Ready to go on your next holiday? Are you wondering how you can get the right cover for the best price? Look no further! We help you compare quotes from UK’s leading insurers to help you get the best fit for you.
A lot can go wrong when you’re on holiday, from lost luggage and cancelled flights to unexpected medical emergencies. Travel insurance protects you from these unforeseen circumstances. Choosing the best policy for your holiday can be daunting because there are so many options available in terms of cost, coverage levels and policies.
This guide will walk you through how to compare travel insurance, reading through the fine prints and policy wording to ensure that you’re getting the right coverage with no hidden fees. No matter where you’re headed, we’ll help you find ways to travel smarter, safer and with confidence.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is designed to protect you when you travel either locally or internationally, it covers you both before and during your trip. Travel insurance protects you from loss or stolen baggage and medical emergencies while on holiday. This can entail paying for hospital stays abroad and compensating you in the event that your vacation is cancelled or disrupted.
Travel insurance offers different policies that can be tailored to meet your travel needs. It is important to keep in mind that travel insurance covers more than simply the worst-case scenarios. Additionally, it helps with more typical travel mishaps like long delays, missed departures, or the need for emergency accommodation.
Is travel insurance worth it?
Although buying travel insurance is not required by law, it is important for handling unforeseen expenses while on vacation. Certain circumstances, especially when receiving medical care overseas, can cause major financial losses and interfere with your travel plans
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) reported a 235% increase in medical claims and over 75% increase in cancellation claims in 2022. The average medical claim was £1,750. Due to the fact that holidays are expensive. Your trip may cost hundreds or even thousands of pounds due to flights, lodging, excursions, and pre-arranged activities. Travel insurance can cover your non-refundable expenses if you have to cancel because of illness, injury, or an emergency back home.
Travel insurance is also important because it covers for emergency medical treatment abroad. Hospital stays, medical care, prescription drugs, and, if necessary, emergency repatriation back to the UK can all be covered by travel insurance.
The most significant benefit of travel insurance is that it gives you assurance. You can unwind and enjoy your vacation knowing that assistance is only a phone call away rather than wondering about “what if something goes wrong?”
What travel insurance do I need for my trip?
Single trip travel insurance
This policy covers you for one trip that can last up to 30days or more. It is one of the cheapest options and is appropriate if you have just one trip planned for the whole year or if you decide to take that special holiday that you have been planning for a long time.
Read more about our single trip travel insurance.
Annual multi-trip insurance
This covers for several trips taken within a 12-month period. It is suitable for frequent travelers and usually has the option of a Europe-only cover (if all your trips are within the EU) or a worldwide cover if your travels takes you to different parts of the world
Business travel insurance
This is type of insurance is tailored for business people, it covers multiple trips and offers additional cover for gadgets like your laptop and other unexpected travel expenses
Winter sports cover
This type of policy covers skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports activities. It also covers equipment like snowboards and ski gear in the event that it is damaged or stolen. So if you’re thinking about visiting the French alps or icy slopes of Iceland, this policy is for you.
Backpacker insurance
This policy is designed for adventure seekers who travel for long periods and visit multiple destinations in one trip. It is ideal for students on a gap year or thrill seekers backpacking across Asia or Europe.
Read more about our backpacker insurance.
Cruise insurance
Going on a cruise is such an exciting experience. Cruise travel insurance is designed to provide protection specifically from anything that can go wrong whether it is missed port departure, bad weather or sea-sickness, you are adequately covered.
What does travel insurance cover?
Lost baggage: if your luggage is lost, stolen or damaged during your trip, travel insurance will cover it. You can claim for the full or partial value of your luggage and belongings.
Medical emergency: travel insurance will cover for hospital stay, medical care, diagnostic tests, ambulance services and prescription medicines abroad if you become sick or injured during your trip.
Emergency repatriation: if it is medically advised or becomes medically necessary, insurance will cover the cost of repatriation back to the UK.
Cancellation cover: you can get up to £3000 if you have to cancel your trip due to illness, bereavement or other unforeseen circumstances.
