Avanti vs GoodToGo Travel Insurance 2026: Which Is Better for Pre-Existing Conditions?

Avanti Travel Insurance vs GoodToGo is a comparison relevant to UK travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, particularly older travellers aged 60 and above. Both providers serve the specialist segment with no published upper age limit and individual medical screening. This comparison uses FCA register data, Financial Ombudsman Service statistics and ABI guidance.

Avanti Travel Insurance: Overview

Avanti Travel Insurance is one of the most recognised specialist travel insurance brands in the UK over-50s market. The business has built its reputation on accommodating complex medical histories including cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, respiratory conditions and previous cancer diagnoses through individual screening. Avanti's underwriting is backed by Inter Partner Assistance S.A., which is part of the AXA group. Inter Partner Assistance is authorised by the National Bank of Belgium and deemed authorised by the FCA under temporary permissions following the end of EU passporting arrangements.

The AXA group underwriting provides significant financial security backing and access to AXA Assistance's global emergency medical network. For travellers who prioritise the financial strength and global infrastructure of their insurer's parent group, the AXA connection represents a material differentiator for Avanti relative to providers without equivalent group backing.

Avanti distributes primarily through direct channels and is not widely available through mainstream price comparison platforms. The individual pre-existing condition screening model produces pricing that cannot be accurately standardised for aggregator outputs. The brand is accessible through the Avanti website and by telephone.

GoodToGo Insurance: Overview

GoodToGo Insurance is operated by Good To Go Insurance Ltd, authorised and regulated by the FCA. GoodToGo's market positioning is explicitly focused on travellers who have experienced difficulty with other insurers. The brand name itself signals this: the message is that regardless of a traveller's medical history, the goal is to find a way to provide cover. This positions GoodToGo at the more complex end of the specialist market, serving travellers whose profiles fall outside what Avanti's automated screening can readily accommodate.

GoodToGo's emphasis on telephone-based screening for complex cases reflects the higher proportion of difficult-to-place risk in its customer base. Trained telephone advisers with medical underwriting experience are central to GoodToGo's ability to assess profiles that automated systems cannot handle. The FCA's Consumer Duty framework specifically contemplates this type of specialist provision for customers who face systematic disadvantage in the broader insurance market.

Cover Levels and Policy Structure

Both Avanti and GoodToGo offer emergency medical cover up to £10 million on their higher tiers, satisfying the ABI's guidance for all international destinations. Cancellation and curtailment, baggage, personal liability, travel delay and missed departure are standard components of both policies. Cruise cover and winter sports extensions are available from both as add-ons. Annual multi-trip and single trip options are available from both providers.

For travellers planning cruise holidays, the cruise extension is particularly relevant. The specialist pre-existing conditions demographic includes a high proportion of cruise travellers, for whom cabin confinement cover, missed port departure and itinerary amendment cover are material components that standard land-based policies do not include. Both Avanti and GoodToGo offer the relevant extension.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Comparison

Avanti uses a structured online screening system with telephone referral for complex cases. The brand's long track record in the over-50s pre-existing conditions market means its screening data on common age-related conditions is well-developed. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, COPD, previous stroke and post-cardiac surgery profiles are handled through the automated system with condition-specific loadings or exclusions applied at the point of quote.

GoodToGo's positioning for declined-elsewhere cases implies a particular focus on the screening system's capacity to handle profiles that Avanti's automated system cannot accommodate. For travellers whose condition has generated a decline or a prohibitive loading from Avanti's screening, GoodToGo's telephone screening model may produce a more accommodating outcome. The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 applies equally to both providers, and accurate disclosure of all conditions is a legal requirement for both policyholders.

Underwriting Comparison

Avanti's AXA group underwriting through Inter Partner Assistance provides high-rated financial security. GoodToGo's underwriting entity should be confirmed in the policy documentation and verified on the FCA register before purchase. For travellers who attach significant weight to the underwriting financial strength behind their policy, the AXA group backing of Avanti is a meaningful differentiator.

Who Should Choose Avanti

Travellers aged 50 and above with pre-existing conditions who value AXA group underwriting, an established over-50s specialist brand, and a provider whose screening data on common age-related conditions is well-developed. Also suited to travellers who have previously experienced positive screening outcomes from Avanti and wish to continue with a familiar provider.

