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Compare travel insurance: Find the best deals

Travel should be all about wows, not worries. So get a great deal on insurance and get packing.

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By

Esther Wolffowitz

Updated

Fact checked

What does travel insurance cover me for?

  • Trip Cancellation. This provides cover for cancellation fees as well as any prepaid deposits you made for travel and accommodation that you are not able to recover if your trip is cancelled or cut short.
  • Medical Cover. This provides cover for treatment overseas if you suffer a serious illness or injury. It also should include repatriation in case you need to be flown back home.
  • Baggage and Belongings. This provides cover for luggage and personal items that are lost, stolen or damaged on your trip. You can purchase additional cover for specific items.
  • Travel delays. This provides cover for delays and cancellations that are beyond your control. Travel delay cover can help you manage some of the additional expenses that may arise as a result, such as accommodation or additional transport.

What doesn’t travel insurance cover?

The last thing you need is to be left stranded overseas if your claim is rejected. Know exactly what you are covered for and avoid a nasty surprise at claim time.

  • Had a few drinks? Jumped on a moped after a few drinks and ended up hitting a ditch? Yep, you’re not covered. Insurers do not pay claims that arise while you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  • Renting a motorcycle or moped? You’re only covered if you have a current UK motorcycle licence and you wear a helmet.
  • Diving or Bungee jumping? Not all activities will be automatically covered. Each insurer will have a list of high-risk pursuits that are excluded from cover. Find out what these are and if you need to purchase any additional cover.
  • Lost an expensive item? Policies will have limits applied to what will be paid for an item, which may not measure up to what it’s worth. Consider getting specific cover to protect expensive items.
  • Had to pay more once you returned home? You’re only covered for expenses incurred while on your trip overseas, not once you have returned home to the UK.
  • Ended up in a war zone or a riot? Very few insurers cover claims that are the result of you travelling to a country against foreign travel advice or other warning issued by the government or mass media. This may include strikes, riots, bad weather, civil unrest, contagious diseases, epidemics, pandemics, or threats of epidemics or pandemics. Claims that arise while you’re in a country under a do-not-travel warning will not be covered.
  • Left your bag in the back of the taxi? Most insurers do not cover theft if you did not take reasonable care to protect your belongings. Insurers do not cover theft of expensive items that have been left unattended.
  • Final stages of pregnancy? Generally, insurers exclude cover for complications that arise past the 24th week of pregnancy, although the specifics of cover do vary from one insurer to the next.

What are the most common travel insurance claims?

The most common travel insurance claims are those associated with the three main areas of risk: luggage or personal items damaged or lost, cancellations and overseas medical expenses.

The most common travel insurance claims and how to avoid them.

MUST READ: Waited too long before contacting your insurer or making a claim?

Most insurers will require you to notify them of any event leading to a claim within a certain time period, some even as quickly as 24 hours after the event. Find out what this period is and the maximum period of time following your journey that you can lodge a claim.

Things to consider when comparing policies

When comparing different travel insurance quotes its important to consider the following points to make sure you’re receiving the right cover for your trip.

  • Where are you travelling? Are there risks specific to that country you should be aware of and is it covered by your insurer? If there has been a travel warning issued against travelling to the country, you may not be able to apply for cover. It is also important to ensure that you are covered for each country you are travelling to, consider worldwide cover if you’re travelling far and wide.
  • Discounts. If you’re travelling as a family or a group then you might be able to receive a slight discount on your policy.
  • How long are you travelling for? Are you a frequent traveller? If you travel often, or you’re planning on taking a gap year, then an annual policy might be more affordable and convenient. Just be aware of the maximum period of travel permitted for individual trips.
  • Do you need extra cover for your trip? If you’re off skiing or your trip involves adventurous activities you’re going to need extra cover. You could also need extra cover if you have pre-existing medical conditions, you’re above a certain age, you’re taking valuables that you want to protect.
  • Maximum cover available. Make sure you check out the range of benefits and the maximum payment you will receive for each claim, for example, how much will you be able to claim if you suffer a medical emergency, if your flight is delayed or if your luggage or valuables are lost, stolen or damaged

