Why do I need travel insurance?
Travel insurance takes out the worry and expense if anything goes wrong with your holiday. If you need urgent medical help or have to cancel your holiday at the last minute, travel insurance can help you get back the costs you’d have to pay out for.
This peace of mind lets you to fully enjoy your travels. You'll know that you're covered for any unforeseen events. Whether you're travelling in the UK or abroad, travel insurance could save you money and time if you do find yourself in trouble during your trip.
Cancellation cover
Emergency medical expenses and 24/7 helpline
Lost and delayed luggage
Travel insurance to suit you
We have three levels of travel insurance.
Our cover includes cancellation, gadget and emergency medical cover as standard. How much cover you need will depend on your trip. What you plan to do while you’re away can make a difference to the cover you need, too. You can choose our single trip cover, family travel insurance, annual travel insurance or travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions at the checkout.
Orange cover
Silver cover
Black cover
Keep in mind, your insurance won’t be valid if you try to claim for an event, circumstance or incident that you already knew about prior to your trip.
Travel insurance extra cover
When buying RAC Travel Insurance, you can choose from a number of optional extras. This includes enhanced gadget cover, winter sports cover and cruise cover. Simply add these on to your cover at the checkout.
Enjoy complete peace of mind that you’re totally covered for your next trip.
Enhanced Gadget cover
Get additional cover against accidental damage, theft or loss on your gadget or devices
Winter sports cover
Get extra cover for ski equipment, piste closures, accommodation issues and more
Cruise cover
You’ll be covered for medical cabin confinement, missed ports, unused excursions and more
Travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions
We don’t think travelling with a pre-existing medical condition should hold you back. That is why RAC Travel Insurance offers cover for people with pre-existing medical conditions. This can include heart conditions, diabetes and asthma. Pre-existing conditions are defined as any illness or injury you had before or at the time of taking out your policy and before your trip begins. You should always check the FDCO travel advice for your holiday location before buying a policy.
Find out more about our travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions.Travel insurance for over 70s
If you’re planning to travel over the age of 70, it’s important to get the right kind of travel insurance for you. With the RAC, our single trip travel insurance has no age limit. When you choose our travel insurance, you can have peace of mind that you’ll be covered for emergency medical treatment, a wide range of pre-existing medical conditions, and lost or delayed baggage. We always try to offer competitive prices for senior travellers, but it’s likely that there will be a premium if you’re over a certain age. However, with travel insurance in place, you can start your holiday with complete peace of mind, knowing you'll be protected against any unexpected issues.
Travel advice and information on travelling abroad
For tips and essential information on travelling abroad, check out the following articles to help your next trip go smoothly.
Commonly asked travel insurance questions
What travel insurance you need depends on what you want to be covered for and who you're travelling with. If you're only planning to travel once in a year, then single trip travel insurance could be more appropriate for you. Single trip policies do cover you to travel to multiple destinations, but you'll need to ensure that you advise us of all destinations when you get a quote.
If you're planning to go on holiday more than once in a year, then annual multi-trip travel insurance could be more cost effective and save you having to take out a new policy each time you travel. You'll also be covered for cancellation from the start date of your annual multi-trip policy, offering you value and peace of mind from the start.
You may want to consider how much your holiday has cost you and whether you have any pre-existing medical conditions that you could potentially need emergency treatment for abroad. Read more about travelling with a pre-existing medical condition.
You should ensure that each of the holidays you're planning will be covered by the policy you've selected.
Yes, our single trip and annual multi-trip travel insurance covers holidays in the UK. You're covered for any trip not exceeding the maximum trip length as confirmed in your policy schedule, where you've pre-booked at least two nights' accommodation.
Travel delay isn’t covered for any trips within the UK (except for trips to the Channel Islands).
Provided you've not already started your holiday, RAC Travel Insurance policies will provide you with cover as soon as your purchase has been confirmed.
The benefits, limits, and excesses within your RAC Travel Insurance policy are per person, per claim. Therefore, if you've a couple, family or group travel insurance policy, the limits and excesses will be for each of you individually.
You can find a full list of what our policies offer in our policy wording.
You should ensure that each of the holidays you're planning will be covered by the policy you've selected.
Cruise cover is only available on single trip policies, not annual multi-trip policies. Cruise is not covered as standard within our single trip travel insurance policies; however you can choose our cruise add-on which will provide cover for an extra charge.
Our cruise add-on provides cover for the specific activities and risks associated with cruise holidays such as cover for your personal possessions, cover if you're confined to your cabin and missed excursions, or cruise itinerary changes.
As cruise holidays cover many different destinations, please ensure you're covered for each country you'll be visiting.
