Travel Insurance Explained: What You Actually Need (and What's a Waste)

Travel insurance is the least glamorous purchase of any trip — until the day it saves you £40,000 in medical bills. Here's what genuinely matters in a policy, what's padding, and how to buy it right.

Medical cover: the one non-negotiable

A broken ankle in the US can cost £30,000; an air ambulance home, £100,000+. Minimum sensible cover: £2–5 million medical, including emergency repatriation. This is the clause you're buying the policy for.

Cancellation cover: match it to your prepaid costs

If flights + hotel total £2,000, you need £2,000 of cancellation cover — no more, no less. It pays out for genuine emergencies (illness, bereavement, jury duty), not for changing your mind.

What the GHIC/EHIC card does NOT do

For Brits in the EU, the GHIC covers state-provided medical care — but not repatriation, private hospitals, mountain rescue, or anything outside Europe. It's a supplement to insurance, never a replacement.

The clauses people regret skipping

Check these before buying: pre-existing conditions (declare them or the whole policy can be void), adventure activities (skiing, diving, scooters often need add-ons), and alcohol exclusions on claims.

What's usually a waste

Overpriced 'cancel for any reason' upgrades, gadget cover beyond what your home insurance already includes, and duplicate rental-car excess cover if your annual policy has it. Read before you stack.

Annual vs single-trip

Two or more trips a year? An annual multi-trip policy is almost always cheaper — and it covers spontaneous weekend breaks automatically.

Buy it the day you book

Cancellation cover only protects bookings made after the policy starts. Book flights today, buy insurance today, and the whole trip is protected from minute one.

The Bottom Line

Buy for the disasters, not the inconveniences: serious medical, repatriation, and cancellation up to your prepaid total. Everything else is negotiation. Sort it the day you book, then forget about it and enjoy the trip.