It's best to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book your trip. Doing so ensures you're covered for any non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel, such as due to illness. At the very latest, make sure you buy your policy before you leave the UK, as most travel insurance is designed to cover trips that begin and end in the UK. While there are some specialist options available for purchase after you've already departed, it's much safer to arrange your cover before you travel.

A multi-trip or annual travel policy covers you for multiple journeys abroad within a 12-month period and can be more cost-effective than buying separate insurance for each trip. However, these policies often come with conditions—such as a maximum duration for each trip (typically around 30 days) and restrictions on which countries are included—so it's important to review the details carefully. As with any travel insurance, you'll need to declare any pre-existing medical conditions and inform your insurer of any changes to your health during the policy period. Certain activities considered hazardous may also be excluded, so check what's covered before you travel.

Yes, absolutely. One of the main purposes of travel insurance is to cover the high costs of emergency medical treatment and repatriation, which can quickly add up to tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds. To ensure you're properly covered, it's essential to answer all medical questions honestly and completely. If you're unsure which conditions need to be declared after reviewing the application, contact your insurer for guidance. Failing to disclose pre-existing medical conditions could invalidate your policy, leaving you responsible for potentially significant medical expenses.

Cover is available for many pre-existing medical conditions, but you may need to go to a travel insurance intermediary or a specialist travel insurer. You can use the Money Helper Travel Insurance Directory and the BIBA Travel Medical Directory to help find specialist providers and brokers. Some of the medical support groups may also be able to help.

MoneyHelper has a Travel Insurance Directory on its website which can be accessed on the link below: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/insurance/use-our-travel-insurance-directory

Consumer enquires about the directory can be made to MoneyHelper directly using the contact details below:

Telephone – 0800 138 7777 (available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm except Bank Holidays)

Webchat – https://webchat.moneyhelper.org.uk/newchat/chat.aspx?domain=www.moneyhelper.org.uk (available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 3pm except Bank Holidays)

Online Enquiry Form – https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/contact-us/money-guidance/money-guidance-enquiry-form (aim to respond within 2 working days).