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Single trip travel insurance

How to find affordable cover for one trip

Matt Finn
Matt Finn | Edited by Luke Warren
18 June 2024

Planning a holiday? Then it's time to think about travel insurance – and if it's just one trip you're going on this year: single-trip travel insurance specifically. This guide covers what this type of policy is exactly, its pros and cons, and how to find the best single-trip travel insurance for your needs.

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Who's this guide for? This guide is for anyone going on a one-off holiday, not multiple trips. To read more about travel insurance generally, check out the following guides:

What is single-trip travel insurance?

Unlike annual travel insurance, which covers several trips over a 12-month period, single-trip travel insurance protects you for just the one holiday.

If you know you're going to go away only once in a year, a single-trip policy will likely be cheaper than an annual one. However, if you're going away twice or more in a single year, then an annual policy would generally be cheaper. Do check this though – our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool can help.

Like any kind of travel insurance policy, single-trip travel insurance provides crucial cover for unforeseen setbacks that can affect your trip, such as theft, illness or cancellations. It also protects you if you have to cancel your trip before you go, or if you need to return early due to an emergency.

So DON'T DELAY getting a travel insurance policy in place. It's a MoneySaving must, alongside grabbing a specialist travel credit or debit card and/or getting the best exchange rates on your cash.

When's the best time to buy single-trip travel insurance?

The best time to buy any travel insurance is ASAB – As Soon As you've Booked. Although it's possible to buy insurance right up until your trip, do it this late and you'll lose valuable protection.

By getting travel insurance right away, you're covered if anything goes wrong BEFORE you travel – for instance, cancellations, illness or anything else that may stop you from travelling. What's more, buying travel insurance later is usually more costly and you'll likely have fewer options. So get cover, whether single trip or annual, ASAB.

MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis explains why you should be getting travel insurance ASAB...

"Each year, heartbreakingly, without fail, in the run-up to summer, someone who's been diagnosed with cancer or another serious condition that needs long-term treatment tells me they won't be able to go on their holiday, but the airline/hotel won't refund them (which is within their rights as the ticket is not faulty).

"I say 'that's what travel insurance is for'... yet they then tell me they haven't got round to getting it yet. My heart sinks.

"Half the point of the cover is to protect you if things happen before then that stop you going, so please get it ASAB (As Soon As you've Booked)."

How long does single-trip travel insurance last?

Single-trip travel insurance covers you from the point you buy the policy – see the best time to buy above – to the day you come home from the specific trip you're insured for.

You'll select the country you'll be visiting, and also choose the point at which you want the cover to end – this can be anything from a few days to a maximum of between 90 and 180 days (depending on the policy and provider).

What does single-trip travel insurance cover?

So, now you know what single-trip travel insurance is, let's look more closely at what it covers you for, and what it doesn't.

What single-trip travel insurance does and doesn't cover you for

What you CAN claim for

 What you CAN'T claim for
Medical expenses. If you fall ill or suffer an injury overseas and require treatment. If travelling in Europe, read more about the EHIC/GHIC. Claims from a country with a Foreign Office travel warning. Your provider is likely not to pay out if you've gone somewhere that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against travel to.
Emergency repatriation. The cost of transportation back home after an illness, injury or death. Undeclared pre-existing medical conditions. Not declaring existing medical conditions would void your cover and prevent you from being able to claim. Learn more below.
Flight and holiday delays. Cover if your travel plans are interrupted. Treatment because of being unvaccinated. If you become ill with a tropical disease and require medical treatment but didn't get the recommended vaccinations or inoculations beforehand, you won't be covered.
Delayed or lost luggage. If your luggage is delayed or lost for more than a certain period of time. Illegal or reckless acts. Claims arising from reckless or illegal acts won't be accepted.
Theft, loss or damage. However, there are often limits on the amounts insurers will pay out. You may also have cover for this on your home contents policy. Claims after being under the influence. A drink or two is probably fine, but any claims made because of excessive alcohol may be rejected by your insurer.
Personal liability. If you accidentally injure someone or damage their property (excluding anything caused when riding/driving a motor vehicle). Winter and extreme sports. Although certain activities will likely be covered, more dangerous ones – such as winter and extreme sports – might not be. You may be able to get this cover added on though.
Cancellation or curtailment. This ensures you won't be left out of pocket if you need to cancel your holiday or cut it short. Missed flights. Although you'll be covered for missed flights in certain circumstances – for example, because of a plane breakdown – simply missing one because you were late won't cut it.

Use our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool for single-trip cover

Our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool can help you seek out the best single-trip travel insurance policy for your requirements.

The tool features a range of the cheapest no-frills policies that meet or exceed our minimum cover levels for travellers aged 65 and under, without medical conditions.

Because we judge providers solely on price, NOT feedback, these options are for those who are focused on keeping costs down and are happy with a basic level of cover (and claim limits). That said, our tool also lists a few high-end policies with a bit more coverage.

How to get cheap single-trip travel insurance

Looking for cheap single-trip travel insurance? Here's what you need to do.  

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  • Compare policies. Use our Cheap Travel Insurance Finder tool to size up the options and pick out the best policy for you. 

  • Get a family single-trip travel insurance policy. Travelling with family? Try a family single-trip travel insurance policy, which is usually cheaper than getting individual policies for everybody. It's also possible to get a dedicated couples' or general group policy, though you'll need to use a comparison site or go direct to an insurer for one of these, as we don't include them in our tool. 

