Travel insurance cost UK: average prices by trip & age

How travel insurance is priced in the UK

Travel insurance is a regulated general insurance product. UK insurers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) or the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to sell it. Pricing is not regulated beyond the Consumer Duty rules that prohibit charging loyal customers substantially more than new customers. Premiums are risk-rated individually, which means two travellers buying the same product on the same day can pay very different prices depending on their profile.

The main pricing factors are: age, declared pre-existing medical conditions, destination region (Europe is cheaper than worldwide or USA-inclusive), trip duration, number of people on the policy (single, couple or family), chosen cover tier, and optional add-ons such as winter sports or cruise cover. Excess choices also affect premiums: accepting a higher excess typically reduces the cost of the policy.

Insurers buy actuarial claims data through organisations such as the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to price risk. The ABI does not publish average travel insurance premiums in its freely available data - that information is sold in paid data packages. The figures in this article therefore focus on published claims data and government guidance on uninsured costs, which together provide a way of assessing whether a quoted premium is proportionate.

ABI claims data: what it reveals about costs (2024)

The ABI reported that its members paid out £472 million across more than 500,000 claims in 2024. Medical expenses were the single largest category, accounting for 34% of all claims - up from 29% the previous year - with a total value of £262 million paid out for medical claims alone. The average medical claim payout was £1,528, but the range is extreme: one ABI member paid out more than £1 million for a single customer admitted to hospital for emergency treatment in the USA and subsequently repatriated to the UK.

These figures help contextualise premium decisions. A policy that costs, for example, £80 per year for a single adult travelling in Europe is covering a pool of risk where a small number of claimants generate very large payouts. Travellers who dismiss travel insurance as unnecessary because they are young and healthy are, statistically, still exposed to baggage theft, trip cancellations and accidents - all of which appear in the claims data alongside the headline medical figures.

The cost of being uninsured: GOV.UK figures

The UK government publishes guidance on the financial consequences of travelling without insurance. Its Foreign Travel Insurance guidance page (last updated August 2024) provides specific cost scenarios based on real overseas treatment costs:

• Breaking a leg in Spain, including hospital treatment and potential repatriation: £25,000+
• A quad bike accident in Greece requiring surgery and medical evacuation: £80,000+
• A stomach infection or illness treated in a hospital in the USA, including possible medical evacuation: £150,000+

These figures are not premiums - they are what a traveller without insurance would face paying directly. They underline why even a premium that feels expensive at the time of purchase can represent significant financial protection.

Cost table: illustrative market benchmarks by trip type and risk profile

No insurer is required to publish a standard rate card, and premiums vary by individual quote. The table below uses the ABI claims data and GOV.UK cost guidance as the frame of reference. Published insurer list prices are not available in open data; any figures shown elsewhere that claim to be "average UK premiums" by age band should be treated with caution unless attributed to a named primary source.

Factors that increase travel insurance cost

Several factors reliably increase the cost of a travel insurance quote in the UK:

• Age: The ABI notes that average claims costs increase substantially for older travellers. Its age and travel insurance data shows that while claims frequency can be highest among 31-50 year olds, the average cost of individual claims rises considerably for travellers aged over 65, with those aged 91 and above seeing average claims more than three times higher than those under 65.
• Pre-existing medical conditions: Insurers are required under the FCA's Consumer Duty rules to offer cover for pre-existing conditions, but they can charge more or impose exclusions. Conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory illness typically add significant cost. Travellers with such conditions should declare them fully - failure to do so can void a claim.
• Destination: Destinations are typically grouped into Europe, worldwide excluding USA and Canada, and worldwide including USA and Canada. The USA carries the highest medical cost exposure, as private healthcare is not subsidised by the state. The GOV.UK guidance illustrates why: hospital treatment in the USA can exceed £150,000 without insurance.
• Trip duration: Longer trips carry more risk exposure. Annual multi-trip policies usually cap individual trip length at 31 days, with options to extend to 45, 60 or 90 days for an additional premium.
• Policy type: Single trip cover, bought for one defined journey, is typically less expensive overall than an annual multi-trip policy for a traveller who only travels once a year. For three or more trips, annual multi-trip can offer cost savings.
• Activities: Standard policies exclude or limit cover for certain activities including winter sports, extreme sports, motor racing and quad biking. Adding a winter sports extension or specialist activity cover increases the premium.

Single trip versus annual multi-trip: a cost framework

The decision between a single trip and annual multi-trip policy is primarily one of frequency. A traveller who makes one trip abroad per year will generally find a single trip policy cheaper in total. A traveller who makes three or more trips - including short city breaks, skiing holidays and a main summer holiday - may find an annual policy less costly than buying separate single trip cover each time, as well as more convenient.

