What Are The Best Single Trip Travel Insurances?
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You are planning a super exciting trip abroad and you would like to be covered in case you need to cancel your trip, you loose your baggage or you get injured whilst travelling?
Hence, you are probably wondering if applying for a single trip travel insurance is the right choice for your next holidays?
You are at the right place!
In the below guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about single trip travel insurance policy: which cover you should get, insurers comparison, price indications, tips and much more.
Stay tuned!
What is single trip travel insurance?
A single-trip travel insurance, as the name suggests, covers you for just a single trip abroad, in a specific region and within a defined period of time set in the policy.
Usually travel insurance for single trip starts as soon as you have booked your holidays (in case you need to cancel your trip for instance) and ends when you go back home. As an alternative, annual multi-trip policies protects you for any holidays you would take abroad within a one-year period.
Single trip holiday insurance usually have some restrictions such as:
- a maximum age limit to travel (some policies do not set any upper age limit)
- a maximum number of days per single trip (usually up to 365 days).
To apply for a single travel insurance you will need to mention:
- that you are going away for one-off holidays and the exact period you’d like to get covered for
- your destination
- the number of travellers and their age
- any pre-existing medical conditions of people named on the policy.
Why do I need single trip travel insurance?
A comprehensive single trip travel insurance covers you in the event of a mishap encountered anywhere whilst you are travelling. In fact, you, or your travel partners, are not immune to an accident or illness that could go so far as to justify your repatriation to UK. There are many examples: infections, transport accidents, loss or theft of luggage.
Just to show you how important applying for travel insurance is, here are a few examples of what an unfortunate and unexpected event might cost you during an example holiday if you are not covered:
| How much will you have to pay | Without single trip travel insurance nor EHIC (trip to USA) | Without single trip travel insurance but with EHIC (trip to Europe) | With single travel insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| I got injured whilst travelling and I need surgery abroad | £50,000 | £0 in public hospitals only | £0 until medical limit is reached |
| My spouse needs to be repatriated to the UK | £41,000 | £29,000 | £0 most often real fees |
| I need to cancel my trip for medical reasons | £8,000 | £5,000 | £0 until trip cancellation / interruption limit is reached |
| I lost my baggage at the aiport | £900 | £900 | £0 until personal belongings limit is reached |
Did you know that a survey conducted by Which in 2018 showed that of about 10000 UK travellers of all age ranges, 64% had medical treatment while they were travelling abroad?
Today the average medical claim abroad is £1300 according to comparethemarket when you can find annual single trip travel insurance starting at a few pounds per day.
Good to know
Applying for single trip holiday insurance will prevent you from having to face any unexpected and significant expenses for you or your travel partners on your own.
Should I get single trip travel insurance if I have European Health Insurance Card?
Always remember that while travelling in Europe, your first ally is your European Health Insurance Card.
The European Health Insurance Card:
- is free-of-charge for any UK residents holding a valid UK passport until 31/01/2020;
- is by individual (you can't get one card for a family, or a group);
- is valid in any EU countries as well as Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland;
- covers any treatment needed abroad as a local national, including pre-existing medical conditions treatment and maternity care;
- doest not cover any emergency rescue and repatriation;
- should never be considered as a substitute for travel insurance.
What is covered by EHIC?
- Any treatment of a pre-existing or chronic medical condition while abroad
- Any routine medical care for pre-existing medical condition if monitoring is needed
- Any maternity care
What is not covered by EHIC?
- Any private treatment
- Any repatriation expense
- Any emergency rescue (air rescue from ski station, for instance)
- Any treatment on cruises
- Any specialist consultation
Good to know
Remember that your EHIC will only cover you until 31/12/2020, the time of Brexit. Make sure you have both EHIC and travel insurance before travelling. Many insurers will ask you to get your EHIC if travelling in Europe, and would waive the excess if you have a valid card with you.
What are the best single trip travel insurances?
Find competitive and cheap single trip travel insurance policies is always a challenge as you always need to dig into insurers' booklets to be sure you are well covered.
