ireland travel insurance

Ireland Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for ireland.

Known for its lush green countryside, ancient castles, and lively traditions, Ireland captivates the hearts of visitors from around the world. Whether you're exploring the vibrant streets of Dublin or marveling at the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, Ireland promises a journey filled with unforgettable experiences. As you embark on your Irish adventure, you must be well-prepared for any unforeseen events. That's where travel insurance comes into play, offering coverage throughout your travels. In this guide, we'll walk you through the ins and outs of travel insurance for Ireland, helping you explore the Emerald Isle with confidence.

• What should your Travel insurance cover for a trip to Ireland? 

How does Travel Insurance for Ireland work?

• Do I need Travel Insurance for Ireland? 
• How much does Travel Insurance cost for Ireland? 

Our Suggested AXA Travel Protection Plan

• What types of medical coverage does AXA Travel Protection plans offer?
• Are There Any COVID-19 Restrictions for Travelers to Ireland?
• Traveling with pre-existing Medical Conditions? 

What should your Travel Insurance cover for a trip to Ireland?

At a minimum, your travel insurance to Ireland should cover trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency medical expenses. When it comes to international travel, the US Department of State  outlines key components that should be included in your travel insurance coverage. AXA Travel Protection plans are designed with these minimum recommended coverages in mind.

• Medical Coverage   – The top priority is making sure your health is in order. With AXA Travel Protection, you can have access to quality healthcare during your trip overseas in the event of unexpected medical emergencies.    
• Trip Cancellation & Interruptions  – Assistance against unexpected trip disruptions can dampen the mood, AXA Travel Protection offers coverage against unforeseen events.   
• Emergency Evacuations and Repatriation   – In situations where transportation is dire, AXA Travel Protection offers provisions for emergency evacuation and repatriation.   
• Coverage for Personal Belongings  – AXA offers coverage for your belongings with assistance against lost or delayed baggage.   
• Optional Cancel for Any Reason  – For added flexibility, AXA offers optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage, allowing you to cancel your trip for non-traditional reasons.  Exclusive to Platinum Plan holders. 

In just a few seconds, you can get a free quote and purchase the best travel insurance for Ireland.

Imagine you've planned an exciting journey to Ireland, ready to explore the historic sites and savor the scenic beauty. On the day of your departure, however, you receive news of unexpected severe weather conditions affecting your connecting flight. The airport announces a significant delay, leaving you stranded and unsure about the next steps. Here's where the "Trip Delay" benefit comes to your rescue. With this coverage, you can rest assured that your additional expenses, such as meals and accommodations during the unforeseen delay, are taken care of. In times of escalating challenges, AXA stands ready to assist you in devising a strategic course of action. Here’s how travelers can benefit from an AXA Travel Protection Plan:

Medical Benefits: 

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Should you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, your policy may offer coverage for medical expenses, including hospital stays and doctor's fees. 
• Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation: In case of a serious medical emergency, your policy may include provisions for evacuation to the nearest appropriate medical facility or repatriation. 
• Non-Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation : In non-medical crises (e.g., political unrest), your policy may cover evacuation or repatriation, subject to policy terms. 

Pre-Departure Travel Benefits: 

• Trip Cancellation: You may be eligible for reimbursement if you cancel your trip due to a sudden illness or injury. 
• COVID-19 Travel Insurance: Coverage is available for trip cancellation and medical expenses related to COVID-19, subject to policy terms and conditions. 
• Trip Delay: If your flight faces delays due to unforeseen circumstances, you may have coverage for additional expenses such as meals and accommodations. 
• Missed Connection: If you miss a connecting flight due to delays or cancellations, this coverage may help with expenses like rebooking fees and accommodations.

Baggage Benefits: 

• Luggage Delay: If the airline delays your checked baggage, your policy might offer reimbursement for essential items like clothing and toiletries. 
• Lost or Stolen Luggage: In the unfortunate event of permanent loss or theft of your luggage, your policy may offer reimbursement for its value, assisting you in replacing your belongings. 

