The core elements of a travel policy
Travel insurance bundles together several types of protection into one policy. The main sections to check are:
- Emergency medical expenses — treatment, hospital stays and repatriation if you fall ill or are injured abroad; this is arguably the most important section, since medical treatment overseas (particularly in the US) can run into tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds
- Cancellation and curtailment — reimburses non-refundable costs if you have to cancel before you go, or cut the trip short, for a covered reason such as illness, bereavement or redundancy
- Baggage and personal belongings — cover for lost, stolen or damaged luggage and possessions, usually with a per-item limit
- Personal liability — covers you if you accidentally injure someone else or damage their property while travelling
Single-trip vs annual multi-trip
If you travel more than once or twice a year, an annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper overall than buying single-trip cover each time, and it removes the risk of forgetting to insure a trip. Annual policies typically cap each individual trip at a maximum length (commonly 31 or 45 days) — check this if you're planning a longer holiday or a sabbatical, as you may need a top-up or a specialist long-stay policy.
Declaring pre-existing medical conditions
This is one of the most common reasons claims are rejected. Insurers ask about your medical history at the point of sale, and failing to declare a relevant condition — even one that seems unrelated to your trip — can void the entire policy, not just claims connected to that condition. Conditions typically need to be declared even if well-controlled, and premiums may be loaded or certain conditions excluded as a result. It's worth using a specialist provider if you have a serious or complex condition, as mainstream insurers may decline cover or charge a high premium, while specialists focus specifically on higher-risk travellers.
GHIC and why it isn't a substitute
The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets UK residents access state-provided emergency and medically necessary healthcare in the EU at the same cost as a local resident — which in many countries means free or heavily subsidised treatment. However, GHIC:
- Does not cover repatriation back to the UK, which can be extremely expensive
- Does not cover private healthcare, which is sometimes the only realistic option in an emergency in some countries
- Does not cover cancellation, baggage, or liability at all
- Is not valid outside the EU (it does not cover the rest of the world, including many popular holiday destinations)
GHIC is a useful complement to travel insurance, not a replacement for it — always take out full travel insurance for any trip abroad.
Cover you might already have
Some UK bank current accounts, particularly packaged "premium" accounts with a monthly fee, include travel insurance as a perk. Some credit cards also offer limited travel cover, such as purchase protection or cancellation cover if the trip was paid for on the card. Before buying a separate policy, check what's already included, along with the level of cover, any age limits, and whether pre-existing conditions are covered — bundled cover is sometimes more basic than a standalone policy.
Activity and sports cover
Standard policies often exclude "hazardous activities" such as skiing, scuba diving, or trekking at altitude. If your trip includes any activities like this, check whether they're automatically included, available as a paid add-on, or need a specialist policy (winter sports cover being the most common example). Failing to add appropriate cover could leave you without protection for an injury sustained while doing the very activity you travelled for.
Key takeaways
- Check medical expenses, cancellation, baggage and liability cover, and the limits on each
- Annual multi-trip policies often work out cheaper for frequent travellers, but check the maximum trip length
- Always declare pre-existing medical conditions in full — non-disclosure can void your entire policy
- GHIC gives access to state healthcare in the EU but doesn't cover repatriation, cancellation or non-EU destinations
- Check bank accounts and credit cards for existing cover, and add specialist cover for sports or hazardous activities