Aviva travel insurance at a glance
Aviva travel insurance in 60 seconds (2026)
UnderwriterAviva travel insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited and administered in conjunction with Mapfre Asistencia for medical assistance and claims handling. Policies are FCA regulated and FSCS protected.
Aviva travel insurance cover
Aviva sells travel insurance as Single Trip (up to 120 consecutive days) or Annual Multi-Trip (each trip up to 31 days as standard, extendable to 90 days at extra cost). Both formats come in four tiers: Basic, Silver, Gold and Lifetime. Basic strips cover back to the legal minimum and is the right choice only for short UK breaks or low-risk European city trips. Silver and Gold are the mainstream picks for most UK families. Lifetime is aimed at older travellers and policyholders with complex medical histories.
Emergency medical
Covers medical treatment, hospital stays and repatriation if you fall ill or are injured abroad. Includes a 24/7 worldwide assistance line operating from Norwich.
- £5m on Basic, £15m on Gold and Lifetime.
- Repatriation to the UK by air ambulance if required.
- £500 emergency dental cover.
Cancellation & curtailment
Refunds non-recoverable trip costs if you have to cancel for a covered reason (bereavement, jury service, redundancy) or cut your trip short and fly home.
- £1,000 Basic, £3,000 Silver, £5,000 Gold/Lifetime.
- Includes pre-paid excursions and tours.
- £75 excess per claim on Gold and Lifetime.
Baggage & belongings
Pays for replacement of lost, stolen or damaged baggage and personal items, including delayed baggage allowances after 12 hours.
- £500 Basic up to £2,500 Gold/Lifetime.
- Single-article limit from £250 to £400.
- Delayed baggage payout up to £100.
Personal liability
Protects you if you injure someone or damage their property while travelling abroad: the worst-case scenario in a US road accident or a ski collision.
- £1m Basic, £2m Silver/Gold/Lifetime.
- Includes legal defence costs.
- Worldwide protection except North America excess.
Winter sports & cruise
Bolt-on cover for piste closure, lost ski pass, ski equipment hire, cabin confinement, missed port departure and pre-cruise excursions.
- Ski equipment up to £1,000.
- Piste closure up to £400.
- Missed cruise port departure.
Family policies
Family annual multi-trip policies include children under 18 free when two adults pay. Single-parent policies include children at the same single-trip rate as the parent.
- Children under 18 free on Silver, Gold, Lifetime.
- Cover for kids in halls of residence under 23.
- Travel together or separately.
Basic, Silver, Gold and Lifetime compared
The four tiers share the same overall structure; the differences are in the limits and the excess. Basic is the legal-minimum tier and not recommended for travel outside Europe. Silver is the sweet spot for most UK families on European holidays, with £10m medical, £3,000 cancellation and a £100 excess. Gold is the upgrade for long-haul, cruise or higher-value trips, with £15m medical, £5,000 cancellation and a £75 excess. Lifetime is aimed at older travellers and policyholders with screened medical conditions, with the same headline limits as Gold and no maximum age on Single Trip cover.
| Benefit | Basic | Silver | Gold | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excess per claim | £150 | £100 | £75 | £75 |
| Emergency medical & repatriation | £5m | £10m | £15m | £15m |
| Cancellation | £1,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 |
| Curtailment | £1,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 | £5,000 |
| Baggage | £500 | £1,500 | £2,500 | £2,500 |
| Single-article limit | £250 | £300 | £400 | £400 |
| Personal money | £250 | £500 | £750 | £750 |
| Personal liability | £1m | £2m | £2m | £2m |
| Defaqto Star Rating (annual) | 2 stars | 4 stars | 5 stars | 5 stars |
Source: Aviva travel insurance policy summary, May 2026. Always check the IPID and policy wording on the day of purchase for the limits applying to your quote.
Single Trip vs Annual Multi-Trip
Choose Single Trip if you take only one or two holidays a year, or if your trip will last longer than 31 days. Single Trip cover runs for any duration up to 120 consecutive days and includes UK breaks of two or more consecutive nights. Choose Annual Multi-Trip if you travel three or more times a year; the break-even point is usually around the third trip. Per-trip duration is capped at 31 days as standard, extendable to 90 days for an additional premium.
