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Who offers the best travel insurance?

Travel insurance offers protection against specific financial losses, health risks or incidents whenever you’re travelling. It can provide valuable peace of mind whether you’re jetting off abroad or staying closer to home, but finding the best travel insurance for your needs isn’t always easy. Our chart can help.

For over 35 years, our experts have been assessing the features of financial products to determine those that offer consumers exceptional value for money. Our independent and impartial Four- and Five-star Ratings act as a badge of quality and are awarded to products we believe are deserving of your consideration. You’ll find their logos proudly displayed next to recipients on our chart below, so to find the deal that’s right for you, compare travel insurance and apply today.

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Featured travel insurance providers

Last updated: 04/10/2024

  • Just Travel Cover

    Save 12% Today with Code MONEY12

    Just Travel Cover is the UK’s Best Travel Insurance Provider as of the 2023 Insurance Choice Awards.

    With medical treatment abroad rising and claims at an all-time high, Travel Insurance has never been so important.
    At Just Travel Cover you can compare prices and policies from multiple insurers in one place, and you can save 12% with code MONEY12.

    • Compare prices from multiple insurers
    • No age limit
    • Cover for hundreds of pre-existing medical conditions
    • Exclusive “Smart Luggage” option with real-time payouts up to £550 for delayed/lost luggage.
    • Protect your holiday with cancellation cover up to £12,500pp
    • Emergency medical expenses cover up to £15,000,000

  • Post Office

    Whether you are looking to holiday within the UK or abroad make sure that you protect your upcoming travel plans as soon as you are booked with Post Office Travel Insurance.

    • No upper age limit on single trip policies and all medical conditions are considered
    • Upgrade your cover with ease
    • Outpatient holiday health support 24/7 with medical Assistance Plus
  • Saga
    • Single trip cancellation up to £15,000, depending on your cover level
    • Saga Travel Insurance is for people over 50 with no upper age limit
    • Annual trip cancellation up to £20,000, depending on your cover level
    • Best choice for over-50s. Cover for most pre-existing medical conditions
    • Emergency medical cover up to £20 million, depending on your cover level
  • Oasis Travel

    Protect your holiday with Oasis Travel Insurance – offering cover for Single Trip, Annual Multi Trip & Backpackers! Simple Insurance, there for you in your time of need! Get a quote now and receive 10% off by entering the promotional code “MONEYFACTS10”!

    We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and cover, which is reflected in our excellent Moneyfacts 5-Star rating and why we’ve paid out over £2m in claims to date.

    • Emergency Medical Cover up to £20m
    • Cancellation Cover up to £6,000
    • Baggage Cover up to £3,000
    • Cover for medical conditions
    • No upper age limit*
    • Optional Extras include Winter Sports, Cruise, Gadget, Sports & Activities, Covid-19 & Business Travel
    • MyOasis Customer Self-Service portal available for all customers.

    *Applies to Single Trip policies only

  • Holiday Extras Insurance

    Holiday Extras Travel Insurance

    • 5% Off Single and Annual Policies with Holiday Extras
    • Purchase any annual policy and you could win £10k worth of holidays
    • Winner of the Globe Travel Awards for 15 years running
    • All medical conditions considered
    • Specialist cruise and winter sports cover
  • LV=

    Get a 10% discount when you buy our travel insurance online
    Choose from either Essential or our Moneyfacts 5 Star rated Premier policy, which offers:

    • Up to £5,000 cancellation cover or £10,000 with our Premier Policy
    • All pre-existing medical conditions considered
    • Up to £10million emergency medical cover
    • Cruise cover automatically included on annual policies
    • You can choose to add cover for baggage and winter sports. You can also add cruise cover to single trip policies.
  • Covered2Go

    Exclusive Offer: Save 10%* Today When You Use Code MONEY10.

    Enjoy a fantastic 10% discount on our wide-ranging travel insurance plans with promo code MONEY10.

    Why Choose Covered2Go?

    • Safeguard Your Holiday with Cancellation Cover of up to £10,000 per person.
    • Coverage for Emergency Medical Expenses and Repatriation up to £10,000,000 per person.
    • 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance.
    • All Pre-existing Medical Conditions are Considered.
    • No Age Limit on Single Trip Policies.
    • Cruise and Winter Sports Options Available.

