What is annual travel insurance?
Annual travel insurance (also known as annual multi-trip travel insurance) is an insurance policy that provides cover for all your holiday travel and business trips across a year.
If you’re looking to buy annual travel insurance, it pays to shop around.
Compare annual travel insurance policies and search for the right cover for your needs. You can choose from the following regions:
- UK
- Europe
- Worldwide (excluding USA, Canada, Caribbean and Mexico)
- Worldwide.
A simples guide to annual travel insurance
If you’re wondering how annual travel insurance works, and whether it’s the right option for you, here’s what you need to know:
The information in this video is available as a text transcript.
What will an annual travel insurance policy usually cover?
A typical multi trip travel insurance policy could protect you against:
- Medical expenses – this can cover medical emergencies, the cost of any treatment, overnight stays and repatriation. Remember to tell your insurance provider about any pre-existing medical conditions.
- Cancellation – this could help if you need to cancel or cut short your holiday because of illness, for example.
- Missed departure or delays – offers cover if your flights are delayed because of an insured event, such as bad weather.
- Stolen, lost or damaged luggage – make sure you have enough insurance to cover the cost of your luggage.
- Theft or loss of personal possessions – this could cover your valuables, money, travel documents and other belongings.
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Personal liability – this may cover the cost of any damage or injury you inadvertently cause while you’re away.
Some providers offer annual multi-trip travel insurance policies where you can choose between different levels of cover. The top levels offer more protection but tend to be more expensive.
Make sure you fully understand the cover you’re getting before you buy.
What’s excluded from yearly travel insurance?
Every insurance policy includes a list of exclusions – things that an insurance provider won’t pay out for. You should always read the policy documents carefully before buying to make sure your needs are covered.
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Medical treatment for pre-existing conditions – you’ll need to tell your insurance provider about these and you’ll usually need to pay extra to cover them. In some cases, you’ll need to look for a specialist policy.
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High-risk sports and activities like bungee jumping and rock climbing. You may need a specialist policy for these, or you may be able to add them to your policy at an extra cost.
- Claims arising from travel to a place the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has advised against travel, prior to your trip.
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Claims resulting from being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
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Events such as terrorism, natural disasters and civil unrest.
- Trips over a set number of days (usually 31).
How to get a cheap annual travel insurance policy
One of the best ways to find cheap annual multi-trip travel insurance is to do an annual travel insurance comparison. But there are other things to consider that might help you save money on your insurance too:
- Choose the right policy for your region – you can buy travel insurance for multiple countries. But think about your plans for the year and limit the policy to the regions you know you’ll be travelling to. For example, there’s no need to buy annual worldwide travel insurance if you’re not going to go outside Europe.
- Don’t duplicate cover – travel insurance is included in some packaged bank accounts, so check you don’t already have cover before you buy. You may also already have cover for some of your possessions – mobile phone insurance, for example. If so, you won’t need this included on your travel policy.
- Choose your excess levels carefully – this is the amount you agree to pay towards a claim. Generally speaking, the higher the excess the lower your premium. Make sure you can afford the excess if you make a claim.
- Choose your cover levels carefully – typically, the higher the level of cover, the more expensive the policy is likely to be. So, it’s not worth choosing, say, a high level of cover for your luggage if it doesn’t reflect the value of what you’re taking with you.
If you’re only making one trip in a year, then you might find it cheaper to get a single-trip policy. We can show you both options so you can decide which is right for you.
What are the advantages of a multi-trip policy?
Advantages of annual travel insurance cover include:
- Ease – with multi-trip travel insurance you can go away at the last minute without having to organise travel insurance (one less thing to worry about).
- Affordability – pay once for 12 months’ cover. If you take several trips a year, this could work out cheaper than paying for multiple single trips individually.
- Cover for multiple trips – although each individual trip length will have a limit; check the policy for details.
- Suitability – with several types of annual multi-trip travel insurance targeting different regions of the world, you only need pay for insurance for the areas you know you’ll be visiting.
- Flexibility – insurance providers offer a range of cover options, so you can choose between a typical policy and one with much higher limits for pay-outs.
How much does annual travel insurance cost?
Multi-trip travel insurance for Europe
from £10.15[1]
Multi-trip travel insurance worldwide
£36.84[1]
[1] Based on Compare the Market data for an annual multi trip travel insurance policy for a 20 year old with no pre-existing medical conditions travelling in Europe. Prices correct as of July 2025.
Based on Compare the Market data for an annual multi trip travel insurance policy for a 20 year old with no pre-existing medical conditions travelling Worldwide. Prices correct as of July 2025.
Customers with pre-existing medical conditions
If you have a serious health condition, your travel insurance is likely to be more expensive. Whatever happens, tell your insurance provider the truth. If you give false information or miss something out, your claim could be rejected.