Annual Multi-Trip cover applies only outside the UK unless you upgrade to Gold or Lifetime, which include UK breaks under the annual policy. If you regularly stay in UK holiday cottages, that distinction matters: a Silver annual policy will not cover a Cornish self-catering week.
Children under 18 freeAviva includes children under 18 free on family annual multi-trip policies when two adults are paying, and the same on single-parent policies. Students living in halls of residence remain covered up to age 23.
Pre-existing medical conditions and screening
A pre-existing medical condition is any illness or injury for which, in the past two years, you have received medication, attended a hospital or GP appointment, or been told you have a terminal illness. This definition captures high blood pressure, asthma, follow-up cancer screening and joint replacements, not just acute conditions.
Aviva uses an integrated online medical screening tool at quote stage on aviva.co.uk. Most conditions are accepted with a modest premium loading; complex or recent cardiac, oncology and respiratory conditions may need an additional underwriting call. Lifetime cover is the preferred tier for older travellers and screened conditions because it does not impose an upper age limit on Single Trip cover and uses the same medical limits as Gold.
Non-disclosure invalidates the whole policyIf you do not declare a condition that should have been declared, Aviva can reject the claim and refuse to pay anything, even if the claim is unrelated to the undeclared condition. Always over-disclose rather than under-disclose, and keep a copy of your screening summary in MyAviva.
Aviva travel insurance prices in 2026
Travel insurance prices vary widely with age, destination, trip length, family composition and any declared medical conditions, so a single headline figure is misleading. As an order-of-magnitude reference, a healthy 35-year-old buying a one-week European Single Trip policy can expect a quote of around £15 to £35 across the four tiers; an annual policy for the same traveller usually lands between £50 and £120 for Europe and £90 to £240 for worldwide cover including the United States and Canada.
| Profile | Silver | Gold | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Trip, 7 days, Europe, age 35 | £18 | £28 | £32 |
| Single Trip, 14 days, USA, age 45 | £82 | £115 | £128 |
| Annual Multi-Trip, Europe, family of four | £125 | £185 | £205 |
| Annual Multi-Trip, Worldwide, age 65 | £225 | £310 | £345 |
Indicative figures only, drawn from price-comparison snapshots collected in March 2026 with no pre-existing medical conditions declared. Run your own quote on aviva.co.uk for an accurate number.
Excess and voluntary excess
Aviva applies a tier-based excess (£150 Basic, £100 Silver, £75 Gold and Lifetime) on most claims sections. Some sections are excess-free: 24-hour emergency dental, missed departure, hijack and personal accident. Unlike most UK travel insurers, Aviva does not offer a "buy-down" option to reduce the excess further.
Aviva travel insurance customer service
Aviva runs separate routes for sales, claims and the 24-hour medical emergency team, and only one of them can authorise hospital admission and repatriation. These are the numbers Aviva publishes for its Signature travel cover:
| Line | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Medical emergency abroad, 24/7 | 01603 208 044 (0044 1603 208 044 from abroad) | 24 hours a day |
| Travel assistant, 24/7 | 01603 208 045 (0044 1603 208 045 abroad) | 24 hours a day |
| Legal expenses claims and advice, 24/7 | 0044 1603 208 244 | 24 hours a day |
| Travel claims, not an emergency | 0345 030 6983 (0044 1603 603 716 abroad) | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-4pm, Sun closed, bank holidays 8am-4pm |
| Travel customer service | 0345 030 8715 | Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm, Sun 10am-2pm, bank holidays 10am-4pm |
| Existing policy changes (winter sports, cruise, medical declarations) | 0345 266 9259 | Not stated by Aviva |
Source: the Aviva Signature travel insurance support page and the travel claims page on aviva.co.uk, verified 15 September 2026. Aviva's own Signature page also lists 0044 1603 603 716 under "quotes", which is the same number it gives for non-emergency claims from abroad and looks like an error on Aviva's side, so we do not repeat it as a quotes line. Always cross-check against the numbers printed on your own policy documents and insurance card, which are the ones Aviva has issued for your cover.
To reach the right Aviva travel team, use one of these official sources:
- Medical emergency abroad: call 0044 1603 208 044, answered 24 hours a day; it is the only line that can authorise hospital admission and repatriation.
- Your policy documents: the sales, claims and assistance numbers for your policy are printed on your schedule, welcome pack and insurance card.
