InsureandGo Travel Insurance: Avoid It or Is It Worth It?

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Choosing travel insurance often comes down to a few big questions: Will this company actually pay out if something goes wrong, is the cover any good for the price, and how painful is the claims process in real life? InsureandGo is one of the biggest travel insurers in the UK and also operates brands in markets such as Australia, which means a lot of travelers will see its name when shopping for cover. But size does not always equal quality. So should travelers avoid InsureandGo, or is it a solid, good-value option if you understand what you are buying?

Who Is InsureandGo and What Do They Actually Offer?

InsureandGo is a long-established British travel insurance brand, now owned by NSM Insurance Group, and has been selling policies for more than two decades. It focuses almost entirely on leisure travel insurance rather than broad personal or commercial lines. In practice, that means it offers the products most holidaymakers search for first: single-trip policies, annual multi-trip cover, backpacker and long-stay policies, cruise add-ons, and specialist options such as winter sports and USA-specific cover.

In the UK, InsureandGo sells tiered policies often labelled Silver, Gold and Black. Silver tends to be the entry-level option with lower limits, while Black is the premium level with higher medical and cancellation limits and more extras included. For example, on recent product summaries, InsureandGo highlights “unlimited” medical cover on higher-tier policies and up to around £10,000 of cancellation cover, figures that are competitive with other mass-market insurers selling online or through comparison sites.

InsureandGo also leans heavily on Covid-related benefits in its marketing. Its coronavirus information page, updated in April 2026, explains that all current policies include some level of Covid cover, provided the trip meets Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office guidance and vaccination requirements. That means a British traveler flying to Spain or the United States in 2026 could expect cover if they catch Covid and need medical treatment abroad or have to cancel because they test positive shortly before departure, subject to the usual conditions.

For travelers outside the UK, InsureandGo-branded policies are also sold in markets such as Australia. Reviews there show similar positioning: aggressive pricing, relatively high benefit limits compared with budget competitors, and a wide range of optional extras like cruise cover and higher luggage limits. However, the fine print and claims handling are governed by local underwriters and regulators, so experiences can differ between, say, a Sydney-based traveler and a London-based one even though the branding is the same.

Strengths: Where InsureandGo Performs Well

One of InsureandGo’s biggest strengths is price. Independent analysts frequently rate it toward the cheaper end of the market for comparable levels of cover. A 2026 expert review found that InsureandGo often undercuts well-known rivals on typical holiday scenarios while still offering high medical limits and solid cancellation cover. For example, a 30-year-old UK traveler booking a one-week trip to Italy might find InsureandGo’s Silver policy for a little under £15 through a comparison site, while a mid-tier Gold policy with higher baggage limits could be in the £20–£30 range, often cheaper than similar offerings from brands heavily advertised on television.

Customer review platforms also show that many travelers have trouble-free experiences. On Smart Money People, InsureandGo’s travel insurance scores in the middle to upper range based on more than a thousand reviews, with the most recent average rating hovering around the four-star mark out of five. A large proportion of positive reviews come from people who either found the buying process straightforward or had straightforward claims for events such as lost baggage, minor medical issues or trip cancellations that were handled promptly and paid in line with expectations.

On Trustpilot, InsureandGo is currently ranked near the top of travel insurance companies listed, with an aggregate rating above four stars and more than one hundred thousand reviews. Recent comments praise quick email responses, clear documentation and the ability to get proof of cover for visa applications within hours. In one 2026 review, a traveler described having to cancel a family trip to Greece after a child’s sudden illness; they reported that InsureandGo processed the claim within about two weeks once all documents were provided, reimbursing flight and accommodation costs apart from the standard excess.

Another strength is that InsureandGo has kept Covid cover in its standard policies rather than pushing it out to expensive add-ons. For instance, its dedicated coronavirus page explains that if you catch Covid before departure and have to cancel, or if you fall ill while away and require emergency treatment, those scenarios can be covered as long as you meet policy and government travel requirements. For travelers who still worry about pandemic disruption, that is a meaningful reassurance compared with very cheap policies that now exclude most Covid-related events.

Weaknesses and Common Complaints

Despite many positive experiences, InsureandGo attracts its share of criticism, particularly when claims become complex. Consumer groups like Which? note that InsureandGo’s claims acceptance rates on some policy types are broadly in line with the industry average – the company accepted roughly 85 to 90 percent of European annual policy claims in the most recent Financial Conduct Authority dataset – but that still leaves a significant minority of claims declined. In practice, this most often affects grey areas such as pre-existing medical conditions, poorly documented trip cancellations and disputes over what counts as a “known event.”

