Travel insurance
Travel Insurance
cover for medical costs, cancellation and your belongings, and the declaration that decides a claim
Cover for emergency medical costs abroad, repatriation, cancellation, lost belongings and travel delays, sold for a single trip or for a year of trips. What it pays depends on the policy and on what you declared when you bought it.
- Single trip and annual multi-trip
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Europe and worldwide
- FCA authorised and regulated
Quick answerTravel insurance covers emergency medical treatment abroad, getting you home, cancelling or cutting short a trip for an insured reason, and your belongings and money while you are away. A UK GHIC gives state healthcare in some countries but is not a replacement for it. What you declare about your health when you buy decides whether a claim is paid. Tell MyMoneyComparison.com about your trip once, and UK providers can come back with quotes.
This page is about cover for you while you travel. A property you own abroad or in the UK and let to holidaymakers is holiday home insurance. Your home while you are away stays on your home insurance, and a bike you take with you may be better on bicycle insurance. Here we cover what a travel policy pays for, what it leaves out, and why the medical declaration matters so much.
At a glance
The Cover and the Declaration, in Brief
Six things that decide how travel cover behaves, before any of the detail.
- Medical first
- Emergency treatment and getting you home are the core of the policy
- GHIC is not enough
- State care in some countries, but no repatriation or private care
- Cover from the day you book
- Cancellation cover only helps once the policy has started
- Declare your health
- An undeclared condition can sink a related claim
- FCDO advice matters
- Travelling against it can invalidate some or all of the cover
- Single or annual
- Annual policies set age and trip length limits that differ by insurer
The basics
What Is Travel Insurance?
A policy that pays for things that go wrong before or during a trip: medical treatment and repatriation, cancelling or cutting a trip short for an insured reason, lost or stolen belongings and money, delays, and legal liability to other people.
Emergency medical costs
Treatment abroad for sudden illness or injury, which can be the largest cost of a trip that goes wrong.
Getting you home
Repatriation to the UK when it is medically necessary. A GHIC does not pay for this.
Cancellation and cutting short
Non-refundable costs when you cannot travel, or have to come home early, for a reason the policy lists.
Belongings and money
Baggage, personal money and passports, up to limits and sub-limits set by each policy.
Delays and missed departures
Set amounts for long delays, and help reaching your destination if you miss a departure for an insured reason.
Liability and legal costs
If you injure someone or damage their property abroad, and legal costs for some claims.
How it works
How Does Travel Insurance Work?
You choose the trip or the year, the destination region and the travellers, answer the medical questions, and the policy starts. Cancellation cover runs from the start date; the rest applies while you travel.
You choose the cover and the region
Single trip or annual multi-trip, Europe or worldwide, and whether you need winter sports, cruise or gadget cover added.
You answer the medical questions
About every traveller, including conditions that are under control. The answers decide the price and whether a related claim is covered.
Cancellation cover starts straight away
Cover that starts when you book protects you if something happens before you go. Taken out the day before, it cannot help with anything that happened earlier.
Abroad, call the assistance line first
For a medical emergency the insurer’s assistance service arranges and approves treatment and repatriation. Keep receipts and reports for every other claim.
What it covers
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Medical costs and repatriation first, then cancellation, belongings, delays and liability. The limits and excesses are set by each policy and tier.
| Section | Where it sits | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency medical expenses | Core | The largest limit on a policy, set by each insurer |
| Repatriation | Core | When medically necessary, arranged by the assistance service |
| Cancellation and curtailment | Core, with limits | Only for the reasons the policy lists |
| Baggage and personal money | Core on most tiers | Single-item and valuables limits apply |
| Delay and missed departure | Often included | Set amounts, with a minimum delay |
| Personal liability and legal costs | Often included | Liability abroad, legal costs for some claims |
| Scheduled airline or travel company failure | Some policies | Included on some policies, not on others |
A package holiday protects the booking, not you. The package travel rules and ATOL protect you if the organiser fails and give some cancellation rights, but they do not pay medical costs abroad or refund a trip you cancel for a personal reason. Travel insurance does.
Limits and excesses are set per policy, and can apply per person. Each section has its own limit, baggage has single-item and valuables limits inside it, and an excess can apply to each traveller. Read the schedule, not only the headline cover.
Exclusions
What Travel Insurance Does Not Include
Undeclared medical conditions, events you knew about when you bought, travel against FCDO advice, and claims connected with alcohol or needless risk are the exclusions that matter most. Changing your mind is never covered.
Conditions you did not declare
A claim connected with a medical condition you were asked about and did not mention can be refused or reduced.
