Best Travel Insurance Companies UK 2025: In-depth Comparison

Something going wrong on holiday is the last thing anyone wants to think about when looking forward to a trip away. Travel insurance provides you with peace of mind in the event of a mishap. A robust insurance policy will ensure total travel protection if you experience delays, cancellations, accidents, or illness.

But which company should you purchase from? To help you choose, we’ve examined dozens of the best travel insurance companies in the UK, comparing policies on flight delays or cancellations, medical coverage, and theft or loss. No matter your trip—a family getaway, a business event, or a Mediterranean cruise—we’ve found the top travel insurance picks for 2025.

Let’s compare each of our top 5 companies’ plans in detail to help you make an informed choice.

Based on a single traveller with an annual multi-trip worldwide insurance (including the US, Canada, and the Caribbean), Coverwise is like the pick of the bunch for business travel.

Our quote came to £77.41, which included gadget cover for up to £1,000 per trip for loss, damage, or theft of work laptops or phones. Additional neat touches include replacement employee cover of £1,000, which provides further accommodation and transport should someone need to take your place, and £500 cover for the loss or theft of business samples.

Depending on the nature and destination of your business trip, you might want to add the travel disruption option for additional protection from unexpected events, including natural disasters, evacuation orders, or infectious diseases. Adding this to the Gold policy is an additional £17.

For those who like to conduct business meetings on the golf course, this Coverwise policy covers participation in over 100 sports and activities as standard. In addition to golf, the list includes go-karting, kayaking, and even bungee jumping, making this a good policy for any adventurous team bonding trips.

With Coverwise, you can relax on your holiday knowing it’s backed by AXA, a global leader in insurance. While AXA no longer provides its own-brand travel insurance, eight of its trusted partners, including Coverwise, offer access to AXA’s 24/7 medical assistance and comprehensive services.

Our expert score: 5/5

The Staysure Comprehensive policy covers 11 snow sports (including cross-country skiing, ice skating, and tobogganing on top of on-piste skiing and snowboarding). It includes up to £500 per person for loss or damage of equipment and £250 for loss of your ski pass. The company also pays up to £200 in the event of piste closure during your trip and £160 for avalanche delays.

Staysure Comprehensive’s multi-trip policy covers 2 trips of up to 21 days. For longer trips of up to 28 days, you’ll need to upgrade to the Signature policy at £191.74.

For winter sports coverage, several of the best European travel insurance options offer better value if purchasing an annual multi-trip cover rather than a single policy. But Staysure includes winter sports coverage as standard on its Comprehensive multi-trip policy at £85.05.

For comparison, the cost is £175.55 for an equivalent policy from Insure and Go and £175.37 from Marks and Spencer, which allows only 17 days per year for winter sports trips. The Silver Essential cover from the AA allows 30 days but costs £219.66.

Barclays, Lloyds TSB, and Nationwide also include winter sports as standard, but these policies are exclusive to their customers.

Moreover, Staysure is a seven-time winner in the travel insurance category at the British Travel Awards and is the only travel insurer among those we reviewed (including our other top picks) to include winter sports cover as standard.

✍️ Have you used this travel insurance? Share a rating and review for Staysure on Review Centre.

Based on a family of 4 leaving the UK for Europe for a week in July, Covered2Go’s Gold coverage is the best single-trip travel insurance for family summer holidays. For £48.02, you’ll get up to £10m in emergency medical expenses, trip cancellation or curtailment costs of up to £5,500, and baggage and personal belongings cover of £3,000.

The policy covers up to 2 adults and all children (including foster children) under 18. Children under 23 who are in full-time education are also included.

Although Covered2Go’s Platinum cover boosts the cancellation and baggage cover to £10,000 and £5,000, it costs nearly twice as much (£84.27 for a single trip)—making its Gold coverage the best value.

Covered2Go Gold is one of the few travel insurance policies that covers holiday supplier failure as standard, with an end supplier insolvency insurance of up to £5,000. Barclays and Nationwide Building Society travel insurance also include this as standard. However, they don’t make our list since eligibility is limited to those with an existing Barclays or Nationwide account.

It also boasts a five-star expert rating from Defaqto and has thousands of highly rated online customer reviews, making Covered2Go a reliable family pick.

Our analysis of the best deal for backpackers was based on a single traveller on a trip of 12 months, travelling worldwide (excluding Mexico). We found Holidaysafe’s policy costs flexible depending on the amount of excess you’re happy to pay, but we thought its Longstay policy offered the best pick at £323.48 with an excess of £150.

It includes medical expenses of £10m, missed departure and connection payments of £1,000, and personal liability coverage of up to £2m. The policy also covers studying, volunteering, working abroad, and participating in 100+ activities—including bungee jumping, skydiving, abseiling, safaris, and helicopter rides.

We really like the flexibility that Holidaysafe includes in its policy, including the ability to extend your policy while away (provided the trip doesn’t exceed 18 months). There’s also a nice touch of including 2 return trips home (up to 21 days each) without breaking your cover, allowing you to return home for Christmas, birthdays, or a much-needed home-cooked dinner before resuming your adventure.

Additionally, similar policies from Sainsbury’s and Post Office quoted more than double in price, making Holidaysafe the best value backpacker coverage on the market.

✍️ Have you used this travel insurance? Share a rating and review for Holidaysafe on Review Centre.