Additional Optional Travel Benefits:

• Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver): Exclusive to Gold & Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit gives travelers extra coverage on their rental car against damage and theft. 
• Cancel for Any Reason: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders; this optional benefit gives travelers more flexibility to cancel their trip for any reason outside of their standard policy. 
• Loss Skier Days: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate some costs associated with pre-paid ski tickets that you or your traveling companion cannot use due to specified slope closures. 
• Loss Golf Days: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate the expenses linked to prepaid golf arrangements that you or your travel companion are unable to utilize due to specified golf closures. 

Do I need Travel Insurance for Ireland?

 You don't have to get travel insurance for an Irish visa, but it's a good idea to follow the official advice and get yourself covered.  Here are several reasons why securing travel insurance for Ireland is recommended:

Medical Emergencies: While Ireland offers free healthcare to EU and UK residents, travelers from other regions may face substantial medical expenses in case of illness or injury. Having coverage for emergency medical expenses becomes essential so you can receive necessary medical care without worrying about hefty bills.

Lost Baggage: Airlines sometimes mishandle baggage, and the last thing you want is to be without your essentials in an unfamiliar place. Travel insurance offers to cover the cost of replacing necessary items, allowing you to continue on.

Trip Delays: Given Ireland's unpredictable weather conditions, having coverage for unexpected delays can be particularly relevant. Whether it's due to adverse weather affecting flights or other unforeseen circumstances, this benefit may cover additional expenses for meals and accommodations incurred while you wait for your flight.

How much does Travel Insurance cost for Ireland?

In general, travel insurance costs about 3 – 10% of your total prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses. The cost of travel insurance depends on two factors for AXA Travel Protection plans:

With AXA Travel Protection, travelers to Ireland will be offered three tiers of insurance:  Silver,   Gold  and  Platinum . Each provides varying levels of coverage to cater to individual's preferences and travel needs. 

AXA presents travelers with three travel plans – the  Silver Plan ,  Gold Plan , and  Platinum Plan , each offering different levels of coverage to suit individual needs. Given that Ireland hospitals often do not accept U.S. health insurance or Medicare, we genuinely recommend travelers consider purchasing any of these plans, particularly for the crucial coverage they offer for emergency accident and sickness medical expenses.

The Platinum Plan is your go-to choice if you're looking for extra coverage for Ireland’s experience. " Cancel for Any Reason " offers greater flexibility for those unexpected twists in your travel plans and the "Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver)" offers assistance when you're out exploring Ireland's stunning landscapes in a rental car. The "Loss Golf Days" benefit offered by the Platinum Plan is particularly beneficial for travelers visiting Ireland, a country renowned for its world-class golf courses. In the event of unexpected closures impacting your prepaid golf plans, this optional coverage offers reimbursement, allowing your golfing experience to remain pleasurable despite unforeseen disruptions.

What types of medical coverage do AXA Travel Protection plans offer?

AXA covers three types of medical expenses:

• Emergency Medical
• Emergency evacuation & repatriation
• Non-medical emergency evacuation & repatriation

Emergency medical: Covers unforeseen events such as fractures, burns, sudden illnesses, and allergic reactions.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Can cover your immediate transportation home in the event of an accidental injury or illness.

Non-medical emergency evacuation and repatriation:  Assists in situations requiring immediate departure from a destination due to non-medical incidents. These events may include natural disasters or civil unrest, and the coverage provides support for evacuation.

Are there any COVID-19 restrictions for travelers to Ireland?

As of March 2022, all COVID-19 travel restrictions have been lifted. There is no requirement to fill out a passenger locator form, provide proof of vaccination or recovery, or undergo a COVID-19 test.

Traveling with pre-existing Medical Conditions?

Traveling with pre-existing medical conditions can complicate your plans, but with AXA Travel Protection, we're here to support you during your trip.   Our Gold and Platinum  plans offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.  The Platinum plan, in particular, is our highest-offered choice for travelers who want our highest coverage limits and optional add-ons, 

What does this mean for you? If you've got a medical condition that's been hanging around, you can qualify for coverage under our Gold and Platinum plan with a pre-existing medical condition , so long as it’s within 14 days of placing your initial trip deposit and in our 60-day look-back period. We're here to ensure you travel easily, no matter your health situation.

1. Can you buy travel insurance after booking a flight?

You can buy travel insurance even after your flight is booked.