Travelling against FCDO advice
Government guidance says travelling against FCDO advice could invalidate your insurance. How far depends on the policy.
Known events
Strikes, storms or disruption already announced when you bought or booked can be excluded, so it is worth checking the policy.
Alcohol, drugs and needless risk
Policies commonly exclude claims arising from being under the influence, and some group this with needless risk and criminal acts.
Not wanting to go
At least one insurer expressly excludes claims from not wanting to travel or not enjoying the trip.
Activities not added
Winter sports and some adventurous activities need to be added. Without them, related claims are outside the policy.
Check the date you bought against the date of the event. Known event exclusions look at what had been announced when you bought the policy or booked the trip. Cover taken out when you book keeps more events inside it. If disruption is announced after you book, keep a record of when you heard about it.
Types
Which Trips and Travellers Can Be Covered?
Single trips and annual multi-trip policies, individuals, couples and families, Europe or worldwide, with add-ons for particular kinds of trip.
Single trip
One journey, from the start date to your return. Cancellation cover starts when the policy does, so the booking date matters.
Annual multi-trip
Unlimited trips in a year, each within a trip length limit that differs by insurer, and with an age limit on some policies.
Families and couples
Travellers insured together on one policy, with each person’s health declared. Excesses can apply per person.
Winter sports
Usually an add-on, for equipment, ski passes and piste closure.
Cruises
A bolt-on with some insurers, included in a top tier with others, not offered by some.
Travellers with medical conditions
Covered where declared, sometimes through a specialist provider that covers conditions a mainstream insurer will not.
Who it is for
Who Needs Travel Insurance
Anyone travelling abroad who could not easily pay for medical treatment, a flight home or a lost trip. It is not a legal requirement in the UK, but some tour operators and visa rules ask for it.
Families
Where one person’s illness can cancel the whole trip.
Travellers with medical conditions
Where declaring them is what makes a claim payable.
Frequent travellers
Where an annual policy may suit, subject to its limits.
Skiers and adventurers
Where the activity has to be added to be covered.
Travellers outside Europe
Where a GHIC does not apply and medical costs can be very high.
UK trips
Some policies also cover trips within the UK; check yours.
Take a GHIC as well. A UK Global Health Insurance Card gives medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as residents in the countries that accept it, including treatment for pre-existing conditions. It does not cover private treatment or getting you home, which is why the NHS says it is not a replacement for travel insurance.
Single or annual
Single Trip vs Annual Multi-Trip
A single trip policy covers one journey. An annual policy covers every trip in a year, subject to a limit on each trip’s length and, on some policies, the traveller’s age.
| Single trip | Annual multi-trip | |
|---|---|---|
| How many trips | One | Unlimited in the year, within limits |
| Trip length | The length of that trip | A cap on each trip that differs by insurer |
| Age limits | Set by each insurer | Some insurers set a maximum age; some specialists do not |
| Cancellation cover | From purchase | From the start date, for trips booked in the year |
| Suits | An occasional trip or a long one | Two or more trips a year |
Trip length limits are not comparable at a glance. Some annual policies limit the length of each trip, others set a total number of days of travel a year with trip limits on top, and the limits differ between insurers. Your longest trip is the one to check.
Book a trip in the year? Check the dates. An annual policy covers cancellation for trips booked while it is in force. If it lapses before you travel, renewing it or arranging cover for the trip keeps the booking protected, and any change in health is declared at renewal.
Cost
What Travel Insurance Is Priced On
The travellers’ ages and health, the destination, the length of the trip or the year, the cover level, the add-ons and the excess. We do not print average premiums.
Why health leads
Medical claims are the largest costs a travel insurer pays, so the conditions you declare shape the price more than almost anything else.
Why the destination matters
Medical treatment costs far more in some regions than others, which is why worldwide cover including the USA is priced separately from Europe.
What the quote is rated on
In roughly this order
- HealthDeclared conditions for every travellerBase
- AgeEach travellerRate
- DestinationEurope, worldwide, the USARate
- DurationTrip length or annualRate
- Cover chosenTier, add-ons, excessAdjust
Age
Older travellers are more likely to need treatment, and some annual policies stop at a set age. Specialist providers may cover travellers a mainstream policy will not.
The USA and the Caribbean
Medical treatment there can cost far more than in Europe, so worldwide cover is often sold with and without the USA.
Add-ons and the excess
Winter sports, cruise and gadget cover add to the price. A higher excess reduces it, at the cost of paying more of each claim.
