Family travel insurance only works if it fits the trip you have booked. Before you go, check who the policy covers, what each person paid, everyone's health, where you are going and what you are packing.
The details matter more than the headline cover, so read the policy wording and schedule. This guide is for families based in the UK.
Start with who is covered and how much the policy will pay.
Each insurer decides who counts as family. Which? checked ten insurers in July 2025 and found the age limit for children ranged from 17 to 22. Older children usually had to be in full-time education.
Some insurers include grandparents, siblings and other relatives in a family travel insurance policy. Others only cover two adults and their children. Make sure every traveller is named on the schedule.
Many family policies expect everyone to travel together. Check what happens if plans split, such as a parent flying out later or a teenager leaving early for a school trip.
Which? found some policies won't cover under-18s travelling with adults who are not on the policy. If grandparents are coming, check the age limits too. GOV.UK says these can be stricter on annual policies.
Cancellation cover usually has a limit for each person, not for the whole booking. Divide what you can't get back by the number of travellers. Then compare that figure with the limit.
A tailor-made trip or a large villa can cost more per head than the limit allows. For an expensive booking, look at cover sized for higher-value trips. On some policies, cancellation cover is optional, so check it is included.
Cancellation cover usually starts when you buy the policy or book the trip, whichever comes later. Buying when you book covers you for the whole wait before you leave.
Policies usually exclude anything you already knew about when you bought cover, such as a strike that had already been announced.
The excess is the amount you pay towards each claim. Many policies charge it per person, not per claim.
Which? gives an example. A £100 excess on a cancelled holiday for four people could mean £400 is taken off the payout.
You need to answer the medical questions for everyone on the policy, children included. UK government guidance puts the cost of hospital treatment for a stomach bug in the USA, possibly with medical evacuation, at £150,000 or more.
Before you buy, note these details for each person.
GOV.UK warns that not declaring something may make your policy invalid. If anyone's health changes after you buy, tell your insurer before you travel. This is easy to miss on an annual policy bought months ago.
A policy can cover your destination and still miss part of the holiday.
Your policy must cover every country you visit, including airports where you only change planes. ABTA says Turkey, Egypt and Morocco may not count as Europe on some policies.
Day trips count too. Which? notes that a European family policy would not cover a side trip to Florida.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes travel advice for every country. Check it when you book and again before you leave.
If the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to an area, going there may make your policy invalid.
Check ski school, jet skis and quad bikes against the policy's list of activities. GOV.UK says winter sports and jet skiing are not usually included in standard policies, and quad bike or moped hire usually isn't covered.
Add any extra cover before you travel, based on what each person plans to do.
Cruises usually need their own cover, because it is harder to reach a hospital from a ship. Tell your insurer if any part of the holiday is at sea.
For trips to Europe, everyone needs their own UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), including young children. It is free from the NHS and gives you state healthcare in the European Economic Area and some other countries.
The card does not cover private treatment, getting you home or mountain rescue. Use it alongside your travel insurance, not instead of it.
The baggage limit can look generous, but limits for single items, valuables and gadgets are often much lower. A child's tablet or new phone could go over a single-item limit on its own. Some policies also set a lower cash limit for children.
Payouts usually take off something for wear and tear, and items left unattended may not be covered. Check whether your home insurance already covers items away from home before you pay for gadget cover.
Run through this list before you leave.
If anything is unclear, call your insurer before you go. It is much easier to fix a gap at home than during a claim.
Checking the policy against your actual trip, from who is going to what is in the bags, is what makes it useful. These checks can't guarantee every claim will be paid, but they show you where your cover ends before you leave.