Real-world examples illustrate the pattern. Some customers have complained to review sites that their trip cancellation claim was refused because the illness that led to cancellation was linked to a condition they had not disclosed during medical screening. Others describe frustration where airlines or hotels issued vouchers instead of cash refunds during disruptions, leading to disputes over whether InsureandGo should also pay out under the policy. These are not unique to InsureandGo, but the volume of policies it sells means the number of disgruntled customers posting online can look high.

Communication during the claims process is another recurring theme. Several negative Trustpilot reviews from 2025 and 2026 mention long waits for responses once a claim has been submitted, with some customers chasing updates for weeks. In a typical case, a traveler who submitted hospital records from a clinic in Thailand after a scooter accident complained that InsureandGo repeatedly requested additional translated documentation and original receipts, stretching the process over several months. Although this kind of scrutiny is common with large medical bills, the experience can feel stressful if you are out of pocket and unsure when you will be reimbursed.

Finally, some overseas travelers report confusion about which entity is actually insuring them. Because InsureandGo operates in several countries through different underwriters, a traveler in Australia reading UK reviews might assume their experience will be identical, when in reality their policy is governed by Australian law, local regulators and a different complaints framework. This can lead to disappointment if they try to compare claims statistics or ombudsman decisions from another country directly with their own situation.

Pricing, Value and Policy Tiers in Practice

InsureandGo’s value proposition is clearest when you compare specific policy tiers to real-world trips. Consider a couple from Manchester planning a 10-day summer holiday in Florida with a hire car and some theme park visits. A basic Silver policy might offer enough medical cover but relatively modest cancellation and baggage limits, perhaps around £1,000 to £2,000 for baggage and several thousand for cancellation. Stepping up to Gold or Black often increases cancellation limits toward £5,000 to £10,000 and adds higher personal liability, delayed baggage benefits and sometimes extras like airline failure cover, all for a modest increase in premium, typically another £10–£20 on a single-trip quote.

For frequent travelers, annual multi-trip policies can be particularly cost effective. A 35-year-old solo traveler taking three or four European city breaks plus one long-haul trip might find that an InsureandGo annual European policy costs roughly the same as two or three individual single-trip policies from other mainstream insurers. The trade-off is that annual policies sometimes come with stricter trip length limits, for example capping each trip at 31 or 45 days, so a six-week backpacking tour would either require an upgrade or a separate extended-stay policy.

It is also worth noting that InsureandGo positions itself aggressively on age and pre-existing conditions compared with some budget rivals. The company publicly states that it has no upper age limit for Covid cover and that many common conditions can be covered after online medical screening, sometimes without an additional premium. That can make InsureandGo attractive to older travelers who have been declined by comparison-site-only brands. However, the value only holds if you complete the screening accurately. A retired traveler with controlled heart disease who clicks “no” to the relevant questions to keep the price down may find a later cardiac-related claim declined on the basis of non-disclosure.

From a pure cost perspective, InsureandGo tends to fall into the “good value for money if you know what you’re doing” category. Savvy travelers who compare limits as well as prices often find that, for just a few pounds more than the absolute rock-bottom policy on a comparison site, they can buy an InsureandGo mid-tier product with much stronger cancellation and medical cover. The risk is that less experienced buyers may only look at the headline price, pick the cheapest tier and then discover after a loss that the limits or definitions are weaker than they assumed.

Claims Handling, Ombudsman Cases and Real Outcomes

When deciding whether to avoid or embrace a travel insurer, real claim outcomes matter far more than glossy marketing. For InsureandGo, the picture is mixed but not alarming. According to a recent analysis by the consumer group Which?, the proportion of InsureandGo claims paid out on some of its core products is close to the market average, meaning that in the majority of cases where travelers meet the policy conditions, claims are accepted and paid.

Complaints that are not resolved directly with InsureandGo can be escalated to the UK’s Financial Ombudsman Service. InsureandGo’s own complaints page lays out the standard route: raise a complaint directly with the company, allow time for a final response, and if you are still unhappy, take the case to the ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman has the power to review documentation from both sides and require the insurer to pay compensation if it finds the claim was handled unfairly. Case studies published by the ombudsman across the industry show situations where insurers were required to pay out after initially rejecting a travel claim because key policy terms were ambiguous or not properly highlighted.

For example, in one recent ombudsman decision involving a different travel insurer, the adjudicator sided with a traveler whose claim for emergency medical treatment following a moped accident abroad was originally declined because the insurer insisted the traveler did not have the correct licence. The ombudsman found that the policy wording was unclear on what licences were required in the destination country and ruled that the claim should be paid. While this case did not involve InsureandGo directly, it illustrates how ambiguous wording can be challenged and why escalation routes matter whichever insurer you choose.