2. When should I buy Travel Insurance for Ireland?

It's advisable to purchase travel insurance for your trip as soon as you have made your initial trip deposit (prepaid and non-refundable trip costs.) AXA Travel Protection offers coverage as soon as you purchase your protection plan. We can give coverage against unforeseen events before you leave for your trip. Additionally, our policies offer coverage for preexisting medical conditions and Cancel for Any Reason if you purchase your protection within 14 days of making your initial trip deposit.

3. Do Americans need travel insurance in Ireland?

Travel insurance is not mandatory for U.S. visitors to Ireland. However, having coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and rental cars can protect you from financial losses due to unforeseen circumstances and costly medical expenses.

4. What is needed to visit Ireland from the USA?

To enter Ireland, a valid passport is required. U.S. citizens can enjoy visa-free entry for tourism or business stays lasting up to 90 days. While there is no specific minimum passport validity requirement, it is advisable to possess a passport valid for the entire duration of your stay. Additionally, it is recommended to have evidence of ample funds to support your stay and a return airline ticket.

5. What happens if a tourist gets sick in Ireland?

If you become sick in Ireland, travelers with AXA Travel protection can contact the AXA Assistance at  855-327-1442 . Contact information is typically provided within the insurance documentation. Please ensure to read through your policy details and information.

Disclaimer: It is important to note that Destination articles are for editorial purposes only and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified professional. Specifics of travel coverage for your destination will depend on the plan selected, the date of purchase, and the state of residency. Customers are advised to carefully review the terms and conditions of their policy. Contact AXA Travel Insurance if you have any questions.  AXA Assistance USA, Inc.© 2023 All Rights Reserved.  

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Compare travel insurance to find the best travel insurance in Ireland. We do all the searching for you to find the best & cheap travel insurance. With just a few clicks using our 'travel insurance compare' feature, you can purchase the best travel insurance policy. It's Quick and Easy!

Single trip covers you one trip from the time you leave Ireland until you return including travelling to multiple countries.

Annual multi-trip covers you for an unlimited number of trips for a specified duration within one year.

Backpacker will cover you for between 3 and 24 months and include travel to multiple destinations. This cover is also known as ‘long stay’ or ‘extended stay’.

Policies will normally exclude cover if you are travelling to an area or country where the Department of Foreign Affairs has advised against travel. For advice on countries not to travel to and for more information prior to travel, visit https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/

Annual multi-trip: cover will commence on the specified start date. If you choose to include cancellation cover, it will begin on the policy start date you have selected and not the date you buy your insurance.

Single trip and backpacker: cover will commence on the day you incept the insurance if you choose to include cancellation cover.

What to consider

Annual multi-trip: if you choose to include cancellation cover, it will begin on the policy start date and not the date you buy your insurance. Therefore, if you set the start date for when your first trip begins, you will not be covered if you are unable to travel.

Single trip and backpacker: if you choose to include cancellation cover, it will begin on the date you buy your insurance. All other policy features will begin on the date you select.

Who is covered?

Individual: this is to cover Individual travellers travelling alone or together.

Couple: this will usually cover 2 adults residing at the same address.

Family: usually two adults and a specified number children under the age of 18 who live at the same address. This also includes single parent families.

Definitions may vary from insurer.

Individual: as the name suggests, this will cover one traveller.

Couple: this will typically cover two adults who live at the same address.

Family: this will typically cover two adults and up to four children under the age of 18 who live at the same address.

Winter sports: an additional cover required if you are going on a trip that will involve you skiing or snowboarding etc. This may also include cover for off-piste skiing and for your equipment.

Cruise cover: these policies include cover for cruises and may include extras such as missed port departure and cabin confinement.

Business Trip: these policies are tailored for the business traveler and may include additional cover for mobile phones, laptops or other items used in support of your business.

Always read the policy wording carefully as it may include specific conditions and exclusions. Please ensure that your insurance provider will cover you for all destinations on your cruise.

Private Heath Insurance

Insurers will usually offer a discount and cover some pre-existing conditions automatically if all the insured persons hold an eligible Private Health Insurance policy that covers in-patient medical treatment abroad of at least €55,000 per person per claim. The policies will usually re-quire you to claim from your PHI provider in the first instance if you receive medical treatment abroad with the Travel Insurance benefits offering a top up if you exceed the limit of your PHI.

