"It’s best to consider buying your single trip insurance policy as soon as possible after booking your holiday. That way you’re covered if something happens in the lead-up and you need to cancel your trip. Don’t leave it too late to buy – you can’t claim for any events that happen before you buy your policy."
What is single-trip travel insurance?
Single-trip insurance is a policy for one trip. It covers you from when you buy your policy until you return from your trip.
Why choose single-trip travel insurance?
Single-trip travel insurance covers one trip against cancellations, medical costs and lost or stolen personal belongings.
If you're planning a holiday and you know you're unlikely to go on any other trips in the year, a single-trip insurance policy might be a good option for you.
You can get single-trip travel insurance to cover your family or the group you're travelling with. If you're travelling with your partner, you could buy couples travel insurance. Or, you can buy an individual policy. You can also choose from a European travel insurance policy, or a worldwide policy.
It's possible to travel to multiple countries on a single-trip insurance policy, as long as they're within the region covered by your insurance. But check your policy details to make sure.
How long can I travel with single-trip travel insurance?
The length of time you're covered for depends on the provider. It's common to find policies and providers that offer cover for up to 30, 60, 90, 120 or more days. But it's important to check your policy documents to make sure your entire trip is covered.
If you're going on more than one trip in a 12-month period, an annual insurance policy might be a better option. It could be more convenient and cheaper than getting a separate single-trip insurance policy for each trip you go on.
What does single-trip travel insurance cover?
What it usually covers:
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Holiday cancellation cover: You’re protected if you can’t travel due to illness, emergencies or a change in Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice for your destination.
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Luggage and personal possessions cover: This protects against the theft, loss or accidental damage of your belongings during your trip.
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Emergency medical treatment: This covers the cost of emergency medical treatment while you’re on holiday. For more serious conditions, specialist medical cover travel insurance may be needed.
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Emergency repatriation: This covers return travel to the UK if injury or illness means you need to return early.
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Travel disruption: This covers you if you can't travel because of bad weather, strikes or mechanical issues.
What it usually doesn't cover:
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Pre-existing medical conditions: If you don't declare a pre-existing medical conditon and you need treatment, you might not be able to make a claim. You must declare conditions include high blood pressure and diabetes to your insurer.
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Travelling against FCDO advice: For example, if they have advised against travel to a certain country or region.
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Skiing or extreme sports: High-risk activities, like rock climbing, usually aren't covered as standard, but you can usually add specialist rock climbing travel insurance to cover you.
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Travelling to play certain sports: If you plan on playing certain sports or activities while you're away, it's worth considering a specialist activity travel insurance policy or a sports travel insurance policy to cover you for team sports and sporting equipment.
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Natural disasters and terrorism: These may not be covered, so check the policy wording or contact your insurer if you’re unsure.
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Alcohol or drugs: If illness, injury or death occurs as a result of alcohol or drug use.
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Malicious or illegal behaviour: For example, breaking the law.
We compare quotes from up to 47 travel insurance companies1 to find you our best deals
Optional extras to enhance your single-trip travel insurance
To get the best single trip travel insurance for your needs, you might need extra cover. This will depend on the type of holiday you're planning and who you get your insurance with.
Any additional cover you add to your policy increases the price, so only add the cover you need.
How much does single-trip travel insurance cost?
You can get single trip travel insurance from just £4.263 if you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions, and from £7.334 if you do.
Here's how much you might pay for a 1-week policy covering a trip to different regions:
What affects the price of travel insurance?
- How long you're away for. The longer you're away, the higher your risk of needing to claim on your insurance.
- Where you're going. Some countries, like the USA, have much higher medical costs. So, travelling to one of these places normally means you pay more for cover. However, getting travel insurance for UK holidays could be cheaper as you're closer to home and you won't need cover for medical treatment thanks to the NHS.
- What level of cover you need. The more comprehensive your cover, the more it typically costs.
- The age of those travelling. Travel insurance is normally more expensive for older travellers. This is because they're at higher risk of injury or illness.
- If any travellers have pre-existing medical conditions. These raise the chance of requiring treatment while away, which increase the chances of needing to make a claim.
3The cheapest single-trip policy based on 1 adult aged 30, with no pre-existing medical conditions travelling for 1 week. Based on Confused.com data, May 2024.
4The cheapest single-trip policy based on 1 adult aged 30, declaring anxiety as a pre-existing medical condition, travelling in Spain for 1 week. Based on Confused.com data, May 2024.
How do I compare single-trip travel insurance quotes?
To get the best single trip travel insurance for your needs, you might need extra cover. This will depend on the type of holiday you're planning and who you get your insurance with.
Any additional cover you add to your policy increases the price, so only add the cover you need.
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What our travel insurance expert says
Why compare single-trip travel insurance with Confused.com?
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Frequently asked questions
When should I buy travel insurance?
It's best to consider buying travel insurance as soon as you've booked your trip, whether it's abroad or in the UK.
If you need to cancel your trip due to illness, for example, you could claim under the cancellation cover on your policy.
But if you leave it too late, you could risk having to cancel your holiday without having cover for these kinds of circumstances in place. At the very least, you should consider buying your travel insurance before the day of your departure.
Can I travel for more than 31 days with single trip insurance?
Some insurers offer single trip policies that cover 30, 60 or even 90 days. But, you should check your policy details to make sure you're covered.
If you're planning to take a trip lasting between 1 and 12 months, you might need backpackers travel insurance or long stay travel insurance.This is important if you're visiting multiple countries, as some single trip insurance policies only cover one destination during a single trip.
What are the different types of travel insurance?
Page last reviewed: 07 May 2024
Reviewed by: Alvaro Iturmendi
Our service is free and compares a wide range of trusted household names. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives commission from theidol.com if you decide to buy through our website which is based on a percentage of the total annual premium. We pride ourselves on impartiality and independence – therefore we don't promote any one insurance provider over another.