What is family travel insurance?
With family travel insurance, you can cover the whole household under one policy. We count “family” for travel insurance as one or two adults plus any unmarried, dependent children under the age of 18 (or under 21 if still in full time education). This includes fostered and step children.
Because everyone’s on the same policy, you’re all treated as one booking. If chickenpox grounds your youngest the night before departure, cancellation cover can refund the entire trip, not just their share.
It’s often better value, too. Grouping everyone together avoids paying multiple times and usually works out cheaper than buying stand-alone cover for each traveller, leaving more holiday money for ice creams, theme-park tickets or that extra suitcase of souvenirs.
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Top tip: Bringing the extended family along?
Bringing grandparents, cousins or the kids’ best friends? Our group cover insures up to 30 people, even if you live at different addresses, so long as you’re travelling together. You can get a quote online for groups of up to ten travellers. For larger groups of 11–30, give us a ring, and we’ll build a tailored plan for your holiday.
What does family travel insurance cover?
Here’s a quick look at when your policy will and won’t apply. If you’re not sure how any of these points might affect you, our friendly team can talk them through over the phone and help you understand what your cover includes.
We can usually help if you…
- have to cancel your trip or come home early
If illness, injury or bereavement means you can’t travel or need to cut your holiday short, we’ll help with the costs you can’t get back.
- need emergency medical treatment abroad
If you fall ill or get injured overseas, we’ll cover hospital treatment, ambulance transport and – if needed – medical repatriation, with help from our 24-hour assistance team.
- lose your bags or passport
If your baggage, valuables or travel documents are lost or stolen, we’ll help you replace essentials so you can carry on with your trip.
- are disrupted by bad weather or strikes
If your flight or connection is delayed because of unexpected bad weather, strike action or a vehicle breakdown, we’ll help cover reasonable travel or accommodation costs to get you where you need to be. (This doesn’t apply if the strike or disruption was already public knowledge when you booked your trip).
- are delayed on your journey (Classic and Deluxe)
If your flight or ferry is delayed for 12 hours or more, you’ll get a fixed payment to help with the inconvenience.
- can’t stay in your accommodation (Classic and Deluxe)
If a fire, flood or major power cut means you can’t stay in your hotel or apartment, we’ll help arrange and pay for somewhere else.
- are admitted to hospital while abroad (Classic and Deluxe)
If you’re kept in hospital overnight, we’ll pay a daily benefit to help with small personal costs while you recover. (If you’re injured in a mugging, an extra payment may also apply).
- are delayed by volcanic ash (Deluxe only)
If a volcanic ash cloud grounds your flight for more than 12 hours, you’ll receive a fixed payment to help with the delay.
- accidentally cause injury or damage
If you unintentionally injure someone or damage their belongings, your policy includes personal liability protection.
- are injured in an accident abroad
If you need legal help after being injured overseas, we’ll cover your legal costs, so you’re not left to manage it alone.
Cover won’t apply if you…
- haven’t told us about a medical condition
If you don’t declare a pre-existing condition, or if your health changes before you travel and you don’t update your policy, we won’t be able to cover related claims.
- travel against UK Government or medical advice
There’s no cover if you travel somewhere the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against, or if your doctor says you shouldn’t travel for medical reasons.
- have an accident because of alcohol or drugs
We can’t cover claims if alcohol or drugs directly or indirectly contribute to an accident, injury or loss.
- miss a flight because of personal delays
If you don’t leave enough time to reach the airport or check-in, we can’t pay for missed flights or connections.
- leave belongings unattended
There’s no cover if something is lost or stolen after being left unattended – for example, on a sunbed, in an unlocked car or in a public place.
- are travelling for arranged medical treatment abroad
Travel insurance is designed for unexpected illness or injury, not for medical procedures, tests or check-ups arranged before you go.
- booked during a known strike or disruption
If strike action or travel problems were already public knowledge when you booked, your policy won’t apply to those delays or cancellations.
- take part in an activity that isn’t covered
Some higher-risk activities – such as certain winter sports – aren’t automatically included unless you’ve added the right optional cover.
- are waiting for a medical procedure
If you’re awaiting an operation or follow-up test, cancellation and curtailment claims won’t be covered unless it’s an accepted procedure shown on your validation certificate.
Travelling with a medical condition?
You’ll have to tell us about the existing health conditions of every traveller on your family travel insurance policy, so we can tailor cover properly.Expecting a baby? You don’t need to declare the pregnancy itself, but any related complications (such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure) must be listed.
97% of customers who declare a condition are offered cover with us. In fact, since 2014, we’ve helped more than 1.3 million travellers arrange cover for over 1,300 medical conditions (subject to screening) – from high blood pressure and diabetes to cancer and heart disease.
In the rare event we can’t offer you travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions, we’ll always try to point you in the right direction. We’re proud to be listed by MoneyHelper – a government-backed money guidance service that keeps a free, independently run directory of those who might be able to help with pre-existing medical conditions.