Travel disruption: if your trip is disrupted due to bad weather, labour disputes or mechanical problems with the aircraft or ship, you can file a claim for the delays and how it affected your plans.
Personal liability: travel insurance will cover for liabilities if you mistakenly injure someone or damage property.
What’s typically not covered by travel insurance?
Changing your mind: you will not be compensated if you choose not to travel simply because you have changed your mind about going on a holiday.
Missed flight: if you miss your flight because you overslept and didn’t get to the airport on time or through security checks on time, you cannot file a claim for that.
Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions: travel insurance will not cover for any pre-existing medical condition that you did not disclose. All conditions must be declared and accepted by your provider before you can file a claim related to that condition.
Alcohol or drug related incidents: any injury or incident resulting from alcohol or drug abuse will not be covered.
Travelling against government advice: if you travel to a country that the FCDO has advised against you will not be covered.
Force Majeures: occurrences that are considered beyond human control such as terrorism and civil unrest are usually not covered.
High risk sports: you cannot file a claim if you are injured while engaging in a high risk sport such as skiing, snowboarding or scuba diving. You will need specialist insurance such as a winter sports cover for that.
How to compare travel insurance and choose the right one for you
Here are some pointers to help you choose the right travel insurance for your trip
Compare quotes
You can compare quotes from different insurance providers before deciding on the policy that’s best for you. That way you will see what’s covered and what’s not, also if there are optional add-ons that you may need to pay extra money for so that you can fully enjoy your trip.
Choose the right policy type
Before making a final decision, consider if what you need is a single trip or multi trip annual insurance as this will help reduce your premium. A single trip insurance is appropriate for a one-off holiday. However, if you will be making several trips within the year it may be cheaper to go for annual multi-trip insurance. If you are travelling as a family, you can get a package that covers everyone instead of getting individual policies which may be more expensive.
Choose the right cover level
You must remember that not all cover levels are the same, ensure that you have the right cover for the destination and the types of activities you will be doing. When comparing travel insurance, do not focus on price alone as you need to consider other factors based on your kind of travel. For example if you’re going on a cruise, you will need a specialist type of cruise cover.
Consider optional add-ons
Consider the add-ons you need and the ones you don’t, there is no point paying for what you don’t need, for instance including gadget cover when you are not travelling with any expensive gadget or a winter sports cover when you are not going to engage in any winter sports.
How much does travel insurance cost?
The average cost for travel insurance is between £20 and £44 for a single trip insurance and between £40 and £85 for an annual multi-trip coverage. However, there are many factors that can affect the price of your premium, we will look at these factors below:
Destination: where you are travelling affects the amount you pay for insurance. Health care for example costs more in some countries than in others and the risks associated with some locations are more. All these affect the overall cost of your insurance.
The length of your trip: your trip length has an impact on the cost of your policy. Long-term trips cost more because the risks are more compared to short-term trips.
Age: the older we get, the more susceptible we are to certain illnesses. This raises the premium for older people because they are placed in the high-risk bracket by travel insurance providers.
Pre-existing medical conditions: if you have any pre-existing medical condition your premium will be higher as insurers consider you to be a higher risk than someone who has no pre-existing condition.
Coverage level: your level of coverage also determines the amount you pay. Most travel insurance providers charge less for basic coverage and increase the premium if you want a higher coverage level.
How to get cheap travel insurance
- Buy your insurance as you plan for your trip to avoid last-minute rush prices
- Choose a basic policy if you do not need optional add-ons, pay for only for what you need
- Compare quotes
- Be honest about any medical condition you have
- Consider getting annual multi-trip cover if you take several trips in a year
Can I upgrade my holiday insurance?
You can upgrade your holiday insurance with optional add-ons, some insurers allow you to upgrade even if your trip is underway, you just pay for the additional cover you want. Some of the optional extras you can include in your policy include:
- Winter sports cover
- Gadget cover
- Higher medical limits
Comparing travel insurance does not have to be difficult, you can choose the right cover for your next holiday because you now have a better understanding of how travel insurance works, why it matters and how to compare quotes.
