Compare travel insurance policies to find the right cover for your trip abroad.
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Let us know what you need so that we can find our best travel insurance policies for your trip. Declare any medical conditions and also any extras such as extreme or winter sports cover.
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Have a look through the options as cost can vary significantly between providers. The cheapest travel insurance option might catch your eye however check the terms to ensure you're fully protected if you need to make a claim.
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Many insurers offer discounts for applying online, while some only ever operate digitally, so to make sure you find the best travel insurance deals comparing quotes on the internet is a must. Once you've decided on the provider you want, simply apply.
A travel insurance policy protects you against the cost of potential problems when travelling. A good policy will cover you for: cancellation, lost luggage, delayed flights, stolen property, illness and injury.
Sometimes, travel insurance is called ‘holiday insurance’. You don’t legally need it to travel, but it could help you out financially if something happened while you were away.
If you end up with problems when you’re travelling, you might have to fork out a lot of money.
For example, if you fell ill overseas, your medical bill could run into the tens of thousands of pounds or more. So you should never travel without buying a good travel insurance policy first. It would pay out for costs such as medical expenses.
Before you buy your policy, you’ll need to make sure you’re getting the right cover for your trip. Once you’ve chosen your type of travel insurance, compare quotes from different companies. Then choose the best holiday insurance at the best price.
It’s important to find the best travel insurance for your needs, rather than just searching for cheap travel insurance. That’s because, in some cases, cheap holiday insurance might not cover you for what you need.
The best thing to do is compare holiday insurance. First, find the right type of insurance for your needs, and then do a travel insurance comparison. Pick the best travel insurance quote that meets your needs.
There are two main types of travel insurance to choose between. You’ll need to think about what’s right for your needs, and the costs.
Single trip travel insurance. This covers you for one trip, to just one location, for a specific period of time
Annual travel insurance. This covers you for every trip you make during a 12-month period. It’s often called multi trip travel insurance. This kind of insurance costs more.
The best policy for you will depend on how often you travel. If you’re only going on one holiday in the next year, it’s a good idea to get single trip travel insurance. But, if you travel more often, an annual travel insurance could work out much cheaper in the long run.
Here’s how to choose between single trip travel insurance or annual travel insurance.
This depends on where you’re going. With some travel insurance, Europe is the only place you’re covered to travel.
Other policies offer worldwide travel insurance so you can travel wherever you like. Worldwide travel insurance can either include or exclude the USA, Canada and the Caribbean.
When you get travel insurance, pre-existing conditions must be declared. You’ll need to share information about these when get your holiday insurance quotes and apply for a policy.
If you don’t declare your medical conditions, you won’t be able to claim on your holiday insurance if you fall ill as a result of your condition. For example, if you didn’t tell your insurer about your angina and then suffered a heart attack while on holiday, your policy wouldn’t pay out.
That’s why it’s important to be as open and honest as you can when you sort out travel medical insurance.
You might like to find specialist cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions.
When you buy travel insurance, you should check your policy very carefully as they’re all different.
Typically, holiday travel insurance might cover you for:
Cancellation and delay: Cover for cancellations, delays or cutting your trip short.
Baggage and belongings: Cover for if your luggage or belongings are lost, stolen or damaged. Check the amount you’re covered for.
Medical: Cover for if you’re injured or ill while away and have to seek medical attention.
Emergency assistance: Cover for if you need to be brought back to the UK.
Personal liability: Cover for if you injure someone or damage their belongings.
Many policies don’t cover you for things like:
Not all activities are covered on every holiday insurance policy. So, depending on what you’ll be doing while you’re away, you might need to add extra cover for activities aren’t included as standard.
You can tailor your policy with extras such as:
Extreme and winter sports cover. This is for accidents that happen while you take part in sports such as skiing or snowboarding. You might see this being called ski travel insurance.
Business cover. Cover for if you’re travelling on business.
Golf cover. Covers your golfing equipment and other associated costs.
You can also get specialist policies including:
Travel insurance for seniors: This is for older people who are statistically more likely to need medical treatment.
Pre-existing medical conditions: Travel health insurance for people with diagnosed health conditions.
Cruise travel insurance: Cruise insurance for incidents such as cabin confinement or missed port.
Backpacker travel insurance: If you’re going away for longer, such as on your gap year, you can find backpacker insurance policies.
Family travel insurance: If you’re travelling as a family, this can be a good way to save on the costs as it covers all of you.
It’s best to buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday. That way you’ll be covered if something happens that means you can’t go, or you’re delayed. This could include illness, or weather disruptions – but check your policy carefully to see what you’re covered for. If you’re not insured, you won’t be able to claim.
Remember that with travel insurance, you’ll usually have to pay for any costs yourself, and your insurer will pay you back later when you claim. So don’t forget to keep receipts and bills to prove what you paid for.
It’s most important to get the right cover for your needs. But of course you’ll want to factor in the price too. Here are a few tips to help you find cheap travel insurance.
Shop around. Compare travel insurance deals and choose the travel insurance quote that gives you the right cover at the best price.
Get the right kind of policy. Think carefully about whether annual travel insurance or single trip travel insurance are best for you. Consider family travel insurance, too.
Don’t get the optional extras. Sometimes you’ll be offered extras like gadget insurance. You might already be covered for your gadgets by your other insurances, so check carefully before paying for extras you don’t need.
You can still get a quote through money.co.uk if you have a pre-existing condition, including cancer or severe heart or respiratory complaints. People who have had strokes or are terminally ill can also get a quote.
Some insurers might not cover you if you already have a severe medical disorder or a number of conditions, and others may only offer insurance at a much higher price. If you’re unable to find suitable cover, talk to the Money and Pension Service (MaPS). It has a directory of insurers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions.
You can contact the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) through its website or telephone the team on 0800 138 7777.
Compare travel insurance quotes to find a deal that works for you.
If you have a medical problem, you may find it harder and more expensive to get travel insurance. Here is how to get cover even if you have a pre-existing condition.
Read MoreIf something goes wrong on your travels you may need to make a claim on your travel insurance policy. This step by step guide explains how to go about it.
Read MoreIf you are heading off on holiday, you’ll need to choose between a single trip or annual travel insurance policy. But what is the difference, and which is right for you? Here is how to find out.
Read MoreComparing travel could help you save money. Our award-winning travel insurance broker service makes sure you get the cover you need for the lowest premiums. Our aim is to provide you with the most up-to-date information, as well as useful tools and calculators to help you make life's most important decisions and take control of your money.
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What you need to know to get as much holiday for your money as you possibly can - from where to go, how to get there, the best way to spend while away and your rights if anything goes wrong
Last updated: 29 March, 2022