- MyAviva: log in to the app or website to manage your policy, submit a claim and message Aviva securely.
- Aviva's official contact page: aviva.co.uk/help-and-support/contact-us lists every current line by product.
- Our Aviva contact page: see the on-site Aviva contact guide for how to reach each department.
How to make a travel insurance claim with Aviva
- Medical emergencies abroad: call the 24/7 worldwide assistance number printed on your travel policy documents and insurance card first, before incurring large medical expenses. Inpatient treatment must be authorised in advance where possible.
- Lost or stolen baggage: report it to the local police within 24 hours and obtain a written police report or PIR (Property Irregularity Report) at the airport.
- Cancellation or curtailment: gather evidence (bereavement certificate, jury service letter, medical certificate) before contacting the claims team on the number shown in your policy documents.
- Submit the claim online via MyAviva, or by post to the claims address printed on your policy schedule.
- Keep originals of all documents: most travel insurance claims fail on missing paperwork rather than disputed cover.
Aviva pays around 95% of travel claimsAviva's most recent quarterly claims report shows it accepts about 95% of travel insurance claims by volume. The most common reasons for rejection are non-disclosure of a pre-existing medical condition, missing police reports for theft, and claims falling outside the insured trip window.
What customers and rating agencies say
Aviva travel insurance has been consistently rated as one of the better mainstream UK options. The Gold annual policy holds a Defaqto 5 Star rating; Silver holds 4 Stars; Basic, predictably, holds only 2 Stars and is best avoided unless price is the only consideration.
| Rating agency | Single Trip | Annual Multi-Trip |
|---|---|---|
| Defaqto Basic | 2 stars | 2 stars |
| Defaqto Silver | 4 stars | 4 stars |
| Defaqto Gold | 5 stars | 5 stars |
| Defaqto Lifetime | 5 stars | 5 stars |
| Fairer Finance customer experience | 62% | 64% |
| Which? Best Buy (2025) | Recommended | Recommended |
Source: Defaqto Star Ratings, Fairer Finance UK Insurance Customer Experience report, Which? travel insurance survey, all as published in 2025/2026.
Customer review aggregators show the familiar polarisation: Aviva scores 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 64,860 reviews (uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.aviva.co.uk, checked 15 September 2026, covering all Aviva products rather than travel alone), while travel-specific aggregators like Review Centre run lower at around 2/5. As ever in UK travel insurance, the underlying signal is that most customers only review after a claim, and adverse claims experience drives the rating distribution.
Aviva travel insurance FAQ
Aviva travel insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Medical assistance and emergency services are administered in conjunction with Mapfre Asistencia. Policies are authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA.
Aviva's 24-hour medical emergency line is 01603 208 044, or 0044 1603 208 044 when dialling from abroad (verified on aviva.co.uk, 15 September 2026). Save it on your phone before you travel: it is the only number that can authorise hospital admission and repatriation abroad, and Aviva expects to be called before inpatient treatment is agreed wherever that is possible. Also check the number printed on your own policy documents and insurance card, which is the one Aviva issued for your specific cover.
Single Trip cover has no upper age limit, particularly on the Lifetime tier, which is designed for older travellers. Annual Multi-Trip cover is capped at age 79 for new policies. Over-65s should expect higher premiums and a more thorough medical screening, especially on Basic.
Yes, after an online medical screening at quote stage. Most conditions are accepted with a modest premium loading. Complex cardiac, oncology or respiratory cases may need an additional underwriting call before cover can be confirmed. Lifetime is the recommended tier for screened conditions.
The standard per-trip limit is 31 consecutive days. You can extend this to 60 or 90 days at quote stage for an additional premium, useful for sabbaticals or extended winter breaks. Single Trip cover can be bought for any duration up to 120 days at one go.
Yes. You have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date the policy starts (or you receive the documents, if later) during which you can cancel for a full refund, provided you have not travelled and no claim has been made or is pending. After the 14-day window, refunds are at Aviva's discretion and usually unavailable.
Yes. Aviva includes limited COVID-19 cover as standard: emergency medical treatment abroad if you catch COVID-19 during the trip, repatriation, and cancellation if you or a close relative are diagnosed before departure. Cover for lockdowns or government travel bans is generally excluded.