Medical conditions we regularly cover
Heart and circulatory conditions
Travelling with a circulatory or heart condition like heart disease, high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation? You’re not alone.
Cancer
Our travel insurance policies can include cover for a wide range of cancers – including some of the most common, such as breast, prostate, bowel, lung and skin cancer.
Breathing and lung conditions
We regularly help travellers with a wide range of breathing conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, COPD and lung fibrosis.
Digestive conditions
Many Avanti travellers live with stomach and bowel conditions such as IBS, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and acid reflux.
Neurodegenerative diseases
Our policies can include protection for neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease, as well as rarer conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Batten’s disease, spinocerebellar ataxia and spinal muscular atrophy.
Mental health conditions
Travel can do wonders for mental wellbeing. If you’re managing a condition like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we’d love to help you see the world.
Autoimmune conditions
The Avanti team regularly arrange cover for travellers with autoimmune conditions such as arthritis, lupus, Addison’s disease and multiple sclerosis. This can include conditions managed with long-term medication or those that cause occasional flare-ups.
Kidney conditions
We often help kidney patients with conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidney stones, renal failure, nephritis and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Back and chronic pain
Chronic pain can have many causes – including autoimmune, neurological and digestive disorders – and we understand how differently it can affect each person day to day. We often cover those with conditions such as chronic back pain, slipped discs, sciatica, fibromyalgia and other long-term pain conditions.
Allergies
Allergies shouldn’t stop travel in its tracks. Whether it’s a common sensitivity or something more specific like allergic rhinitis or aspergillosis, we’ll do our best to find the right protection for your trip.
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Top tip: GHICs won’t cover your family against every holiday hiccup
Pop your Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card in your wallet. It’s a handy bit of plastic that lets you use state healthcare in the EU at the same cost as the locals, sometimes free. It’s great for a quick trip to the village clinic, but it has its limits.
Your GHIC can’t charter an air ambulance back to the UK, and it certainly won’t refund your villa deposit if chickenpox appears two days before you fly. You also can’t use it outside Europe, which means Florida theme-park mishaps or Thai tummy bugs could leave you out of pocket.
Avanti holiday insurance for families can help fill the gaps your GHIC doesn’t cover, including repatriation flights, 24/7 English-speaking medical support and cancellation cover that kicks in from the moment you book.
Choose your trip type
Whether you’re taking one big holiday or prefer several shorter trips through the year, our family travel insurance offers cover to fit your plans.
Planning a family cruise?
Our Classic or Deluxe cruise cover can protect your nautical adventures against missed port departures, cabin confinement, itinerary changes, and more. And because nobody wants to be underdressed at the captain’s table, we’ll even pay up to £100 for emergency evening wear, if yours don’t make it on board. With Avanti, every voyage is smooth sailing.
What destinations can I get family travel insurance for?
Wherever your journey leads, your family holiday insurance policy can follow – as long as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says it’s safe to travel. When you take out cover, simply tell us which country (or countries) you’ll be visiting over the span of your trip.
Europe
Europe is perfect for family holidays, offering shorter flights, familiar food, and plenty to keep little travellers happy. While your GHIC is a great backup for state medical care here, your Avanti policy can help fill in the gaps in popular destinations like Spain, Portugal, Greece, France, and more.
Worldwide
Thinking theme parks, a Thailand adventure or visiting relatives in Australia? Our worldwide cover is here to protect those once-in-a-lifetime adventures.
How to buy family holiday insurance
Step 1
You can get a quote online or over the phone. We’ll start by asking a few quick questions – like whether it’s single trip or annual cover, your travel dates, destination and if you’re going on a cruise.
It’s easy to cover an individual, couple, family or group of up to nine travellers online (or up to 30 by phone).
Step 2
Next, we’ll go through a few details about your health over the past two years – including any diagnoses, symptoms, tests or treatment.
Step 3
Once you’ve shared your details, we’ll talk you through your quote, whether online or over the phone. You can choose your level of cover, add any extras and confirm your policy there and then.
You’ll get instant access to your policy documents in My Avanti, where you can view, download or update your details any time.
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When to buy family travel insurance
MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis sums it up nicely: ASAB – As Soon As you Book. Buy your policy on the same day you pay the first holiday deposit, so every penny you commit after that, like flights, villa deposits and even those early-bird theme-park tickets, can be protected up to your policy limits.
Early cover matters for the whole household. If your child breaks a wrist in PE three weeks before take-off, or your GP calls you in for unexpected tests, your family policy can refund the entire family’s holiday costs, not just the person who’s unwell. Leave insurance until passports are packed, and any mishap that happened earlier sits outside the safety net.
How much is family travel insurance
There’s no one-size price tag because every family is different. But a family policy almost always gives better value than buying separately for each traveller.