Who Should Choose GoodToGo

Travellers with more complex, recent or multiple conditions who have received adverse terms or been declined by Avanti or other standard specialist providers. GoodToGo's focus on complex and high-risk profiles, combined with telephone screening by trained medical underwriting specialists, makes it the relevant alternative when automated screening systems have not produced acceptable terms.

The UK Regulatory Framework for Travel Insurance

All UK travel insurance policies sold to UK residents are subject to the Financial Conduct Authority regulatory framework. The Insurance Conduct of Business sourcebook, known as ICOBS, sets out requirements for product disclosure, fair treatment of customers and the handling of claims and complaints. Any insurer or distributor that breaches ICOBS rules is subject to FCA enforcement action. The Consumer Duty, which came into force on 31 July 2023 under Policy Statement PS22/9, adds a cross-cutting standard requiring all FCA-regulated firms to deliver good outcomes for retail customers. For travel insurance, this includes a specific obligation to ensure that products are accessible and fair for customers with characteristics of vulnerability, including older travellers and those with pre-existing medical conditions who may face systematic disadvantage in the standard market.

The Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 governs the disclosure obligations of all UK travel insurance policyholders. Under this Act, policyholders must take reasonable care not to make misrepresentations when answering screening questions. A deliberate or reckless misrepresentation entitles the insurer to avoid the policy and decline all claims. An inadvertent misrepresentation may result in a reduced claim payment proportionate to the premium difference between what was charged and what would have been charged had the information been correctly disclosed. This applies to every UK travel insurer and every policyholder equally regardless of which provider is chosen.

The Financial Ombudsman Service is the statutory alternative dispute resolution body for UK travel insurance complaints. The FOS can award compensation of up to £430,000 per complaint and its decisions are binding on all FCA-regulated firms. Travellers who disagree with a claim decision from any FCA-regulated travel insurer have the right to refer their complaint to the FOS free of charge after the insurer has had eight weeks to respond formally to the complaint. The FOS publishes biannual complaint data covering volumes and uphold rates for named firms, providing an external benchmark for claims handling quality that is independent of any provider's own marketing claims.

The Association of British Insurers publishes guidance on travel insurance best practice, including recommended minimum emergency medical cover limits. The ABI recommends a minimum of £2 million for European travel and at least £5 million for long-haul destinations. For travel to the United States, the ABI guidance notes that private hospital costs frequently exceed £5,000 per day before any surgical intervention, making higher cover limits of £10 million or more relevant for extended stays in North America. The ABI also recommends that travellers ensure their cancellation cover is sufficient to cover the full prepaid cost of the trip to avoid the underinsurance that is one of the most common causes of partial claim settlements in the travel insurance market.

The Global Health Insurance Card, the GHIC, replaced the European Health Insurance Card for UK travellers after the Brexit transition period ended. The GHIC provides access to state healthcare in participating European Economic Area countries on the same terms as local residents. It does not cover private treatment, emergency repatriation, trip cancellation, baggage loss, personal liability or any of the other components included in a comprehensive travel insurance policy. The FCA and the ABI both recommend that UK travellers carry both a valid GHIC and a comprehensive travel insurance policy when travelling in Europe, as the two instruments are complementary rather than interchangeable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Avanti or GoodToGo better for pre-existing conditions?

Avanti suits travellers with common age-related conditions seeking AXA group underwriting and an established over-50s specialist. GoodToGo is more relevant for travellers with complex conditions declined elsewhere. The right choice depends on individual screening outcomes, which travellers should obtain from both providers and compare.

Who underwrites Avanti Travel Insurance?

Avanti Travel Insurance is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance S.A., part of the AXA group. Inter Partner Assistance is authorised by the National Bank of Belgium and deemed authorised by the FCA under temporary permissions.

Do Avanti and GoodToGo have age limits?

Neither Avanti nor GoodToGo publishes a fixed upper age limit. Both assess travellers of any age individually through their medical screening processes. Premiums increase with age and medical complexity on both platforms.

What does GoodToGo specialise in?

GoodToGo specialises in travel insurance for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions, with particular emphasis on complex and high-risk profiles including those who have been declined by other specialist insurers. Telephone screening by trained medical underwriting specialists is central to GoodToGo's model.