In online travel discussions, some UK-based travelers weighing Admiral versus InsureandGo for annual cover have expressed concern that cheaper policies might be more aggressive at looking for technical reasons to decline. However, responses from seasoned travelers usually highlight that problems are not unique to one brand. The more complicated the claim – think multi-leg trips with several missed connections, or long-running medical conditions – the more essential it is to have kept paperwork, disclosed conditions fully, and followed guidance from emergency assistance lines at the time.

Overall, the evidence suggests that InsureandGo’s claims handling is neither stellar nor disastrous. For simple, well-documented events that clearly fall within the policy, the company usually pays out in line with peers. Where things become contentious is at the edges of policy wordings, particularly with medical history and cancellations tied to evolving travel advisories. Travelers who want a higher degree of hand-holding and a reputation for more generous interpretations may be willing to pay more for boutique providers that serve fewer customers but offer more personalised claims support.

Key Exclusions, Fine Print and Situations Where InsureandGo May Disappoint

Like any insurer, InsureandGo structures its policies around exclusions and conditions, and these are where many disappointed customers later realise they misjudged the product. Common exclusions include claims arising from undisclosed pre-existing medical conditions, travelling against official government advice, ignoring recommended vaccinations, and taking part in risky activities or sports that are not listed as covered.

Consider a traveler booking a cheap long-weekend trip to Istanbul, who has mild but ongoing back pain treated by a physiotherapist. If they do not declare this condition during the online screening because it feels “minor,” and later cancel the trip due to a sudden flare-up that requires hospitalisation, InsureandGo may treat the back problem as a pre-existing condition that should have been disclosed and decline the cancellation claim. From the traveler’s perspective, this can feel harsh. From the insurer’s perspective, it is consistent with the policy wording and pricing assumptions.

Another area where expectations can diverge is government travel advisories. InsureandGo’s Covid guidance explicitly notes that cover may be affected if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is advising against travel to your destination at the time you buy the policy or depart. Suppose a traveler buys a policy and books non-refundable flights to a region that later sees a sharp rise in political unrest or disease outbreaks. If the FCDO subsequently advises against all but essential travel and the airline cancels flights offering vouchers or alternative routes, the traveler may or may not have a payable claim under InsureandGo depending on the policy type, timing and whether travel was booked before or after the advisory. This complexity is not unique to InsureandGo, but it reinforces that you cannot assume every disruption will trigger a payout.

There are also limits and sub-limits that can bite. Baggage cover, for example, often has both an overall limit and a per-item cap, plus rules on unattended property. If you leave a laptop bag on a café chair at an airport while you go to the bathroom and it disappears, InsureandGo may class that as “unattended baggage” and decline the claim. Travelers who are used to generous credit-card-linked insurance with more relaxed interpretations can be surprised by how strictly mainstream travel insurers apply such rules.

Is InsureandGo Worth It or Should You Avoid It?

Whether InsureandGo is “worth it” depends heavily on your travel profile, risk tolerance and willingness to engage with fine print. For many mainstream holidaymakers, particularly price-sensitive travelers in the UK and Australia, InsureandGo offers a sensible balance: competitive premiums, robust medical and cancellation limits on mid to high-tier products, and a claims record broadly in line with the industry average. If you are a healthy 30-something booking a week in Spain or Portugal, disclose any minor conditions accurately, and are prepared to keep receipts and contact the emergency assistance line if something serious happens, InsureandGo can be a perfectly reasonable choice.

Situations where you might want to avoid InsureandGo or proceed with extra caution include complex health histories, very expensive bucket-list trips where losing money would be devastating, and itineraries involving high-risk activities or unstable destinations. In these cases, some travelers prefer insurers that consistently score at the very top of consumer satisfaction surveys, even if premiums are significantly higher. For example, a couple spending £12,000 on a multi-country safari, including non-refundable internal flights and specialist tours, might choose a premium insurer with a strong reputation for proactive claims support even if InsureandGo’s quote looks hundreds of pounds cheaper.

Another factor is your comfort with self-service administration. InsureandGo, like many modern insurers, pushes customers toward online forms, email and chat for both customer service and claims. If you strongly prefer dealing with a single named broker or adviser by phone, smaller specialist agencies may offer a better experience. On the other hand, if you are comfortable scanning documents, uploading PDFs and tracking claim progress via email, InsureandGo’s digital-first approach is unlikely to be a problem.

In short, InsureandGo is neither a company to avoid at all costs nor a flawless, premium option. It sits squarely in the mass-market middle: good value when used thoughtfully, potentially frustrating if you buy purely on price and assume generous interpretations. The key is to line up your expectations with the product you actually choose.

