Single trip business insurance

Travelling for business? Find out more about single trip business travel insurance and what it covers. When you’re ready, compare quotes to get the cover you need.

Written by

Emily Kindness

Business insurance comparison expert

Last Updated

2 MARCH 2022

6 min read

What is single trip business insurance?

Single trip business insurance is a special kind of business travel insurance policy that covers you for a one-off business trip, either abroad or in the UK.

Business travel insurance covers many of the same things as the travel insurance you buy when you’re heading off on holiday, but it’s also tailored more specifically for the needs of business travel. It can cover your business equipment and company money, as well as missed connections, delays and medical expenses so you can focus fully on the job at hand.

Like standard travel insurance, you’ll need to provide your destination when comparing quotes and your policy will normally fall under one of four categories:

Travel within the UK
Travel in Europe
Travel worldwide (excluding USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico)
Travel worldwide (including USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico)

The USA, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico usually fall into a distinct category because of the high costs of medical treatment in these countries.

What does single-trip business insurance cover?

Typically, single trip travel insurance will cover you for:

Medical costs: to cover emergency medical expenses and sometimes even routine medical consultations with a GP while you’re away on business. Some policies will also offer emergency dental cover, so check the policy details if that’s important to you. Don’t forget to inform your provider of any existing medical conditions to make sure you’ll be covered
Trip cancellation or curtailment: your policy will cover you for losses up to a fixed limit if your trip is cancelled or cut short because of reasons beyond your control. For example, if you fall ill or there’s a death in your family. You won’t be covered if you simply decide not to go or you come home early because you’re missing your family
Business equipment: for repairs or replacement of any business equipment including work laptops, smartphones, gadgets and product samples in case they are lost, stolen or damaged on route. When you’re comparing policies, make sure you check that the single item limit – the maximum amount you can claim for one item – will be enough to cover any electronic gadgets and expensive equipment you’re taking with you
Personal belongings: as well as any work-related equipment, business trip travel insurance can include cover for the personal possessions you’re taking with you
Legal fees: in case you’re involved in an accident while you’re travelling

What isn't covered by single trip business insurance?

Single trip business insurance has many of the same exclusions as standard travel insurance:

Pre-existing conditions: you’ll need to declare any existing medical conditions when you take out your policy, to make sure you’ll be covered. It’s important to be honest about the severity of your condition too - if you make a claim for medical expenses for an existing condition and your insurance provider finds that you misled them, your claim will likely be rejected. When you compare with us, we’ll only show you quotes for policies that cover the conditions you’ve declared, with no exclusions

Claims resulting from intoxication and reckless behaviour: you won’t be able to claim for any injuries that happen when you’re under the influence, or any items that disappear somehow while you’re drunk. Similarly, most policies will not pay out for claims if they were a result of you behaving irresponsibly, although the exact definition of reckless behaviour will vary from policy to policy
Travelling to a country with an FCDO warning: the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes up-to-date travel advice for every country in the world. If they decide that a country is too dangerous to travel to, they will issue a warning advising against all travel, or all but essential travel. If you don’t heed this warning and go ahead with your travel plans, you’ll not be covered by your business travel insurance policy. So it’s important to check before you go
Items left unattended: although your business equipment and personal possessions will be covered for loss, theft or damage, you still have to take reasonable care of them. So you won’t be able to claim for theft of your mobile phone if you left it on a table in a café unattended, for example
Possessions and work equipment over a certain value: it’s important to make sure your policy covers all the goods and possessions you’ll be taking with you. Take some time to figure out the overall value of your luggage – for both business and pleasure – and watch out for the single item limit. If your policy isn’t going to be enough, you may want to consider adding extra cover for your valuables
Extreme sports: group activities and sports are a great way to get to know new business partners, but if you’re planning on a team-bonding bungee jump, you may need to purchase extra cover. Check your policy first to see which sports and activities are covered as standard

Does single trip business insurance cover disruption from COVID-19?

Some business travel insurance policies will provide additional cover for COVID-19 disruption, but it varies per provider, so it’s important to check the details of any policy carefully before you buy. When you compare quotes with us, we’ll label those policies that provide additional protection for travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. You can see a summary of what’s included in each policy when you click on more details.

