Anyone using weight loss injections, either through the NHS or privately, has been issued a major warning when it comes to travelling abroad – failing to comply could lead to expensive medical bills
A stark warning has been issued to those taking weight loss injections who are planning to travel abroad.
Failing to follow one vital rule could potentialy put travellers in serious danger and force them to pay a huge amount in medical bills.
There has been a surge in the demand for weight loss injections, which were once aimed at people with diabetes. People across the UK have been going private to purchasing the weekly injections, which slow digestion by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), in turn regulating hunger and feelings of fullness.
Some popular GLP-1 drugs are branded as Wegovy or Ozempic – they use the same drug, Semaglutide, but are sold at different doses. After Semaglutide came Mounjaro, which, in addition to mimicking GLP-1, also targeted a hormone called GIP to boost this effect on appetite suppression.
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Last week, it was announced that GPs in England will be allowed to prescribe Mounjaro to severely obese people for the first time. Mounjaro is the brand name for the drug Tirzepatide, which is known as the ‘King Kong’ of weight loss jabs.
With a spike in people using these injections, anyone using the drug while travelling abroad must declare it, according to travel insurance experts. This goes to anyone who uses them, including those who buy them privately and those who may receive them on the NHS.
Failing to declare the use of the drug could see them breach their travel insurance agreement, which could lead to the policy being completely cancelled and being left to pay out for expensive medical bills if anything were to happen while on holiday.
In an important warning, Niraj Mamtora, director at Forum Insurance, told MailOnline: “If you’re using these drugs, you must declare both the medication and the condition it’s prescribed for. Failure to do so is not a minor oversight, it’s a serious breach of your travel insurance contract.
“If you need medical help overseas and haven’t fully declared the medication you’re taking, your claim can be refused and your policy cancelled. The financial consequences can be severe.”
Mamtora added that many holidaymakers don’t realise they’re not covered on their insurance until they need to make a claim, but by then, it’s too late.
Retail expert at Which? Reena Sewraz advised to always read the policy thoroughly when getting travel insurance to check what is covered, and if unsure, speak to them directly. Sewraz also pointed out that it’s good to shop around to get the best policy.
Some users of the weight loss drugs have also taken to online forums to warn people of the added cost when declaring. One user wrote on Reddit: “This morning, I spent several hours looking at annual WW travel insurance quotes to include the US. I spoke to several companies to ask if I need to declare Mounjaro now that I have a healthy BMI and no longer obese and the answer is yes.
“Select weight management and answer the questions that drop down. It added £80 to the policy! Insurance companies are not skipping a beat and it could be due to the increase number of people presenting at A&E with complications or side effects from weight loss medications, even though I haven’t had any side effects in 13 months and could even be off the meds by the time we travel in May but they want to know the last 2 years medical history otherwise it would invalidate the policy.
“NOT ONE said I didn’t need to add it. lol, I have never added obesity to my policy even though I have been obese for the last 30 years until now and I’m the healthiest I’ve been in years!”
Another commented on the thread: “I took out my annual travel insurance with Admiral. Rang and asked about Mounjaro as I was on it. Had to declare I was obese, even though I’m not. This added an extra 70p.
“No judgement from the customer service rep, she was really intrigued in it for herself. She did say they had a memo down about the medication that week and it must be declared now.”
Another noted their own experience: “I spoke to my travel insurers today and explained (you have to tell them every time you go to see your GP!) that my wife was taking Mounjaro and she had gone to the GPs because she had chronic constipation.
“The GP confirmed it was a common side effect of the injection so the insurers said because it was not prescribed to her that if she became ill while on holiday due to any side effects from Mounjaro she would not be covered. As my wife willingly takes it that’s fair enough.”