2026
9
UK Travel Insurance Market Report 2026
2026-09-09T14:02:01+00:00
REP2832A4EC_41B0_4BB9_B2A4_EC41B02BB96D
2195
196127
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Report
en_GB
The travel insurance market faces a relevance challenge, not an awareness problem. While 68% of travellers purchased insurance for every trip in the last year, 31% travelled uninsured at least…
UK
Insurance
Travel
simple

UK Travel Insurance Market Report 2026

The travel insurance market faces a relevance challenge, not an awareness problem. While 68% of travellers purchased insurance for every trip in the last year, 31% travelled uninsured at least once, often believing lower-risk trips do not warrant cover.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for travel insurance
    • Opportunities
    • Shift from claims provider to real-time travel companion
    • Convert occasional buyers into more frequent customers by meeting modern travel lifestyle needs
    • Increase transparency to build trust and improve retention
  2. THE MARKET

    • Mintel's market size and forecast
    • Rising disruption threat increases importance of cover despite rising costs
    • Overseas travel intentions remain robust despite conflict concerns
    • Graph 1: overseas travel intentions over the next 12 months – net, 2026
    • Holidays represent half of all planned visits abroad
    • Insurers must respond to growing interest in new destinations
    • Economic challenges continue to diminish business travel growth
    • FCA intervenes after super-complaint and inconsistent signposting
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Closing the protection gap
    • Most take out travel cover but gaps remain
    • Reframe travel insurance as protection against disruption, not disaster
    • Convert intent into purchase through embedded and timely distribution
    • Address affordability concerns among financially vulnerable travellers
    • Graph 2: travel insurance plans and intentions for next trip abroad, by financial situation, 2026
    • Build stronger insurance habits among younger travellers
    • Graph 3: types of travel insurance taken out for trip(s) in the last 12 months, by age, 2026
    • Policy understanding gap most evident in young males
    • Improve education to reduce non-disclosure risks among younger and more vulnerable travellers
    • Proving the value of cover beyond price
    • Price drives cover choice, but travellers value extra protection against disruption
    • Educate consumers on the value of quality cover over cheaper alternatives
    • Turn claims trust into a competitive advantage
    • Graph 4: trust in travel insurance companies to pay out on claims, by level of understanding what is covered by a travel insurance policy, 2026
    • Overcome fears that discourage consumers from using cover
    • Graph 5: concerns about future premiums being higher have stopped me making a claim on a travel insurance policy, by age, 2026
    • Put customer experience at the centre of sales marketing strategies
    • 'Where The Sun Don’t Shine' empowers older travellers to dream big
    • Positive reviews attract younger travellers, while experience matters most to older ones
    • Appetite for digital travel insurance services
    • AI hesitancy persists, but live travel assistance apps show promise
    • Prioritise digital-first distribution, but avoid excluding older travellers
    • Graph 6: preference to purchase travel insurance via an app/website than in-person, by age, 2026
    • Journeys define people – not their age or health
    • Use AI to simplify decision-making, not replace consumer control
    • Millennial and older Gen Z males are most open to AI-assisted cover arrangement
    • Build an integrated travel ecosystem around insurance
    • Graph 7: interest in travel assistance app that provides live assistance, by interest in AI-assisted tool to arrange travel insurance, 2026
    • Adapting to increased travel disruption risk
    • Use disruption concerns to drive earlier purchase and increase conversion
    • Graph 8: recent global events have made travel insurance more important, by travel insurance intentions for next overseas trip, 2026
    • Global disruptions have made cover more important for older travellers
    • Create dedicated travel disruption protection propositions
    • Develop premium propositions built around enhanced medical protection and reassurance
    • Graph 9: high cover limits would be most likely to make me choose one travel insurance policy over another, by household income, 2026
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • PJ Hayman revamps its offering, while supporting wider market innovation
    • Allianz Partners expands distribution and launches new gadget protection for travellers
    • Avios Insurance aims to disrupt travel insurance distribution models
    • Geopolitical conflict disruptions drive innovative solutions from airlines
    • New market entrants look to reward existing customers
    • TifGroup opens its medical screening tool to the wider market
    • Providers combat increasing travel disruptions with new product add-ons
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • Regulation
    • FCA seeks industry improvement after 'super-complaint'
    • FCA makes amendments to travel insurance signposting rules for consumers with medical conditions
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – EMEA
    • UK generation groups
    • Other data source methodologies
    • ONS methodology changes
    • Abbreviations
Download Report Summary

"Travel insurers face challenges around relevance, trust and value, but can drive growth by improving transparency, reducing friction, and making cover a more central part of the travel journey."

Lewis Cone, Associate Principal - Financial Services

Lewis Cone, Associate Principal - Financial Services

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • How brands can close the travel insurance protection gap
  • Barriers to taking out travel insurance, including consumers not thinking they would need it, and a previous poor experience with cover
  • Proving the value of being covered beyond pricing alone
  • Customer interest in digital travel insurance services, such as using AI-powered tools to arrange cover, and preferring to buy cover via an app or website
  • How providers can make the most of the demand for medical conditions cover as populations age

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