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Emergency medical treatment for anyone named on the policy
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Cancellation cover for your flights or accommodation if you need to cancel your holiday unexpectedly
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Theft, accidental damage or loss of your personal possessions or baggage
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Emergency repatriation to bring you home if you fall ill or are seriously injured during your trip
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Travel disruption if bad weather, strikes or mechanical issues mean your flight or ferry trip are delayed
Why is travel insurance important?
Travel insurance, sometimes referred to as holiday insurance, isn’t a legal requirement for most countries. But buying a policy as soon as you book could help to ensure that you're covered for anything unexpected that may happen before or during your trip.
For example, if you need to cancel your trip before you leave, a travel insurance policy has cancellation cover included which should cover you.
However, there are certain countries that require you to have travel insurance before you fly. An example of this is Cuba. You must have travel insurance for Cuba otherwise you won't be granted entry into the country.
Holiday insurance also covers medical treatment and emergencies while you're on holiday. The cost of medical treatment abroad can be high, even if you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Here are 2 examples shared by the Association of British Insurers (ABI):
- The cost of treatment for injuries for a person after a fall in France was £80,000. The GHIC covered £64,000 of this, leaving £16,000 that the individual’s travel insurance company covered.
- Another person’s travel insurer paid out £67,000 for medical treatment. This was for a lung condition that included private medical treatment in the Canary Islands and repatriation back to the UK.
A travel insurance policy could cover these costs, so you don’t have to worry about them while you're on holiday.
How to compare travel insurance quotes
What type of cover do I need?
What our travel insurance expert says
What does travel insurance cover?
Exactly what’s covered by travel insurance varies between providers, so check the details of your policy carefully before buying.
How much does travel insurance cost?
How much you pay for holiday insurance depends on your personal circumstances. Here's how much it could cost depending on the type of policy you buy:
Policy type | Price |
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Family travel insurance
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£17.191
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Single-trip travel insurance
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£2.502
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Annual cover
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£11.853
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Couples travel insurance
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£4.204
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Over-50s travel insurance
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£4.205
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The amount you pay depends on:
- Where you're going
- How much cover you want
- How many people are named on the policy
- Whether anyone named on the policy has any pre-existing medical conditions
- Whether you want to add any additonal cover
1The cheapest price for a single-trip family travel insurance policy. Based on family of 4, including 2 adults aged 30 and 2 children with no previous medical conditions travelling to Spain for 7 nights. Confused.com data - February 2024.
2The cheapest price for a single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on a 30-year-old with no previous medical conditions travelling to Spain for 3 nights. Confused.com data - February 2024.
3The cheapest price for a European annual travel insurance policy. Based on a 30-year-old with no previous medical conditions. Confused.com data - February 2024.
4The cheapest price for a single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on 2 30-year-olds with no previous medical conditions travelling to Spain for 3 nights. Confused.com data - February 2024.
5The cheapest price for a single-trip travel insurance policy. Based on 2 55-year-old with no previous medical conditions travelling to Spain for 3 nights. Confused.com data - February 2024.
Can I get travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?
Some insurers might not cover you if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Others might only offer insurance at a higher price. This is because certain pre-existing medical conditions mean you might need emergency medical attention while you’re away, which your insurer might have to pay for. So, they see you as a higher risk. These conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Stroke
- Serious heart conditions
- Respiratory conditions
- Terminal illnesses
You must tell your insurer about any health issues to make sure you’ve got the right cover. If you don’t and need to make a claim, it could be rejected and you'd have to pay for medical treatment yourself. If in doubt, contact the insurer before buying.
If you can’t find suitable cover, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) might be able to help. This organisation has set up a directory of insurers who cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions through their brand MoneyHelper. You can also phone MaPS for free, impartial advice on 0800 138 7777.
Additional cover for your holiday
Winter sports cover
Gadget insurance
Cruise cover
Business cover
Why use Confused.com?
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We're regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and so are all of the travel insurance companies we work with. This means we follow strict regulations to make sure you're treated fairly and get the best policy for your needs.
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We work with our trusted partner, theidol.com, an authorised intermediary who specialise in insurance comparison. They help us select the best available quotes for you from our range of travel insurance providers.
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We value your privacy and security, and we promise to look after your personal details. Find out more about our security and privacy policy.
Types of travel insurance
Need more help?
How do I make a claim on my travel insurance?
Get in touch with your travel insurance provider as soon as possible. If you have your policy details to hand, you could contact them while you’re still on holiday. They might send you a claim form, or ask you questions over the phone. They should be able to guide you through their process from there.
Make sure you keep any relevant documents to hand:
- Receipts
- Photographs
- Correspondence
- Crime reference number, if the police were involved
Has Covid-19 affected travel insurance
Yes it has. Even though most countries don’t require PCR tests anymore, Covid-19 is still something that you have to consider when travelling, especially the cover you get as part of your holiday insurance. Since the pandemic, policies that include Covid-19 cover protect you against things including:
- Cancellation cover due to contracting Covid prior to your trip
- Repatriation if you’re unwell due to Covid-19 while you’re away
- Accommodation or travel costs if you need to stay longer or isolate as a result of Covid
- Medical expenses and emergencies as a result of contracting Covid or treatment required
Covid-19 is now something that has to be considered when travelling. If you travel against FCDO advice, any travel insurance policy you have is void and you won’t be covered if you need to make a claim.
The level of cover you get varies depending on the policy, so it’s important to read the policy wording before you buy.
What if I have 2 travel insurance policies?
Accidentally having 2 travel insurance policies can cause problems if you need to claim, as you might find each policy only pays a portion of the claim. This comes with the admin headache of making 2 separate claims.
Do I still need travel insurance if my holiday is ATOL protected?
While ATOL protection can help if your airline goes bust, that’s the only scenario it covers. Travel insurance protects you in many other ways.
Do I need travel insurance if I have an EHIC or GHIC?
A valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you access to state-level healthcare in the EU. With the card, you can get the medical care at the same price a citizen pays. This means it might be free, if the country you’re visiting has free healthcare, or it might come at a cost.
The EHIC or GHIC aren’t replacements for travel insurance, though. If you want cover for replacing stolen property or the use of emergency services such as mountain rescue, you need a valid travel insurance policy. Travel insurance can also help cover the cost of any medical fees that aren't covered by the EHIC or GHIC that you are responsible for.
Travel insurance guides
Page last reviewed: 14 February 2024
Reviewed by: Matthew Harwood
Our service is free and compares a wide range of trusted household names. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives commission from theidol.com if you decide to buy through our website which is based on a percentage of the total annual premium. We pride ourselves on impartiality and independence – therefore we don't promote any one insurance provider over another.