- Staysure is a trading name of TICORP Limited, registered in Gibraltar (company number 111526) and holding FCA Firm Reference Number 663617; its policies are administered by Howserv Limited (FRN 599282).
- Saga travel insurance is arranged by Saga Services Limited (FCA FRN 311557, registered in England and Wales 732602) and underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited (FRN 202846), with claims administered by Collinson Insurance Services Limited.
- Staysure applies no upper age limit and states it can cover more than 1,300 pre-existing medical conditions; Saga sets a minimum age of 50 and also applies no upper age limit.
- On Staysure Comprehensive and Signature policies, emergency medical cover is listed as up to unlimited; Saga lists emergency medical cover up to 20 million pounds on its Plus tier.
Staysure and Saga at a glance
Both brands target older travellers and travellers managing pre-existing medical conditions, but they are structured differently behind the scenes. Staysure is a trading name of TICORP Limited, a company registered in Gibraltar (company number 111526) that holds FCA Firm Reference Number 663617. Staysure policies are administered in the United Kingdom by Howserv Limited, which holds FRN 599282.
Saga operates as a broker arrangement. Saga travel insurance is arranged by Saga Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 732602) and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 311557. The cover itself is underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited (FRN 202846), and claims are administered on Astrenska's behalf by Collinson Insurance Services Limited. The practical difference is that Saga arranges and brands the product while a separate insurer carries the risk, whereas Staysure's own group company underwrites the policy.
Cover limits compared
Headline cover limits differ in both wording and structure. Staysure lists emergency medical and repatriation cover as up to unlimited on its Comprehensive and Signature levels, and cancellation cover up to 15,000 pounds. Saga sells three named tiers: Essential, Standard and Plus. On Saga, emergency medical cover ranges from up to 2 million pounds on Essential to up to 20 million pounds on Plus, while cancellation cover ranges from up to 1,000 pounds per person on Essential to up to 20,000 pounds per person on the Plus annual policy.
An unlimited medical figure and a 20 million pounds medical figure both sit well above the cost of most overseas treatment claims. The Association of British Insurers reported that the average travel medical claim in 2024 was 1,528 pounds, although it also recorded a single member paying over 1 million pounds for a hospitalisation and repatriation from the United States. The headline number matters most for high-cost destinations, but the more frequent decision point is the cancellation limit and the medical screening outcome, which is where the two brands diverge.
Age limits and eligibility
Saga is built around an age floor rather than an age ceiling: the policyholder must be over 50, and Saga states there is no upper age limit. That positioning rules Saga out for younger travellers entirely. Staysure does not advertise a minimum-age gate in the same way and states that it applies no upper age limit, describing cover extending to travellers in their 80s, 90s and beyond.
For a traveller in their 60s, 70s or older, both brands are open in principle, so eligibility usually turns on the medical declaration rather than age alone. For a household where one traveller is under 50, Saga's eligibility rule is the deciding factor.
Pricing structure
The two brands present price differently. Saga uses a fixed three-tier ladder (Essential, Standard, Plus), so the cover limits step up in defined bands and the buyer chooses a tier. Staysure presents cover levels (referred to in its marketing as Budget, Comprehensive and Signature) and allows single-trip or annual multi-trip selection, with options layered on top. Neither brand publishes a flat monthly or annual price on its landing page, because premiums for both depend on age, destination, trip length and the outcome of medical screening. Any figure quoted here from memory would be unverifiable, so the practical guidance is to run a quote on each site with identical trip details and an identical medical declaration before comparing.
Pre-existing medical conditions
This is the most consequential comparison for the audience both brands court. Staysure states that it can cover more than 1,300 pre-existing medical conditions. Saga does not publish a headline count; instead it lists categories it can consider, including cancers, heart conditions, diabetes (type 1 or 2), circulatory, respiratory, gastro-intestinal, bone and joint conditions, mental health conditions and terminal illness.
Saga's screening uses a dual look-back: travellers are asked to declare all pre-existing conditions from the last 12 months, and for serious or long-term conditions such as cancer or heart conditions to share medical history from the previous five years. Both brands run a question-based medical screening that determines whether and on what terms cover is offered. The FCDO advises that failing to declare existing conditions or pending treatment may invalidate insurance, so the accuracy of the declaration matters more than the brand chosen.
Claims handling
The claims chain differs because the underwriting differs. With Saga, a claim is handled by Collinson Insurance Services Limited acting for the underwriter, Astrenska Insurance Limited. With Staysure, claims sit within the TICORP and Howserv arrangement, and Staysure publishes a claims line on 0333 305 7209. In both cases, an unresolved complaint about a UK-regulated firm can be escalated to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Travellers should check the specific policy wording for time limits on notifying a claim and for the documents required, because these conditions sit in the policy booklet rather than on the marketing page.
Which traveller each suits
The structural facts point to clear use cases rather than a single answer. Saga's over-50 minimum age makes it relevant only where every insured traveller meets that threshold, and its tiered Essential, Standard and Plus structure suits a buyer who wants to pick a defined band of cover limits, up to 20 million pounds medical and 20,000 pounds cancellation on Plus. Staysure's no-minimum-age positioning, its stated coverage of more than 1,300 conditions, and its up-to-unlimited medical wording on higher tiers make it relevant across a wider age range, including mixed-age households.
For a traveller with a complex pre-existing condition, the deciding factor is rarely the brand name and almost always the outcome of each insurer's medical screening and the excess and exclusions attached to the quote. Running both screenings with identical answers is the only way to see how each treats a specific condition.
If you find it difficult to get cover because of a pre-existing condition, the Money and Pensions Service operates a travel insurance directory of specialist providers via its MoneyHelper service. Visit the MoneyHelper travel insurance directory or call the Money Helper Customer Contact Centre on 0800 138 7777 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
