You might think travel insurance is only for big trips abroad. But did you know you can get the same cover for staycations in England and the rest of the UK?
We explain whether you need to buy travel insurance for a holiday in the UK, and how it could help during a staycation.
Do I need travel insurance for the UK?
Technically no, you don’t have to buy travel insurance if you’re on holiday in the UK.
But it can still be very useful! Even though you might not need cover for medical costs or flight delays, there are other things that can still be handy.
For example, if your trip’s cancelled or you lose your belongings.
Find out more about travel insurance for the UK.
What does UK travel insurance cover?
You can still run into problems when you take a trip closer to home. Here are a few things travel insurance for the UK could cover.
Cancelling or cutting your trip short
You might need to cancel your trip before you leave or cut your trip short in an emergency.
This could be for lots of different reasons, like if someone you’re travelling with is ill, injured or passes away.
That’s why it’s useful to have a safety net.
Lost, delayed or damaged personal belongings
Worried about your personal belongings getting lost, damaged or stolen? UK travel insurance could help.
Remember, you need to take care of them to be covered. If you aren’t carrying your personal belongings with you, they need to be locked out of sight in your accommodation.
Medical cover
Medical cover is a big part of travel insurance when travelling abroad. That’s because medical treatment abroad can be super expensive.
In the UK, your medical care is covered by the NHS. But UK travel insurance can still cover things like:
- inpatient travel expenses to and from the hospital
- a payout if you need to stay in hospital for over 24 hours
There’s also no NHS medical cover for UK travellers in the Channel Islands.
With all these benefits, remember that exclusions apply to our policies. Always check your policy book for more information.
Do I need travel insurance for Northern Ireland?
Technically you don’t need travel insurance for Northern Ireland, but it can still be useful!
Usually, we’ll cover you for trips to:
- Northern Ireland
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
- The Isle of Man
- Channel Islands
Remember, you need to permanently live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to be able to get cover with us.
What about my home insurance while I’m away?
Your contents insurance might include some cover away from home for things like theft. With us, you’ll have cover away from home if you’ve chosen our Personal Possessions cover as an add-on.
If you do, that means we’ll cover you if your belongings are lost or damaged on your trip.
You need to name some high-value items on your policy (known as a specified item), so they’re covered while travelling.
For example, if you want to take a camera worth over £2,000 on your staycation, you’ll need to add it as a specified item. That’s just so we know about it and can make sure you have the right cover.
Check your policy documents to see what you’re covered for. And remember policy exclusions apply!
Gadget cover
If you’re travelling with any high-value tech, it might be worth considering adding gadget cover to your travel insurance.
That means if you’re travelling with any expensive tech like a camera, laptop or phone, you have some extra protection.
What about my breakdown cover while I’m away?
If you’re travelling in the UK in your own car and break down, you might be covered for some costs if you have our breakdown cover.
You won’t be able to claim on your travel insurance for your own car troubles, like car repairs or being towed home.
Can I get cover for both UK and abroad trips?
Yes. If you want travel insurance for multiple trips, both UK-based and abroad, you can choose our Annual Multi Trip Insurance.
It covers you for you up to 31 days in a row for each trip you take in the UK or further away. You can extend it to 45 or 60 days, depending on your age and where you’re heading.
You can only get cover if your UK trip is two nights or longer (or for one night if you have a single trip policy).
Remember, all insurers are different, so have a look at what’s best for you and your travel plans.
