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What is single trip travel insurance?
Single trip travel insurance is a policy required to cover you for a one-off holiday. Travel insurance is critical to cover possible outcomes of travelling; such as unexpected medical bills, cancellation costs, and lost luggage, all of which can be compensated depending on the level of insurance you choose.
In 2019, people in the United Kingdom took an average of 3.9 holidays per person per year, whether in the UK or abroad. If you travel twice or more each year, perhaps for work, or you enjoy holidaying - then it might work out cheaper to get annual travel insurance rather than two separate single trip policies. If that isn’t your style, then single trip travel insurance might be more suited to you, saving you money.
What is classed as a single trip?
A single trip holiday is classed as a one-off holiday, the cover type can vary depending on your specific needs, this type of cover usually starts from the date you go on holiday and ends on the date you return. In some cases, you might want to start your policy from the moment you book the holiday to cover for any cancellation reasons, which is important to keep in mind when booking travel insurance.
What it covers
Cancellation cover
If you need to cancel or the holiday provider cancels
Belongings and baggage cover
If your items are damaged or lost in transit
Passport, money and documents cover
In the unfortunate event you lose your passport, money or any important documents, this will provide extra security
Delayed departure cover
You could claim back any loss of funds due to delayed departure, i.e. a pre booked taxi or excursion tickets
Personal accident cover
This is important to consider if you are going on an activity based holiday where you are more likely to have an accident
Accommodation cover
Any hotel failures are covered
Medical and hospital expenses cover
Don’t get caught out by unwanted hospital fees
Added Extras
- Legal expenses: This is important to have if you have to claim compensation for damages caused by another person
- Sports and activities: Added protection for adventurous holidays such as skiing
- Natural disaster and terrorism cover: If you’re caught up in an unfortunate natural disaster or terrorist attack, this added extra will help with any unexpected payouts
- Airspace closure: Closures can be due to delays, cancellations, or interruptions from something unexpected like volcanic ash
It is also important to understand the single item limit in case you plan to take high-value items on your travels, for example, camera equipment or jewellery.
Single trip travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions
Travellers with pre-existing medical conditions are encouraged to inform their insurer of anything, even mild, that you might be suffering from or receiving treatment for. It might increase the cost of your quote, but without declaring the information, you run the risk of having your claim rejected.
Advantages and disadvantages of single trip travel insurance
Advantages of a single trip policy
People will opt for single trip travel insurance over annual insurance if they only intend on going on a one-off holiday. By doing this, the price tends to be a lot more cost-effective, and you can arrange cover for the exact number of days you’re away.
Another benefit of single trip insurance is that there is no cap on age limit, many insurers won’t offer annual travel insurance for travellers over 80 years of age, so a single trip policy could be the only option.
Disadvantages of a single trip policy
If you are planning to travel more than once in the year, you might want to consider multi trip insurance. This provides more protection and could cost you less than having multiple single trip insurance policies.
Alternative options
There are alternative options to a single trip travel insurance policy - which is worth exploring if you plan on leaving the country more than once in 12 months.
Annual travel insurance, also known as a multi-trip policy, is a good alternative for people who tend to go away more than once in a year. The type of cover should cover all your holidays for one year, most insurers will have a maximum length for each individual trip within that year so it’s worth checking out the terms and conditions with your insurers if you plan to go on a longer excursion.
Typically, a holiday cannot exceed 31 days, but some policies will offer cover for 60 or even 90 days. If you plan to be away longer than this then you might want to consider looking into a long-stay insurance policy as an alternative to single trip or multi-trip. This type of insurance is often referred to as backpacker insurance, or gap-year insurance and typically can protect you for up to 18 months - in some cases, this can be extended.
Excess
Excess is the amount of money you’re expected to contribute towards a claim. For example, if you need to claim £1000 for baggage loss, if you have an excess of £100, you will receive £900 from your insurer.
Depending on the type of policy you opt for, insurers will have varying levels of excess for different parts of the policy. Examples of different kinds of excess that may be set out in your policy include loss of deposit; personal money; baggage and cancellation.
It is important to check whether you can afford the claim amount before agreeing to a travel insurance policy.
What do I need to get single trip insurance?
