Best travel insurance for UK travellers

This is a neutral comparison of what to look for. There are no affiliate links on this page. We are not listing insurers, prices, or a winner. If we add links later, we may earn a commission when you buy, at no extra cost to you. That would not change the entry rules on this site.

Entry Visa Guide does not sell insurance and is not an insurer. A policy is a contract with the firm you choose. Read that firm’s documents.

What entry rules actually say

Insurance is not a visa. A few authorities mention it in passing, which is why it belongs next to the entry guides.

• Schengen, including France. GOV.UK says officers may ask for proof of travel insurance to show you can cover emergency costs, along with funds, accommodation, and a return ticket. There is no EES fee and no ETIAS application to attach a policy to yet. See the Schengen guide.
• Australia. The Department of Home Affairs recommends health insurance for an eVisitor and says you are personally liable for healthcare costs. It also says some countries have a reciprocal healthcare agreement and points to Services Australia. Check that page for your own cover rather than assuming a UK agreement pays every bill. The visa itself is free if you use the eVisitor route.
• Canada and the United States. The entry pages do not set an insurance sum. Medical treatment in both countries can still be billed to you. The Canada and United States guides cover the authorisations, not healthcare.
• Thailand, India, Morocco, Turkey, the UAE, and Japan. None of the entry pages we checked makes a paid insurance certificate a condition of the visa or the exemption. You can still be asked to show you can pay for the trip. Thailand’s published cash figure is in the Thailand guide.

How to compare policies without a ranking

Compare the contract, not a badge on an advert.

1. Medical limit and where it applies. Match the countries on the itinerary, including a Schengen day trip out of Turkey. Ask what “emergency” excludes.
2. Who pays the hospital. Look for direct billing versus you paying and claiming later.
3. Existing conditions, age, and activities. A policy that excludes the thing you are going to do is not cover for that trip.
4. Cancellation and curtailment. These are separate from medical cover. Read the reasons that are actually insured.
5. Single trip or annual. An annual policy can be simpler if you will re-enter the Schengen area more than once. It does not change the 90-day immigration limit.
6. Who regulates the seller. In the UK, use a firm you can identify and a policy schedule in your name. A cheap certificate from an unknown site is a common upsell next to fake visa forms. It is not the visa.

We have not scored insurers against each other. Prices move, and a comparison that named a “best” policy would go out of date without a fresh check of each wording. Start from the entry rule that applies to the trip, then read two or three policy schedules side by side.

Last verified: 2026-10-16, for the entry rules cited above. Insurance products were not reviewed.

FAQ

Written by the Entry Visa Guide editorial team. Published 16 October 2026. Updated 16 October 2026.

UK passport destination guides · All explainers

Neutral comparison. There are no affiliate links on this page. If we add any later, we may earn a commission when you buy, at no extra cost to you. That would not change the entry information.