What you pay depends on five main things:
- Where you’re heading – medical costs can vary hugely around the world
- How long you’ll be away
- How often you’re looking to travel as a family – more than one trip a year can often make annual multi-trip the best value option
- Who will be travelling
- The cover level you choose
The easiest way to see what you’ll pay is to get a quote with us online or over the phone.
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How to get cheaper family holiday insurance
Looking to trim the cost of your family travel insurance policy? Here are a few simple levers you can pull:
- Trip duration – shorter trips usually cost less to insure because there’s less time for something to go wrong.
- Destination – some places are more expensive to insure than others. The USA, Canada and the Caribbean have some of the world’s highest medical costs, while Europe and the UK are often cheaper to cover.
- Policy level – Avanti offers three levels of cover – Essentials, Classic and Deluxe. Essentials is the most cost-effective option for travellers looking to keep things simple.
- Luggage cover – think about what you really need to take with you. Packing lighter and setting a lower luggage limit on your policy can bring the cost down.
- Excess – a higher voluntary excess means a lower premium. Just make sure it’s an amount you’d be comfortable paying if you claim.
- Discounts – it’s also worth checking our current offers before you buy. You can find the latest Avanti discount codes on our discounts page.
Avanti pays when it matters most
We know how important it is to feel confident that your claim will be handled quickly and fairly.
Between February 2024 and July 2025, our customers received more than £31 million, with over 18,000 claims settled.
You can expect to hear from our claims team within five working days of submitting your claim, and in most cases, Avanti strives to make a decision within five days of receiving your documents.
That’s one of the reasons Avanti has been awarded Best Insurance Customer Service by the Personal Finance Awards (2025).
Winner 7 years running: Best Travel Insurance
Our Best Travel Insurance award (Personal Finance Awards, 2018-2025) is based on the experiences of real people who travel with us. They’ve trusted us to help when plans change, flights are cancelled or medical emergencies happen abroad.
From updating policies to arranging hospital care or getting someone home safely, we do what good travel insurance should do – put things right.
Can I get family travel insurance if I’m divorced or separated?
Yes, you can. One adult taking the children on holiday still counts as a family in our eyes, and you’ll pay one price for joint protection. If both parents are travelling but live apart, you can still list everyone under one policy – with Avanti, there’s no need to buy two.
Just be clear on custody arrangements, as some countries can ask for consent letters from the non-travelling parent. On the insurance side, you’re good to go as soon as everyone’s details and medical declarations are on the same certificate.
Will family holiday insurance cover me and my grandkids?
Family travel insurance is designed for one or two parents and their dependent children who all live at the same address. Because you and your grandchildren have different postcodes, a standard family policy won’t be able to cover you under the same umbrella.
The simple fix is a group policy. It lets up to 30 travellers share the same cancellation, baggage and medical benefits. Even when you live apart, a bout of chickenpox in one household can still refund the entire trip. You can quote online for groups of ten or fewer. With 11-30 travellers, give us a call and we’ll build you a tailored plan. Bring along a letter of consent from the non-travelling parent, and you’re set for take-off.
What activities does family travel insurance cover?
More than 100 fun-filled sports and activities come as standard: snorkelling, pedalo hire, beach volleyball, zip-lining, mini-golf, banana-boat rides, go-karting, paddle boarding and plenty more. Remember, to stay covered, make sure to follow the organiser’s rules, wear the provided helmets or life-jackets, and keep it non-competitive.
Adventurous teens keen on jet-skiing* or white-water rafting*? They’re included, up to Grade 4 rapids. Fancy a round of golf? You’re covered for accidents on the course, but our optional Golf add-on can add even more protection for clubs, hired sets, and reward your next hole-in-one.
Please see our policy documents for the full list of sports and activities covered.
Hear it from our happy travellers…
“I have several medical conditions, and I am awaiting diagnosis for another issue, so it’s proven incredibly difficult to find an insurer for our family holiday, with some quotes coming back at ridiculous prices and with limited cover. However, after initially completing a series of straightforward questions online, I rang the Avanti helpline to confirm some details, and I was talked through the rest of the process by a helpful and pleasant assistant who made sure I understood the options available to me regarding the level of cover and optional extras. She also applied the discount code I had seen online, reducing the cost of my policy further. The process was straightforward, giving me a great level of cover, and the price was very competitive. I will definitely be recommending and returning to Avanti Travel Insurance.”
Andrea, 30 December 2025
“Easy to do online with Black Friday code. Added all the children for little extra, and when we needed to claim abroad. The process was swift and with no problems. Thank you.”
Tamara, 21 November 2024
“Really easy to deal with and no pressure to buy what you don’t need. Very helpful and found a great over 60s policy, which they specialise in, and also one for my daughter and her 2 children. I have used this company before, so was happy to use them again for our next trip.”
B A Hindle, 25 June 2024