The conditions
The Medical Declaration That Decides a Claim
Four things decide whether a medical or cancellation claim is paid, and each is settled before you travel.
Answer every question carefully
Insurers expect you to take reasonable care not to misrepresent anything in answer to their questions. A condition you were asked about and did not declare can lead to a claim being refused or reduced.
Tell the insurer when your health changes
A new diagnosis, test or treatment between buying and travelling usually has to be declared. The insurer may change the terms or offer to cancel.
If you are turned down, you are pointed elsewhere
Since April 2021, FCA rules require a firm that declines to offer cover because of a medical condition to point you to a directory of specialist providers, such as MoneyHelper’s.
Check FCDO advice before you go
If the FCDO advises against travel to your destination after you book, contact your insurer. Cancellation for that reason is an insured reason on some policies.
A GHIC helps with conditions too. In the countries that accept it, a UK GHIC covers treatment and routine care for long-term and pre-existing conditions on the same terms as residents. It still does not cover private care or getting you home, which is where a declared condition on your travel policy matters.
Quote checklist
What You Will Be Asked for a Travel Quote
Six things shape the quote: who is travelling, their health, where, when and for how long, and the cover you want.
The travellers
Names and ages of everyone to be insured.
Everyone’s health
Conditions, medication, tests and treatment for each traveller.
The destination
The region, and whether it includes the USA, Canada or the Caribbean.
The dates
Start and end dates, or the start of an annual policy.
Activities
Winter sports, cruises and adventurous activities.
Cover and excess
The tier, any add-ons such as gadget cover, and the excess.
Have the details to hand before you start. The medical questions ask about conditions, medication, recent tests and treatment, and any referral you are waiting for, for every traveller. Answer them in full. If your health changes after you buy, tell the insurer before you travel, and keep a copy of what you declared.
Comparing
Checking Travel Quotes Side by Side
Four areas decide whether a policy suits your trip: medical, cancellation, belongings and the small print. None of them is the price.
Medical
- The emergency medical limit
- How declared conditions are treated
- The assistance service arrangements
Cancellation
- The limit against your trip cost
- The insured reasons listed
- Travel company failure cover
Belongings
- Single-item and valuables limits
- Personal money and passport limits
- Gadget cover if you need it
The small print
- The excess, and whether it applies per person
- Age and trip length limits on annual cover
- Known event and alcohol exclusions
Match the cancellation limit to what you have paid. A limit below the cost of a family holiday leaves the difference with you. Terms that are unfamiliar are explained in our plain English jargon guide.
The policy summary is worth reading first. UK travel policies come with a short policy summary that lists the main cover, limits and exclusions on one or two pages. It is the quickest way to see whether a cheaper quote has left something out that matters for your trip, such as cruise, winter sports or a travel company failing.
Cutting costs
How to Reduce the Cost of Travel Insurance
The levers are the right policy type, the right region, the cover you need and an excess you can afford. We publish no savings figures.
Match the policy to your year
For two or more trips an annual policy may suit, within its age and trip limits. Compare both on your own plans.
Choose the right region
Worldwide cover including the USA is priced separately, so cover matched to where you are going avoids paying for more.
Skip cover you already hold
Gadgets or valuables may already be covered away from home on your home policy.
Add only the activities you will do
Winter sports or cruise cover when the trip needs it.
Choose the excess deliberately
A higher excess is a lever, only worth using at a level you could pay abroad.
Declare conditions properly
It can raise the price, but it is what makes a related claim payable.
Glossary
Travel Insurance Terms Explained
The words that come up most in a travel policy.
- Repatriation
- Bringing you back to the UK for medical reasons, arranged by the insurer.
- Curtailment
- Cutting a trip short and coming home early for an insured reason.
- Pre-existing condition
- A medical condition you have before you buy the policy or travel.
- GHIC
- The UK Global Health Insurance Card, for state healthcare in countries that accept it.
- Excess
- The part of each claim you pay yourself.
- Single-item limit
- The most the policy pays for any one item of baggage.
- Annual multi-trip
- A policy covering every trip in a year, within trip length limits.
- Scheduled airline failure
- Cover for an airline or travel company going out of business.
- Known event
- Disruption already announced before you bought or booked, which some policies exclude.
- FCDO advice
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office guidance on travel to each country.
Anything not listed here is covered in our plain English jargon guide.
Why MyMoneyComparison.com
Why Compare Travel Insurance with MyMoneyComparison.com?
MyMoneyComparison.com is an FCA-authorised UK comparison service that introduces travellers to UK insurance providers. We do not sell insurance and we do not give advice. Using us is free.
