Travel Insurance Explained
Travel insurance covers medical costs, cancellations, and lost luggage while abroad. Here's what a standard policy includes and what to check before you fly.
Travel insurance covers costs that can arise while travelling: emergency medical treatment abroad, trip cancellation or cutting a trip short, lost or delayed luggage, and travel delays. Medical cover is usually the most financially significant part, since treatment abroad — especially outside the UK/EHIC-equivalent arrangements — can be far more expensive than at home.
Policies come as single-trip (covering one holiday) or annual multi-trip (covering every trip in a 12-month period, which is usually cheaper for anyone travelling more than once or twice a year). Pre-existing medical conditions need to be declared and can affect price or what's covered — leaving them undeclared risks a claim being refused.