with True Traveller at the time, and after submitting a signed declaration from the school acknowledging their mistake, they agreed to reimburse the cost of replacing the insulin. In the end, they refunded me not as a medical expense, but as damaged baggage.
❓ FAQ.
Yes, always. Without a formal declaration, any diabetes-related claim can be rejected.
Routine supplies are almost never covered. What is covered (where declared) is emergency medical treatment.
It depends on the provider. True Traveller and AllClear both have screening processes, so a recent DKA episode may result in declined cover or a higher premium.
No. It covers emergency hospital treatment in EU/EEA countries, but not repatriation, trip cancellation, or insulin costs. Always combine it with a dedicated policy.
🎈 Conclusion.
Whether you’re a backpacker heading off South East Asia, or a tourist going to the USA, there is a travel insurance policy out there that meets your needs, at least in part. The key is knowing where to look and understanding exactly what you require.
The most important things to check before buying any policy are: how the insurer defines a pre-existing condition, whether your diabetes needs to be clearly declared, and the maximum trip duration. Unfortunately, we are still light years away from having the same rights as other travellers and from having insurance that truly protects us in the event of illness during long journeys.
If you’re living with diabetes and looking for more practical travel advice, you might also enjoy my posts on tips for travelling long term with T1D and diabetic travel essentials.
💬 And you? Which travel insurance do you use when travelling with diabetes? Share it in the comments: let’s build an even more complete resource together!
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