With holiday season in full swing, many of us will be pulling together our pre-trip checklist and ticking off that essential to-do: travel insurance.   

While most people remember their holiday for the right reasons, if the worst happens – such as needing emergency overseas medical treatment – travel insurance can be a lifeline.   

In fact, our latest claims data reveals that insurers dealt with 574,000 travel insurance claims last year, totalling £511 million. There were just under 29,000 claims for Spain alone, with a value of £41.7 million. This likely due to it being the most popular overseas holiday destination. 

Our data also highlights that claim payouts rise with age. The average claim value for those aged 36-40 was £518, rising to £1,830 for travellers aged 71-75. This reflects in the average single trip premium of £38 and £190 respectively.   

The total amount for medical claims reached £291 million in 2023, and the average medical claim stood at £1,724. However medical claims can be much higher. For example, one ABI member paid out £25,000 in repatriation and medical costs for a customer who sustained injuries in a forest fire. 

The Association of British Insurers’ Policy Adviser Lucie Hart, who specialises in travel cover, said:

“No one wants to think of anything spoiling their holiday but if you do fall ill, you could be left counting the cost for many years. Travel insurance ought to be at the top of everyone’s packing list and it’s essential to make sure you’re properly covered should the worst happen.  

“Unfortunately, many of us can make simple mistakes when taking out insurance, such as not disclosing pre-existing medical conditions or buying insurance once you’re already on holiday, which may invalidate your policy. Following our top tips can help make sure you’ve got the right protection in place.” 

The Travellers Ten 

1. Make sure the policy meets your needs. Shopping around can help you get the right policy for your needs at the most competitive price, but we always recommend not basing decisions on price alone.  
2. Always make sure it is safe to travel. Always check current FCDO advice, especially as travelling against FCDO advice is likely to invalidate your travel insurance. If the advice changes once you are abroad, your cover will continue as normal.  
3. Buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday. Buying your travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday travel arrangements means you will be covered if you need to cancel.  
4. Buy before you fly. Travel insurance for overseas trips is designed to cover your travels starting from and finishing in the UK. Buying insurance when you’re already overseas risks invalidating the policy, which means you may not be able to make a claim if you need to.  However, it may be possible to buy specialist post-departure travel insurance when you are already abroad, it is always best to play it safe and buy your cover before departing.   
5. Always disclose any pre-existing medical conditions. The main reason for travel insurance is to cover the costs of emergency overseas medical treatment which, together with any repatriation required back to the UK, can easily run into tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. Make sure you answer all questions fully and disclose any pre-existing medical conditions. Cover is available for many pre-existing medical conditions, but you may need to go to a travel insurance intermediary or a specialist travel insurer. Some of the medical support groups may also be able to help. Travel insurance will not cover you for the costs of medical treatment that you go abroad specifically to have (‘medical tourism’). More information on disclosing pre-existing medical conditions is available here. 
6. Always read the policy terms and conditions before you travel. Understand exactly what you are covered for and what is excluded. For example, certain hazardous activities, such as scuba diving or sailing, are likely to be excluded, so if you plan to do any dangerous activity or you’re going on an activity-based holiday, make sure you have the right cover. And policies are unlikely to cover cancellation if caused by Covid-19, although any emergency overseas medical treatment relating to it will be covered.   
     
   You will be expected to take reasonable steps to protect yourself from harm. For example, injuries caused by drinking too much alcohol are unlikely to be covered. So, stay protected by drinking any alcohol in moderation.  
7. Multi-trip or single trip cover? If you’re planning several overseas trips in a year, a multi trip policy may offer better value than taking out travel insurance for each single trip. A multi-trip policy may not cover a trip that exceeds a specific length (such as one month), so make sure to check your policy for any restrictions.  
8. Have your EHIC, or get a GHIC, if travelling to Europe. If you still hold a European Health Insurance Card (the EHIC entitles you to access state-provided health care when visiting the EU) this remains valid until its expiry date. After then, or if you do not have an EHIC, you will need to apply in the same way (through NHS online) for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Neither the EHIC or the GHIC is a replacement for travel insurance as it will not cover you for all medical costs, or the cost of emergency repatriation back to the UK.  
9. Know how to claim. Read your policy to understand how to make a claim. Take your travel insurer’s emergency contact details with you when you travel, so that you know what to do in an emergency.  
10. Know your rights if your travel is disrupted. Know your legal rights and what you are entitled to claim for if your travel is disrupted, for example cancelled or delayed flights. Check the refund policy of any accommodation provider, what you are entitled to if booking a package holiday, and what the legal obligations of the airline are if your flight is disrupted or cancelled.  
      
    Some travel policies may cover disruption to travel (either automatically or as an optional extra), and this cover may operate only if you have not been able unable to get compensation from any other sources first.   

For more information on travel insurance, please see our Travel FAQs page.