Holidaysafe vs GoodToGo Travel Insurance 2026
UK specialist travel insurance comparison - primary sources only
TIFG Group
Complex cases
Up to £10m
No upper limit
Online + telephone
Telephone primary
TL;DR: Holidaysafe vs GoodToGo Travel Insurance
Holidaysafe is operated by Travel Insurance Facilities Group (TIFG) and offers pre-existing conditions cover with group-scale infrastructure backing. GoodToGo specialises in complex and high-risk condition profiles including travellers declined elsewhere, with no published upper age limit. Both offer emergency medical cover up to £10 million. GoodToGo has no upper age limit; Holidaysafe age limit is confirmed at screening. No quotes here. No commission. Primary sources only.
Holidaysafe vs GoodToGo compares two different approaches within the UK specialist pre-existing conditions travel insurance market. Holidaysafe brings TIFG group scale and infrastructure. GoodToGo brings a focused specialist capability for the most complex and difficult-to-place condition profiles. Understanding the practical differences helps travellers identify the more appropriate provider for their specific medical profile.
Holidaysafe: TIFG Group Backing
Holidaysafe is operated by Travel Insurance Facilities Group (TIFG), authorised and regulated by the FCA. TIFG operates multiple specialist travel insurance brands and is one of the larger specialist travel insurance intermediary groups in the UK market. The group structure provides Holidaysafe with administrative, underwriting and claims handling infrastructure at a scale that exceeds standalone boutique providers in the specialist segment. TIFG's group purchasing scale and accumulated actuarial data on common condition profiles can support competitive pricing for travellers with standard pre-existing conditions. Automated online screening handles common conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and post-cardiac surgery profiles, with telephone referral available for conditions requiring more detailed assessment. Cruise cover and winter sports extensions are both available. Annual multi-trip and single trip policies are offered. Emergency medical cover reaches up to £10 million on higher tiers.
GoodToGo: Complex Case Speciality and No Age Limit
GoodToGo Insurance is operated by Good To Go Insurance Ltd, authorised and regulated by the FCA. GoodToGo's market positioning is built on a specific proposition: cover for travellers whose conditions make them difficult to place through standard specialist channels. The brand name carries an explicit message of accessibility for travellers who may have received declines or prohibitive terms from other providers including Holidaysafe. GoodToGo has no published upper age limit, one of its most significant differentiators. For travellers aged 80 and above, GoodToGo is an accessible option while Holidaysafe's availability depends on individual assessment at screening.
GoodToGo's emphasis on telephone screening by trained medical underwriting specialists reflects its customer base at the more complex end of the specialist market. Its ability to accommodate travellers who have been declined elsewhere is the key differentiator relative to Holidaysafe's more standard specialist approach. For travellers with conditions that fall outside the normal parameters of TIFG's automated screening, GoodToGo's telephone model is specifically designed to find a way to provide cover where other providers cannot.
Cover and Conditions Comparison
Both Holidaysafe and GoodToGo offer emergency medical cover up to £10 million, satisfying ABI guidance for all international destinations. Cancellation, baggage, personal liability, travel delay and missed departure are standard in both. Cruise extensions are available from both. Annual and single trip options are available from both providers. For travellers with common, well-managed pre-existing conditions, both providers are capable of generating terms through their respective screening approaches. For travellers with complex, recent or multiple conditions, GoodToGo's telephone-first model and specific positioning for difficult-to-place profiles makes it the more appropriate specialist between the two.
Who Should Choose Holidaysafe
Travellers with common pre-existing conditions who want a specialist provider with TIFG group infrastructure backing, competitive pricing for standard specialist profiles, and cruise or winter sports cover extensions. Holidaysafe's TIFG scale is a genuine operational differentiator for mainstream specialist market customers whose automated screening generates acceptable terms.
Who Should Choose GoodToGo
Travellers with complex, recent or multiple conditions who have received adverse terms from Holidaysafe or other mainstream specialist providers, travellers aged 80 and above who need a no-age-limit specialist, and those specifically declined elsewhere who need a provider positioned for the most difficult-to-place profiles in the UK specialist market.
UK Regulatory Framework for Travel Insurance
All UK travel insurance policies sold to UK residents are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Insurance Conduct of Business sourcebook, known as ICOBS. 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 is subject to FCA enforcement action including financial penalties, public censure and in serious cases prohibition from regulated activities.
