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Annual travel insurance

Enjoy your holiday with multi-trip cover for 12 months

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Get an annual travel insurance quote £11.85*

  • Covers you for up to 31 days per holiday for 1 year

  • No limit on the number of trips you can take within the year, you'll still be covered

  • Compare quotes from insurers like Admiral and Coverwise

*The cheapest annual policy based on 1 adult aged 30, with no previous medical conditions travelling in Europe for up to one year. Confused.com data - February 2024.

What is annual multi-trip travel insurance?

Annual travel insurance provides cover for any holidays you're planning over the next 12 months. There's no limit on the number of trips you can take, but they can only be for a maximum of 31 days at a time.

So if you plan on taking more than 1 trip in the next 12 months, it could work out cheaper for you to buy a multi-trip policy rather than individual single trip policies.

How does annual travel insurance work?

Annual travel insurance is largely the same as a standard travel insurance policy. The main difference is that your cover lasts for 12 months and covers you for any trips you decide to take during that period.

Before you start comparing quotes, there are a few things you need to consider, including:

  • When you want your cover to start. To have everything in place, you should select the start date as today. By doing this, it means you'll still be covered if your holiday is cancelled before you travel.
  • Ensure you have cover for everything you need. Certain destinations such as the US, Canada and the Caribbean can be more expensive when it comes to medical bills.
  • Who needs to be covered on your policy. You can choose from individual, couple, family or group cover.
  • Add on any extras including gadget cover, cruise cover and winter sports cover when you get a quote.

Once you decide a start date for your annual policy, you'll have cover in place for the next 365 days and will be covered if you need to make a claim. Don't worry - if you change your mind about your policy, you've got a 14-day cooling off period. This allows you to get a full refund of whatever you've already paid.

We compare 43 trusted travel insurance companies to find you our best deals

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Coverwise
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What are the advantages of annual travel insurance?

The main benefits of an annual travel insurance policy are:

  • For multiple trips a year, annual travel insurance is usually cheaper than buying separate single-trip travel insurance policies
  • Europe-only cover is available and cheaper than worldwide cover if you're not travelling outside of Europe
  • Last-minute or emergency trips are included within the 12-month policy term
  • You can add extras like cruise, business and winter sports cover to your policy
  • You can filter your quote results by Defaqto star rating

There are some cases where a multi-trip policy may not be the right option for you, including:

  • As you get older, annual travel insurance policies become harder to get due to the increased risks. Some insurers have a maximum age limit for annual travel insurance. So over 50s travel insurance policy may be a better option.
  • Annual multi-trip insurance only lasts for up to 31 days per trip, so if you plan on travelling for longer, a backpacker travel insurance policy may be better suited to your needs.

How much does annual travel insurance cost?

Here are the cheapest prices of annual multi-trip policies to popular destinations:

Destination Cheapest annual premium1
UK
£11.85
Europe
£11.85
Worldwide including US, Canada and Caribbean
£29.95
Worldwide excluding US, Canada and Caribbean
£18.60
Australia/New Zealand
£18.60

1The cheapest annual premiums by worldwide destinations. Based on 1 adult aged 30, with no previous medical conditions travelling for up to 1 year. Confused.com data - February 2024.

The cost of your multi-trip insurance depends on:

  • Where you’re travelling
  • Who is travelling
  • If you (or anyone else on the policy) have pre-existing medical conditions.
  • The level of cover you need

The cost of annual travel insurance will partly relate to your level of risk – the higher the risk, the more you pay. Some policies may also cost more because they include more cover.

You should expect to pay more if your multi-trip travel insurance covers you for worldwide trips – including travelling to the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. It's cheaper to buy multi-trip insurance that just covers European countries.

What's covered with a multi-trip policy?

As part of your annual policy, you can expect the following to be covered:

  • Medical cover provides you and anyone else who's named on the policy with cover. If you're travelling in Europe and still have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), you can still get state-level treatment. However, they aren’t a replacement for travel insurance - they only help you get state-level medical treatment . And they don’t cover cancellations, lost baggage or repatriation costs
  • Cancellation cover is provided if any of your onward transport or hotels get cancelled. It's important to check that you have enough cover in place to for all your transport and accommodation costs
  • Lost baggage and personal possessions protects you incase your bags go missing, are stolen or suffer any accidental damage. Again, make sure you've got the right amount of cover in place for this before you buy the policy.

You can also get cover for:

  • Trips in the UK, but certain conditions have to be met. If you visit somewhere that's considered to be too close to home, your insurer may not cover you. Make sure to read the your policy documents to see what's covered.
  • Your family, as an annual family travel insurance policy usually covers 1-2 adults and up to 8 children. Everyone on the family policy must have the same permanent address. Again, cover can vary, so check what's covered before you travel.

Some insurers offer cover for trips lasting 45, 60 or even 90 days at a time too. To find out how long you are covered for, check the small print on your yearly travel insurance policy.

What our travel insurance expert says

"If you've got a few holidays planned in the next year, or are likely to jet off for some last minute sun, then an annual travel policy is a great way to make sure you're covered without having to worry about buying insurance at the last minute.

It's important to remember that if you buy an annual policy that only covers Europe and you decide to travel to somewhere like the US, you'll need to upgrade your policy."

Matthew Harwood, Home & lifestyle insurance expert at Confused.com
Home & lifestyle insurance expert Confused.com logo

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What’s not covered?

Some things aren't usually covered by annual policies, like:

  • Claims for incidents involving drugs or alcohol
  • Claims for undeclared pre-existing medical conditions
  • Optional extras that you haven't added to the policy like winter sports cover, cruise insurance and business travel insurance
  • Claims when travelling against FCDO advice

If you have any questions about your annual travel insurance, you should check the policy wording or contact your insurer.

Why choose Confused.com?

  • We compare quotes using our 43 trusted travel insurance providers. All of our providers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means we have to follow a set of strict guidelines in terms of how we operate and serve our customers.
  • We have a robust security and privacy policy in place and promise to look after your personal details with the utmost care.
  • Our team of travel insurance experts review all our content to ensure we're always providing our customers with accurate information.
  • Our experts and consumer champions are dedicated to helping our customers find the best deal for their needs and budget.

Can I get an annual travel insurance policy if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

Yes. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you could still get annual travel insurance. Simply select your condition(s) on our quote form.

Pre-existing medical conditions include things like high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, stroke as well as heart and respiratory problems.

Your insurance is likely to be more expensive if the insurer believes the pre-existing condition means you have a high chance of requiring medical services while on holiday.

Some insurers may not offer you multi-trip travel insurance if you have a serious medical condition, especially if you’re undergoing treatment/waiting for an operation.

You should always tell the truth about pre-existing medical conditions as otherwise you could find your cover isn’t valid.

If you can’t find suitable cover, the Money and Pension Service (MaPS) has also set up a directory of insurers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions. You can find their directory of insurers through their brand MoneyHelper, or you can phone them on 0800 138 7777 for free impartial advice.

Need more help?

Do I need annual travel insurance if I have an EHIC or a GHIC?

The EHIC or GHIC aren’t a replacement for travel insurance. They can only help you get state-level medical treatment if you should need it. And they don’t cover cancellations or lost baggage like an annual travel insurance policy.

Although the UK has left the EU, you can still use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if it hasn’t expired.

If you don’t have an EHIC, you can apply for its replacement, the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This gives you cheaper or free state healthcare in the EU and Switzerland. You'll pay the same amount as someone living in that country would.

What are the different types of travel insurance?

Page last reviewed: 16 February 2024

Reviewed by: Matthew Harwood

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