  • Pay only for what you need. Don't get optional extras you don't need – we're talking gadget cover if your home insurance already covers this or extreme sports cover if you won't be doing any.

  • Adjust the excess. Perhaps the easiest way to reduce your single-trip travel insurance costs is by choosing a higher excess. This means paying more towards a claim in the event of making one though, so bear this in mind.

  • Are you already insured? Check elsewhere to see if you already have travel cover in place, for example, through a packaged bank account. These accounts can offer a range of insurances that can provide good value if you need the cover.

  • Purchase ASAB. As above, buy cover As Soon As you've Booked, for greater protection, and because the later you get single-trip travel insurance, the more expensive it likely will be.

Note that if you're planning multiple trips rather than just a single one, it's typically cheaper to purchase an annual policy rather than new single-trip policies each time.

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of single-trip travel insurance?

The pros

  • It can provide better value. Provided you're not going away several times in the next year, single-trip travel insurance is often cheaper than annual cover.

  • Customised cover. You can tweak your policy to suit your exact needs – for example, you might want to add gadget or winter sports cover.

  • You'll get valuable cover right away. Book ASAB, and then if you need to cancel the holiday for a reason covered by your policy, you'll be able to reclaim the costs.

  • No age limits. Single-trip travel insurance policies are commonly available to over-65s, unlike some annual policies.

The cons

  • It's more expensive for multiple trips. Single-trip travel insurance is usually more expensive than an annual policy for multiple trips, so ensure you purchase the right type of policy for you.

  • You're limited to fixed dates. Single-trip travel insurance only protects you for a fixed period. If you want to extend your trip, you'll likely have to buy more cover.

  • It might not be as flexible and convenient. With annual travel insurance, you're covered for the year after one policy purchase, and don't have to scramble to get cover when making spontaneous trips.

  • It's potentially riskier. If you delay buying a single-trip travel insurance policy (you shouldn't), and need to cancel your trip before getting cover in place, you won't be able to recoup your costs. With annual cover, you'll have this protection in place all year round.

Can I still get single-trip travel insurance if I have a pre-existing medical condition?

If you have a pre-existing medical condition you'll still be able to get yourself travel insurance cover for a single trip. It's just likely that you'll be quoted sky-high prices for a policy.

Don't let this put you off getting cover in the first place though, and ALWAYS tell the insurer about any pre-existing conditions, or you won't be covered in the event of a claim.

If you have a medical condition, providers will deem you more likely to claim on a policy, and so will raise the cost of cover accordingly. However, we run through ways you can cut costs in our Travel insurance for pre-existing conditions guide, which can help you to find affordable travel insurance that's right for you.

Single-trip travel insurance FAQs

  • Do I need insurance if I have a GHIC or EHIC?

    The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) allow you to access free or discounted medical care in all European Union countries and Switzerland.

    They're both free and do essentially the same thing, although the EHIC is being phased out and the GHIC is now offered in its place.

    If you're a UK national living in the UK, they entitle you to the same medical treatment as a local citizen at state-run hospitals and GPs in any European Union country as well as Switzerland and some other countries – extremely useful in emergencies.

    That means if a local citizen gets free medical treatment then you do too – but if they pay, you pay the same rates.

    However, while these cards are handy, you still need insurance when travelling for various reasons:  

    • Limited coverage. You can only use an EHIC or GHIC for necessary medical treatment at state-run hospitals and clinics. They don't cover any additional costs you may incur, such as mountain rescue while hiking.

    • No repatriation coverage. Unlike travel insurance, the EHIC and GHIC WON'T cover repatriation costs, which can be extremely expensive. 

    • No non-medical coverage. Travel insurance offers financial protection for several issues that the EHIC and GHIC don't, such as lost or stolen luggage, trip cancellations or interruptions, and flight delays.

    • Not usable worldwide. EHICs and GHICs aren't accepted in many destinations outside of Europe, meaning you won't have medical cover elsewhere without travel insurance.

    • No additional support. Travel insurance generally gives you access to additional services such as 24/7 emergency assistance helplines, support for lost or stolen passports, and help finding medical care.

    Find out more, including how to apply for a GHIC, in our Free GHIC and EHIC guide.

  • Do I need single-trip insurance if I have a holiday in the UK?

    Generally speaking, you can get travel insurance for a domestic holiday if it involves spending at least two consecutive nights in booked accommodation. Some insurance providers also state that you must be overseas or at least 25 miles from home to get coverage. 

    As we discuss in our UK travel insurance guide, while medical costs in the UK aren't a consideration because of the NHS, your policy doesn't just cover these. Travel insurance cover for the UK will ensure you're not left out of pocket in scenarios such as theft, cancellations or holiday curtailment (where it's cut short due to an emergency).  

    However, for a cheap weekend away where you're not taking many valuables, you may not need domestic travel insurance. But for longer holidays, it's definitely worth thinking about – our full Travel insurance for UK holidays guide can help you decide whether you'll need it or not.

  • Can family members be included in my single-trip travel policy?

    To cover multiple family members, you'll need to get a dedicated family single-trip travel insurance policy. This can be much more cost-effective than buying individual policies for every family member. When doing so, you must provide details for each person, such as their name, age, and any existing medical conditions. 

    Do note that there are typically limitations and conditions. For example, some family travel insurance policies might limit the number of children covered or require that all members travel together on the same itinerary. You should therefore review the policy details to understand the extent of the coverage and any specific requirements or restrictions. 

    As well as family single-trip travel insurance, it's also possible to get couples' and general group cover.  

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