Types of Travel Insurance Explained

Travel insurance is designed to protect travellers from accidents and mishaps while they are away from home.

The specifics of every travel insurance policy is different. Common features include protection for flight cancellation, missed flights, lost baggage, issues with accommodation and illness, accident and theft while abroad.

For most trips, travel insurance is a minor expense in the grand scheme of the holiday.

When selecting travel insurance, it is important not just to look at the price but also to consider the most suitable type for your travel needs. This will ensure you not only get the best deal but are protected for all eventualities.

Below, you can learn more about the most common types of travel insurance:

Single Trip: Best for holidaymakers making a single out-and-back trip to one or multiple destinations. Travellers aged 75+ will normally be redirected to this type of insurance, too, even if they are making multiple trips to within a year.

Annual Multi-Trip: Best for travellers who are likely to make several short trips abroad within a year. This is an often better value than buying multiple Single Trip policies but requires you to know your travel plans in advance.

Backpacker: Best for people spending 90+ consecutive days abroad without returning home.

Medical: Best for people with pre-existing medical conditions or other special health requirements, excluding them from ordinary travel insurance policies.

Activities: Best for people planning to take part in activities considered high risk, such as extreme sports or scuba diving. Some regular policies cover these activities, but the cover may be more generous and less restrictive on a specialist policy.