Will a Best Buy travel insurance policy really cost you more?

Our research shows that you don't necessarily have to sacrifice quality to get a good price on travel insurance.

Earlier this month, we analysed 122 travel insurance policies, of which we named just 18 Best Buys – policies with great cover, from insurers with good records for paying out and low levels of complaints.

What we didn't consider was price, until now.

We checked how much our Best Buys would cost for annual policies for a 35-year-old and a 65-year-old, both for European and worldwide travel. We then compared these to the cheapest 10 quotes on a major comparison site.

In two of four scenarios, our Best Buy travel policies ranked among the 10 cheapest quotes out of more than 100 on a major comparison site.

Here, we look at how much you would need to pay extra for quality travel insurance, compare the cheapest to the most expensive Best Buys and offer tips on how you can save.

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Are Best Buys among the cheapest policies?

The Best Buys were usually more expensive than the cheapest 10 quotes

Overall, we found that Best Buys typically cost more, but not much. In each scenario, at least one Best Buy was among the top 15 cheapest quotes.

Moreover, in two of four scenarios, our Best Buy policies made appearances in the cheapest 10 quotes looking at more than 100 on the comparison site.

To find out what makes a Best Buy, check out our best travel insurance page where we looked at 44 travel insurers, comparing 129 policies and rated 18 policies as Best Buys. 

The cheapest and most expensive Best Buys

We found big price differences between the cheapest and priciest Best Buy options in various scenarios, with quotes varying by hundreds of pounds.

Scenario A: annual policy for a 35-year-old travelling in Europe

• Cheapest Admiral Gold (£20.45)
• Most expensive AllClear Platinum (£361.44)
  
  

Scenario B: annual policy for a 35-year-old travelling worldwide

• Cheapest: Puffin Gold (£60.99)
• Most expensive: AllClear Platinum (£572.99)
  
  

Scenario C: annual policy for a 65-year-old travelling in Europe

• Cheapest Admiral Gold (£39.72)
• Most expensive AllClear Platinum (£801.42)
  
  

Scenario D: annual policy for a 65-year-old travelling worldwide

• Cheapest Puffin Gold (£151.82)
• Most expensive AllClear Platinum (£905.03)

Admiral Gold was the cheapest Best Buy for European travel, while Puffin Gold was the least expensive for worldwide trips. AllClear Platinum, which specialises in coverage for medical conditions, is consistently ranked as the most expensive. 

It's important to note that we're looking at a specific type of customer without medical conditions and we’re comparing annual policies rather than single-trip options. However, these costs could work out very differently depending on your personal circumstances. 

The cheapest and most expensive Best Buys table

Which policies had the lowest excesses? 

A cheap policy won't seem such a bargain if you have to pay hundreds of pounds as an excess when you claim.

The lower an excess is on a policy, therefore, the better.

We found that the average excess for the cheapest 10 quotes was often more than double the average excess of our Best Buy policies. This was true in three out of four scenarios, except for a 65-year-old travelling in Europe.

For example, for a 35-year-old travelling in Europe, the average excess for the cheapest 10 quotes was £126, while the Best Buys had an average excess of £53. 

Among our Best Buy policies, Aviva Travel Insurance had the highest excess at £100. Several Best Buy policies had no excess at all, including AllClear Platinum, InsureandGo Black and Just Travel Infinity Travel Gold.

In contrast, among the cheapest 10 quotes, Annualtravelinsurance.com Economy had the highest excess at £250. The policies with the lowest excess in this group, at £50, were Coverwise Silver Plus, Admiral Platinum and Virgin Money Standard.

• Find out more: how to claim on your travel insurance.

4 ways to get the cheapest travel insurance

Following these steps ensures you get affordable travel insurance that meets your needs, saving money without compromising on essential coverage:

1. Compare before you commit when booking a package holiday, it's easy to choose the company's insurance, but it pays to shop around. Different insurers offer different prices and coverage levels. What seems convenient may not be the most cost-effective option.
   
   Use comparison websites such as Compare the Market, Confused.com, Go.Compare and Moneysupermarket.com to compare multiple quotes quickly. This helps you find the best price for the coverage you want.
   
   
2. Try specialist medical insurers if you have a medical condition, check insurers that specialise in covering such cases. They often offer better prices than mainstream options, especially if your condition increases premiums.
   
   Use directories such as the British Insurance Brokers Association (Biba) oder MoneyHelper to find these insurers. Many people in our 2023 survey found cheaper prices using these directories compared withother sources.
   
   Find out more best travel insurance if you have a medical condition.
   
   
3. Consider buying annually Think about how often you travel to decide between annual and single-trip policies. Annual policies will likely save you money if you travel more than two or three times a year, making them convenient and cost-effective for multiple trips.
   
   
4. Buy early for better value getting travel insurance early has advantages. First, if you buy early, you're in less of a rush so can look more widely at the market. And second, it usually includes cancellation cover right away, protecting you financially if unexpected events force you to cancel your trip. 

Find out more: Ehic and Ghic explained.

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