Avanti vs Staysure: Which Travel Insurance Wins in 2026?

For UK travellers with medical conditions or in their 60s, 70s or beyond, two names crop up again and again when shopping for travel insurance: Avanti and Staysure. Both specialise in covering pre-existing conditions and older travellers, both advertise high levels of medical cover, and both are widely recommended in forums and comparison guides. Yet the details can make one a much better fit than the other depending on your age, destination and health. This comparison looks at how Avanti and Staysure really stack up in 2026, using typical trip scenarios rather than abstract promises.

Avanti vs Staysure at a glance

Avanti and Staysure are both UK-based travel insurance brands that focus heavily on older travellers and people with pre-existing medical conditions. Independent reviews and industry write-ups in 2026 consistently place both among the leading specialist providers for this market. Staysure has built its name around over-50s and retirees heading to Europe and long-haul destinations, while Avanti is often highlighted in guides for over-65s and those with more complex health histories.

Both insurers can cover a wide range of pre-existing conditions after medical screening and both offer policies with very high or even “unlimited” emergency medical expense limits on some tiers. Staysure advertises cover for more than 1,300 medical conditions and unlimited emergency medical cover on selected comprehensive policies, alongside generous cancellation limits up to around £15,000 on higher tiers. Avanti similarly promotes unlimited medical expenses on its medical-focused cover and no upper age limit on many single-trip and annual policies, which is a key point for travellers in their late 70s and 80s.

On customer satisfaction, both companies perform well compared with the wider insurance market, where complaints are common. Trustpilot data in 2026 shows Avanti with a rating of around 4.8 out of 5 from well over 100,000 reviews, and Staysure with a score in the region of 4.7 out of 5 based on several hundred thousand reviews. Exact scores fluctuate, but both attract a high proportion of 5-star feedback, especially for call-centre support and handling complex medical screenings.

In simple terms, Avanti is slightly more focused on medical-led policies and high-risk profiles, while Staysure leans more towards broad, feature-packed cover and has a particularly strong reputation among frequent holidaymakers aged 50 to 75. The better “winner” depends on what kind of trip and traveller you are, rather than on headline review scores alone.

Cover for pre-existing medical conditions

For many readers, the decisive factor will be how each insurer handles pre-existing medical conditions. Both brands use online and telephone screening, ask for a detailed history of diagnoses and treatment, and require you to declare anything from the last two years or more, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke or joint replacements. If you are in any doubt, they both encourage you to declare and let the screening system decide, rather than risk invalidating a claim later.

Staysure markets itself openly as a specialist in medical travel insurance and states that around 97 percent of customers with pre-existing conditions can still get cover after screening. It highlights high-risk conditions like cancer in remission, heart disease, diabetes with complications and chronic lung disease as being routinely insurable, though often at higher premiums. Comprehensive and Signature policies can include unlimited emergency medical cover, which is attractive if you are travelling to destinations with high healthcare costs such as the United States or Caribbean islands.

Avanti likewise positions itself as a specialist for complex medical profiles and older age groups, and independent reviews note that it is one of the most searched brands in the UK for over-65s needing medical cover. Avanti’s medical-focused policies can also offer unlimited medical expense limits and 24-hour emergency assistance. The brand strongly emphasises that there is no upper age limit on its single-trip and most annual policies designed around medical cover, which can make a real difference for an 82-year-old traveller with heart and mobility issues planning a once-in-a-lifetime cruise.

In practice, travellers on UK forums report that both companies will usually quote for serious conditions, although prices can vary markedly between them for the same profile. For example, a 70-year-old with a history of heart bypass surgery planning a two-week family trip to Florida might receive a quote in the region of £300 to £450 from either provider, depending on the exact medical answers and policy level. One insurer may rate that particular combination of age, destination and condition slightly more harshly, while the other is more comfortable with it. That is why it is common for advisers to suggest collecting like-for-like quotes from both before deciding.

Age limits, trip types and who each suits best

Age limits and trip patterns are another major difference between Avanti and Staysure. Staysure built its reputation by focusing on travellers over 50, but its policies are open to younger customers as well. For annual multi-trip policies, Staysure typically sets an upper age limit, often around the mid-80s, and keeps maximum trip durations within a common range such as 30, 45 or 60 days depending on the level of cover. Long-stay policies for backpacking or multi-month winter escapes usually have lower age caps, often in the 70s, which is standard among UK travel insurers.