In order to help you save time and money, we've come up with a list of companies you could apply for your eyes closed.
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Who can apply for single trip travel insurance?
You can apply for single trip travel insurance whether you are travelling alone, with your partner, your family or as part of a group.
You will be able to name several persons on a single trip travel insurance if criteria described below are respected:
| Who can apply for single trip travel insurance | Comment |
|---|---|
| Adult travelling alone |
|
| Couples |
|
| Group |
|
| Family |
|
Most insurers will ask any people named on a single travel insurance policy to:
- travel out from and returning to the UK.
- be a permanent resident of the UK (England,Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man) - specific single trip travel insurances exist for non UK residents.
- not travel against GP advice.
- not travel with the intention of receiving medical care abroad.
- hold a UK National Insurance number.
Does single trip policy cover all destinations?
While applying for single holiday insurance, you will be asked to mention your single trip destination. They are usually grouped in the 4 main categories described below.
| Destinations | Our comment |
|---|---|
| UK | Single trip travel insurance protects you for your local stay in the UK including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man but usually excluding the Channel Islands. |
| Europe | Single trip holiday insurance for Europe include all European countries (usually EU members as well as Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland). Some insurers may also cover Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. |
| Worldwide (excluding USA, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean) | Destinations such as USA, Medico, Canada or The Caribbean are seen as very high risk regions by travel insurers as healthcare systems are the most expensive in the world. A 4 days surgery in the US might cost you around £100 000. Excluding them from your single trip travel insurance policy will allow you to get cheaper quotes. |
| Worldwide (including USA, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean) | Worldwide single policies including high-risk destinations are the most expensive ones. It will allow you to travel anywhere and get covered especially for any medical treatment you would need in those regions. Some war zones may be excluded from the worldwide destinations list. |
| Australia, New-Zealand | Australia and New-Zealand are sometimes single trip separate destination from the rest of the world. UK has specific healthcare agreements with both countries. UK residents are covered as local national for any medical expenses they may face abroad which lead to cheaper travel insurances. |
Good to know
When applying for single trip holiday insurance, you may be asked to mention your exact destination.
What are the alternatives to travel insurance?
Depending on the trip you are preparing, you could go for alternative to single holiday insurance:
| Alternatives to single trip travel insurance | |
|---|---|
| Annual travel insurance |
|
| Backpacker travel insurance |
|
What does single trip holiday insurance should cover?
Each single trip travel insurance policy is different, since it is the insurer who determines the content of the contracts it offers: guarantees, compensation limits, deductibles, travel insurance prices, etc.
However, all single trip travel insurance contracts must include at least the following guarantees, applicable in Europe or worldwide, for all individuals mentioned on the policy:
- Medical expenses: compensation of any medical expenses during your single trip stay (consultation, analysis, emergency treatment, longer hospital stay, etc.)
- Repatriation assistance to the UK: financial and logistical support by a dedicated 24/7 team for your early return to your country of residence if necessary
- Trip cancellation and cover for delayed or missed departure: compensation if you need to cancel your trip for whatever reason or if you missed your departure
- Personal liability: compensation for any damage or injury made to a third party
- Baggage: compensation for any lost or theft of baggage while travelling
Most of the time, travel insurers offer different formulas. Cover types involved are usually the same but the compensation limits and deductibles vary.
When applying for holiday insurance for single trip, you should pay close attention to:
| Compensation | Average amount | Good to check |
|---|---|---|
| Medical expenses compensation amount | From £5M to £10M (depending on your medical situation and your destination) |
|
| Repatriation compensation amount | Real fees |
|
| Trip cancellation / curtailment | £10 000 (depending on your destination) |
|
| Baggage | Minimum of £1500 limit |
|
| Missed departure, delay | Minimum £500 limit (minimum £200 limit for delay) |
|
| Personal liability | Average £2M limit |
|
| Legal expenses | Average £15000 limit |
|
Even better, use our comparison tool to find the best deal for you! At Safe, we’ve checked out hundreds of travel insurance providers and we are now able to allow you to compare best single trip holiday insurance deals in only a few seconds without giving any personal details.