Some final points before you buy travel insurance

  • Tell the truth. It’s really not worth leaving out details of an old medical condition or anything that you think might be able to save you a few extra pounds. Insurance companies will take the time to ensure that your claim is genuine and that you were truthful at the time of application, so it’s important to be upfront from the start to ensure you are covered appropriately.
  • Read the important stuff. You might not read 10 different product disclosure statements cover to cover, but at the very least read through the exclusions and cover benefits section so you know when you will and won’t be covered. It’s also worth checking out the claims section so you know exactly what you will need to provide and who to contact in the event of a claim.
  • Know the excess you will be charged. Excess charges can vary greatly between insurers. You will be charged an excess for each individual claim you make under the policy, so it is important to know how much you’ll need to fork out in the event of a claim.
  • Want to avoid the excess altogether? Some insurers offer policies with no excess. However, this does mean that you’ll be required to pay a higher premium when you purchase the policy so that you no longer have to pay an excess.
  • Know what you will be paid for the loss of valuable items. Most policies will have a sub-limit for individual items. If you are taking out additional cover for expensive items, make sure you know the maximum amount your insurer will pay for multiple items in the event of a claim.
  • Keep an eye out for discounts. Competition between insurers for your business means there are some great chances to lock down great savings and bonus gifts.

Read our travel insurance tips guide to make sure you get the right cover every time.

Our 2022 travel insurance customer satisfaction league table

We asked policyholders to rate their satisfaction with their travel insurance company, and whether they’d recommend it to a friend. We’ve shown both for each brand in the table below. Our independent survey of 759 insurance customers was carried out in December 2021.

Overall satisfactionCustomers who’d recommendIssuerReview
★★★★★84%Tesco logoSaga travel insurance is tailored for people aged over 50 and there’s no upper age limit. Customers in our survey praised the service for being professional with great prices. There’s a special policy covering pre-existing medical conditions, and there’s a winter sports add-on. Policies get 3 or 5 stars from Defaqto.View deals
★★★★★79%Admiral logoMany Direct Line customers in our survey find it to be fast, reliable and easy to use. Policies get 4-star or 5-star ratings from Defaqto. Fairly limited options, with extensions for personal belongings and winter sports.View deals
★★★★★75%Post Office logoAviva customers think this is a great insurance provider with good value for money. They liked its response to the coronavirus pandemic. There’s only one level of cover rather than a range of tiers, and it’s worth knowing that baggage cover costs more. You can get extensions for activities such as scuba-diving and winter sports. Aviva’s single trip and multi-trip policies are both 5-star rated by Defaqto.View deals
★★★★★61%Admiral logoAlpha has four levels of cover available: single trip, multi-trip, winter sports and, an unusual cover, staycation. It has Defaqto ratings between 3 and 5 based on the different policies and customers find it to be reliable and good value for money.View deals
★★★★★68%Get Going logoAXA offers a wide range of cover types and levels (three tiers: bronze, silver and gold). Customers felt that the service was reliable and the staff are helpful. Defaqto gives the policies 3-5 stars.View deals
★★★★★74%Saga logoMany Asda Money customers in our survey said they thought the cover was well priced but some customers said that it could improve its customer service. There are three levels of cover, and Defaqto ratings range from 3 to 5 stars.View deals
★★★★★71%Coverwise logoLots of options and levels with Post Office Money travel insurance and it makes a point of saying it will “consider” covering any medical condition. Customers in our survey felt they’d received great customer service at a great price. Defaqto ratings range from 2 stars to 5.View deals
★★★★★71%Direct Line logoStaysure customers praised the company for its reaction to the coronavirus pandemic and its value for money. It has lots of policy options and two levels of cover: Basic (Defaqto gives it 2 stars) and Comprehensive (5 stars).View deals
★★★★★57%Admiral logoChurchill offers three levels of cover: Annual insurance, Single trip insurance and Explorer insurance which covers for long stays. It’s got 5 stars on Defaqto and its customers felt like they were quick to respond to questions and great value for money.View deals
★★★★★69%Virgin Money logoAdmiral travel insurance customers said it has great customer care and good value for money. There are several tiers – the basic cover gets 3 stars from Defaqto and the Platinum tier gets 5 stars.View deals
★★★★★65%Aviva logoAvanti has three different levels of insurance: single trip, annual and medical. Its “Medical” policy covers you for pre-existing conditions without an upper age limit.
It’s got 5 star Defaqto ratings for all except its Essentials insurance which is rated 2 stars. Customers in our survey think they have good customer support.		View deals
★★★★★64%AA logoCoverwise customers liked the company’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic and find that it is hassle free and a good price. Pre-existing medical conditions can only be covered with a Select policy. Cover levels range from Standard and Bronze up to Platinum and Defaqto stars range from 3 to 5.View deals

Frequently asked questions

Purchasing your policy

Choosing the right option

    • Adjusting your policy

    When you will and won’t be covered

    Making a claim

    Travel insurance ratings

    ★★★★★ — Excellent
    ★★★★★ — Good
    ★★★★★ — Average
    ★★★★★ — Subpar
    ★★★★★ — Poor

    Our customer satisfaction scores (“Customers say”) are based on a survey of 759 customers carried out in December 2021.

    The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you.

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