When you declare any medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show you quotes from insurance providers that will cover them with no exclusions.
If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone. You can call them on 0800 138 7777.
Annual travel insurance FAQs
Do I need annual travel insurance if I have an GHIC/EHIC card?
Yes, you still need travel insurance. The GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) or its predecessor, the EHIC, can give you the same access to medical treatment in Europe as a local.
But travel insurance can cover other costs that the GHIC doesn’t, such as flight delays or lost luggage. Insurance can also cover you for emergency repatriation if you need to be returned to the UK for specialist medical care.
Will I need extra cover for sports and activities?
If you’re intending to do any sports or adventure activities you may want to look at:
These could give you the cover you need if you’re taking part in riskier activities. But you’ll need to pay a bit extra to add them to your policy.
How many times can I go away on an annual policy?
Policies vary. If you’ll be making numerous trips, make sure you double-check the small print on your insurance provider’s yearly holiday insurance policy in case there’s a maximum trip limit.
How many days can each holiday be for?
Often with annual travel insurance cover, each individual holiday within the year of your annual policy can’t exceed a certain number of days. This is typically 31 days.
When should I select my annual multi-trip travel insurance to start from?
Ideally, on the day you book your holiday. This is because the cancellation cover on annual multi-trip insurance begins from the start date of the policy. To make sure you have this protection, you need to be covered from when you pay for your first trip, not just from when you start it.
Will my annual travel insurance policy cover me for trips in the UK?
Most yearly travel insurance plans will cover you for UK trips, but there may be conditions that apply, for example:
- A minimum number of nights away
- A minimum distance from home.
Check your policy for details.
Will I be covered for my airline or holiday provider going bust?
It depends. Some policies will include this, under end supplier failure or scheduled airline failure. Others make it an add-on or won’t cover it at all.
When you compare with us, you can clearly see which policies include this and those that don’t.
What is travel insurance excess and how high should I set it?
An excess in insurance is how much you’ll pay towards a claim. For example, if your luggage is insured for £250 and the excess is £50, your insurance provider will pay you £200 if your claim is successful.
With travel insurance, different parts of the policy may have different excess amounts. For example, the excess for cancellation might be different from the excess for medical treatment.
When you compare with us, you can choose the maximum excess you want to pay. But make sure you could afford this if you had to claim.
Can I extend the maximum trip duration on my annual travel insurance policy?
This depends on your age and level of cover. The maximum trip duration is usually 31 or 60 days, depending on the cover you’re buying. Older flyers may have more limited trip durations with some policies.
If you need to stay longer than the limits specified in your policy, insurance providers usually suggest you take out a single trip policy.
Will my valuables and money be protected?
The extent to which your valuables and money may be protected can vary from policy to policy. There will be upper limits set out in the terms and conditions.
To be able to claim you’ll also need to follow the guidelines set out by your insurance provider – for example, never leave your mobile unattended and lock valuables in a safe if available.
Also, make sure you’re clear what to do if you need to make a claim, such as report the incident to the police.
Can my family travel independently on an annual policy?
In most cases, each adult named on a family multi-trip travel insurance policy is covered to travel alone. You don’t have to all go away together at the same time.
Children can often travel independently of others named on the policy. But they’ll need to be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.
There are some policies that won’t cover family members travelling independently though, so always check the cover details.
How many times can you claim on annual travel insurance?
You’ll be covered for each trip you take. This means that – in theory and if you’re very unlucky – you could claim each time you travel.
What are my other travel insurance options?
You can opt for single-trip insurance if you’re only likely to make one trip in a year.
If you’re going on a cruise, you may find cruise insurance better suited to your needs. Cruise insurance policies can cover missed port stops or cabin confinement.
Long-stay trip insurance (also known as backpacker insurance) might be better suited to a traveller away for long periods and visiting several countries.
Can you cancel annual travel insurance?
You can normally cancel your travel insurance within the 14-day cooling off period. You’ll often get a refund of any premiums you’ve paid, but there may be an admin fee for cancelling.
The cooling off period starts from when you receive your insurance documents, or when the policy starts, whichever is later.
What do I need to get a quote?
When you start a travel insurance quote with us, it’s a good idea to have some basic information about your travel plans, including:
- When you want the policy to start
- All the countries you want to visit
- How many people you want to insure
- Any medical conditions
- Cover limits, excess limits and additional cover you might want.
What our expert says...
"You might think multi-trip annual travel insurance isn't for you, but even going away twice in a year could make it worth it. It can also remove some of the admin from travelling, with one policy covering you for all your trips, rather than having to take out cover each time."
- Anna McEntee, Home, pet and travel insurance expert
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