Best travel insurance providers - Times Money Mentor (2023)

When shopping for travel insurance the best policy for you will depend on your circumstances and the type of trip you are going on.

We have rated hundreds of travel insurers and picked out which ones are the best depending on what you’re looking for. Remember that the detail of what’s included varies by insurer and by policy, so make sure you read the small print.

This article includes:

• Which travel insurers cover Covid related claims?
• Best annual multi-trip travel insurance
• Best annual single-trip travel insurance
• Best for those with pre-existing medical conditions
• Best travel insurance for over-50s
• Best travel insurance for cruises
• Best winter sports cover
• How our independent ratings are calculated

Related content: What does travel insurance cover?

We have gone through581 policiesto find the ones that offer the best cover for coronavirus-related disruption.

A total of 34 have been awarded a five-star rating. A five-star rated policy will cover you for:

● Changes to FCDO advice while you are on your trip
● Cancelled excursions you have booked in advance
● Cancellation if you or your travelling companion, a household member or a relative contract the coronavirus within 14 days of your departure
● Medical cover if you catch Covid-19

You can get an annual policy (covering Covid-19 treatment abroad and cancellation cover) from as little as £11 from Coverwise.

Five-star policies are offered by the likes of:

• AllClear
• Cedartree
• Abta
• Coverwise

A number of insurers will cover for cancellation of your trip should you need to self-isolate because someone you live with has tested positive for the coronavirus. These include:

• AllClear
• Allianz Assistance
• Abta
• Asda
• Axa
• Co-op
• JustTravelCover
• Nationwide
• Staysure
• Trailfinders
• LV

Always check the terms and conditions of a policy careful to see if it will cover you for what you need it to.

Can I get cover if I travel against FCDO advice?

Yes but you have a smaller pool of insurers to choose from:

Staysure

• Protects those who travel to European destinations after FCDO’s new travel rules have changed
• But you won’t be covered for claims relating to the coronavirus

Insurefor

• Covers coronavirus-related claims in countries that are not on the “safe” list
• Excludes cancellation or curtailment
• Only available for European destinations

You can use a specialist firm such as Battleface, Campbell Irvine and High Risk Voyager, which provide cover for destinations not on the FCDO’s “safe list”.

Under normal circumstances, they sell policies to those visiting war, crisis and disaster-relief zones such as:

• Aid workers
• Journalists and photographers
• Those visiting family in high-risk countries

Many of these policies now include cover for coronavirus-related medical expenses incurred while on a trip, as well as broader medical and general travel insurance.

REMEMBER: You are unlikely to find a policy that will cover you if change your mind about travelling, even if it’s for a good reason.

Best annual multi-trip travel insurance

There are different ways to buy travel insurance cover:

• Single-trip: buy separate policies to cover each individual trip you take
• Multi-trip: buy one policy that covers all the trips you make in a year

If you are a frequent traveller, annual multi-trip policies often work out cheaper.

Here are the top annual-trip providers:

Best annual single-trip travel insurance

Annual travel insurer typically works out cheaper if you travel a couple of times a year.

But if you’re only planning on doing one holiday, single travel insurance cover could be a better option.

We list the top single-trip insurers here:

Best travel insurance for cruises

If you’re thinking about taking a cruise, it’s important to take out special additional cover such as a cruise insurance to protect you.

Cruise insurance is normally offered as an add-on to travel policies, and protects you if you:

• Miss connections to reach the departure
• Fail to get back on board after planned stops
• End up being confined to your cabin

Though if you want a dedicated travel insurance policy for a cruise, here’s an option to consider:

Best winter sports cover

If you’re planning a skiing and snowboarding trip then it’s important you have insurance that will cover you if you’re involved in an accident on the slopes.

Most travel insurers will offer winter sports cover as an optional add-on to their regular cover and will protect you if you:

• Need to be airlifted off the slopes or rescued and need medical treatment
• Turn up and there’s no snow
• Can’t start skiing and snowboarding because of avalanche risk
• Find out your equipment – such as skis, snowboard and boots – has been stolen

It’s difficult to predict what the next ski season will look like. But if you’re booking now and want cover for the essentials, here’s a policy to factor into your calculations.

How we calculate our travel insurance ratings

Our travel insurance star ratings are compiled by the independent consumer group Fairer Finance.

A five-star policy will be one that will protect most travellers in most situations including:

• Lost baggage
• Stolen belongings
• Delays & cancellation
• Medical treatment while away

Our travel insurance customer experience ratings will also give you an idea about which travel insurance companies are best at keeping their promises and have the happiest customers.All providers are authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority.

Want to know more about what travel insurance covers, read our guide.

Our product ratings look at the levels of cover, excesses and fees associated with over 600 travel insurance products on the market.

To get five stars, a product must be within every single one of the red lines that we set. Our red lines are based on average claims levels of cover for different types of insurance claim.

We also look at sector averages for excesses, fees and levels of cover.

A top-rated policy will be one that will cover most or all of any unexpected expenses that arise on your holiday. It will also have manageable excesses and no nasty high fees.

A five-star rated policy must have at least £2m of medical treatment cover (or £5m for a multi-trip policy), £3,000 of cancellation cover and £3,000 for cutting your trip short.

It must also cover you for events like your airline going bust, or your holiday being disrupted because of a natural disaster.

Our customer experience ratings are based on:

• How happy customers are with different travel insurance brands
• How much they trust the brand
• Each brand’s record at complaints handling
• The clarity oftheir online purchase journey and policy documents

James Daley is managing director of Fairer Finance, the independent consumer group that produces our best-buy product tables