Whatever your living situation, you should still be able to get travel insurance for a holiday to the UK, or abroad from the UK as a non-UK resident or expat.
If we can't offer you cover for your circumstances, you may have to get either specialist cover, or look for insurers in your country of residence to get a policy.
Can I get travel insurance if I want to live or stay in the UK long term?
Generally speaking, standard travel insurance is designed for holidays. But you can buy extended or long stay travel insurance for gap years and backpacking.
But if you’re planning on living, working or studying in a country a bit longer term, you should make sure you’re registered for that country's healthcare services. This way, you get all the benefits of residents when it comes to health and protection.
In addition, you may need a visa to come to the UK to study, work or even just to visit.
Check if you need a UK visa at GOV.UK.
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Can I get travel insurance as a non-UK resident?
This depends on your living arrangements and personal circumstances. When you get a quote with us, we need you to confirm that you are:
- A permanent UK resident
- Travelling from and returning to the UK
- Registered with a doctor's surgery in the UK
For non-UK residents, some or all of these things may be difficult to confirm depending on why you’re in the UK and your visa status.
We may be unable to provide you with a quote if you can't confirm any of these details. In this case, you may have to look at insurers in your country of residence to insure you for travel.
There are also specialist insurers and brokers online who could offer you cover.
Can I get travel insurance if I’m an expat?
If you’re a UK resident living abroad, we may be able to offer you cover depending on your official residence. Do you live part of the year abroad and part of the year in the UK? If your main residence is the UK, and you’re registered with a UK GP, you should be able to get a quote for your holiday.
But make sure you check with your insurer before you go. Some insurance providers' T&Cs state that your should return to the UK after your trip.
Always check, because your policy could be void if you don't. This means you could be out of pocket if you need to make a claim on your travel insurance for:
- Healthcare
- Flight delays
- Lost or stolen personal items
Can I get travel insurance as an international student?
Yes. If you’re studying in the UK, we should be able to offer you a quote, as your student visa will give you legal residency in the UK.
Make sure you register with a local GP though. It's important to do this anyway if you’re living in the UK for most of the year, so you qualify for public healthcare. But you also need it to get a student travel insurance quote from us.
Do visitors to the UK need travel insurance?
Travel insurance to the UK isn’t a legal requirement. But if you're visiting for a holiday - or a relative is - it's worth considering travel insurance. This can cover a wide range of situations, including:
- Transport delays and cancellations
- Medical expenses (more on this below)
- Theft, loss and damage of personal property
We can’t offer quotes to other nationals visiting the UK and returning to their country afterwards, sorry. If this sounds like what you need, it's worth looking at your country's travel insurance companies to get quotes and cover.
Can non-UK residents use UK GPs and hospitals?
The UK’s state healthcare National Health Service (NHS) is free for UK residents. But as a non-UK resident, you'll be charged 150% of the NHS rate for treatment.
If you're a citizen of the European Union (EU), you can get necessary treatment for free if you have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). It won't pay for private healthcare or repatriation, however.
You can find out more about accessing NHS services if you're visiting from abroad on the NHS website. Please note that some people don't have to pay for treatment. You can also find a list of exemptions on the NHS website.
It's also worth knowing that the NHS doesn't charge for some services or treatments. This means they're free to all.
These include:
- Accident and emergency (A&E) services – although you'll need to pay if you're admitted to hospital for treatment
- Family planning services
- Treatment for most infectious diseases
- Treatment for any physical or mental condition caused by upsetting circumstances such as violence or torture
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