We based our analysis on a couple going on a 4-week cruise around the Mediterranean in July, and All Clear’s multi-trip quote (£71.57) came in much cheaper than the cost for a single trip (£172.03).

Along with the emergency medical cover of £15m, £2,500 baggage cover, and COVID-19 cover as standard, All Clear’s Gold Plus policy features several features tailored to those going on a cruise trip. Coverage also includes £1,000 for missed port departures (the same as for cruise interruption), cabin confinement, itinerary changes, and unused excursions.

If you fall ill onboard, the policy can cover the cost of a friend or relative flying out to help you recover.

All Clear Gold Plus’s port cover, cabin confinement, and unused excursion coverage amounts are among the most generous on the market. While Barclays travel insurance can beat All Clear’s missed port cover—offering up to £10,000—it’s exclusive to its banking customers.

Also, unlike many other travel insurance providers we’ve examined, All Clear’s Gold Plus policy includes cruise cover as standard rather than an add-on. This can help you keep overall costs down while still securing excellent coverage.

✍️ Have you used this travel insurance? Share a rating and review for All Clear on Review Centre.

Many types of travel insurance match the many reasons for travelling, but the most common options for travel insurance policies are single-trip travel insurance and annual multi-trip travel insurance. The former covers you for 1 trip, while the latter is better if you plan several trips in a year.

While standard travel insurance suits most travellers, some may need tailored policies—like the ones we covered in this list. For example, backpackers can opt for coverage for extended trips across multiple countries, business travellers might prioritise protection for laptops and phones, and skiers will want winter sports insurance to cover accidents on the slopes.

Before you depart on a journey abroad, ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance that aligns with the nature of the trip you’re going on.

If you’re likely to make only 1 trip per year, say a two-week family holiday to Spain, a single-trip policy that covers you and your family will do the trick.

Likewise, a retired couple on a 4-week cruise may only need a single-trip policy. However, that policy should cover problems that might arise during the cruise, like falling ill or stormy seas disrupting the itinerary.

You should consider the best annual travel insurance options if you’re likely to take multiple trips within the year. If these trips are for business purposes, opt for a policy that covers work equipment and valuables in the event of loss or theft.

Your travel insurance can cover many incidents and events depending on the policy you pick. The most comprehensive travel insurance policies will cover you for anything that might affect or curtail your holiday, such as unexpected illness, accidents, or hotel cancellations.

Policies can also cover problems encountered on your journey, from flight delays and cancellations to lost baggage, travel disruptions, medical emergencies, emergency repatriation, and theft. You’ll typically have to pay an excess for any claim you make, but this amount varies between insurers.

Lastly, after the severe travel disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, many travel insurance providers now offer some form of pandemic-related coverage.

When selecting a travel insurance provider, consider these key factors:

An annual multi-trip policy may be less expensive if you’ll be away more than once a year. Otherwise, single-trip options should suffice.

Also, consider the type of trip you’re making (e.g., a worldwide trip, a cruise holiday, etc.), as policies will differ based on this.

Check that the provider has good coverage for your trip. For example, if you have a health issue, it might matter to you that pre-existing conditions are covered. In addition, business travellers with laptops may want to ensure coverage for loss, theft, or damage.

Check the maximum coverage limits for loss or theft of personal belongings, medical expenses, and trip cancellation. Confirm the policy will cover any losses.

Always research your insurer’s reputation by checking out online reviews from previous customers.

Check whether it’s easy to make a claim or if you need your insurer’s support in an emergency.

Any claims you make will likely incur an excess, so ensure you’re happy with the amount agreed on your policy before confirming.

For each supplier, we analysed various tiers of policy. We listed those that provide the best options at the most competitive price based on these factors:

We researched the latest quotes for each policy and compared costs for single and multi-trip coverage. In some cases, multi-trip coverage offered better value for frequent travellers. It was even less expensive for those intending to make 1 trip within 1 year.

We also checked if suppliers had policies for specific trip types and valuables, like winter sports and gadget coverage. We assessed whether these were standard or if we needed to add them on.

We compared the coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation, baggage loss, and equipment loss or theft. We noted whether it could be adjusted to individual preferences.

We compared excess fees for claims. Where relevant, we listed other policies by the same supplier with lower or higher excesses.

Lastly, we checked customer reviews of travel insurance companies. Positive reviews ensure high customer satisfaction with our picks.

Buy travel insurance the same day you book your holiday. The best travel insurance gives peace of mind if things go wrong during your trip, but it also covers issues that may arise before you depart, such as illness, delays, or cancellations.

Insurers define a pre-existing condition as a health issue present before buying a policy. Pre-existing conditions can include chronic illnesses, recent treatments, or ongoing care, and you must declare any to insurers when purchasing a policy. Insurers may opt to exclude coverage or offer a waiver. (Note that our reviews are based on quotes for travellers without pre-existing conditions.)

You can find the claim instructions in your policy information. Make a note of the number to call (handy hint: save it as a contact in your mobile phone) in the event of an incident. Remember to include the international dialling code if you’re calling from abroad.

While it might not be the most thrilling part of your holiday planning, arranging comprehensive travel insurance for your needs will ensure peace of mind before you embark on your journey.

Our reviews of the best travel insurance policies should give you everything you need to pick the right plan for your trip and have a worry-free time. Bon voyage!