Practical Tips if You Decide to Use InsureandGo

If you decide that InsureandGo looks right for your trip, there are some simple steps that will significantly reduce the risk of disappointment. First, match the policy tier to your actual costs. If you are paying £4,000 for flights and accommodation for a family ski holiday, a low-tier policy with £1,000 of cancellation cover will not protect you adequately. In that scenario, upgrading to a Gold or Black policy is usually a small extra cost compared with the total trip price.

Second, take medical screening seriously. When the online quote form asks about recent investigations, ongoing medication or previous diagnoses, answer fully and honestly. If you are unsure whether something counts, err on the side of declaring it and, if necessary, calling customer service for clarification. The small increase in premium is almost always preferable to a large claim being declined later.

Third, read the policy wording for your specific product before you travel, not after something goes wrong. InsureandGo makes policy documents available online, including sections detailing what is and is not covered. Set aside 20 minutes to skim the exclusions for activities, unattended property, alcohol-related incidents and government travel advice. This is especially important if you plan to rent scooters in Asia, hike at altitude in South America, or join adventure excursions such as white-water rafting or zip-lining.

Finally, document everything. If your airline cancels a flight, keep written confirmation, boarding passes and receipts for meals and hotels. If you fall ill, ask for itemised medical bills and reports on headed paper. If baggage is delayed, obtain a Property Irregularity Report from the airline. Travelers who provide clear, complete documents to InsureandGo from the start tend to report smoother outcomes than those who submit sketchy details and then argue in principle about what “should” be covered.

The Takeaway

InsureandGo is a major player in the travel insurance market with competitive pricing, comprehensive cover options and a claims record that broadly matches industry averages. It is not a discount brand to be automatically avoided, nor is it a boutique insurer providing white-glove service at any cost. For many ordinary trips, especially for UK and Australian travelers buying online, InsureandGo can be a sensible, good-value choice.

However, the company’s heavy reliance on fine print and structured exclusions means it rewards travelers who take the time to understand their policy and disclose their circumstances fully. Complaints and negative reviews tend to cluster around complex medical histories, ambiguous government travel advisories and poorly documented claims rather than around routine, clearly covered events.

If you are planning a typical holiday, are comfortable with digital communication, and are willing to spend half an hour reading your policy wording, InsureandGo is likely to be “worth it” for the price. If you are booking a once-in-a-lifetime, high-budget trip, have complicated health issues, or want highly personalised claims advocacy, you may decide to pay more for a specialist insurer with a stronger service reputation. Ultimately, the right answer is not whether to avoid InsureandGo in all cases, but whether its particular balance of price, cover and service fits your trip and your risk profile.

FAQ

Q1. Is InsureandGo a reliable travel insurance company?
InsureandGo is a large, long-established travel insurer with claims acceptance rates broadly in line with industry averages, meaning most valid, well-documented claims are paid.

Q2. Does InsureandGo cover Covid-related cancellations and medical costs?
Current InsureandGo policies include Covid cover for many scenarios, such as cancellation due to a positive test or emergency treatment abroad, provided you follow policy conditions and government travel advice.

Q3. Are InsureandGo policies cheap compared with other travel insurers?
InsureandGo is often competitively priced, especially on online comparison sites, and can be cheaper than many well-known rivals for similar headline medical and cancellation limits.

Q4. Why do some people complain about InsureandGo claims?
Complaints typically arise when claims involve undisclosed medical conditions, unclear documentation or situations affected by government travel advisories, areas where policy wording and evidence requirements are strict.

Q5. Is InsureandGo a good choice for older travelers or those with medical conditions?
InsureandGo often covers older travelers and many pre-existing conditions after medical screening, but it is vital to declare everything accurately so that related claims are not later declined.

Q6. How long does InsureandGo take to pay a travel insurance claim?
Simple, well-documented claims can be resolved in a matter of weeks, while more complex cases involving large medical bills or missing paperwork may take several months to finalise.

Q7. Can I rely on InsureandGo for expensive, once-in-a-lifetime trips?
InsureandGo can cover high-value trips, but some travelers prefer paying extra for premium insurers known for more personalised claims support when large sums and complex itineraries are involved.

Q8. What should I check in an InsureandGo policy before buying?
Check medical and cancellation limits, per-item baggage caps, sports and activity coverage, rules about government travel advice, and all exclusions that might apply to your specific trip.

Q9. What can I do if I am unhappy with an InsureandGo claims decision?
You can first use InsureandGo’s internal complaints process and, if still dissatisfied, escalate the case to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which can order the insurer to change its decision.

Q10. Should I avoid InsureandGo entirely?
You do not need to avoid InsureandGo outright; it is a reasonable option for many trips, but it works best for travelers who read the fine print and match the policy carefully to their needs.