Avanti’s selling point is the absence of a strict upper age limit on many of its core medical policies. Independent reviewers note that Avanti appears frequently in recommendations for travellers in their late 70s and 80s, particularly those heading on Mediterranean cruises or winter sun holidays. A typical use case is an 81-year-old retired couple from Manchester planning a 10-night cruise around the Canary Islands. Many mainstream insurers either quote extremely high premiums or simply decline at that age, while Avanti will still quote for a single trip with declared medical conditions. Staysure may also quote, but some customers report finding Avanti’s age policy slightly more accommodating for the very oldest travellers.

Trip style matters too. A 55-year-old with well-controlled high blood pressure who takes several short city breaks a year might lean towards Staysure’s annual multi-trip policy because of its broad cancellation cover, baggage protection and the convenience of insuring all European weekends away under one plan. Meanwhile, a 76-year-old with recent surgery may be planning just one substantial visit to see family in Australia, and might find Avanti’s single-trip medical policy designed with no upper age limit and unlimited medical expenses to be a better fit.

If you travel long-haul frequently and are still in your 60s or early 70s, both brands can be strong options. For gap-year style travel, extended backpacking or working abroad for months at a time, you may find that specialist long-stay insurers provide more flexible trip durations than either Avanti or Staysure, but both are commonly recommended for more traditional holiday patterns.

Policy features, extras and exclusions

When price comparisons look close, the detailed features and exclusions often decide the winner. Both Avanti and Staysure provide the core benefits expected from comprehensive UK travel insurance: emergency medical treatment and repatriation, cancellation and curtailment, baggage cover, personal liability and cover for travel delays and missed departures. Where they diverge is in some of the extras and how generous the upper limits are on premium tiers.

Staysure’s top levels of cover include higher-than-average cancellation limits, often up to around £10,000 to £15,000 per person on Signature-style policies. That can be crucial for big-ticket trips such as business-class flights to New Zealand or luxury cruises where each passenger’s share of the cost easily exceeds £8,000. Staysure also advertises value-added services such as video access to an English-speaking GP through a partner “Travel Doctor” service on some policies, which can be reassuring if you fall ill in a resort in Spain or Portugal and want a quick professional opinion before heading to a local clinic.

Avanti focuses on providing robust medical assistance around the clock and clear guidance on what needs to be declared and when. It offers 24-hour emergency helplines with UK-based support and stresses that it will try to direct customers to the right specialist provision if it cannot cover a particular risk itself. For example, if a 73-year-old cancer survivor is still undergoing certain types of active treatment and Avanti’s screening flags that as too high risk for its standard cover, advisers may signpost to niche medical insurers that handle these very complex cases.

Both insurers exclude travelling against UK government or doctor’s advice, and neither will cover undisclosed conditions or changes in health that you fail to report before travelling. Common gaps include undiagnosed symptoms that are under investigation, or planned surgery that has not yet taken place. For instance, if you have chest pain under investigation and book a trip to Canada, both Avanti and Staysure are likely to consider that an undeclared and uninsurable risk until a clear diagnosis is made. When planning, you should read each policy document carefully and call to clarify grey areas such as routine scans or check-ups.

Add-ons and specialist extensions can also tip the balance. Both providers offer winter sports cover, cruise extensions and sometimes gadget or COVID-related elements, although the exact availability and terms change over time. As an example, a 62-year-old planning a two-week ski trip to France with controlled asthma might find that Staysure’s winter sports add-on and baggage limits suit their equipment better, while a 69-year-old going on an Adriatic cruise with a heart condition may prefer Avanti’s cruise extension combined with its emphasis on unlimited emergency medical cover and no upper age limit.

Real-world price and value comparisons

Headline marketing often focuses on discounts and promotional codes, but the real question is which insurer offers better value for a particular risk profile. Both Avanti and Staysure run regular percentage-off promotions and loyalty discounts for returning customers. Prices change daily and are influenced by destination, length of trip, age, medical details and policy level, so any figures should be seen as illustrative rather than guaranteed quotes.

Consider a 68-year-old retired teacher with well-controlled type 2 diabetes, mild high blood pressure and a hip replacement more than five years ago. She is planning a two-week package holiday to Lanzarote in October. After completing detailed online screening, she might see Staysure offering a mid-range comprehensive policy for somewhere around £70 to £110, depending on extras, and Avanti offering a similar tier in the region of £80 to £120. In many such scenarios, the premiums will overlap, and the decision may come down to subtle differences in cancellation limits or how comfortable she feels with each brand’s medical screening questions.

