How To Pack The Best Single Trip Travel Insurance
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If you’re making a one-off trip in the next 12 months, overseas or within the UK, it’s worth considering single trip travel insurance.
Travel cover works as a financial safety net, helping to protect you against a multitude of risks. But, with single trip policies offering various cover types and levels, it can make it tricky to choose between them. That’s why we’ve analysed the travel insurance market to find the best on offer.
We’ve focused on policies for families which provide cover for Covid-related risks. All policies offer at least £2 million in medical and repatriation cover and £2,000 in cancellation cover, as well as £1,500 for lost or stolen baggage and belongings, as recommended by MoneyHelper.
However, exclusions and limitations on cover will differ between policies, so always check the small print.
Find more details on how we scored the policies in our methodology below.
- Best single trip travel insurance policies
- Methodology
- What are the best deals for single trip travel insurance by destination?
- What is single trip travel insurance?
- Do I need single trip travel insurance?
- How many people does single trip travel insurance cover?
- What does single travel insurance cover?
- What extras can I add to my single trip policy?
- What does single trip insurance exclude?
- Is FCDO advice important?
- What are the rules for returning to the UK?
Best single trip travel insurance policies
Methodology
We used data (from our travel insurance partner CYTI to review single trip travel insurance policies for a family of four (two adults, both aged in their 40s and two teenagers) who are travelling to Spain for seven days.
We’ve assumed no members of the family have any pre-existing medical conditions.
All policies include at least £2 million in medical and repatriation cover and £2,000 in cancellation cover, which extend to risks related to Covid-19, as well as 1,500 in baggage and belongings cover.
We scored each policy on the following factors:
- Price: we awarded policies points on a scale of one to five. Those offering more competitive prices scored more points
- Excess: (a set amount that you must pay on each claim): we awarded policies points on a scale of one to five. Those levying a lower excess on medical claims earned more points
- Excess waiver : we awarded policies five points if they offered the option for policyholders to waive the excess levied on claims by paying an additional premium (that is, paying more towards the cost of the policy).
The scores for each policy were totalled, and converted to Forbes Advisor star ratings out of a potential five stars.
Policies with matching scores were ranked based on price.
What are the best deals for single trip travel insurance by destination?
The price of your single trip policy will be determined by a number of factors, a crucial one being the country you are planning on travelling to.
Below we’ve listed the minimum you are likely to pay for your single trip policy, and the average policy price, based on holiday destination.
What is single trip travel insurance?
Single trip travel insurance provides cover for one holiday over a fixed time. This is usually no more than 30 days, but some policies provide cover for up to between 60 and 90 days.
Single trip travel insurance can pay out for medical expenses, lost luggage, trip cancellations and emergency repatriation (getting home to the UK in a medical crisis).
Do I need single trip travel insurance?
Buying a travel insurance policy for each single trip is likely to work out the cheapest option if you’re only planning to take one or two holidays a year.
If you’re hoping to travel abroad more than twice a year, an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy is likely to be the best option – although it’s good practice to compare both types of policy to be sure.
Be aware that if you’re aged over 75, many travel insurers will refuse to offer annual cover, so you may find a single trip policy is your only option.
Buying insurance as soon as your trip is booked will ensure you’re covered if you had to cancel due to illness, bereavement or redundancy.
Even if you’re only planning to holiday in the UK, you will still need travel insurance to ensure your trip is fully protected.
How many people does single trip travel insurance cover?
You can take out single trip travel insurance whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple, as a family or as a group. You’ll usually find that a group policy works out cheaper than arranging separate cover for several people.
What does single travel insurance cover?
A single trip travel insurance policy will typically cover the following as standard:
- medical expenses (£2 million in Europe and £5 million worldwide)
- personal liability (£1 million)
- cancellation, curtailment and missed departures (£3,000)
- baggage and personal belongings (£1,500).
When it comes to your belongings, check the single item limit on your policy. If you want to take items worth more that this stated amount, such as a laptop or smartphone, you may need extra cover.
What extras can I add to my single trip policy?
Some comprehensive policies will offer greater levels of protection than the cover mentioned above. Others, however, will require you to pay extra to bolt on additional cover.
Extras typically include:
- Travel delay: offers an inconvenience benefit up to a pre-specified amount if your booked outward or return journey is delayed for a set period of time (typically 12 hours) after checking in
- Missed departure: covers the cost of additional accommodation and travel should an emergency cause you to miss your departure journey
- Scheduled airline failure: protects you if the airline you’ve booked with goes bankrupt
- End supplier failure: protects you if a hotel, travel company or airline goes into administration
- Loss of passport: Helps cover the cost of replacing your passport and travel documentation, if they are lost or stolen
- Personal money: The amount you can claim if your money is lost or stolen
- Personal accident: covers an accident resulting in personal injury or death
- Legal expenses: covers legal fees for an incident that wasn’t your fault
- Hospital benefit: covers the cost of necessities such as food while you are in hospital
- Gadget cover: pays out if items such as your laptop or mobile are lost or stolen.
What does single trip insurance exclude?
It’s crucial that you check the terms and conditions of single trip travel insurance before buying a policy as there are likely to be a number of exclusions.
While these will vary depending on the insurer and the policy, common exclusions include:
- medical treatment for pre-existing conditions
- some high-risk and winter sports such as skydiving, bungee jumping, skiing and snowboarding (so you’ll need to take out additional cover)
- intentionally causing yourself or someone else harm
- claims resulting from being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- claims because you didn’t get the vaccinations required for your trip
- claims arising from travel to a destination the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) has said to avoid for all but essential reasons.
Is FCDO advice important?
Travellers should follow advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) which states which countries are safe to visit based on a range of factors such as the threat of terrorism or political unrest.
Travel insurance policies are often determined by the FCDO’s advice. Travelling against the FCDO’s advice will render your policy invalid unless it covers this specific risk.
What are the rules for returning to the UK?
All Covid-related restrictions on returning to the UK from overseas were lifted back in March 2022.
But countries you are planning to visit may have their own entry requirements and restrictions, depending on your vaccination status, so check before making arrangements and again before travelling.
You’ll find the latest information and guidance on all aspects of travel at our travel blog, and any official updates via the Government website.
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