    Travel with peace of mind knowing you're covered with Covered2Go. Get A Quote Today!

    *10% discount applies to Covered2Go policies only and does not apply to any premium generated to cover pre-existing medical conditions. Terms, Conditions and Exclusions Apply.

  • Go Walkabout

    Go Walkabout have been offering long-term travel insurance policies to UK residents since 1999. If you're planning to get away for winter sun, visit family or friends for a prolonged period of time, please get in touch.

    • No upper age limit on single trip policies and all medical conditions are considered
    • Cover up to 186 days for travellers 55-79, travelling to Europe, Australia/New Zealand and Worldwide excluding USA, Canada and Caribbean. 
    • Cover for up to 124 days for travellers up to 79 for Worldwide including USA, Canada and Caribbean.
    • Cancellation cover to £5,000 can be extended to £10,000.
    • Upgrade your cover with ease through online extension request form.
    • Emergency Medical cover from £5 Million up to £10 Million.

    It is our objective to give our customers the peace of mind that their travel insurance needs have been met. We are proud and passionate about our product and the personal and professional level of our service to our customers. 

  • ASDA Travel Insurance

    Wherever you're heading for your holidays, make sure you're fully covered from the moment you book with our award-winning travel insurance. Up to three kids go free, per insured adult, subject to medical screening, when you buy direct from us. 

  • TravelTime

    TravelTime specialises in offering great value Single Trip, Annual Multi Trip, Winter Sports and Backpacker travel insurance.

    • Quick and easy to quote and buy
    • Choose from 3 great levels of cover
    • 24 hour worldwide emergency assistance
    • Friendly UK based customer service
  • Allianz Assistance Gold Cover

    • £10,000,000 for emergency medical and associated expenses
    • £25,000 for legal expenses
    • £2,000 for damaged, lost or stolen personal possessions
    • £20,000 for personal accidents
    • £1,500 for delayed departures and much more should something unexpectedly go wrong. 

  • Admiral

    Get 10% off when use the code MONEYFACTS23 at checkout*

    • Flexible Choice - Choose Single trip or Annual Multi Trip cover with varying levels of cover and many sports and leisure activities included as standard.
    • Cover when you need it - We insure a wide range of medical conditions.
    • Cover for young and old - We don't think age should hinder adventure which is why we offer travel insurance to holidaymakers aged 18 to 70.
    • Access to our 24-hour Multilingual Emergency Helpline - If you’re injured or fall ill while on holiday, you can call our 24-hour Emergency Assistance Helpline

  • Coverbaloo

    Holidays are a time to switch off from regular life, and you need quality insurance that’s tailored to your circumstances to be able to properly relax knowing that you’ve got things covered. We work with a wide panel of specialist insurers to cover many different scenarios at competitive prices.

    Age doesn’t stop you travelling and neither should your travel insurance, which is why we don’t impose any upper age limits on our policies, so you can still make sure you’re protected at any age.

    Pre-existing medical conditions or illnesses can also make it preventative to get the right cover in place, but not with us. Our experienced team of advisers can talk you through anything if you have concerns, but we can cover most pre-existing conditions so nothing has to get in the way of your peace of mind.

    So, whether you’re going on a solo adventure, a romantic city break as a couple, a lazy beach holiday with the family, or a cruise around the world, we’ve got you covered.

  • Heymondo

    Why do travelers choose Heymondo?

    • Comprehensive coverage for travelers worldwide, regardless of residency.
    • 24-hour Medical chat available in our app.
    • Online free assistance calls from anywhere in the world. 
    • Medical expenses coverage up to £7,500. 
    • Trip cancellation and interruption coverage up to £5,000.
    • Easy claims management.
  • loveit coverit

    We’re a travel insurer that goes above-and-beyond to provide excellent cover and the friendly face of insurance. With over 1 million policies sold and 30 years’ experience, our Moneyfacts 5-Star rating says it all when it comes to our world-class level of service.

    • UK customer service
    • 24/7 helpline
    • In partnership with AXA
    • Covid-19 cover Included
    • Over 50 sports covered
    • Easy to claim
    • Medical cover up to £15 million
    • Cancellation cover up to £5000

    loveit coverit travel insurance will protect you, those you’re travelling with, and your belongings wherever you’re going. Visit our website today for a free instant quote.