What are the should-have features for your single trip travel insurance?
Maybe you would also like to be covered with nice-to-have protection add-ons while travelling. Here are some examples below:
| Compensation | Average amount | What you should particularly pay attention to |
|---|---|---|
| Money and cash | Minimum £500 for money (pre-paid tickets, travellers cheque etc.) Minimum £200 for cash |
|
| Dental emergency | Minimum £250 |
|
| Loss of passport or documentation | Minimum £250 |
|
What are the extras you may choose for single holiday insurance?
On top of your single trip insurance contract, you may get, paying an additional premium, extras such as:
| Extras | |
|---|---|
| Sports cover | Extra cover for activities such as winter sports, golf, extreme or adventurous sports. |
| Gadget cover | Extra cover for smartphones, laptops, cameras, GoPro that you may have to record your single trip holidays. |
| Cruise gear cover | Extra cover for your single trip cruise gear travel. |
How much does single trip travel insurance policy cost?
The table below shows indicative quotes for single trip travel insurance policies:
| To Europe | To USA | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 - 35 years old | £13,32 | £31,12 |
| 36 - 55 years old | £14,53 | £34,13 |
| 56+ years old | £17,83 | £43,12 |
It is, however, quite difficult to give precise ranges of how much a travel insurance will cost for you as prices are based on a wide range of criteria. It will mainly depend on:
- If you’re travelling alone, with your partner, family or friends
- If you’re subscribing to upgrades such as cruise, activities or gadget cover
- If you have (or your travel partners) pre-existing medical conditions
- The duration and destination of your stay
- The financial limits you’d like to get in case of a claim
- The excess amount you’re willing to pay
- What you will be doing abroad.
What are the single trip travel insurance exclusions?
Most companies insuring single trip will not give financial compensation for:
- Any claim made as a result of a pre-existing medical condition or pending diagnosis undeclared at the time of purchase
- Any claim made as a result of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Difficulties due to natural disaster, war, civil unrest (look out for strikes)
- Any claim made as a result of a terrorist act (except if you took out this cover as an option)
- Any claim made as a result of extreme sport practice not disclosed at the time of applying.
Watch out!
We would strongly advise you to carefully check your policy booklet for the main exclusions before leaving home with your travel partners.
What about pre-existing medical conditions for travel insurances for single trip?
As well as for any other type of travel insurance, you are required by law to declare any pre-existing medical condition of a named travellers when purchasing single travel insurance.
Get to know more on travel insurance and pre-existing medical condition here.
A pre-existing medical condition is typically one for which you have been diagnosed and have received treatment before you apply for any travel insurance policy, regardless of whether this is short- or long-term. Here is a list of most common pre-existing medical conditions you may also need to declare:
- Diabetes (with insulin injections)
- Heart-related conditions (stroke, cardiomyopathy, etc.)
- Any respiratory illness (lung problems, asthma)
- Blood-circulatory conditions (high-blood pressure, high cholesterol)
- Any mental or physical disability (depression, etc.)
- Any neurological problem (e.g. Alzheimer’s)
- Any treatment related to cancer care
- HIV
- Any allergies
- Crohn’s disease
- Hernia conditions, etc.
The exact definition of what counts as a pre-existing medical condition and what needs medical screening may vary from one insurer to another. Carefully check our reviews as well as insurers’ policy booklets to be sure your medical condition is well covered.
Watch out!
Not disclosing medical condition could invalidate future claims as well as your entire single trip travel insurance policy.
Top 5 tips for single trip travel insurances
- Always take your EHIC with you for your single trip in Europe.
- Check the upper age limit of your single holiday insurance.
- Be aware of the maximum number of days you can travel for with your single trip insurance.
- Carefully check deductibles and compensation amounts as well as main exclusions in your single trip insurance policy booklet.
- Benefit from family, couple or group discounts you can have on single trip policies, adding several names on your contract.