RAC Travel Insurance comes with Driving Holiday Cover which includes:
✓ Emergency car hire
✓ Camping equipment as well as trailer and caravan contents
✓ Accidental loss, theft, or damage to the contents of your car including food and drink, shopping, and mobility equipment
✓ Emergency overseas vet bills if your pet is holidaying with you
For more details see your policy wording.
If you’re planning on driving in Europe, don’t forget our RAC Car Insurance can cover you for up to 60 days in the EU.
Need breakdown cover too? Our European breakdown cover can provide cover for roadside assistance, garage labour costs, accommodation costs and getting your car back to the UK. Choose from single trip European breakdown cover or annual European breakdown cover.
Also, take a look at our European travel information guide, which will tell you whether you need an International Driving License and how to get one, plus tips on driving in France and the rest of Europe.
You can also purchase European travel kits and accessories via our online RAC Shop.
Travel insurance is a type of insurance designed to cover the costs and losses associated with travelling. It generally covers you for medical expenses, trip cancellations, personal possessions and legal costs. All of these are included as standard with the RAC’s lowest level of travel insurance.
Having travel insurance can potentially save you time and money if someone goes wrong on your holiday. If you need emergency medical attention or lose your belongings on your trip, you can relax knowing you’re covered.
Choose from our single trip or annual trip travel insurance, and tailor your cover with our optional add ons. Enjoy complete peace of mind while you’re away.
The best travel insurance for over 70s depends on various factors, such as the activities you plan to do while you're away, whether you have any pre-existing medical conditions, and the level of cover you want.
It's crucial to compare different levels of cover to find travel insurance that best suits your individual needs. The RAC's single trip cover doesn't have an age limit, making it a flexible option for older travellers. For those looking at annual policies, the RAC provides coverage up to the age of 80.
When you choose RAC Travel Insurance, we consider a wide range of pre-existing medical conditions and always try to offer the best quotes based on your needs - helping you have complete peace of mind for your next trip.
It’s important to accurately disclose your medical history when applying for travel insurance, as this will help avoid any potential issues with claims.
With the RAC, you’ll need to declare if you’re currently experiencing any medical conditions.
We do not provide cover for conditions that are awaiting an investigation, results or medical procedure.
You’ll need to let us know about previous or ongoing conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, a stroke, lung or heart-related conditions, no matter how much time has passed.
For conditions that require you to be prescribed or take regular medication, receive treatment or require an organ transplant or dialysis, you’ll need to let us know any information over the past 12 months.
For more information, view our policy wording.
Travel insurance works by giving you financial protection against issues that can happen while travelling. You buy a policy and pay a premium based on your destination, trip length, and the level of cover you choose. Our standard policy covers things like medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and lost luggage.
If something goes wrong, you will need to file a claim and provide necessary documents like medical reports or receipts. We will then review your claim and, if approved, reimburse you for covered expenses according to your policy's terms and limits.
Our travel insurance does not cover certain situations, including:
- Pre-existing medical conditions not disclosed or excluded by the policy.
- Travel to destinations against government travel advisories.
- Participation in high-risk activities or extreme sports unless specifically covered.
- Losses due to negligence, such as leaving belongings unattended.
- Routine medical check-ups or treatments not related to emergencies.
- Claims arising from illegal activities or reckless behaviour.
Always review your policy's exclusions to understand what is not covered.
For more information on what isn’t covered, always check your specific policy details.
Additional questions
Will my policy cover me for COVID-19?
Our standard COVID-19 cover is included within all RAC Travel Insurance policies at no extra charge. It provides you with:
- Cancellation if you've a COVID-19 diagnosis within 14 days of your departure.
- Emergency medical treatment and repatriation if you contract COVID-19 abroad.
Do I need to have received my COVID-19 vaccine to be covered under your policy?
To be covered by RAC Travel Insurance, you need to have received all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that you've been offered, including any booster jabs. You'll also be covered if you can't have the vaccine due to a medical exemption. If you've refused any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or any booster jab, then you won't be covered for COVID-19 related claims.
I have not received my travel insurance documents, what should I do?
If you haven't received an email from us with instructions on how to register for our online customer portal and view your travel insurance documents, please email us at [email protected]. We'll email you your documents within 1 working day. Please note, for data protection reasons, we can only send the documents to the email address provided at point of sale.
View your important travel insurance documents online 24/7 here.
I want to cancel my travel insurance policy
You can speak with one of our agents via the 'chat with us' button or email [email protected] to cancel your policy. We'll give you a full refund if you cancel within the 14 days of the receipt of your documentation and you've not started a trip, made, or intend to make a claim.
If the notice of cancellation is received outside of the 14-day cooling-off period no premium will be refunded. If you have a single trip policy and your journey ends within one month of the policy purchase date, you may not be entitled to any refund.
Please note, for data protection reasons, we can only cancel a policy if the request is made via the same email address used to purchase the policy.
