What Does Travel Insurance
Actually Cover?

Travel insurance can seem really complicated, and it can be, but most people just want to know the answer to one question: if something goes wrong on my holiday, am I covered? While every policy is different, travel insurance is typically designed to help with unexpected events before or during your trip - and that’s the key word: unexpected.

We’ve put together a rundown of what’s covered on Direct Travel Standard, Premier, and Premier Plus policies.

Medical Emergencies Abroad

One of the main reasons people buy travel insurance is for emergency medical cover. If you become ill or injured while you're away, your policy may help with emergency treatment, hospital stays, medication, and getting you home if medically necessary (repatriation).

In some cases, you may be able to use your GHIC or EHIC, but they don’t stand as a replacement for travel insurance. While these cards can help you access state healthcare in some countries, they won't usually cover things like medical repatriation or specialised medical transport.

Holiday Cancellation

If you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason, travel insurance can help you recover non-refundable costs. Depending on the policy, covered reasons may include illness, injury, bereavement, redundancy, serious damage to your home, or even the theft of essential travel documents before departure.

You cannot expect that all reasons for cancellation are valid for a successful claim. Your policy will list explicitly the things you can make a claim for, and the things you can’t.

It’s really important to remember that your travel insurance is there for cover if you have to cancel your holiday, can’t get refunds or alternatives, and end up out-of-pocket as a result. If your holiday is cancelled or changed for you, by a tour operator or airline, those companies have a duty of care to arrange alternatives or reimburse you.

Delays and Missed Departures

Travel disruption is more common than many people realise, but again, this section of your policy will not cover any and every possible reason for a disruption to your holiday. Travel insurance may provide cover if your flight is delayed for over 12 hours, you miss your departure due to a strike or natural disaster, or due to events like hijacking or civil disorder.

Again, cover will only apply if the reason for claiming is unknown. So, should you know of a strike, delay, cancellation, or adverse weather conditions prior to travelling, you must ensure you do not miss your departure. A known event is not covered by travel insurance.

Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Baggage

Baggage cover can help if your luggage or belongings are lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip. You must have taken all possible precautions to avoid this happening, and bear in mind that not all of your belongings are covered.

Some items are covered under additional sports or gadget cover, but limits will apply and you will only be able to claim up to the amounts listed in your policy. Deductions will also be made to cover your excess, and wear-and-tear.

Does travel insurance cover pre-existing medical conditions?

If you’ve got a pre-existing medical condition, we can certainly consider it. However there are plenty of variables in play that mean we cannot automatically guarantee cover.

You must declare any reason for seeing a doctor, taking tablets, visiting a clinic, having a procedure/operation, going to therapy, or any other kind of treatment or diagnosis. Sometimes this means a regular medication you’ve taken for many years, but it can also mean things like mole removal, broken bone, or treatment like chemotherapy or regular infusions.

The quote process asks you questions so that you can narrow down what you need to declare, and usually you won’t have to declare a lifetime of medical history. But you need to read these questions carefully - failure to disclose medical conditions can affect a future claim or even invalidate your policy.

And crucially - if your health changes after taking out a policy, you should inform your insurer as soon as possible.

Does travel insurance cover sports and activities?

There’s usually a range of sports and activities that travel insurance policies can cover as standard - things like swimming, hiking, and jet skiing. These will be listed in your policy, but you must pay attention to the limits on certain activities and whether it might cost more to add slightly more different or risky activities.

What isn't usually covered?

Travel insurance is designed for unexpected events, not problems you already knew about when you booked your trip or bought your policy. Common exclusions include:

1. Undeclared medical conditions
2. Travelling against official government advice
3. Alcohol or drug-related incidents
4. Activities or sports that aren't covered or declared
5. Losses caused by war or political unrest
6. The pre-existing medical condition of someone who is not on your policy

This list isn’t exhaustive. You can find the General Exclusions in your Policy Wording, and smaller exclusions under each section.

Travel insurance can provide valuable protection if your holiday doesn't go to plan, whether that's because of a medical emergency, cancellation, travel disruption or lost baggage. But before you travel, it’s important that you read your Policy Wording, so you know what you can claim for.

Our recommendation is always to contact us if you’re unsure about your cover in any way.

 

BY HOLLY GARWOOD, 9TH JUNE 2026