Travel insurance

A Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is not a replacement for travel insurance.

Although it entitles you to medical treatment in certain countries for free or at a reduced cost, it doesn't cover costs such as medical repatriation, lost belongings or trip cancellations.

(The GHIC replaces the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that was phased out for most UK residents after Brexit. You can apply for one for free through the NHS website.)

Your insurance excess is the amount you will need to pay when making a claim. If you have a policy with a £150 excess, for example, then you claim for a baggage loss of £800, you would pay the £150 and the remaining £650 would be paid out by your insurer.

If you need to make a claim on your travel insurance policy: 

• Keep your documents to hand: keeping your policy documents, including your policy reference number, can be hugely helpful when you contact your insurer to make a claim.  

• Contact the authorities: if you’re claiming as a result of a crime, you have to let the local police know and get an official police report. Some insurers may not pay out for a claim if you don’t alert the authorities within a certain time period, usually within 24 hours of the event. 

• Don’t delay: you should also contact your insurer as soon as possible if you think you’ll have to claim, to ensure that they’ll cover you for what you need. This could be particularly important for medical treatment, as some insurers may require you to confirm what treatment you’re getting and whether it’s covered before paying out. It’s worth checking your policy documents to see if there’s an emergency 24-hour contact number you can call. 

• Gather evidence: police reports, medical notes, or receipts to prove ownership can all improve the chances of your claim being accepted, and for some insurers they could even be necessary in order to validate your claim. 

Yes, UK residents can get travel insurance for UK staycations. The average cost for single-trip travel insurance for the UK is £15^[29].

Although the NHS will cover the cost of any medical treatment, travel insurance could pay to transfer you to a hospital closer to home.

Travel insurance for the UK also covers you against the risk of holiday cancellation, baggage loss, losing spare cash and anything happening to your mobile phone and other gadgets while you’re away from home. It could also cover costs if you missed your flight, train, coach or were otherwise unable to get home as planned because of a reason covered by your policy.

Yes, many travel insurers include Jersey, Guernsey and the other Channel Islands within their UK travel insurance cover, even though they aren't officially part of the UK. However, it's always worth double-checking your policy wording before you travel to make sure your destination is included.

The Channel Islands have separate healthcare systems from the NHS, so taking out travel insurance before you visit them will give you protection for unexpected medical costs.

Although Jersey and Guernsey have reciprocal healthcare agreements with the UK, which give eligible UK visitors access to some emergency medical treatment during stays of up to six months, these agreements don't cover costs such as medical repatriation. That means travel insurance may still be worth having.

You can generally buy travel insurance right up until your departure date. Some insurers even let you buy last-minute travel insurance at the airport, although not all providers offer this.

There are insurers who offer travel insurance after departure, but your options are likely to be limited and prices higher.

However, if you just need extra cover for a specific activity while abroad, it is often possible to either upgrade your existing policy or buy a specialist activity policy. For example, you can generally take out diving insurance at your holiday destination.

Yes, most travel insurance policies cover pregnancy as standard, but there are some conditions to be aware of:

• You should declare any pregnancy-related medical complications, and your insurer could decline to cover you for these

• You are unlikely to be covered if you travel against medical advice

• You must be within your insurer's pregnancy cover limits (often 28 to 36 weeks, but check your policy terms)

Travel insurance can cover emergency medical treatment related to your pregnancy, including unexpected complications or premature labour while abroad. However, it generally won't cover routine maternity care, such as scans and check-ups, or the costs of a planned birth.

No, Brexit has not significantly changed the travel insurance policies available to UK residents visiting Europe.

Some insurers may allow you to extend your policy while you're away, provided your trip is within the 'length of trip' limit on your policy, while others may require you to take out a new policy.

If you plan to take a long trip or visit several destinations in one holiday, you may need long-stay travel insurance. This type of policy will cover long trips and backpacking holidays.

Not every travel insurance policy will cover wildfires. When it comes to extreme weather and natural disasters, your insurance may not offer any cover or may require you to pay extra for cover. Even so, cover for these kinds of events can be complicated and there are certain hidden terms to travel insurance policies that may prevent you from being able to claim.

For example, when cancelling in the event of a wildfire or other type of national emergency, most travel insurance providers won't cover cancellations unless the FCDO has given a travel warning for your destination. If they haven't, or if that warning doesn't advise against anything except necessary travel, then your travel insurance won't cover cancellation costs. Similarly, your travel insurance may not cover any issues related to wildfires or extreme weather if they were forecast before you travelled.

You can read more about what travel insurance will cover in our guide 'Will travel insurance cover natural disasters?'

No, most standard travel insurance policies exclude claims arising from war, armed conflict or political unrest.

If you travel to a destination where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel or all but essential travel, your insurance may also be invalidated or significantly restricted.

Specialist high-risk travel insurance may provide cover for travel to conflict zones, although it is generally much more expensive than standard insurance. Check the policy carefully, as even specialist cover may exclude certain war-related risks.

No, standard travel insurance doesn't usually cover pets travelling abroad with you. However, you can take out pet travel insurance, which can often be added to your existing pet insurance policy.

Some travel insurance policies also cover non-refundable travel costs if your pet unexpectedly becomes seriously ill and you need to cancel or cut your trip short. This could include costs such as accommodation or flights, but not your pet's veterinary bills.

Single-trip and annual travel insurance can cover occasional business trips, such as attending meetings, conferences or working remotely for a short period, although you may need to specifically add business travel cover to your policy.

However, standard policies generally don't cover you for taking up work abroad, including unpaid volunteering. This could include jobs such as bartending or working at a hostel.

Backpacker travel insurance is different, as it often covers certain types of work abroad. However, higher-risk activities, such as farm work or volunteering at an animal sanctuary, may be excluded or require additional cover.

Always check your policy wording if you're planning to work abroad, as you may need specialist insurance.