What happens if my medical conditions change after I have purchased a travel insurance policy?
If any of your details change then you'll need to contact us on 0330 159 0405 as soon as possible to update your policy.
If your details have changed and you travel without informing us of the changes then we may be unable to honour any claims which arise.
How do I amend my policy or change/extend my travel dates?
If you want to amend any of your personal details, you can speak with one of our agents via the 'chat with us' button.
If you want to make a change to your travel insurance cover, including changing your dates or extending your trip, please contact our team on 0330 159 0405. Please note, any amendment on your policy may result in a change in premium.
Do your family travel insurance policies cover children over the age of 18?
Our family travel insurance covers up to 2 adults and up to 5 children aged 17 and under. If your children are 18 years or over, you may want to think about buying a group annual multi-trip policy. We can only offer this type of policy over the phone. Call us on 0330 159 0405, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
If I buy a couple, family, or group annual multi-trip policy, can I travel alone?
You can travel alone on all our travel insurance policies if you're 18 years of age and over.
Does RAC Travel Insurance have an age limit?
If you purchase your policy through the RAC Travel Insurance website, we have no upper age limit for single trip policies. For our annual multi-trip cover you must be aged 80 or under at the start of the policy period.
Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 named on the insurance policy for the duration of the trip.
Are the benefit limits per person under the policy?
The benefits, limits and excesses within your policy are per person, per claim. Therefore, if you've a family or group policy, the limits and excesses will be for each of you individually.
The airline I am travelling with has cancelled my flight due to staffing issues, am I covered?
When an airline cancels a flight, you're entitled to certain refunds and compensation from the airline.
We ask that before you contact us in relation to costs arising from the recent spate of flight cancellations, that you first directly approach your airline, tour operator or packaged holiday organiser.
If you're unable to get a refund or compensation from any of the above companies and you paid for your trip with a credit card you may also be able to recover your costs through section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act or via a 'chargeback claim'.
How do I make a claim before or after my holiday or when I am abroad?
You can contact us on the following numbers should you need assistance abroad or to make a claim before or after your holiday:
- Medical emergency assistance (24 hour) +44 (0)1403 289 148
- If in the USA or Canada call +1 844 780 0663 or if you're in Mexico, please call 00 1 819 780 0662
- Claims, excluding gadget and financial failure: call 01403 289 151 or email [email protected]
- Financial failure claims: call 0345 266 1872 or email [email protected]
- Gadget claims: call 0330 880 1751 or email [email protected]
What is the maximum trip duration I can take?
For annual multi-trip cover the maximum trip duration is 62 days for Orange and Silver cover and 92 days for Black cover. Trips within the UK are covered when you've pre-booked accommodation for a minimum of 2 nights.
For single trip cover, the maximum trip duration 94 days.
Do I need the extra gadget cover to insure my gadgets?
All policies offered via our RAC Travel website provide you with gadget cover as standard. The amount of cover will vary depending on what cover level you purchase. All benefits are per person, per claim.
If you think you'll need additional cover for your gadgets, we offer an optional gadget extension that you can select when you get a quote with us.
Our policy wording will provide you with what cover your policy provides as standard and what our gadget extension cover will increase these limits to.
Can I buy RAC Travel Insurance if I live overseas or if my journey starts from another country?
No, only UK residents who are registered with a UK GP can purchase travel insurance from the RAC. You must purchase travel insurance before leaving the UK, if you purchase a policy after leaving the UK there will be no cover and the policy may be void.
I am pregnant, will I be covered for medical costs?
With RAC Travel Insurance you're covered for bodily injury and illness whilst travelling when pregnant. Please check your transport provider's guidelines before travelling as they may have restrictions.
There is no cover available for medical costs associated with normal pregnancy. This policy is designed to provide cover for unforeseen events, accidents, illnesses and diseases and normal childbirth would not constitute an unforeseen event. Any costs arising from your pregnancy or childbirth, if the expected date of delivery is less than 12 weeks (16 weeks for a multiple birth) after the end of the trip, are excluded.
An activity or sport that I want to take part in on holiday is not covered under your policy, what can I do?
If you want to know more about the activities our travel insurance covers, or if one that you're looking to take part in is not listed within our policy wording, you can speak to one of our agents via the 'chat with us' button or email us [email protected] and we'll see if there's anything we can do.
What activities am I covered for as standard under your policy?
You can find a full list of activities covered within our policy wording.
If an activity or sport that you're looking to take part in is not listed within our policy wording, you can speak with one of our agents via the 'chat with us' button.
Please note, you won't be covered under this policy whilst taking part in winter sports unless you select this cover which will incur an additional premium. Winter sports insurance provides cover for emergency medical treatment caused by your participation in winter sports activities, the delay, loss, theft or damage to your ski equipment, cover for ski pack expenses, piste closure and avalanche closure.