If you tend to travel overseas once or twice a year, single trip insurance is likely to be the most suitable and cheap holiday insurance cover for your circumstances.

Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, single trip cover tends to be an inexpensive way to ensure that you can make the most of your time abroad whilst only paying for the cover that you actually need.

Most countries outside the UK (even within Europe) do not have a free medical service, this means that if you need medical treatment while on holiday, it could cost you dearly and not just in terms of your health - medical costs abroad can easily add up to thousands of pounds.

How often do you travel?

Single trip cover is a cost effective way to ensure that you can focus on enjoying your holiday without worrying what you would do should anything unplanned happen.

However, if you plan on taking two or more holidays or overseas trips a year it may be worth looking at annual travel insurance cover.

What level of cover do you need?

The majority of insurers offer several levels of cover which vary in terms of the amount of cover you receive and the amount of excess you will have to pay if you need to claim on your policy.

Remember, the cheapest single trip travel insurance policy may not offer the level of cover you need, so make sure you choose an adequate level of travel insurance to cover any valuables that you plan to take on holiday with you before you start looking for a cheap price.

Extra features

Single trip holiday travel insurance is often available with additional options and discounts.

Most insurers offer the option to add winter sports or adventure sports to your policy, this is normally for an additional cost, but it will be worth your while including if you are planning to partake in anything that isn't covered under the regular policy.

Discounts are often available for families and couples travelling together.

Also many insurers offer discounts if your luggage is covered under your home insurance - this is worth checking before you purchase your single trip cover as it may save you money which could be spent enjoying your holiday.

Check you're eligible

The age restrictions are often higher for single trip insurance than they are for annual cover which is often only available for those under 65.

Often there are no age restrictions in place although there may be some travel restrictions for those over 69. Again this is worth checking before you purchase your travel insurance.

You can compare holiday travel insurance policies, the level of cover they offer and their application restrictions using our cheapest holiday insurance comparison table.