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Family travel insurance

Compare holiday insurance for your family

  • Covers lost baggage and medical treatment

  • Includes cover for 2 adults and up to 8 children 

  • Compare some policies with covid cover

Can I get travel insurance that covers COVID-19?

Yes, you can still compare and purchase travel insurance with COVID-19 cover from Confused.com. All of our providers offer emergency medical treatment and repatriation (returning to the UK) for COVID-19 claims.

Many of our providers offer further Covid-19 related cover such as holiday cancellations, accommodation costs and denied boarding. Be sure to check the details of your policy carefully as different providers will offer different policy enhancements.

It's important to note that if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), you won't be covered by any travel insurance policy you buy.

What is family travel insurance?

Family travel insurance covers you and your kids when you go away on holiday.

Plans typically include 1 or 2 adults, and between 1 and 8 children aged under 18. The children must live with you but can include stepchildren, foster children and adopted children.

The 2 adults don’t need to be married or in a civil partnership, but they do need to be in a relationship and live at the same address.

Once a child turns 18, they will no longer be included in the family holiday insurance and will need their own policy.

Depending on your family travel insurance policy, children under 18 may need separate travel insurance if they’re going on holiday alone or with someone not covered by your policy. So consider your needs for the whole year before deciding on the best type of family travel insurance for you.

Why choose family travel insurance?

The main advantage of family holiday insurance is that it’s easier to manage than individual policies for everyone.

Other advantages include:

  • It’s often cheaper than buying individual policies, but not always for couples with 1 child, so do your sums carefully
  • There are different types of family travel insurance like single-trip, annual and backpackers travel insurance
  • Kids sometimes get free cover on certain family travel insurance plans
  • Adult-only cover is often included, so parents don't always have to travel with their kids to get cover
  • Cover extras are included as standard on some family travel insurance plans like alternative accommodation and increased cancellation cover

What does family travel insurance cover?

A family travel insurance policy normally includes cover for:

  • Cancellations cover if you need to cancel your holiday unexpectedly or cancel onward travel or accommodation
  • Emergency medical treatment if you or anyone covered by your family holiday insurance gets ill or gets injured while you’re away
  • Baggage, possessions and money that are lost, damaged or stolen
  • Legal cover which can pay compensation for any personal injury, illness or death that happens on your trip

Insurers offer varying levels of cover and some have restrictions about travelling individually and as a couple. So always check the small print before buying family travel insurance.

Compare family travel insurance quotes

What countries does family travel insurance cover me for?

The family travel insurance policy you choose depends on where you’re planning to go.

If you’re buying single-trip cover, you'll need to tell the insurance provider which country you're travelling to.

If you’re buying annual cover, think about all the holidays you’re planning to take throughout the year and choose the right level accordingly.

The standard options are:

  • Worldwide excluding Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean
  • Worldwide including Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean
  • Europe only
  • Australia and New Zealand
  • UK only
  •  

Always check that you have the right cover before you travel. If you go to a country that isn't covered by your family holiday insurance, you won’t be protected if something goes wrong.

You also need to check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development (FCDO) advice for the country you’re visiting. Your family travel insurance might be invalid if you travel against government advice, like to a country where there is war or a high risk of terrorist attacks.

Expenses such as medical care also usually cost more in the US, Canada and the Caribbean. So cover for these countries is normally more expensive.

So don't buy a worldwide family travel insurance plan unless you really need it.

How much does family travel insurance cost?

The cost of your family travel insurance depends on a number of factors, including:

  • The number of people you want to insure
  • Any pre-existing conditions your family members may have
  • The ages of the adults and children you’re covering
  • Where you’re travelling to
  • How long you’ll be away
  • Whether you buy single-trip or multi-trip family travel insurance

Prices can vary, but here's how much family travel insurance could cost based on where you're travelling:

Destination Average premium1 (2 adults, 2 children)
Croatia
£20.12
Egypt
£24.54
France
£21.98
Italy
£20.89
Portugal
£21.32
Turkey
£23.76
UAE
£33.76
UK
£18.76
USA
£38.91

1. Confused.com travel data – Average price paid by those who bought a 1-week policy between 2 May 2022 to 2 November 2022.

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Should I get single-trip or annual family travel insurance?

Single-trip family travel insurance covers you for just one holiday. You typically give insurers the dates you’re travelling and you aren’t protected beyond this. If you go on another holiday, you’ll need a new policy.

This cover level is ideal if you’re just planning one family holiday for the year. If you travel a lot, it can get expensive to buy a new family travel insurance policy each time.

Annual family, or multi-trip, travel insurance policies cover you for multiple trips throughout the year. It could save you time and money if you’re a family that travels regularly.

Just make sure the policy covers all the countries you’ll visit. If you’re planning a few trips, compare policies to check if single or annual cover works out cheaper.

When should I buy family travel insurance?

It's a good idea to buy your family holiday insurance as soon as you've booked your trip.

Waiting until you’re due to travel means you're not covered if something goes wrong in the meantime. For instance, if one of your party becomes sick, there’s a death in the family or the travel provider goes bust.

Does family travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?

You should still be able to buy family travel insurance if you or anyone else that is covered by the policy has a pre-existing medical condition. This could be anything from asthma or diabetes to respiratory problems or cancer.

You'll be asked questions about your health when you apply for the policy. Depending on the severity of the condition, your family travel insurance may cost more.

If you can’t find suitable cover, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has set up a directory of insurers willing to cover customers with pre-existing medical conditions. Find them online, or give them a call on 0800 138 7777 for free impartial advice.

It's important you answer all questions about your health as honestly as you can. If you end up needing treatment overseas for a condition you hadn't declared, your claim would likely be rejected.

Compare family travel insurance quotes

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Need more help?

What isn't covered by family travel insurance?

Family travel insurance may not cover:

  • Alcohol or drug-related incidents
  • Travelling outside FCDO advice – check the government website before you go
  • Natural disasters and catastrophes
  • Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions
  • Children who live at different addresses

Does family insurance cover people travelling alone?

If people covered by your family holiday insurance ever travel on their own, they may need to arrange separate cover. This varies between providers, so check your policy.

What our travel insurance expert says

Having one family travel insurance policy is a lot easier to keep track of than having several individual travel policies. It’s also usually cheaper to cover everyone under the same policy, offering greater value for money.

Jac Morris Travel & Pet insurance expert signature

Jac Morris

Travel insurance product executive

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