Look out for policies that include:

Medical treatment and repatriation costs related to COVID-19 while on your business trip
Trip cancellations related to a COVID-19 positive diagnosis
Cover for pre-booked accommodation if you’re unable to travel due to COVID-19
Cancellations if the FCDO issues a warning against travel to your chosen destination
Additional transport and accommodation costs if you contract COVID-19 while you’re away

Bear in mind that business travel insurance is unlikely to cover you if you decide to cancel your trip because of personal concerns about coronavirus.

For more information, read our guide to choosing travel insurance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Why would I need single trip business insurance?

An obvious reason is if you don’t have an overall business travel insurance policy in place, perhaps if you own or work for a small business or if you don’t usually travel for work.

Larger companies and employers often have business travel insurance but it’s still worth checking if you’re not sure, to find out exactly what’s covered.

If you travel a lot for business, you might want to look at annual travel cover rather than a single trip policy.

If you have a business bank account, it’s worth checking if you have any travel insurance provided as part of your account. If you do, read the terms carefully to see if it will be suitable for your business trip and consider arranging extra cover if you need to.

What extra cover is available?

Single trip business insurance can also cover you for:

Delays and missed connections/departures, which could be especially useful if you have lots of meetings or appointments lined up. Cover for this is available as part of a single trip policy, although you may have to pay extra for it.

Business equipment and money: basic policies will typically have low single item limits and lower total limits overall compared to more comprehensive policies. So if you plan to travel with expensive equipment, business samples or large sums of money, it may be a good idea to look into extra cover.

Replacement business associates: comprehensive business travel insurance may cover the costs to send out a colleague to sub in for you if you have to cut your trip short for certain reasons.

End supplier failure: in some cases, more extensive business travel insurance may cover you for travel costs up to a certain fixed amount if the business you’re travelling to meet with goes bust.

How do I make a claim for single trip business insurance?

It’s a good idea to take a copy of your policy when you travel and note down any claims numbers and emergency helpline numbers, so you have them to hand if you need to make a claim.

If you need to make a claim while you’re away, follow these steps:

Get a copy of the police report: if you’ve been a victim of crime, you’ll need to report it to the local authorities as soon as you can. Many travel insurance policies will need you to do this within a certain time frame - for example within 24 hours of the crime occurring
Call your insurance provider: if you have a medical emergency, there may be a separate number to call before you receive any treatment at a hospital or medical establishment. Whatever claim you’re making, you’ll need to notify your insurance provider within a set time frame. That should be detailed on your policy
Collect and keep all evidence: you’ll need to provide evidence to your insurance provider to back up your claim, whether that’s a police report or medical forms and notes. You’ll also need to provide receipts for any stolen, lost or damaged items. It could be a good idea to collect electronic copies together in a folder before you go so you have them available.

Bear in mind that this is a guide. Different insurance providers will have different procedures in place so make sure you check your policy terms before you travel and get all your ducks in a row. For more information, read our guide to making a claim on your travel insurance.

How much does single trip business insurance cost?

The cost of your business travel insurance depends on:

Your age
Any pre-existing medical conditions
How long you’re going away for
Where you’re going
What activities you’ll be doing

The amount you pay for your premium will also depend on how much cover you want for things like your luggage and trip cancellation, and how much you’re willing to pay in excess.

Shopping around is a good way to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your business trip travel insurance. That’s where we come in. Compare a range of business travel insurance policies and start saving.

Frequently asked questions

Should I get single trip or annual business travel insurance?

It depends on how often you travel for work. If you go on frequent business trips, then you may find that an annual policy is better value overall, even if you’ll end up paying more upfront.

Can I include golf cover on single trip business travel insurance?

If you’re planning to network on the fairways while on your business trip, you may want to add on specialist golf cover to your policy. It can help cover your clubs for loss or damage and cover lost green tees if you have to cancel due to sickness or bad weather.

Can I include sports and leisure activities on my single trip business travel insurance?

Like standard travel insurance, single trip insurance policies will cover certain sports and activities as standard, but you may need to purchase extra cover if you’re planning on doing anything that your insurance provider considers as extreme or risky. Check the policy details to see what’s covered and what’s excluded.

Can I arrange single trip business travel insurance for a group?

Yes, you can normally choose group travel insurance and add on business cover to your policy. If you’re going with a large group of colleagues, a group policy may end up being a better deal, but bear in mind that you’ll have to travel together as a group. If colleagues are flying in on separate dates, you’ll need to arrange separate cover.