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 specifically, the Consumer Duty places obligations on insurers to ensure that products are accessible and fair for customers with characteristics of vulnerability. Older travellers and those with pre-existing medical conditions are explicitly identified in the FCA's guidance as groups that face systematic disadvantage in the standard insurance market and that require particular consideration under the Consumer Duty framework. The four outcome areas of the Consumer Duty are products and services, price and value, consumer understanding, and consumer support. Each area has specific application to the specialist pre-existing conditions travel insurance 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 a misrepresentation when answering an insurer's screening questions. A deliberate or reckless misrepresentation entitles the insurer to avoid the policy in full and deny all claims regardless of whether the specific claim relates to the undisclosed condition. An inadvertent misrepresentation results in a proportionate remedy: if the insurer would not have written the policy at all, it may avoid but must return the premium; if it would have written at a higher premium, it may reduce the claim proportionately to reflect the premium difference.
The Financial Ombudsman Service is the statutory alternative dispute resolution body for all 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 any 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 to the formal complaint. The FOS publishes biannual complaint data covering complaint volumes and uphold rates for named firms, providing an independent public benchmark of claims handling quality across the travel insurance market that is not dependent on provider 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 specifically, where private hospital costs can frequently exceed £10,000 per day before surgical intervention or repatriation costs, the ABI guidance points to higher limits of £10 million or more for extended stays. The ABI also notes that cancellation underinsurance is one of the most common causes of partial claim settlements in the travel insurance market, and recommends that travellers ensure their cancellation cover is sufficient to cover the full prepaid cost of their trip including flights, accommodation and pre-booked excursions.
The Global Health Insurance Card, the GHIC, replaced the European Health Insurance Card for UK travellers after the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020. 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 other component of a comprehensive travel insurance policy. The FCA and ABI both advise UK travellers to carry both a valid GHIC and a comprehensive travel insurance policy when travelling in Europe. The two instruments are complementary rather than interchangeable, and holding a GHIC does not reduce the need for travel insurance in any European destination.
Related Guides
How to Compare Specialist Travel Insurance Quotes
When comparing specialist travel insurance quotes for pre-existing medical conditions, the declared condition outcome is the most important variable to establish before comparing premiums. A policy that covers the declared condition with a loading and a policy that covers it with a specific exclusion are not comparable on price alone: the exclusion policy provides no protection for the scenario the traveller is most concerned about, regardless of whether its headline premium is lower. Establishing the specific outcome for each declared condition, whether loading or exclusion, should be the first filter applied to any comparison.
The emergency medical cover limit is the second most important comparison variable for most travellers. The ABI minimum recommendation of £2 million for Europe and £5 million for long-haul destinations represents a floor rather than an adequate ceiling for travellers with serious pre-existing conditions who may require extended inpatient treatment, specialist intervention or medically supervised repatriation. For US-bound travellers in particular, the difference between a £5 million and a £15 million medical limit is material given that inpatient treatment costs in American hospitals can exceed £10,000 per day before specialist fees, surgical costs or repatriation are added.
Cancellation cover is the third key variable for pre-existing condition travellers. The cancellation limit should be sufficient to cover the full prepaid cost of the trip including flights booked directly and through third parties, accommodation prepayments, cruise deposits and any pre-booked tours or experiences. Under-insurance on cancellation is one of the most common causes of partial claim settlements and is often overlooked during the initial purchase decision when the focus is on the medical screening outcome.
The 24-hour emergency assistance helpline is not simply a feature to note but a service whose quality and geographic reach is material to the claim experience. Travellers should confirm before purchase that the assistance line operates around the clock in the destination time zone, that it has direct billing relationships with hospitals in the destination country, and that it has the medical repatriation capability relevant to the planned itinerary. These operational details are confirmed in the policy documentation and by telephoning the assistance line before departure to verify that the contact details are working and that the policy number and cover details are on file.
Primary sources: FCA Register - Financial Ombudsman Service - Association of British Insurers - FCA Consumer Duty PS22/9 - Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 - NHS (nhs.uk)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Holidaysafe or GoodToGo better for pre-existing conditions?
Holidaysafe suits mainstream specialist profiles with common pre-existing conditions who want TIFG group infrastructure. GoodToGo suits complex, high-risk and declined-elsewhere profiles, and has no upper age limit. The right choice depends on condition complexity and whether standard automated screening generates acceptable terms.
Does GoodToGo have an age limit?
GoodToGo has no published upper age limit and assesses travellers of any age individually, making it accessible for travellers aged 80 and above who have aged out of providers with fixed age caps.
Who operates Holidaysafe?
Holidaysafe is operated by Travel Insurance Facilities Group (TIFG), authorised and regulated by the FCA and one of the UK's larger specialist travel insurance intermediary groups.