Please refer to the insurer’s policy documents for full terms and conditions.

What is a medical condition?

An illness or injury for which you have taken medication or been given treatment.

This also includes conditions from which you have suffered symptoms, but not yet had a diagnosis and ongoing medical conditions. Policies may exclude any claims relating to being on a waiting list to receive a diagnosis or treatment or a terminal illness. This may also extend to non-travelling family members.

This policy is only available to you if you have been permanently resident in Ireland for the past six months.

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Find Best Travel Insurance in Ireland with Ucompare

Ucompare's tool does all the hard work for you and helps you to compare & buy cheap travel insurance in Ireland.

Whether it's the annual travel insurance, single trip, backpacker travel, or global travel insurance; fill in our simple form & get multiple quotes to compare & choose the best insurance.

Annual trip Policy

Our annual trip holiday insurance policies cover avid travelers for a full 12-month period. You can select from various geographical locations, including Europe, the US, Australia, or even worldwide.

An annual trip travel insurance policy covers you for all trips made within the year, so you never need to worry about any last-minute panic to arrange travel insurance.

If you are a frequent flyer, it will often be much better value than individual policies for each trip.

Single trip Policy

We also offer a huge range of comprehensive single trip travel insurance options. If you don't travel as frequently, the single trip option can save you a lot of money and stress if anything doesn't go to plan.

This travel insurance type offers advantages, including the policy being tailor-made and designed especially for your trip abroad.

We offer a large range of add-on options for whatever you may need.

Backpacker Policy

If you are travelling for an extended period of time, our backpacker travel insurance options have you covered.

It is the most popular option for those jetting off to travel the world and is essential if you will be away from home for more than 3 months.

Our Backpacker travel insurance policy options can cover you for up to 2 years, so no matter how long you will be away for, make sure to get a quote today.

Benefits of Travel Insurance with Ucompare

Travelling brings you the most wonderful memories to cherish forever. But sometimes things may not always go according to the plan.

Lost luggage at the airport, flight cancellations, flight delays, natural disaster or a medical emergency can seriously hamper your travel plans.

Unfortunately, you don't have control over these mis happenings. But what's in your control is to buy the right holiday insurance policy which provides you the cover you need in these unfortunate circumstances.

Our travel insurance options come with a range of benefits to give you the best cover possible. These include delayed or lost baggage cover, trip cancellation cover, winter sports cover, and car hire excess cover.

Many benefits come as a standard with your policy. For any extras, you might require you can select various add-ons, so be sure to know what you are looking for with the help of our easy to understand comparison tool.

With the range of benefits on offer, you can select the perfect travel insurance policy tailored to your precise needs.

With some help from Ucompare, finding the best deal on your holiday insurance is quick and easy with our easy and stress-free comparison tool, there hasn’t been a better time to choose your next policy.

Hope this will help you find the best travel Insurance in Ireland

Buy Cheap Travel Insurance with Ucompare

Travel Insurance is absolutely essential for anyone who is considering travelling abroad. The Travel Insurance market in Ireland can be daunting so UCompare.ie has brought all of the main competitors together to make your life easier.

UCompare.ie offers a range of Cheap Travel Insurance products in Ireland and they also offer more comprehensive and specialised cover too.

There are a number of different ways in which you can save money on your travel insurance. For instance, many companies automatically select the postage and text message option when you are running a quotation, if you pay attention & remove these options you could save yourself up to €5.00.

Another way to save money is to watch out for the automatic renewal option. While this can be seen as convenient for some travellers, it also pays to shop around and ensure that you are getting the best deal around every year.