Now take a more complex case: a 75-year-old man with a history of angina, a stent fitted three years ago, and a previous minor stroke. He plans a 10-night cruise in the Caribbean, flying to Miami to join the ship. Premiums for this profile are likely to be significantly higher due to age, destination and medical risk. It would not be unusual to see quotes in the £300 to £600 range from either provider. In some situations, Staysure’s Signature policy might come out ahead on cancellation cover, while Avanti’s medical-focused plan could be slightly cheaper because of how its underwriting model treats his particular combination of conditions.

It is also worth noting how each brand responds at renewal or for subsequent trips. Both Avanti and Staysure receive positive feedback from repeat customers who find it easy to adjust cover or declare new diagnoses over the phone, though both also have negative reviews about premium increases following changes in health. For example, a customer who develops heart rhythm problems between holidays should expect a noticeable increase in price from either insurer. Where Avanti sometimes edges ahead is in being willing to quote at all for very high-risk or very elderly customers that some comparison-site brands will simply decline.

Ultimately, there is no consistent “cheaper” brand across all scenarios. In straightforward profiles, Staysure often prices competitively, especially for European multi-trip cover for people in their 50s and early 60s. For older travellers in their late 70s and 80s or those with multiple major conditions, Avanti is frequently cited in consumer guides and forums as one of the more realistic and approachable options, even if the prices are still high compared with mainstream insurance.

Customer experience and claims handling

Good cover on paper only becomes meaningful when you need to use it. This is where customer reviews and anecdotal reports from travellers can offer some insight. Both Avanti and Staysure hold strong overall ratings on review platforms in 2026, with a large share of comments praising the clarity of their call-centre teams and the patience shown during lengthy medical screenings. That in itself is important for older travellers or those who find online forms daunting.

Staysure’s size and long-standing presence in the market mean it attracts a very high volume of feedback, both positive and negative. Many reviewers talk about smooth claims for relatively routine issues such as lost baggage at Malaga Airport or minor medical treatment after a fall on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Typical examples include rapid approval of hospital bills in Spain and coordinated repatriation for a broken hip suffered on a winter ski trip. At the same time, there are critical reviews mentioning disagreements over what was declared, excesses applied to claims, or frustration with the documentation required, which is common across the insurance industry.

Avanti’s reviews show a similar pattern: a predominance of high scores praising helpful staff and clear explanations, with a smaller but vocal minority unhappy with specific claims outcomes. Real-world illustrations include customers who suffered heart problems while on holiday in Greece or Turkey describing how Avanti’s emergency assistance team liaised with local hospitals, arranged medical flights home and handled large bills that would have been financially devastating without insurance. On the other side, some negative reviews relate to claims refused where a condition had not been fully declared or where treatment was considered non-urgent or unrelated to declared conditions.

Neither insurer can promise every claim will be paid, and both work within complex medical and contractual rules. The practical takeaway is that travellers should treat the screening process with extreme care, double-check policy wording on unstable or recently changed conditions, and keep copies of all medical records and trip invoices. In this context, both Avanti and Staysure offer relatively strong support compared with cut-price insurers that have limited call-centre resources or offshore claims handling.

The Takeaway

So which travel insurer is the winner: Avanti or Staysure? For most UK travellers in 2026, the answer is that each wins for different types of trip and traveller. Staysure is often the better all-round choice for over-50s and early retirees who take frequent holidays, want high cancellation limits and appreciate extras such as GP video consultations, especially for European or mainstream long-haul trips. Its broad feature set, strong brand recognition and large base of satisfied repeat customers give it real weight.

Avanti comes into its own for older and more medically complex travellers, particularly those in their late 70s and 80s or with multiple serious conditions. Its emphasis on unlimited medical expenses on some policies and the absence of a strict upper age limit on key products make it one of the few realistic options for those planning ambitious holidays later in life. Many independent guides and consumer comparisons put Avanti near the top of the list for pre-existing medical condition cover, particularly when other mainstream brands decline.

The most practical strategy is to treat Avanti and Staysure as complementary rather than rivals. If you are planning a trip, especially with any medical history, collect detailed like-for-like quotes from both on the same day, using identical trip dates, destinations and medical answers. Then compare not just the price but medical limits, cancellation caps, age rules and any add-ons such as cruise or winter sports extensions. Read at least the summary of cover and, where possible, key sections of the policy wording before buying.

