6 travel insurance traps to avoid before your next holiday

From choosing an unaffordable excess to not checking the small print, here's what you need to be aware of when securing travel cover.

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Published: June 16, 2026 at 4:54 PM

Travel insurance is one of those necessary purchases that we’d all rather spend as little as possible on, especially if that leaves us with a little more cash for while we’re away.

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However, overlooking the details could prove costly if something goes wrong while you're on holiday. From failing to declare medical conditions to assuming your GHIC provides all the protection you need, there are several common mistakes that can result in claims being reduced or even rejected altogether.

Here are six travel insurance traps to avoid before you head off on your next trip.

1. Buying cover based on price alone

When buying travel insurance, most of us will plump for the cheapest option we can find. However, a cheap premium doesn't necessarily mean cover is good value if the policy isn't suitable for your needs.

Always check the levels of cover provided for medical expenses, cancellation, baggage, personal possessions and personal liability before buying. A policy that costs a few pounds less upfront could end up being far more expensive if it leaves you underinsured when you need to make a claim.

2. Choosing an excess that’s unaffordable

The excess is the portion of any insurance claim that you must pay yourself. Excess levels can vary significantly from policy to policy, and you can often choose how much excess you're willing to pay in exchange for a lower premium. However, it's important to make sure the excess you go for is an amount you could comfortably afford, otherwise you might not be able to make a claim at all.

You should also check how many excesses you may have to pay for a single incident. Some insurers charge just one excess per event, while others may apply a separate excess to each part of the claim, which could leave you out of pocket.

3. Not declaring pre-existing medical conditions

Even if you think a condition isn’t worth mentioning, perhaps because you were diagnosed years ago and no longer have any symptoms, you should still disclose it to your insurer when buying travel cover. If you fail to declare a condition that you knew about and later need treatment related to it, your insurer may refuse to pay out. For example, if you have a heart condition and suffer a heart attack while on holiday, you could find yourself having to cover potentially substantial medical bills and repatriation costs yourself if the condition wasn't disclosed when you bought the policy.

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Make sure to disclose any medical conditions to your insurer when buying travel cover. Getty Images

4. Assuming the GHIC will provide enough protection on its own

Many travellers wrongly assume that carrying a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which you can get for free from the NHS, means they don't need separate travel insurance. However, a GHIC should be seen as a supplement to travel insurance, not a replacement for it.

The GHIC gives UK residents access to medically necessary state healthcare when visiting countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and certain other participating countries. This includes treatment that cannot wait until you return home, such as emergency care, treatment following an accident, and care for some long-term or pre-existing medical conditions.

However, a GHIC does not cover all healthcare costs and you may still have to contribute towards treatment in some countries. Crucially, it also provides no protection for many of the risks that travel insurance is designed to cover, such as trip cancellations, travel delays, lost or stolen luggage, personal liability, or the cost of being repatriated to the UK if you become seriously ill or injured abroad.

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5. Not checking the small print on the travel insurance provided by your current account

Most packaged bank accounts which you pay a monthly fee for offer perks including annual travel insurance and mobile phone insurance. However, assuming the travel insurance cover matches your circumstances without reading the policy wording could prove a costly mistake. For example, not all policies provide worldwide cover and the cover limits offered might be lower than you need.

It’s also worth noting that although many packaged accounts advertise "family cover", this definition can be surprisingly narrow, so it’s worth checking things like whether dependent children are covered when travelling separately, and whether there is a maximum age for cover.

6. Thinking alcohol-related claims will be covered

Many people don't realise that insurers may reject claims if alcohol has played a part in an accident or loss. For example, if you're injured after a night out, lose your belongings while intoxicated, or are involved in an accident after drinking, your insurer could argue that you acted recklessly and refuse to pay out.

This doesn't mean every claim involving alcohol will automatically be rejected, but it's worth checking the policy wording carefully.

Compare travel insurance quotes with Quotezone via Radio Times

*This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.

Radiotimes.com is published by Immediate Media Company London Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Immediate Media Company Limited. Immediate Media Company London Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Seopa Ltd (trading as Quotezone) (FRN: 313860).

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The insurance quote system is independently owned and operated by Seopa Ltd. Radtiotimes.com may receive a commission for any policies purchased, at no cost to you.

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