What Travel Insurance Really Means for You

Instructions

Imagine booking a short break to Edinburgh or traveling abroad and facing an unexpected medical bill, a cancelled trip, or lost baggage. Travel insurance is a contract that transfers some of that financial risk to an insurer — helping cover medical treatment abroad, cancellation costs, luggage problems, and emergency repatriation.

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Why people still buy travel insurance

Trips can change quickly, and costs overseas can be large. Medical claims were the single largest category of travel payouts in 2024, accounting for about 34% of claims and around £262 million in total medical payouts. That scale explains why many travellers look for cover before departure.

Complaints about travel policies are common: the Financial Ombudsman Service received 4,466 travel-insurance complaints in 2023/24 (a 19% rise year-on-year), so checking policy wording matters.

What a typical personal policy covers

Common elements found in many policies include:

Medical and repatriation cover — helps with treatment overseas and, if needed, return transport. Check the stated limits.
Trip cancellation or curtailment — refunds pre-paid costs for covered reasons; each policy lists permitted reasons.
Baggage and delay cover — provides fixed sums for lost or delayed possessions, subject to receipts and limits.
24/7 emergency assistance — many providers offer 24/7 help lines for medical coordination while abroad.

Policy details and limits vary widely, so compare the same cover items across providers rather than just comparing price.

Cost—what to expect

Typical headline prices in the UK market (examples from recent market snapshots):

Average single-trip premium: about £23.
Average annual multi-trip premium: around £57.

Costs vary by age, destination, trip length and declared medical conditions — younger travellers often see much lower rates than older travellers. Detailed pricing examples by age are available from independent market comparisons.

Policy types and quick tips

Single-trip: covers one journey — useful for occasional travellers.
Annual multi-trip: covers multiple trips in 12 months — can be better value for frequent short breaks.
Add-ons: winter-sports, gadget cover or high-value baggage options are common extras.

Before purchase, check medical exclusions, declare relevant health information honestly (non-disclosure commonly leads to rejected claims), confirm excess amounts, and note how soon a claim must be reported. The Ombudsman and insurer guidance offer helpful pointers.

Provider offers to watch for

Some insurers run limited promotions or targeted discounts — for example, Saga has run time-limited discounts for eligible customers, and AXA Schengen has offered seasonal promo codes on selected plans. Confirm each offer’s terms and eligibility on the provider’s site before buying.

Major providers publish product pages with cover summaries (example: Aviva’s travel pages). Use those pages plus independent comparison sites to verify limits and exclusions.

Bottom line

For personal travellers who want protection against expensive medical bills, unrecoverable cancellations or lost possessions, travel insurance is a practical way to reduce financial risk. Compare cover details, confirm medical and cancellation limits, declare health conditions clearly, and choose single-trip or annual multi-trip policies to match travel frequency. Recent market data and complaints records underline the importance of reading policy wording before purchase.

⚠️ Quick disclaimer
This article provides general information. Product features, pricing and promotions change frequently; confirm current terms and limits directly on insurer and comparison sites before purchasing.

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