  • Leisure Guard
    • Medical Expenses for Medical Emergency & Repatriation (up to £15,000,000)
    • Trip Cancellation, Curtailment & Interruption (up to £7,500)
    • Personal Luggage(up to £3,000)
    • Leisure Guard travel insurance has a 24hr emergency helpline in place should you need us.
    • Cruise cover is included with all of our policies at no additional cost
  • Good To Go Insurance
    • Medical travel insurance
    • Experts in cover for medical conditions
    • No upper age limit
    • Cover for cruise holidays
    • Covid-19 emergency medical cover abroad included in all policies
    • Covid+ policies include cancellation cover if you contract Covid-19 before you travel
  • Insure With Ease
    • Great value travel insurance
    • All policies include emergency medical cover abroad and cancellation if you contract Covid-19.
    • Discounts for couples, families and single parent families
    • Backpacker / Gap year cover
    • Cover for adventure sports and activities available
    • Wedding cover available
  • Insurefor.com
    • Flexible cover options to suit your trip
    • Insurance that covers you worldwide
    • Annual and Single Trip policies
    • Cover for pre-existing medical conditions
    • Award winning customer service
  • Big Blue Cover
    • Big cover at affordable prices
    • Cover for Pre-existing medical conditions available
    • Cover for you and the people you travel with
    • 24/7 emergency medical support, 365 days a year
Note

Links to third parties on this page are paid for by the third party. You can find out more about the individual products by visiting their site. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk will receive a small payment either if you click the links or if you use their services after you click through to their site. All information is subject is subject to change without notice. Please check all terms before making any decisions.

Disclaimer

The list of travel insurance providers on this page is a selection of services available and gives you an idea of the kind of options available. You can find out more about the individual products by visiting any of the providers listed. All information is subject to change without notice. Please check all terms before making any decisions. This information is intended solely to provide guidance and is not financial advice. Moneyfactscompare.co.uk will not be liable for any loss arising from your use or reliance on this information. If you are in any doubt, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk recommends you obtain independent financial advice.

What elements of the travel insurance policy do we look at?

The Star Ratings for travel insurance are based on the weighting of specific product features, outside of premiums, that are likely to be the most relevant to those looking to take out a policy. A considerable number of features will add to the final score, and some of this information includes: 

  • Age limits
  • Trip length
  • Medical cover
  • Cancellation cover
  • Travel abandonment
  • Travel delay cover
  • Baggage cover
  • Valuables limits
  • Travel delay claim time
  • Missed departure cover
  • Missed connection cover
  • Ski equipment cover
  • Wedding cover
  • Personal liability cover
  • Personal accident cover
  • End supplier failure
  • Scheduled airline failure
  • Winter sports
  • Business trips
  • Cruise cover
  • Excesses
  • Cash cover
  • Pet care cover
  • Golf cover

What does travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance is designed to cover the cost of any losses you incur as a result of an accident, cancellation or delay while travelling. As with all forms of insurance, policies will differ in terms of the exact level of cover, but as a general rule, you can expect to be covered for the following:  

  • Lost or stolen possessions. Items such as your luggage, travel money (including cash up to a certain limit) and important documents. Specific items, such as musical instruments, sports equipment, jewellery and other expensive items may require separate cover.
  • Disruptions and cancellations. If your trip is cut short by an unexpected event, a flight is delayed, or a trip cancelled, then you should be able to claim for the costs through your insurance.
  • Medical expenses. If you need medical attention when abroad, you’ll likely need to pay for it upfront, but the best travel insurance will reimburse you afterwards. Just make sure to declare any pre-existing medical conditions as well as any adventurous sports or high-risk activities, as your insurer may exclude costs that result from these.
  • Legal fees. Your insurer may cover the cost of any legal fees incurred when you are involved in an incident that isn’t your fault.
  • COVID-19 cover. Most travel insurance policies offer cancellation cover if you or a member of your travel party tests positive for COVID-19 in the two weeks before the trip, and if you contract the virus while on holiday you’ll usually be covered for the associated costs.