Top Travel Insurances for Ireland You Should Know in 2024

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

Ireland stands out for being steeped in history, home to stunning landscapes, and the host to a unique cultural heritage with traditional music and dance. What's more, it's also renowned among tourists for its legendary pubs and whiskeys! Although travelling to Ireland can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, out-the-pocket healthcare costs in the country tend to be expensive, so it's a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance under your belt.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to Ireland and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

Ireland Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for Ireland:

Best Travel Insurances for Ireland

• 01. Should I get travel insurance for Ireland? scroll down
• 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
• 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
• 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
• 05. FAQ about travel insurance to Ireland scroll down

Heading to Ireland soon? Don't forget to check the following list before you travel:

• 💳 Eager to dodge high FX fees? See our picks for the best travel cards in 2024.
• 🛂 Need a visa? Let iVisa take care of it for you.
• ✈ Looking for flights? Compare on Skyscanner !
• 💬 Want to learn the local language? Babbel and italki are two excellent apps to think about.
• 💻 Want a VPN? ExpressVPN is the market leader for anonymous and secure browsing.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Ireland?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through Ireland.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to Ireland or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost , taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for Ireland:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,  VisitorsCoverage  is a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to Ireland. It lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to Ireland, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

• Coverage 9.0
• Quality of Service 9.0
• Pricing 7.6
• Credibility 9.5

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for Ireland:

• Policy names: Varies
• Medical coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
• Pricing range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
• Best for: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

• Coverage 7.8
• Quality of Service 8.5
• Pricing 7.4
• Credibility 8.8

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

• Policy names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
• Medical coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
• Pricing range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
• Best for: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

• Coverage 7.0
• Quality of Service 8.0
• Pricing 6.3
• Credibility 7.3

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

• Policy names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
• Medical coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
• Pricing range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
• Best for: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to Ireland? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to Ireland

Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for Ireland. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in Ireland can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage , which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

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Home » Europe » Ireland » Travel Insurance

Guide To Ireland Travel Insurance – ALL You Need To Know

Can’t hold out anymore on experiencing that Irish charm you’ve heard about? Then you’re in for a treat! Ireland is a joy to explore on your next hard-earned holiday. It’s a small but perfectly formed country, with spirited cities and breathtaking landscapes. Furthermore, Ireland is dotted with historical castles, quaint rustic villages and endless pints of Guiness. It’s chill, it’s safe, it’s totally fun and everybody agrees!

The Irish are known for their luck, and they certainly got lucky with their land. Ireland is blessed with glorious coastlines, rolling hills, and rugged mountains. Irish people won’t disappoint you with their wit and warmth, either. They definitely set the worldwide standard for humor!

But whilst the Irish may be lucky, do you feel lucky? Because if you prefer not to leave things down to chance this post is just for you. Let’s take a look at Ireland travel insurance!

Month to month payments, no lock-in contracts, and no itineraries required: that’s the exact kind of insurance digital nomads and long-term traveller types need. Cover yo’ pretty little self while you live the DREAM!

Do I Need Travel Insurance For Ireland?

What should travel insurance in ireland cover, what is the best ireland travel insurance, how to choose the right ireland travel insurance for you.

So what’s the craic on travel insurance in Ireland? Do you need it and if so why? First of all, do note that this guide is specifically about the Republic of Ireland (Eire). For Northern Ireland, you may want to consult our Guide to UK Travel Insurance . Now, back to Ireland, where travel insurance is not a mandatory entry requirement. And in a country which doesn’t exactly shout out ‘danger,’ you might wonder if it’s necessary and worth the expense.

Crime rates are very low. In fact, most of the danger stems from one too many Guinnesses turning to a street brawl (it happens). However, as is the case with every place you visit, opportunistic crime does happen – even in the Emerald Isle. Airlines and tour operators can go bust in the blink of an eye. This happened to Flybe , Europe’s largest regional airline, very recently. It’s worth considering insurance, as travel disruption can result in a lot of lost money.

Ultimately, we encourage all travelers to consider insurance, regardless of the destination. Even if it’s the cheapest Ireland travel insurance you can find! It won’t seem like a waste of money if you need it.

Need more convincing? Check out these other reasons why you should have travel insurance !

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Healthcare in Ireland

Irish healthcare is adequate, overall, but statistics show it lags behind its European comrades. Waiting lists are lengthy, and beds are limited. However, should you need emergency treatment while in Ireland, you can rely on it. Ireland’s healthcare comprises highly-trained Irish doctors as well as international ex-pats.

The healthcare system is a mixture of public and private. Available for all Irish citizens, the former is funded by taxes. Those who have medical cards have access to free healthcare. Anyone else will be required to pay subsidized fees in the public sector. Meanwhile, 45% of the Irish population choose to take out private healthcare insurance. This way, they receive the highest level of care and do not have to deal with the timely waiting lists. In fact, Ireland has one of Europe’s highest populations who opt to go private.

