A sprained ankle on a cobbled street in Lisbon. A stomach bug the night before an early flight. A suitcase that turns up two days after you do. Travel insurance exists for exactly these moments, yet most of us buy it in five minutes and only read the wording once something has already gone wrong. That is the worst possible order.
What follows is what a standard UK policy tends to cover, where the gaps usually sit, and how to check your own cover without wading through forty pages of small print.
The five sections almost every policy is built from
Travel policies differ in price and generosity, but the structure is remarkably consistent. Look for these blocks:
- Emergency medical expenses and repatriation — treatment abroad, hospital stays, and getting you home if you are too unwell to fly normally.
- Cancellation and curtailment — refunding unused trip costs if you cannot travel, or cutting a trip short.
- Delay and missed departure — meals, overnight accommodation or a replacement journey when transport fails.
- Baggage and personal belongings — lost, stolen or damaged luggage, with per-item limits.
- Personal liability — if you accidentally injure someone or damage property abroad.
When you compare quotes, compare the limits, not the headline price. Two numbers matter most: the medical expenses limit and the cancellation limit. A cheap policy with a low medical cap is not good value if you end up needing an air ambulance.
Medical bills: the part that matters most
This is the section that can save you from a genuinely frightening bill. Emergency treatment, an unplanned hospital stay, prescribed medication, an ambulance and repatriation home are the core cover. Many policies also pay for a companion to travel out if you are hospitalised alone, and most give you a 24-hour assistance line — a number you should save in your phone before you leave.
In practice, insurers usually want you to call that assistance line before arranging treatment, unless it is a genuine emergency. Ring them afterwards and you may find the claim queried. Keep every receipt, discharge note and prescription.
The biggest trap is pre-existing conditions. If you have an ongoing health problem and do not declare it, a claim connected to it can be refused — even if the condition has been stable for years. Some insurers run online screening and will cover declared conditions for an extra premium; specialist insurers cover more complex medical histories. If you are unsure whether something needs declaring, ring the insurer and ask before you buy. For anything involving ongoing treatment or medication abroad, speak to your GP as well as the insurer.
A free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is worth carrying for travel in the EU — but treat it as a companion to insurance, not a replacement. It gives access to medically necessary state healthcare on the same basis as a local resident. It does not cover repatriation, private treatment, mountain rescue or lost luggage.
Cancellation: which reasons pay out, and which do not
Cancellation cover refunds the money you would otherwise lose on flights, hotels and tours. It generally pays for specified reasons, so the wording is the whole story.
Typically covered: illness, injury or death of you, a travelling companion or a close relative; being called for jury service; being made redundant; your home becoming uninhabitable after a fire or flood; and, in some policies, unavoidable work commitments such as a police officer being restructured to duty. Usually not covered: changing your mind, deciding you cannot afford the trip, a wedding or event you no longer want to attend, or a destination you have read bad weather reports about.
Two practical points. First, an excess usually applies per person, per claim — so a £75 excess on a £200 claim stings. Second, you cannot profit: cancellation cover is capped at your actual, evidenced, non-refundable costs. Keep booking confirmations and, for medical claims, a certificate from the treating doctor. "Curtailment" is the same idea applied mid-trip: if you have to come home early, you may recover the unused portion of your trip.
Delays, missed departures and baggage
Delay and missed departure
Delay cover usually kicks in only after a set threshold — often around twelve hours — and then pays a fixed amount towards meals and accommodation, or a set sum per day. Missed departure cover handles the scenario where a strike, accident or breakdown stops you reaching the airport or port in time for a replacement journey. Get written confirmation of the delay or cancellation from the airline or operator, and keep receipts for anything you buy.
Baggage and valuables
Overall baggage limits look generous until you read the per-item caps, which are typically far lower for jewellery, cameras, laptops and phones. If you travel with expensive kit, a separate gadget or valuable-items policy may serve you better. Valuables left in checked luggage or unattended by the pool are common exclusions. For theft, report it to local police and get a written report — insurers routinely ask for one — and be ready to prove ownership with receipts or bank statements.
Exclusions that catch people out
- Alcohol or drug-related incidents, including accidents while intoxicated.
- Sports and activities classed as hazardous — skiing, diving, cycling races — unless added.
- Undertaking a trip against medical advice or travelling when you know you are unfit to fly.
- Claims arising from a declared condition if the relevant premium was not paid.
- Cosmetic or elective treatment, and anything connected to a pregnancy beyond a stated stage.
- Travel to destinations the Foreign Office advises against, unless cover is arranged specifically.
How to check your own policy in ten minutes
- Find the medical expenses limit and the cancellation limit. Write them down.
- Read the "what is not covered" section in the medical and cancellation parts — exclusions matter more than benefits.
- Check the excesses, per person and per section.
- Confirm the per-item baggage cap and whether your valuables are listed.
- Scan the activity list for anything you plan to do, and add cover if needed.
- Save the 24-hour assistance number somewhere that works without data.
Before you pay
Buy the policy when you book, not the week before you fly. Cancellation cover is at its most useful in the months when something can still go wrong, and that protection starts from the day you buy.
Then be honest on the medical screening questions, keep your paperwork in a folder on your phone, and get confirmation in writing whenever a trip goes sideways. If a claim is refused and you believe the decision is wrong, ask the insurer for its complaints procedure and, if needed, refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. For anything involving significant money or a complicated medical history, take advice from the insurer or a regulated adviser before you rely on the cover.
Photo: Jakub Zerdzicki / Pexels