What isn’t covered?

Typically, you won’t be covered for the following:

  • Changing your mind
  • A missed flight that was your fault
  • Airline strikes
  • Acts of terrorism
  • Undeclared medical conditions
  • Dangerous activities
  • Accident or injury as a result of drugs or alcohol

However, you’ll often be able to tailor your policy to include some of these at an additional cost, such as extreme sports cover, golf equipment, winter sports, terrorism cover and connection delays. Make sure to compare travel insurance thoroughly to find the best deal for you.

Pre-existing medical conditions

It’s essential to let your insurer know of any pre-existing medical conditions, as it could invalidate your policy if you don’t. This could make securing suitable cover a bit trickier, or at least more expensive, as many of these conditions won’t be covered as standard.

However, provided you tell your insurer ahead of time, they may still provide cover, albeit with a higher premium. For more serious conditions you might need to look for specialist insurers that can offer cover for specific medical needs.

Travel insurance policy types

There are various types of travel insurance you may wish to consider depending on your needs and circumstances, some of which can be bought as standalone policies, while others are more of an add-on. Here are a few you may come across.

Single or multi-trip cover

You can find travel insurance for a single trip or several, with annual multi-trip cover often a wise purchase for those who travel regularly. Bear in mind that if you’re going backpacking, you might need additional cover.

Travel insurance for over-70s and 80s

Some travel insurers set a maximum age of 65 for their policies, so you may need to look for those specifically designed for older travellers. These specialist policies typically include additional cover such as:

  • Pre-existing medical conditions
  • Special medical equipment needed for travelling
  • Holiday cancellation due to ill-health
  • Lost medication
  • Cover for a carer or travel companion

Just bear in mind that cover typically gets more expensive with age, so make sure to weigh this up when you compare travel insurance in the UK.

Family travel insurance

Family travel insurance is designed to cover your whole family under one policy, which can often be more cost-effective. It usually covers families who reside at the same address, including two adults and as many as eight children (aged up to 18), though you can also buy group insurance to include older children or extended families.

Cruise insurance

This type of insurance covers the specific activities and risks that come with cruising, such as travelling to multiple countries (provided your destinations are not excluded by your insurer), missed port departures, and transport to hospital should you fall ill at sea. Unlike standard travel insurance, this type of cover is normally mandatory before you’ll be allowed on the cruise.

Do I need travel insurance?

You’re not legally required to have travel insurance, but given how expensive holidays can be, it makes sense to be prepared. Unexpected events can devastate your trip away and lead to significant financial loss, and costs can escalate into the thousands if you needed medical attention. If the worst were to happen and you passed away on holiday, it can cost even more to be repatriated, and your life insurance likely wouldn’t be sufficient.

This is why it’s recommended to buy travel insurance as soon as you’ve booked your holiday, making sure you get the benefit if you need to cancel unexpectedly while providing peace of mind when you’re on the trip itself. You may already have a certain level of cover included in things like packaged current accounts or travel credit cards, but protection is likely minimal and you won’t be able to tailor it to your needs. Instead, our chart of featured providers highlights some of the top travel insurance products in the UK, so you can be confident you’ve got the protection you need.

FAQs

When does travel insurance start and end?

Travel insurance typically starts from the day you purchase your policy, though you can specify a set date if you wish. If you’ve bought a single trip policy then cover will end when you return home, and if it’s an annual policy, it’ll end 12 months from the start date.  

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights?

Yes, though it can depend on the circumstances. For example, if a flight is cancelled by the airline you’ll be expected to approach them for compensation first, though you may be covered by your insurance policy if they don’t reimburse you. If you needed to cancel the flight yourself, your policy should cover the cost, provided it was because of a specific insured reason (such as an illness or injury) and not because you changed your mind.

Do I need travel insurance for Europe?

As with all forms of travel insurance, it isn’t a legal requirement, but it can certainly make sense to be covered for a trip to the continent. Don’t rely on your Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) to be a substitute either – it’s unlikely to offer sufficient coverage for medical expenses, and it won’t provide any form of cover for other travel-related mishaps. Seeking a top travel insurance policy will always be preferable, and our chart above is the perfect place to begin your search.

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Leanne Macardle

Freelance Contributor

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