Booking a last-minute holiday? There’s nothing more exciting than a spontaneous getaway.
But you might be wondering if there’s still time to buy travel insurance, or if it's too late.
Our guide takes a look at what policy you can get and what you’re covered for.
When’s the best time to buy travel insurance?
The best time to buy travel insurance is as soon as you’ve booked your trip. This gives you time to make changes if you need to before your trip starts.
It's also useful to buy it as soon as you book your trip so that you're covered if you need to cancel because of illness or injury.
By taking out cover ahead of your trip, you’ll be covered for:
- having to cancel your trip due to unexpected illness or injury before you travel
- having to cancel your trip due to unexpected illness or injury of a close family member or travel companion
- the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) changing their travel advice, so you need to cancel your trip
- the transport provider cancelling your flight (specific reasons apply)
- unexpected redundancy
Policy limits and exclusions apply here, so check your policy book for a full list of what's covered.
There are a few situations where it’s better to get cover well ahead of time:
- If you or anyone on the policy has pre-existing health conditions. If it isn’t listed in our policy book, get in touch with us to see if we can cover you.
- If you'll be doing risky activities while abroad, like bungee jumping or paragliding. You’ll need to speak to us first to see if we can cover it. You’ll also need adventurous sports cover.
You can also take out your policy before you’ve booked your trip if you know exactly when you're going.
Can I get travel insurance on the day my holiday starts?
You can buy travel insurance even when you’re at the airport, but not after your flight's left.
You can't get a policy from us if you’ve:
- already set off on the plane
- entered another country
- already started your trip at the destination
You also won't be covered for anything that happened before your policy began.
When will my cover start?
If you've got Single Trip cover, it'll usually starts the day you buy your policy. This might be the same day if you’re buying a last-minute policy.
If you've got Annual cover, you're only covered from the start of the policy date that you choose. You won't be covered from the day you pay for your overall policy.
If you’re going on a last-minute holiday, make sure you check when your cover starts. With some travel insurers, there could be a delay of 24 hours before your policy begins.
Will my policy cover less if I buy it last minute?
It depends on your policy. If you buy your insurance just before you leave, you might not be covered for:
- the first day of your trip
- your pre-existing medical conditions if they’re not part of conditions we cover
Remember to consider any optional add-ons for your policy, like Gadget cover. It’s easy to forget these things when you’re rushing to sort out your insurance.
If you go on a certain kind of trip without the right cover, like a cruise, you won’t be able to claim for anything on your policy. The same goes for winter sports trips.
Will my insurance cost more if I buy it last minute?
Travel insurance isn’t always more expensive if you buy it last minute.
The price depends on things like:
- where you’re going
- how long you’re going for
- your pre-existing medical conditions
- what you’re going to get up to
- any add-ons you want, like cruise or winter sports cover
Can I use my GHIC/EHIC card?
A Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or an older European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are useful when travelling in Europe. They can help you get access to cheaper medical treatment, but they're not a stand-in for travel insurance.
Remember, they can only be used at approved facilities and can’t be used outside Europe. You can find out where exactly these cards are valid on the NHS website.
You still need travel insurance to cover you if the worst happens. For example, if you need to be returned to the UK because of a medical emergency, or you have your belongings stolen.
Read our guide on the GHIC and EHIC to learn more about how these cards work.
Can I extend my travel insurance during my trip?
You can usually extend your cover during your trip. You'll just need to make sure you contact your insurer before your trip ends or your cover expires.
If you think you might need to, it’s best to ask your insurer to extend your cover before you even set off.
What’s the process for extending my travel insurance?
- Contact your insurer – get in touch with your insurer to ask to extend your cover.
- Check your policy details – make sure your policy details are all still correct and nothing’s changed since you bought your original policy.
- Confirm your new cover date – check when your new cover starts from, and when it will end. Remember, there could be a break in cover, depending on when you ask to extend it.
- Pay your insurance – you'll need to pay for the policy, and then you’re ready to go!
Can I buy last minute insurance for a UK trip?
Going for a UK city break or countryside retreat but don’t have cover yet?
We offer UK travel insurance for trips:
- more than two nights in a row for multi-trip policies or one night for single trip policies
- in commercial accommodation (like a hotel)
- more than 25 miles away from your home
Like travel insurance for holidays abroad, you can also get cover for UK trips last minute.
Just check if it covers travel disruptions and cancellations if you’ve booked your trip last minute!
Find out more about travel insurance for the UK.
Annual travel insurance
People often buy single trip policies last minute for individual trips.
But you could get Annual travel insurance if you travel a lot or have two or more trips booked this year.
Our annual insurance covers trips of up to 31 days as standard. But you can extend that to 45 or 60 days, depending on your age and where you’re heading.
An annual travel policy means you won’t have any last-minute insurance panics, because you’re covered for the year!
Don’t forget, you still need to renew it each year if you want to use it long-term.
If you just want to buy a policy for a one-off holiday, Single Trip insurance is probably the best option.
Remember, policy limits and exclusions always apply. Check your policy documents in our travel portal to see what you’re covered.
