Survey reveals confusion over weight-loss drugs and travel insurance disclosure

A quarter of UK adults are unsure whether popular weight-loss injections should be declared as pre-existing medical conditions when purchasing travel or health insurance, new research from Consumer Intelligence has revealed.

The survey of 999 adults, conducted in August 2025, found that 26% of respondents did not know how to classify medications such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic. These GLP-1 drugs, originally developed for diabetes, have grown rapidly in popularity as weight management treatments, with 6% of the population already reporting use. NHS England only made them widely available in late 2023, highlighting the speed of adoption.

Responses reflected deep uncertainty: 28% described the drugs as “last-resort medical interventions”, 24% as “medical treatments for health conditions”, 11% as “cosmetic treatments”, 10% as “lifestyle support tools”, and 26% were unsure.

“This confusion isn’t academic – it has real consequences for millions of Britons purchasing travel and health insurance,” said Ian Hughes, CEO of Consumer Intelligence. “When a quarter of the population doesn’t know whether their medication counts as a pre-existing condition, we’re seeing a perfect storm for claim disputes and coverage gaps. The Financial Ombudsman Service reported a 23% increase in travel insurance complaints in 2024, with medical disclosure disputes being a leading cause.”

The research also highlighted inconsistencies in how people define “medical treatment”. While most linked it to being prescribed by a doctor (71%) or treating a diagnosed condition (72%), many failed to apply these criteria consistently. For example, Botox – used both cosmetically and medically – was classed as cosmetic by 86% of respondents.

With demand for GLP-1s expected to rise by up to 1,000% in the next five years as National Health Service (NHS) and private access expands, Consumer Intelligence warned that insurers faced a “defining moment” in underwriting. Possible approaches range from treating all GLP-1 usage as pre-existing conditions to developing new categories for preventative health treatments.

Consumer Intelligence has expanded its Travel Insurance Price Benchmarking Tool to include comprehensive pre-existing condition analysis, enabling insurers to monitor market responses.

“This discrepancy isn’t just semantics – it demonstrates how the wording of insurance questions can inadvertently lead to non-disclosure,” added Hughes.

UK insurer Staysure recently offered crucial advice for travellers taking weight-loss medications abroad.