One form, every traveller
Describe the trip and the travellers once.
Advice given
We are an introducer, not a broker. We do not sell policies and we do not recommend one insurer or product over another. Read our editorial policy.
Authorised and regulated
MyMoneyComparison.com Ltd appears on the FCA register under FRN 916241.
Incorporated
A UK company since 2013. FCA authorisation is separate and later; the register carries its date.
FAQs
Travel Insurance FAQs
Answers on GHIC, medical conditions, cancellation, FCDO advice and claims.
Do I need travel insurance?
It is not a legal requirement in the UK, but medical treatment abroad and getting home can be very expensive, and a GHIC does not cover repatriation or private care. Some tour operators and visa rules ask for it. For most trips abroad, travel insurance is what pays when something goes wrong.
Is a GHIC enough on its own?
No. A UK GHIC gives medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as residents in the countries that accept it, including care for pre-existing conditions. The NHS says it is not a replacement for travel insurance, because it does not cover private treatment or being flown back to the UK.
When is the best time to take out travel insurance?
When you book. Cancellation cover only protects you from the start date of the policy, so buying early means you are covered if you fall ill, or something else on the policy’s list happens, before you travel. Bought just before departure, it cannot help with anything that happened earlier.
Do I have to declare medical conditions?
You must answer the insurer’s questions carefully, taking reasonable care not to misrepresent anything. A condition you were asked about and did not declare can lead to a related claim being refused or reduced, so answer for every traveller.
What if an insurer will not cover my condition?
Since April 2021, FCA rules require a firm that declines to offer cover because of a medical condition to signpost you to a directory of specialist providers. MoneyHelper runs one. Specialist providers may be able to cover conditions a mainstream insurer will not.
Does travelling against FCDO advice affect my insurance?
It can. Government guidance says travelling against FCDO advice could invalidate your travel insurance. Policies differ on how far: some exclude the whole trip, others only related claims. If advice changes after you book, contact your insurer before deciding what to do.
What is the difference between single trip and annual cover?
A single trip policy covers one journey. An annual multi-trip policy covers every trip in a year, but each trip has a length limit, and some insurers set an age limit. Trip limits differ between insurers, so your longest trip is the one to check.
Does a package holiday protect me instead?
Not for everything. The package travel rules and ATOL protect you if the organiser fails and give some cancellation rights, but they do not pay medical costs abroad or refund a trip you cancel for a personal reason. Travel insurance covers those.
Are strikes and airline failure covered?
It depends on the policy. Scheduled airline or travel company failure is included on some policies and not on others. Disruption that was already announced when you bought or booked can be excluded as a known event, so it is worth checking the policy.
Is winter sports cover included?
Usually not. It is normally an add-on covering items such as ski equipment, ski passes and piste closure. Without it, claims connected with skiing or snowboarding can be refused, so it is worth adding before you travel.
Is cruise cover included?
It varies. Some insurers offer cruise cover as an optional upgrade, some include it automatically in a top tier, and some do not offer it at all. It is worth checking before booking a cruise.
Does travel insurance cover alcohol-related claims?
Usually not. Policies commonly exclude claims arising from being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and some group this with needless risk and criminal acts. A claim can be refused where alcohol was a factor.
Is there an age limit on travel insurance?
Some policies have one, particularly annual multi-trip cover, and the limit differs between insurers. Some specialist providers state no maximum age, so older travellers may find more choice there. It is worth checking the limit before buying an annual policy.
What does the excess mean on a travel policy?
It is the part of each claim you pay yourself. Excesses can apply per person, so one event affecting a family can mean more than one excess. The amount is shown in the policy schedule.
Does travel insurance cover my phone and laptop?
Only up to the baggage and valuables limits, which can be low for a single item. Some providers offer gadget cover as an add-on, and your home policy may already cover items away from home. Check before buying the same cover twice.
What should I do if I am taken ill abroad?
Contact the insurer’s emergency assistance line as soon as you can. It arranges and approves treatment and repatriation, and paying for major treatment without agreement can cause problems with the claim. Use a GHIC where it applies and keep all receipts and reports.
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About this page
This page explains UK travel insurance: what it covers, what it leaves out, and how the medical declaration decides a claim. It is general information rather than advice. Policies differ between providers, so read your own documents and put the questions raised here to the provider.
How we approached this page
- Published UK travel insurance policy summaries from several providers
- FCA rules on signposting travellers with medical conditions
- NHS guidance on the UK GHIC and GOV.UK guidance on FCDO advice
- Government guidance on the package travel rules
- Financial Ombudsman material on travel insurance complaints
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