Annual policies generally cover an unlimited number of trips within the policy year, provided each trip starts and ends in the UK and does not exceed the stated maximum trip duration (commonly 31 days per trip). Travellers planning longer stays - such as extended holidays or working abroad for several weeks - should verify that the annual policy's per-trip limit is sufficient, or consider a long-stay or backpacker policy instead.

Family policies cover two named adults and their dependent children, typically those under 18 or 21 and living at home. Family cover can reduce the cost per person compared with buying individual policies for each family member. For information relevant to travel around major sporting events, see the England vs Costa Rica World Cup 2026 Travel Money, Insurance and Fan Finance Guide.

The GHIC and its limits

UK residents can obtain a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which replaced the EHIC after Brexit. The GHIC gives access to state-provided healthcare in EU countries and some others on the same terms as residents of those countries. However, the GHIC does not cover private medical treatment, repatriation costs, cancellation, baggage or any other travel insurance benefit. The ABI illustrates this clearly: in one example, GHIC covered 80% of treatment costs in France but the remaining 20% - £16,000 - still had to be covered by travel insurance. For USA, Canada, Australia and most non-EU destinations, the GHIC provides no cover at all.

Cruises, winter sports and specialist add-ons

Standard travel insurance policies usually exclude or limit cover for cruise holidays, winter sports and certain adventure activities. Cruise insurance typically adds cover for missed port departures, cabin confinement and shipboard medical costs. Winter sports cover adds protection for ski equipment, ski pack (unused lessons or lift passes), piste closure and off-piste activities if declared. These extensions carry additional premiums, the exact amounts of which are not published in open data and vary by provider and individual risk. For more background on travel and flights, see the EasyJet A320 Luton take-off error AAIB report.

Travel insurance for older travellers

The ABI's age and travel insurance data shows that while most insurers will sell policies to travellers of any age, premiums rise significantly from around age 65 onwards, and the maximum trip age cap varies by provider. Some policies cap cover at age 65, 70 or 75 for annual multi-trip policies, though specialist older traveller insurers offer cover beyond 80. Travellers with significant pre-existing conditions who are in older age groups will typically pay the highest premiums. Declaring all conditions accurately remains a legal obligation - misrepresentation can void claims.

Travel insurance for travellers with medical conditions

The ABI provides guidance specifically on declaring pre-existing conditions. Since 2020, FCA rules have required insurers to signpost declined customers or those charged significantly higher premiums to a directory of specialist providers. The Travel Insurance for Cancer Patients UK guide covers the specific challenges for travellers with a cancer diagnosis. Travellers must declare conditions accurately at the point of purchase. See also the FIFA World Cup 2026 Travel Guide for UK Fans for broader travel planning context.

Disclaimer: This article is editorial and informational only and does not constitute financial advice. Travel insurance premiums change frequently and are individually risk-rated. Verify current pricing and policy terms directly with the provider before purchasing. Check the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk to confirm any insurer is authorised. GOV.UK figures for uninsured treatment costs were last updated August 2024 and may change. This page references ABI claims data published in August 2025 based on 2024 calendar year claims.

What is the average cost of travel insurance in the UK?

The ABI does not publish average UK travel insurance premiums in freely available data. What is publicly available is claims data: ABI members paid out £472 million across more than 500,000 claims in 2024, with an average medical claim of £1,528. Average premiums vary by age, destination, trip type and health status; any single headline figure should be verified against a live quote from a regulated insurer.

Is annual multi-trip travel insurance cheaper than buying single trip policies?

For travellers who take three or more trips in a year, an annual multi-trip policy can be more cost-effective in total than buying separate single trip cover each time. For a traveller who takes one trip per year, a single trip policy is typically less expensive overall. Annual policies usually cap individual trip duration at 31 days per trip.

Why does travel insurance cost more for older travellers?

ABI data shows that claims costs rise substantially with age, particularly beyond 65. Older travellers are statistically more likely to need emergency medical treatment abroad and face higher average claim costs. The ABI notes that claims for travellers aged 91 and over are more than three times the average of those under 65.

Does the GHIC replace travel insurance?

No. The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives access to state-provided healthcare in EU countries but does not cover repatriation, private hospital treatment, trip cancellation, baggage or any other travel insurance benefit. Even in countries where the GHIC applies, a gap between state-covered costs and actual treatment costs may remain - the ABI cites an example where GHIC covered 80% of treatment costs in France, leaving £16,000 for the traveller to cover.

What increases travel insurance costs the most?

The biggest cost drivers are age (especially over 65), declared pre-existing medical conditions, travelling to the USA or Canada (highest medical cost exposure), longer trip durations, and adding specialist cover such as winter sports or cruise extensions. Taking a higher excess can reduce the premium.

Are prices regulated for travel insurance in the UK?

Travel insurance premiums are not price-regulated beyond the FCA's Consumer Duty rules, which prohibit charging existing customers materially more than new customers for equivalent policies. Each insurer sets its own premiums based on actuarial risk assessment.