Now, let’s get over to costs. For a routine or non-emergency appointment, the cost of seeing a GP in Ireland as a tourist ranges between  €40-60 ($37 – $55 USD). This covers the cost of the consultation. Blood tests, x-rays, and further investigation will cost more. Plus, the cost of any prescription medicine. Meanwhile, a trip to an emergency ward will cost you around €100 ($117 USD).  You will pay approximately €80 per night to stay in a hospital. Typically, Irish hospitals will treat you and then ask you to pay afterward, or refer them to your Ireland travel insurance provider.

Good news if you’re from the UK or another European country! You can apply for the free EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) before travel. This is provided free of charge and grants you access to subsidized, or sometimes free, emergency healthcare. But, EHIC recommends always traveling with travel insurance too, which covers medical and possessions.

Crime in Ireland

Crime in Ireland is low enough that the destination is popular with travelers and holidaymakers of all types. It’s a fabulous option to begin your solo backpacking lifestyle. The country has the 11th lowest homicide rate in Europe and the 23rd lowest in the world. In fact, in 2019, there was a decrease in homicides. However, attempted murder and sexual offences did increase (9% and 7% respectively). Irish cities are where most of the crimes occur, with Dublin, Limerick, and Cork city being among those with the highest reported incidents .

Property crime is your biggest contender while traveling in Ireland.  Keep your valuables secure on your person when sightseeing. Lock away all that you can in your hostel locker or safely in your guesthouse. Don’t leave valuables in your rental car either. The cheapest Ireland travel insurance will likely impose a surcharge for valuables, so check your small print in case you do end up needing to claim.

And finally, the drug trade is alive and well in Ireland. Dealing and trafficking are both crimes, which mainly occupy Dublin. An increase of 17.3% was observed in 2019. Stick to Guinness and castles, and you won’t find yourself in a pickle.

Issues Facing Travellers in Ireland

The first issue you’ll face in Ireland is deciphering an Irish accent over the jostling crowds of a Dublin Temple Bar brew, although your insurance won’t do much good there!

• Travel disruption – In terms of what your Ireland travel insurance can help you with, first up – the event that your airline goes bankrupt. It’s worth investing in some cover should this happen. If your flight is canceled, the best insurance for Ireland will see that your additional accommodation costs are covered while waiting for your new connection. They should reimburse you for the canceled flight, as well. Tour operators should be factored in here, too. They, too, can cancel schedules at the drop of a hat due to liquidation or unforeseen circumstances.
• Fluke natural disasters – Regarding natural disasters, Ireland’s soil is pretty much untouched. However, although you won’t find a volcano on the Emerald Isle, you might cross paths with the side effects. The eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland in 2010 grounded flights across Europe due to ash. Check out the terms of your Ireland travel insurance so you know what the deal is should a fluke incident like that occur. Besides that, flooding and landslides can occasionally form a roadblock in your itinerary and lead to missing a connection.
• Petty theft – And, as we’ve said, issues like pickpocketing and other property theft are worth taking under consideration. It is recommended that travel insurance for visitors to Ireland cover your valuables, passport, and euros.

Popular Activities in Ireland

Most of the things you’ll want to do in Ireland are safe, focused on culture and gentle sightseeing. We’d hope that shouldn’t result in a claim on your Ireland travel insurance. But if you’re after an adrenaline rush, check out some of the following ideas!

• Cycling – You could pootle around a city or gear up a mountain bike for an adrenaline rush through the gorgeous scenery! Ensure you are covered in the event your two-wheeler is stolen or vandalized. Helmets are not a legal requirement for cyclists in Ireland, but they are recommended. Some Ireland travel insurers may stipulate that you should wear one. Scout your coverage T&Cs before squeezing into your lycra.
• Surfing – Surfing is one of Ireland’s best-kept secrets ! Mullaghmore has one of the largest swells in the Atlantic Ocean for the most daring. Alternatively, there are plenty of beginner spots for novices to catch your first wave. But surfing is definitely one of the activities to check your insurance for Ireland holidays covers because coral and rocks can hurt.
• Renting a car – Before embarking on your self-drive road trip around Ireland, check your travel insurance provides comprehensive cover. You need to protect the hire car itself, any other cars involved, and your personal injuries. Not all travel insurance will cover car rental expenses by default, so read closely.

Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Be prepared for what life throws at you.

Buy an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure – don’t be daft!

In our experience, most Ireland travel insurance policies will probably include the following;

Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses

• Luggage and Personal Property

Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation

Non-medical emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, trip interruption.

We feel that these are the most common key terms to look out for when you are comparing different insurance policies. We will not examine each one of these to see what they actually mean.

Emergency Medical costs are perhaps the single most important aspects of any travel insurance policy. If you have an accident or become seriously ill with a tropical illness, you may want to rest easy knowing that the medical costs and Doctors bills will be taken care of.

Many of you may have never seen a medical bill. However, we have seen too many for our liking and believe us, they can get very expensive very quickly. A friend of mine was once charged $10,000 for a leg infection in Costa Rica. Even 2 days in a Thai hospital cost him nearly $2,000.00! Thankfully he was insured on both occasions.

Pre-existing medical and health conditions may not be covered under this or they may be covered for an additional premium.

Ideally, Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical insurance should offer at least $100,000.00 of coverage but some run into the millions. If you are visiting the US, then do have a serious think about this.

Baggage and Personal Property

Luggage and Personal property coverage covers the value of your bags and what’s in them. It is most commonly used for lost luggage and Many policies also extend this to cover “on the ground” theft which comes in very useful if you are robbed once you reach your destination.

The limits on this do vary between policies. However, the maximum value rarely exceeds $1000 with a maximum item value between – $250 – $500.

This is probably enough for many travellers. However if you travel with a lot of electrical gear (laptop & camera), or are packing golf clubs or something, you may also wish to think about taking out a separate gadget cover.

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

Emergency evacuation covers the cost of sending you back to your home country in a hospital. Let’s say that the above mentioned tropical illness is a very nasty one, and the decision is taken to send you home for further treatment; this will take care of the high costs of flying you home on a drip.

Repatriation is the cost of sending your remains home in the rare event that you die on your trip. Repatriation costs are not a burden I would want to leave to my family. Whilst this is thankfully rare, I do come across Facebook or “Go Fund Me” campaigns for somebody’s body to be flown home.

Non-medical Emergency Evacuation is when you have to be evacuated because of some sudden crisis.  Examples are outbreak of war/civil unrest and natural disasters that decimate infrastructure such as the South Asian Tsunami of 2006.

In more recent times, the Corona COVID-19 outbreak created the biggest international emergency evacuation situation ever. (FYI – it straddled both the medical and non-medical evacuation boundaries).

Emergency evacuation insurance covers the costs of having to book an emergency flight home ( which can be seriously expensive) and will also cover accommodation costs if you end up being flown to a random, “safe” country rather than going straight home.

Having to cancel an adventure that you were truly excited for is painful. However, being left out of pocket just makes it worse. Trip Cancellation cover can help you to recover the ‘non-refundable costs’ of your trip such as flight and hotel costs. Visa’s are also in this category.

To clarify, you can’t claim this simply because you changed your mind about the trip or fell out with your travel buddy. Proper cancellation reasons are things like sickness, family emergencies, bereavement, natural disaster and war – you get the gist.

Trip Interruption is when something goes wrong, even interrupts, and you have additional costs to pay because of it. One example, when your pre-paid hotel falls down and you are forced to book another one. Another example is when your flight home is cancelled and you need a few extra nights at your hotel.

Anything Else?

The above are what we consider to be the basic, bare-bones of travel insurance policies. However, some policies do offer a few more aspects to them. The very best Ireland travel insurance policies may also include the following;

Adventure Sports and Activities

Please note that Adventure sports and activities are not covered by all travel insurance policies. The definition of adventure sports and activities really does vary between providers but for example, can include;

• Trekking (altitude is usually a factor here)
• Swimming with Whales
• Improvised football games….

If you are going to be doing anything remotely physical or outdoorsy on your trip, then it may be sensible to check that your insurance provider is covering it. Broken jaws hurt enough without having high medical bills attached to them.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Accidental Death & Dismemberment cover doesn’t cover any travel related expenses as such but instead it basically provides you (or your next of kin) with monetary compensation in the event that something happens to you.