Insurance providers will look at a number of factors before giving you a quote; typically, the younger you are and the less exposed you are to danger means the cheaper your quote will be.
- Your age
- Any activities you plan on doing
- The level of cover
- Destination
- Holiday duration
- Any pre-existing medical conditions
How do I make a claim?
When travelling, it's always a good idea to have a copy of your insurance policy on hand, whether it's a printout or a digital copy. Should you need to make a claim, it’s important to make the procedure go as smoothly as possible. You may need to do the following:
You are required to contact your insurer as soon as possible, they may have an emergency contact procedure that allows you to contact them from anywhere when you need to make a claim. If you are being admitted to hospital, you may have to contact your insurer about any medical emergencies beforehand.
Insurers are likely to require evidence to support your claim. This may be a hospital or GPs medical note or form, a police report with a reference number, or receipts as evidence of ownership.
If you've been the victim of a crime, you must first notify the authorities to obtain a police report. If you don't report the crime within 24 hours, some insurers can refuse to cover you.
Since the method of filing a claim varies depending on your insurer, it's best to double-check what you need to do before you travel.
Covid Update
Non-essential and international travel is not currently permitted before 17 May 2021 at the earliest (dates subject to further confirmation from the government).
Compare single trip travel insurance quotes and get £27 cashback
By comparing different policies and insurance companies, Quidco Compare can provide cheap single trip travel insurance quotes with up to £27 in cashback. Simply work out the type of cover you need for your trip, then use the comparison tool to get instant quotes and find the ideal single trip travel insurance.
Single Trip Travel Insurance FAQs
How does single trip travel insurance work?
Single trip travel insurance works as a single policy to cover a one off holiday. That being said, you can start your cover from the moment you book the holiday to avoid any cancellation fees, the policy will end when you return from the holiday.
What is the difference between single trip and multi trip travel insurance?
If you're going away for more than 60 consecutive days then single trip travel insurance is unlikely to cover you. Multi trip allows you to take several trips throughout a 12 month period and can save you money if you travel frequently.
What are my travel insurance options?
Whilst single trip insurance covers you for a one-off holiday, multi-trip and backpacking insurance allows for multiple holidays and an extended trip for up to 18 months.
What are the benefits of single trip travel insurance?
Single trip insurance can work out cheaper as you’re only paying for that intended trip - which is useful for people who only go away once every 12 months.
How do I get cheap travel insurance?
Your policy cost will be determined by a number of factors, if you are under 35 then typically you’re going to pay less for insurance. Other factors that keep premiums low is if you're planning to travel somewhere familiar to tourism with cheaper hospital fees and your holiday is considered low risk.
What do I need to get a quote?
Your age, any activities you plan on doing, the level of cover, destination, holiday duration, any pre-existing medical conditions.
What is an excess?
Excess is the amount you would pay to cover the cost of a claim, all insurers offer a different amount of excess, so it’s important to make sure you can afford the excess should you need to make a claim.
What’s included in a single trip travel insurance policy?
Typically, most travel insurance policies will cover the following: Cancellation, belongings and baggage cover; passport, money and documents cover, delayed departure, personal accident, accommodation, medical and hospital expenses.
What’s excluded?
It’s important to check what is included when travelling, as you might want to add the following cover to your policy: Legal expenses, sports and activities, natural disaster and terrorism cover, airspace closure.
Is there a discount for students?
Any traveller between the age of 16-35, will typically get quoted a lot less for travel insurance. If you are enrolled on a course, in a registered educational institution of higher learning, and are attending classes on a full-time basis, it’s worth looking into student travel insurance as it can offer a higher level of protection.
What about family holidays?
A single trip policy is available for a single person, a couple, or a family. It is sometimes less expensive to provide a family policy than to arrange separate cover for many individuals, so make sure you read the policy's terms and conditions.
Useful information
*Based on a couple aged 30 with no pre-existing medical conditions, taking annual multi-trip cover for Europe. Cover starts on 4th March 2022 and ends on 3rd March 2023. Prices correct as of 3rd March 2022.
If you're struggling to find suitable cover, the Money and Pension Service (MaPs) also provides a list of specialist insurers on the MaPs directory website – or you can call the British Insurance Brokers Association on 0370 950 1790. https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/travel-insurance-directory