In short, Staysure edges ahead as the winner for many mid-range over-50s holidaymakers who want feature-rich, high-limit cover at competitive prices, while Avanti is often the champion for the oldest and most medically complex travellers seeking high medical limits and the reassurance that somebody is still willing to cover them. The ultimate winner for you is the one whose small print matches your real-world health and travel plans most closely.

FAQ

Q1. Which is better for travellers over 70, Avanti or Staysure?
For travellers in their early 70s with relatively stable health, both Avanti and Staysure can be good options. Staysure’s annual multi-trip products and strong cancellation limits appeal to frequent holidaymakers, while Avanti’s focus on medical cover and no strict upper age limit can become more useful as you move into your late 70s and beyond. It is wise to get like-for-like quotes from both and compare how they price your specific medical profile.

Q2. Who is more suitable for serious pre-existing medical conditions?
Both brands specialise in pre-existing medical conditions, but Avanti is often highlighted by independent guides for very complex or high-risk profiles, especially for older travellers. Staysure, however, states that it can cover over 1,300 conditions and that the vast majority of customers with medical issues are able to get cover. The best approach is to complete medical screening with each and see which offers cover and at what terms.

Q3. Which insurer offers higher medical expense limits?
Both Avanti and Staysure offer policies with very high, sometimes unlimited, emergency medical expense limits on their top tiers. Staysure’s Comprehensive and Signature-style policies and Avanti’s medical-led products are designed for destinations with expensive healthcare such as the United States. Rather than assuming, check the specific medical limit for the policy you are considering, as cheaper tiers from either brand may have lower caps.

Q4. Is one brand generally cheaper than the other?
There is no consistent winner on price. In many straightforward cases, such as a healthy 60-year-old travelling to Spain, Staysure may price competitively. For older travellers with multiple conditions, Avanti may sometimes offer more realistic quotes, but this is not guaranteed. Premiums depend on age, destination, trip length, medical details and policy level, so comparing live quotes from both on the same day is essential.

Q5. Which is better for cruise holidays?
Both Avanti and Staysure offer cruise extensions, which are vital if you want cover for missed ports, shipboard medical care and emergency evacuation. Avanti’s strong focus on medical cover and lack of upper age limit can be particularly valuable for older cruise passengers, while Staysure’s high cancellation limits are attractive for expensive cruise itineraries. The best choice depends on the value of your cruise and your medical situation.

Q6. Can I get annual multi-trip cover from both Avanti and Staysure?
Yes. Both insurers sell annual multi-trip policies aimed at regular travellers. Staysure is especially well known for annual cover for over-50s, often with trip length options such as 30, 45 or 60 days. Avanti also offers annual policies and is often chosen by travellers who prioritise medical protection above all else. Check age limits and maximum trip durations for the specific policy you are considering.

Q7. How do the two brands compare on customer reviews?
As of 2026, both Avanti and Staysure have strong overall customer ratings on major review platforms, with scores typically in the high four-out-of-five range and large volumes of feedback. Many customers praise friendly staff and clear medical screening processes, while a minority report disputes over claims or premium increases, which is common in the insurance industry. Given that both have similar headline scores, the decision should rest more on policy features than ratings alone.

Q8. Which is better if I am over 80?
Travellers over 80 often find their options shrinking. Avanti’s emphasis on having no strict upper age limit on many of its medical-focused policies can make it one of the more viable choices for single trips or specific holidays in your 80s. Staysure may still be able to provide cover for some over-80 travellers, depending on the policy and destination, but you will need to check the current age limits carefully and be prepared for higher premiums from any provider.

Q9. Do both cover COVID-related issues?
COVID-related cover has evolved repeatedly since the pandemic. Both Avanti and Staysure have offered forms of COVID-related protection in recent years, but the scope and wording can change, particularly regarding cancellations due to changing entry rules or positive tests. Before buying, read the most up-to-date policy summary to see exactly what COVID scenarios are covered, such as medical treatment abroad or cancellation if you test positive before departure.

Q10. How should I decide between Avanti and Staysure for my next trip?
Start by listing your age, destination, trip cost and full medical history, then obtain quotes from both Avanti and Staysure for the same dates and destinations. Compare medical limits, cancellation caps, age rules, and any special extensions you need, such as cruise or winter sports cover. Read the key sections of each policy document, particularly those on pre-existing conditions and exclusions. The better insurer for you is the one whose current terms most closely match your real travel plans and health, even if that is not the same brand your friends or online reviewers prefer.