Direct Travel Insurance Direct Travel Insurance
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Single trip & annual
- Medical Cover: Up to £10m emergency medical
- Regions: Europe & Worldwide
- Key Feature: 5-star Defaqto; 24/7 emergency line
Compare Travel Insurance in United Kingdom
Compare the top travel insurance providers in United Kingdom — see cover, features and typical rates side by side.
Live offers
21 live offers compared from 20 providers, from £25 /year. Updated daily.
Post Office Travel Insurance Post Office Travel
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Single trip & annual
- Medical Cover: Up to £10m emergency medical
- Regions: Europe & Worldwide
- Key Feature: Post Office trusted name; COVID cover
World First Travel Insurance World First Travel
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual multi-trip & single trip
- Medical Cover: Up to £10m emergency medical
- Regions: Europe & Worldwide
- Key Feature: Pre-existing conditions at standard price
InsureandGo Travel Insurance InsureandGo UK
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Single trip & annual
- Medical Cover: Up to unlimited (Black)
- Regions: Europe & Worldwide
- Key Feature: No upper age limit · Which? Best Buy Gold & Black
Aviva Travel Insurance Aviva UK
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: NHS cash benefit
Admiral Travel Insurance Admiral
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide/EU
- Key Feature: Family discount
LV= Travel Insurance LV=
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: 24-hr helpline
Nationwide FlexPlus Travel Nationwide
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Europe
- Key Feature: Current account perk
AXA Travel Insurance AXA Travel Insurance
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Medical assistance network
Saga Travel Insurance Saga
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: 50+ age specialist
Columbus Direct Travel Insurance Columbus Direct
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Over-75s accepted
Holidaysafe Travel Insurance Holidaysafe
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Cruise and adventure add-ons
True Traveller Travel Insurance True Traveller
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Backpacker and long-stay
CoverForYou Travel Insurance CoverForYou
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £5M
- Regions: Worldwide/EU
- Key Feature: Instant online quotes
Battleface Travel Insurance Battleface
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £5M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Adventure and extreme sports
Zurich Travel Insurance Zurich Travel Insurance
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Bank and insurance combo
Tesco Travel Insurance Tesco Travel Insurance
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Clubcard discount
Staysure Travel Insurance Staysure
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Single trip & annual
- Medical Cover: Unlimited on Comprehensive/Signature
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: 1,000+ pre-existing conditions; no age cap
Staysure Expat Travel Insurance Staysure
£25 /year
Travel insurance for English-speaking expats (e.g. Spain, France, Portugal), with Basic and Comprehensive tiers and cover for most pre-existing conditions up to age 85.
- Cover Type: Single trip & annual
- Medical Cover: Up to unlimited (Comprehensive)
- Regions: Europe & Worldwide expat policies
- Key Feature: Most pre-existing conditions up to age 85
M&S Travel Insurance M&S Travel Insurance
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £10M
- Regions: Worldwide
- Key Feature: Sparks card perk
Coverwise Travel Insurance Coverwise
£25 /year
- Cover Type: Annual/Single
- Medical Cover: Up to £5M
- Regions: Worldwide/EU
- Key Feature: Budget-friendly pricing
What is travel insurance in the UK?
Travel insurance covers the financial risks of a trip, most importantly emergency medical treatment abroad, along with cancellation, lost baggage, delays and personal liability. For UK travellers the medical element is the critical part, as healthcare costs overseas, particularly outside Europe, can run into tens of thousands of pounds.
You can buy single-trip cover for one holiday or an annual multi-trip policy that covers every journey in a year, which usually works out cheaper for anyone taking two or more trips.
How the UK travel insurance market works
Premiums are set by destination, trip length, traveller age and any declared pre-existing medical conditions. Cover is banded, Europe, worldwide excluding the USA, Canada and Caribbean, or full worldwide, with the latter costing more due to high medical bills. Winter sports, cruises and gadgets are common add-ons.
The government-issued GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) gives access to state healthcare in the EU at reduced or no cost, but it is not a substitute for insurance, it does not cover repatriation or private treatment.
Leading UK travel insurers
Staysure specialises in cover for older travellers and pre-existing conditions, as does Saga. Direct Travel Insurance, InsureandGo UK, Post Office Travel and World First Travel are established specialists, while Aviva UK, Admiral and LV= offer travel cover as part of broader insurance ranges. Many packaged bank accounts also bundle travel insurance, worth checking before you buy separately.
How to choose the right policy
Medical cover — look for a high or unlimited medical limit, the single most important figure.
Pre-existing conditions — declare everything; specialists like Staysure exist for complex histories.
Cancellation limit — should cover the full cost of your trip.
Excess — a lower excess costs more but reduces what you pay per claim.
What it costs
A basic single-trip European policy can start from around £25 for a young, healthy traveller, rising sharply for worldwide cover, older travellers, longer trips and declared medical conditions. Annual multi-trip policies spread the cost across the year and usually pay for themselves from the second trip.
Protections and regulation
Travel insurance is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and disputes can be escalated free to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). If an insurer fails, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protects at least 90% of a valid claim. Buy cover as soon as you book, not just before you travel, so cancellation protection applies from the outset.
Common questions
Do I still need it with a GHIC? Yes, the GHIC does not cover repatriation, private care or lost belongings.
When should I buy? At the time of booking, so cancellation cover starts immediately.
Are pre-existing conditions covered? Only if declared and accepted; failing to declare can void a claim.
Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights? Policies typically cover cancellation for insured reasons such as illness, but airline-caused disruption is often the airline's responsibility under passenger-rights rules first.
Are trips within the UK covered? Some policies include UK trips with paid accommodation, useful for staycations, though medical cover is less critical thanks to the NHS.
The cheapest Travel Insurance in United Kingdom is £25 /year from Direct Travel Insurance.
Travel Insurance in United Kingdom — FAQ
What is the cheapest travel insurance in United Kingdom?
Giraffy tracks 5 travel insurance products across Direct Travel Insurance,Post Office Travel,World First Travel,InsureandGo UK,Aviva UK insurers in United Kingdom. The lowest tracked price is £25 /year. Compare by cover level and excess, not just price — a very cheap policy may have low medical cover limits or high excesses that leave you underinsured.
What should travel insurance cover as a minimum?
At minimum, look for: emergency medical treatment and repatriation (at least £5–10 million), trip cancellation and curtailment, baggage and personal effects, personal liability, and passport/travel document cover. Travel to the US requires especially high medical limits due to healthcare costs.
Is annual multi-trip travel insurance worth it?
If you take three or more trips per year, annual multi-trip insurance is almost always cheaper than buying single-trip policies. The annual policy covers an unlimited number of trips up to a maximum trip duration (typically 31–90 days). Check that all your planned destinations and activities are included.
Does travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?
Standard policies often exclude pre-existing conditions or charge an additional premium to include them. Always declare medical conditions when applying — failure to disclose can invalidate your claim. Specialist providers offer cover for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, though premiums will be higher.
Is adventure sports or extreme activities covered?
Most standard policies exclude or limit adventure sports — skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, and other higher-risk activities require specialist cover or add-ons. If you're planning active travel, check the policy's activity list or take out a specialist policy that explicitly includes your planned activities.
What is the excess on a travel insurance policy and how does it work?
The excess is the amount you pay towards each claim before the insurer pays the balance. Higher excess = lower premium. Choose an excess you can comfortably afford — if your excess is £200 and your lost luggage claim is £150, you'll receive nothing. Check whether the excess applies per claim or per incident.