What’s travel insurance for – and do I really need it?

Travel insurance helps protect you financially if something unexpected affects your trip – either before you leave or while you’re away. It isn’t legally required for most destinations but travelling without it means you may need to cover medical costs, cancellations or lost belongings yourself. 

Arranging travel insurance may not be the most exciting part of planning a holiday. But it can be one of the most important. In this guide, you’ll learn: 

• What travel insurance is for: Financial protection if something unexpected affects your trip 

• Whether you really need travel insurance: It isn’t required for most destinations, but it can protect you from costly problems 

• What travel insurance can cover: Things like medical treatment abroad, cancellations, lost luggage and travel delays. 

Travel insurance helps protect you financially if unexpected problems affect your trip. It can help cover: 

• Medical emergencies abroad 

• Cancelling your trip 

• Travel disruption or delays 

• Lost or stolen belongings 

You may not legally need travel insurance for most destinations – but you may financially need it if something goes wrong.

Travel insurance exists to protect you from unexpected costs related to your trip. Depending on the policy you choose, travel insurance may help cover: 

• Emergency medical treatment abroad 

• Cancelling your trip unexpectedly 

• Cutting your trip short 

• Lost, stolen or delayed luggage 

• Travel delays or missed departures 

• Causing accidental injury or damage to someone else 

We all hope our holidays go smoothly. But it’s good to know that, if something unexpected happens, travel insurance can help reduce the financial impact. 

Travel insurance isn’t legally required for most destinations. But travelling without it means you may have to cover the costs yourself if something goes wrong. Many tour operators will ask that you have comprehensive travel insurance before you go away. 

Without travel insurance you could be responsible for: 

• Medical treatment abroad 

• Emergency transport back to the UK 

• Losing the money spent on a cancelled trip 

• Replacing lost or stolen luggage 

Medical care abroad can be particularly expensive in some countries. Even relatively minor treatment can cost hundreds or thousands of pounds. Travel insurance gives you reassurance that, should the unexpected happen, you have financial support in place. So you can focus on enjoying your adventure. 

Travel insurance is designed to help with a range of unexpected situations that may affect your trip. You should always check the limits of the travel insurance policy to be sure it covers what you need it to – but most are designed to help with these common travel risks. 

If you become ill or injured while travelling, travel insurance may help cover the cost of medical treatment or hospital care. 

Healthcare costs can vary widely depending on where you travel. Some countries have very high medical fees, which is why medical cover is often one of the most important parts of a travel insurance policy. 

Sometimes you have to cancel a holiday for reasons outside your control. Travel insurance may help cover non-refundable costs if you have to cancel due to certain unexpected situations – such as illness or family emergencies.

If something happens while you’re away and you need to return home early, travel insurance may help cover the cost of cutting your trip short. 

If your luggage is lost, stolen or delayed during your journey, travel insurance may help cover the cost of replacing essential items while you’re away. 

Unexpected events such as transport delays or missed connections can disrupt travel plans. Travel insurance may offer financial protection for certain types of travel disruption. 

Some travel insurance policies include personal liability cover. This can help if you accidentally injure someone or damage their property during your trip. 

Although having travel insurance isn’t legally required for most trips, travelling without insurance means taking on the financial risk yourself. For example, you may have to pay for: 

• Medical treatment abroad 

• Emergency transport home 

• Rebooking flights or accommodation 

• Replacing lost belongings 

If you’re travelling in Europe, you may have a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). The GHIC allows UK travellers to access state healthcare in some European countries, but it doesn’t replace travel insurance. For example, GHIC usually doesn’t cover: 

• Trip cancellation 

• Lost luggage 

• Emergency repatriation to the UK 

This is why many travellers choose to use travel insurance alongside their GHIC. 

Travel insurance can be useful for most trips, but there are certain situations where it becomes particularly important. 

Healthcare costs outside Europe can be very high. Travel insurance can help protect you if medical treatment is needed abroad.

If you have a medical condition, it’s important to declare it when buying travel insurance. 

Healthcare costs can vary widely around the world – and in some countries, even routine treatment can be very high.

At Staysure, we specialise in providing cover for pre-existing medical conditions and all ages, so you can enjoy your adventures with confidence. 

Cruise holidays can involve multiple destinations and specialised medical care at sea. Staysure offers optional Cruise Plus cover that you can add-on to your travel insurance policy, built specifically for cruise-goers. 

If your trip includes significant non-refundable costs – such as flights, accommodation or tours – travel insurance may help protect your investment.

When travelling with children or as a group, travel insurance can provide reassurance if unexpected events affect the trip.

You might feel that travel insurance isn’t necessary, especially if your trip seems straightforward. Some travellers assume they don’t need it because: 

• they’re healthy 

• their airline offers some protection 

• they believe healthcare is free in Europe.  

However, unexpected situations can still happen. Travel insurance helps provide financial protection, giving you reassurance that support is in place if something affects your trip. 

If you’re unsure whether travel insurance is worth it, it can help to ask yourself a few questions: 

• Could I afford unexpected medical bills abroad? 

• Could I absorb the cost of cancelling my trip? 

• Would I struggle if my luggage was lost or stolen? 

If the answer to any of these questions is no, travel insurance may provide valuable protection and reassurance. 

You’ve got dreams to fulfil and adventures to chase. With the right travel insurance in place, you can relax and enjoy every moment of your trip.  

Planning a one-off getaway? Single trip travel insurance can cover you for one holiday from start to finish. Or, if you’re dreaming of multiple trips throughout the year, annual travel insurance could give you cover for several adventures with one policy. 

 
Get a quote today and start planning your next adventure with confidence.