UK travel insurance in 2026: what it really costs, what it really covers, and the cover levels you actually need

For 2026, the practical minimums are £2 million medical in Europe, £5 million in Australia, Japan and most of Asia, and £10 million for the USA, Canada and the Caribbean. The other limits matter just as much: £3,000 to £5,000 cancellation covers most package holidays, £1,500 baggage with a £300 single-item cap is standard, and £2 million personal liability is the norm. Cheap policies that cap medical at £1m can be wiped out by a single ICU stay in the US.

No. The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC, the post-Brexit replacement for the EHIC) gives you state healthcare in the EU on the same terms as a local resident, but it does not cover private clinics, ambulance fees, repatriation, lost baggage or trip cancellation. A common scenario in Spain or Greece: a tourist injured on holiday is taken to the nearest private clinic, which refuses the GHIC and demands the bill upfront. Pair the GHIC with a Europe travel policy for everything else.

On the day you pay the booking deposit. Most policies only cover trip cancellation from the date the cover starts, so any deposit you forfeit if you fall ill before the insurance was active is not refundable. ABTA finds that 38% of UK trips are taken with the wrong cover or none at all, and most of those travellers bought the policy too late.

Most 2026 policies now treat Covid as any other illness: emergency treatment abroad and trip curtailment are covered if you test positive while away. What is rarely covered is cancellation because of government travel restrictions, FCDO advisories or a personal decision not to fly. Look for the wording "cancellation due to infectious disease" or "FCDO advice change" if those scenarios matter for your trip.

For skiing and snowboarding, yes, or add the winter-sports pack to your existing policy before you fly. The pack adds mountain rescue, off-piste cover, lift-pass refund and ski equipment. Scuba is usually capped at 18m or 30m depending on the insurer, with a PADI certificate required above 18m. Motorbikes over 125cc, jet skis and quad bikes need a stand-alone bolt-on. Check the certificate before you ride.

UK insurers price by claims frequency, and the average claim cost rises steeply after 60. Mainstream comparison sites often refuse to quote at all above 75. Specialist insurers (Saga, Age Co, Just Travel Cover, Avanti, Staysure) are built for this market and have no upper age limit. Declare every pre-existing condition; undeclared illness invalidates the entire policy, not just the related claim.

Possibly, but only for a limited number of days and only as part of "personal possessions away from home" cover, which is itself an add-on for most home policies. Travel insurance baggage cover is usually wider (covers cash, sports equipment, electronic items separately) and pays out faster after a holiday claim. Do not rely on home cover for an international trip.

If the airline cancels the flight, EU261/UK261 puts the refund and re-routing duty on the airline, not the insurer. Travel insurance fills the rest: missed connections, prepaid hotels and tours, additional accommodation. For weather-related cancellations, check whether the policy includes "natural disaster" or "adverse weather" cover, which is standard on better policies but absent on bargain ones.