The four things that matter in a travel insurance policy (medical evacuation, activity coverage, cancellation terms, and the 24-hour emergency line that actually answers), the three things that don’t matter as much as the marketing suggests, what a £500 excess means in practice, and why the comparison site result and the correct policy are not always the same thing.
Reading time: 7 minutes | Last updated: 2026
Travel insurance is the category where UK travellers most consistently under-buy — choosing the cheapest comparison site result, reading none of the policy document, and discovering the gap between what they thought they had and what they actually have at exactly the moment they need it most.
This guide covers what to actually look for, what the comparison sites optimise for (which isn’t what you need), and the policies worth considering.
The Four Things That Matter
1. Medical evacuation cover — minimum £5 million
The most important single number in a travel insurance policy. Medical evacuation — the cost of emergency transport (air ambulance, specialist repatriation) when you need hospital treatment in a country without the medical infrastructure to treat your condition — is the insurance category where inadequate cover produces catastrophic outcomes.
The air ambulance from Southeast Asia to the UK: £35,000-80,000. From the US: £50,000-120,000. From a remote location (a safari camp in Namibia, a trekking location in Nepal): £50,000-150,000 depending on the extraction complexity.
The medical evacuation limit in many comparison-site-optimised cheap policies: £1-2 million. Inadequate.
The correct minimum: £5 million for standard destinations. £10 million for the US or Canada (where the underlying hospital costs are highest). No limit for serious adventure travel.
2. Activity coverage — check the exclusions list specifically
Every travel insurance policy excludes some activities as standard. The specific exclusions that catch travellers by surprise:
Extreme sports clauses: Most standard policies exclude skiing (unless specifically added), scooter/motorcycle riding above 125cc, white water rafting, cliff jumping, bungee jumping, and anything the policy terms define as “hazardous.” The definitions vary significantly between providers.
The scooter problem in Southeast Asia: Most UK travellers hire scooters in Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali. Most standard travel insurance policies exclude scooter accidents unless you hold a valid motorcycle licence in the UK. This is the most common gap between what travellers think is covered and what is covered.
The trekking altitude clauses: Some policies exclude trekking above specific altitudes (3,000m or 5,000m depending on the policy). The Annapurna Circuit exceeds 5,000m; Everest Base Camp is at 5,364m. Verify before trekking Nepal.
3. Cancellation terms — the excess and the covered reasons
The cancellation cover headline figure (£3,000 or £5,000 in trip cancellation) is less useful than understanding: the excess per claim (the amount you pay before the insurance pays anything — typically £50-150 per claim, but can be £250-500 on the cheapest policies), and the list of covered cancellation reasons (illness, bereavement, redundancy — but usually not “changed mind,” FCDO advice changes that happen after booking, or “afraid to travel” without a specific FCDO advisory).
4. The 24-hour emergency line
When you need medical assistance abroad, the emergency line is the first call. The quality of this service — whether it is genuinely staffed around the clock by people who can actually arrange assistance rather than take a message — varies significantly between insurers and is almost never visible in comparison site results.
The test: call the emergency number before you travel. If you reach a human within 3 minutes at 11pm on a Wednesday, the infrastructure is real. If you reach voicemail or a chatbot, the insurance is less reliable than its price suggests.
The Three Things That Matter Less Than the Marketing Suggests
Baggage cover: Most travellers overweight the baggage cover headline figure. The excess per item claim (£50-100 per item) and the per-item limit (£250-500, below the replacement cost of most electronics) mean that the baggage cover rarely pays meaningfully. The correct approach: carry valuable electronics in hand luggage, and accept that the baggage cover is for emergencies rather than routine losses.
Travel delay cover: The typical payment (£25-50 after a 12-hour delay, up to £200 total) rarely covers the actual costs of a significant delay. It is a gesture rather than meaningful protection.
Emergency cash provision: Many policies offer emergency cash advance for lost wallets. The process (calling the emergency line, completing paperwork, receiving a wire transfer) typically takes 24-48 hours — during which a UK bank card replacement, a WeTransfer from home, or a cash advance from the hotel front desk is more practical.
The Providers Worth Considering
For standard travel (Europe and mainstream destinations):
Battleface — strong medical evacuation limits, clear activity coverage, the emergency line has consistently fast response times in testing. Policy prices are mid-range rather than comparison-site-lowest. Worth the small premium over the cheapest option.
World Nomads — specifically designed for adventure and activity coverage. The Standard plan covers a significant list of adventure activities; the Explorer plan extends this further. More expensive than standard comparison site results but the activity coverage breadth is genuine.
For backpacker and long-term travel:
World Nomads (again) — the only mainstream provider that covers trips up to 6 months from the UK without requiring you to name your return date at booking. The standard comparison site policies typically require a fixed return date.
For the US or Canada:
The medical evacuation cover requirement for North America is genuinely different — verify your provider covers treatment at the US standard (which can run to £500,000+ for a serious incident). World Nomads and Columbus Direct both explicitly cover the US emergency medical system.
What to avoid:
The single-trip policies at the bottom of comparison site results — typically £8-15 for a European trip. The medical cover is usually adequate for Europe (the EHIC/GHIC provides significant protection within the EU), but the excess, the activity exclusions, and the emergency line quality make them inadequate for serious situations outside Europe.
The Annual Multi-Trip Policy Calculation
For UK travellers taking 3+ trips per year, the annual multi-trip policy is almost always cheaper than buying single-trip policies and provides better coverage.
The annual World Nomads Standard policy: approximately £180-240/year for up to 180 days of travel in a year (30 days maximum per trip). The equivalent in three single-trip World Nomads policies: approximately £180-240 — same cost, less flexibility, no coverage if you take an unplanned fourth trip.
The annual comparison site policy (Aviva, Staysure): approximately £80-140/year for standard worldwide coverage. The comparison site annual policy is correct for Europe-focused travel without adventure activities. Inadequate for adventure travel or North America.
The Practical Checklist Before Buying
Before buying any travel insurance policy:
☐ Check the medical evacuation limit (minimum £5m, £10m for US)
☐ Read the activity exclusions list — specifically check: skiing, scooter hire, trekking altitude limits
☐ Note the excess per claim — the headline cancellation cover minus a £250 excess per claim changes the calculation
☐ Call the emergency line at an unusual hour before departure
☐ Screenshot or download the policy document — have it accessible offline
☐ Note the claims number separately from the emergency line — they are different numbers
BGGD Recommendation
For most UK travellers: World Nomads Standard for adventure travel, battleface for standard travel.
For the specific Southeast Asia scooter situation: ensure you have a UK motorcycle licence before renting, or buy a policy that explicitly covers unlicensed scooter hire in the destination country (rare — most don’t).
→ Get a World Nomads quote — BGGD affiliate link. Clicking costs you nothing; booking supports the site.
→ Compare at MoneySuperMarket — for standard European and mainstream destination travel, the comparison site is fine. Use the checklist above to filter the results.
The most useful travel insurance content is always the most specific. If you’re planning a specific trip and unsure about coverage — drop the question in the comments and we’ll check it.
