Do I need travel insurance for UK holidays?

When travelling abroad, the majority of holidaymakers will purchase travel insurance, however, a much smaller percentage of travellers will buy insurance for trips within the UK.

Travel insurance for UK-based holidays covers similar aspects to a policy for overseas trips and can be just as beneficial to have in place. Despite being in familiar surroundings, problems that are out of your control can still occur, leaving you and your family in a difficult position.

Commonly, a policy for travel within the UK includes:

Cancellation – If you need to cancel your trip or end it early due to an emergency, you may be entitled to compensation for the funds you have lost. It’s important to check for any exclusions on the policy so you know what situations are and aren’t covered. Most policies include cancellation due to death, illness or injury, jury service or cancellation of leave.

Curtailment (cutting your trip short) – as with Cancellation there are certain circumstances that will mean you have to cut your trip short in the event of an emergency, such as the death of a close relative, or you becoming seriously ill. Again, you may be entitled to claim for any lost funds or booking costs you incur as a result. Check your policy for specific details of what’s covered and what isn’t.

Loss of personal belongings – If your belongings are lost, stolen or damaged whilst travelling, they may be covered under your policy. When travelling by plane, the weight of your luggage is often restricted, and you may be reluctant to take expensive items in case the airline is to lose your bags, whereas for UK-based holidays, you may pack more and bring expensive items, despite the fact that loss, theft and damage are still possible scenarios. There are often certain requirements for items to be covered, such as leaving them locked up or out of sight when unattended, so be sure to check your policy wording. You may also find some of these items are covered under your home insurance policy.

Medical cover – Within the UK, you have the benefit of the NHS and therefore don’t require cover for medical bills. However, if you find yourself unwell or injured you may need assistance with any travel expenses to get you to and from the hospital, or for additional accommodation if you can’t travel home due to an injury or illness. Your policy may also cover you if you need to end your trip early due to a medical issue or to transfer you to a hospital closer to home if you’re admitted for a more serious ailment.

Transport delays – Delays can occur on any method of transport, not just planes. Perhaps your train is delayed, and you miss check-in for your hotel, forcing you to pay out for new accommodation last minute. Some insurance policies will cover you for this.

Personal liability – Some policies will cover you if you are held accountable for injury or damage caused to a third party while travelling within the UK.

An insurance policy for travel within the UK may not cover:

Short breaks – Most insurers will require you to be travelling for a minimum of two or three consecutive nights in order to be covered, so you are unlikely to find a policy for day trips or single overnight stays.

Short distances – Many policies require you to be travelling a minimum distance away from your home address. This could be 25 miles, 50, or more.

Free accommodation – The majority of policies will require you to be staying in paid accommodation in order to qualify for cover. This means that if you are staying with friends or family on your trip, you may not be eligible for travel insurance.

As with any insurance policy, what exactly is covered will differ depending on the provider. Be sure to do your research and read the policy wording thoroughly to ensure that your needs, circumstances and requirements are covered.

Buy UK Travel Insurance

If you’re seeking peace of mind while exploring all the United Kingdom has to offer, Compass Insurance offers specialist cover, so you can enjoy your break stress-free.

Our specialist policy includes the following key features:

• Up to £5,000 for cancellation or curtailment of your trip
• Cancelling or cutting short due to death, illness or injury
• Cancelling or cutting short due to redundancy, jury service or cancellation of leave
• Personal liability up to £2m
• £100k for loss or damage to Holiday Accommodation
• Up to £25k for additional travel and accommodation costs as a result of illness, death or an accident

Below gives you some practical examples of cover and the associated premiums:

*The premium is the amount the customer will pay for their insurance cover and includes any fees, tax or duties payable by them. Prices correct as of 20.06.2023

Trust Compass Insurance to protect your UK holiday. Find out more here.