Travel insurance is the cover people research least and need most. A hospital stay abroad can cost more than the holiday, and repatriation — flying you home when you can’t travel commercially — regularly runs into five figures.
This guide covers the fundamentals: what a policy actually does, when to buy it, and the exclusions that cause refused claims.
If you’re travelling in Europe specifically, our guide to travel insurance for European travellers covers the EHIC/GHIC gap and the new border rules.
Buy it the day you book
The single most common and most expensive mistake.
Cancellation cover starts the day you buy the policy, not the day you travel. Book a holiday in January for July and buy insurance in June, and you’ve had no cancellation protection for five months — precisely the window in which illness, bereavement or job loss might force you to cancel.
The premium is identical either way. The cover period is months longer.
Some benefits also have purchase deadlines. In the US, cover for pre-existing conditions and “cancel for any reason” upgrades typically must be bought within about 14 to 21 days of your first trip payment. Miss that window and they’re unavailable at any price.
What the cover actually includes
| Benefit | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Emergency medical | Several million in cover for international trips |
| Repatriation | Included, with a 24-hour assistance line |
| Cancellation | At least your total prepaid, non-refundable costs |
| Curtailment | Cutting the trip short, usually for family emergency |
| Baggage | Check single-item limits, often low |
| Travel delay | Threshold in hours before it pays |
| Personal liability | If you injure someone or damage property |
The headline medical figure matters less than two other things: whether repatriation is included, and whether there’s a 24-hour assistance line. That line is what actually organises help when you’re in a foreign hospital and don’t speak the language — it’s the part of the policy you’ll rely on most.
For Schengen visa applicants, note the requirement for at least €30,000 of medical cover.
Declare pre-existing conditions
Worth stating precisely, because this is where most refused claims come from.
Pre-existing medical conditions are excluded unless you declare them and the insurer agrees to cover them. Not the other way round. Declaring may increase your premium; not declaring can void the entire policy.
It’s broader than people assume. You typically need to declare:
- Anything you’ve received treatment or medication for, including conditions you consider resolved
- Anything you’re awaiting tests or results for
- Conditions affecting anyone whose illness might cause you to cancel — a close relative, a travelling companion, sometimes a business partner
That last one catches people constantly. If you’d cancel because an elderly parent became unwell, their condition is relevant to your policy.
Insurers request medical records when a large claim arrives. Assume they’ll find it.
The exclusions that refuse claims
Alcohol. Injuries sustained while intoxicated are commonly excluded, and hospital records note it.
Winter sports. Not covered by standard policies. Skiing and snowboarding need a specific add-on, and off-piste is frequently excluded even then. Mountain rescue is billed to the individual.
Adventure activities. Quad biking, diving, paragliding, and — very commonly — moped and scooter hire. That last one is the most frequent trap on Mediterranean and Southeast Asian holidays, and cover usually requires the appropriate licence and a helmet.
Unattended belongings. A bag left on a beach or a café chair is typically excluded. Most policies also require a police report within 24 hours for theft.
Travelling against official advice. If your government advises against travel to a destination, cover is generally void. Check official travel advice before booking, not after.
Undeclared changes. Extending the trip or adding a country outside your policy’s region can leave you uncovered.
Single trip or annual?
Single trip suits one holiday a year and is cheapest per trip.
Annual multi-trip generally pays for itself from about two or three trips. Check the maximum trip duration — usually 17 to 31 days. A longer stay falls outside cover entirely, which people discover at claim time.
Also check the geographic region. “Worldwide excluding USA and Canada” is a common and cheaper tier, because North American medical costs are so much higher.
Cover you may already have
Before buying, check three places:
Packaged bank accounts. Many premium current accounts include travel insurance. Check the upper age limit, whether pre-existing conditions are covered, and whether winter sports are included — those three exclusions are where packaged policies typically fail people.
Credit cards. Some include travel cover, often requiring you to have paid for the trip with that card. Usually narrower than a standalone policy. Our guide to travel credit cards covers what UK cards actually provide.
Employer or membership benefits. Occasionally included and rarely remembered.
Existing cover is worth having, but read it rather than assuming — packaged policies are where most people are underinsured without knowing.
“Cancel for any reason” explained
Standard cancellation cover only pays for listed reasons — illness, injury, bereavement, jury service and similar. Changing your mind isn’t covered.
Cancel for any reason is a US upgrade that pays a percentage — commonly 50% to 75% — of your prepaid costs for any reason at all. It costs meaningfully more, must be bought within days of your first payment, and usually requires you to insure the full trip cost.
Worth considering for expensive trips booked far ahead. Overkill for most short holidays.
How to claim successfully
Claims fail on documentation more than on eligibility.
- Contact the assistance line before treatment where possible. Many policies require pre-authorisation for non-emergency care
- Report theft to police within 24 hours and get a written report — without it, most baggage claims fail
- Get written confirmation of delays from the airline
- Keep every receipt, including meals and accommodation during a delay
- Photograph damaged items before disposing of anything
- Submit within the deadline, often 28 to 60 days after the incident
Save the policy number and assistance line offline on your phone. They’re useless in a folder at home.
Country notes
United States. Domestic health insurance frequently provides limited or no coverage abroad, and Medicare generally doesn’t cover care outside the US. Travel medical insurance is close to essential. State insurance departments and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners publish complaint records worth checking.
United Kingdom. The GHIC gives access to state healthcare in the EU but covers no repatriation, no private treatment and no cancellation. Carry both.
Canada. Provincial health plans cover very little outside Canada, and the shortfall on a serious hospital stay in the US can be substantial. Many Canadians rely on credit card cover without checking its trip-length limit.
Australia. Reciprocal healthcare agreements exist with several countries, but they’re narrower than people assume and never include repatriation — which is a long, expensive flight from almost anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
When should I buy travel insurance?
The same day you book. Cancellation cover starts from purchase, and some benefits have purchase deadlines tied to your first trip payment.
Does it cover cancellation for any reason?
No. Standard policies list specific covered reasons. “Cancel for any reason” is a separate, more expensive upgrade that reimburses a percentage.
Do I need it for domestic travel?
Less so, since your usual health cover applies. It can still be worth it for expensive prepaid arrangements you’d lose if you cancelled.
What if I have a pre-existing condition?
Declare it. Specialist insurers cover most conditions, sometimes at a higher premium. Not declaring is what voids policies.
The bottom line
Buy the policy the day you book. Declare every medical condition, including ones affecting people whose illness would make you cancel. Check winter sports and moped hire specifically if either applies.
Prioritise repatriation and a 24-hour assistance line over the headline medical figure, and check what your bank account or credit card already provides before paying twice.
Then save the assistance number offline. The policy only works if you can reach it from a hospital corridor — and if a large excess would strain your finances, that’s a separate signal worth acting on, covered in our emergency fund guide. For comparing policies properly, see how to compare insurance quotes.
Sources
- GOV.UK travel advice — travelling against official advice voids most policies
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners — US insurer complaint records and licensing
- Association of British Insurers — UK travel cover guidance and claims data
- NHS — what the GHIC does and doesn’t cover
Purchase deadlines for pre-existing condition waivers and “cancel for any reason” upgrades come from individual US insurers and typically run 14–21 days from first trip payment. Exclusions vary — read the policy wording before travelling.
Last reviewed: 15 August 2026. Cover terms and purchase deadlines change — we review this article when they do.
General information only, not personalised insurance advice. Cover, exclusions and purchase deadlines vary by insurer and country and change over time. Read the full policy wording before buying.