If you die, your loved ones get a payout. Or, if you lose a digit, YOU get a payout. I mean, how much is a finger really worth to you anyway?

It’s kind of like having a bit of life cover attached to your travel insurance.

“Well dear, I’m afraid there is good new and bad news. The bad news is that your parents both died on their trip to Ireland. The good news is that you get $10k!”

Gear and Electronics Cover

Some insurance policies do cover electronic gadgets but others do not. Those that do, sometimes charge an additional fee and they also usually limit the maximum item value.

If you only travel with a phone or a tablet then your travel insurer may well cover it entirely. However, if like me you travel with a MacBook, then you may wish to consider obtaining gadget cover.

Personally, I have had separate gadget cover on my MacBook Pro for years.

A new country, a new contract, a new piece of plastic – booooring. Instead, buy an eSIM!

An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! You’re connected the minute you land. It’s that easy.

Is your phone eSIM ready? Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market and  ditch the plastic .

Whilst they may all seem the same, not all insurers are. Some insurers offer lower prices than others and others offer higher coverage amounts. Some are infamous for not paying claims whilst others are celebrated for being fair and helpful.

Travel insurers – always the same yet always different. It isn’t possible (or legal) for us to say that anyone of them is the best, or is “better” than the others. No. Insurance is a very complex product and any policy takes into account a whole lot of data and a wide set of variables.

Remember that the “best” travel insurance always depends on where you are going, when you are going there and ultimately upon you and your needs. The best travel insurer for one trip, may not be the best for a different trip.

Below, we will introduce a few of the many travel insurance providers on offer. These are all firms we have used ourselves over the years.

SafetyWing are a relatively new player in the travel insurance space but are already making big waves. They specialise in cover for digital nomads and they offer open ended cover on a monthly subscription basis. Because they primarily cover digital nomads, they don’t offer much in the way of trip cancellation or delay so do take that into consideration.

However, SafetyWing really excels on the health side of travel insurance, covering dental and some complimentary treatments. In fact they even allow young children to be covered for free.

If cancellation and delay is not a concern for you or if you will be spending some considerable time on your trip, then maybe SafetyWing are right for you

• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses – $250,000
• Baggage and Personal Property – $3000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation – $100,000
• Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – $10,000
• Trip Cancellation -$0
• Trip Interruption – $5000

If you need more information or want to get a quote, then you can visit the website for yourself.

Talk about efficient and effective, Heymondo are up-to-date when it comes to combining travel insurance with technology in the digital world of 2024. What truly sets them apart is their assistance app offering a 24-hour medical chat, free emergency assistance calls and incident management. How reassuring is that?! They also have a convenient and complication-free way to make a claim straight from your phone.

Medical expenses are covered up to $10,000,000 USD so try not to damage yourself anything over that amount… If you’d like travel insurance that operates with that little extra swiftness and ease, give these guys a go. They offer multiple options – single trip, annual multi-trip and long stay. We’ve focused on single trip, but do check out the others and find what fits your next adventure.

• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical/Dental Expenses –$10,000,000 USD
• Baggage and Personal Property – $2,500 USD
• Repatriation and Early Return – $500,000 USD
• Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – $10,000 USD
• Trip Cancellation – $7,000 USD
• Trip Disruption – $1,500 USD
• Covid 19 coverage included in all plans

If you need more convincing, click our link below to get 5% off your Heymondo travel insurance plan!

Columbus Direct

Named after one of history’s greatest (and most divisive explorers), Columbus Direct also specialise in insuring adventure-hungry explorers like us. They have been providing award-winning insurance for 30 years. What we like about this plan is that it does cover small amounts of personal cash. However, Gadget Cover is not available.

Columbus Direct actually offers a number of different travel insurance plans. Below we have focused on 1 of these and have set out the coverage amounts for the Globetrotter plan.

• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses – $1,000,000
• Baggage and Personal Property – $750
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation – $1,000,000
• Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – $0
• Trip Cancellation -$1,000
• Trip Interruption (“Catastophe”) – $750

World Nomads

World Nomads have been insuring backpackers for years now. World Nomads specialise in backpacker travel insurance and their policies cover long way travel on one way tickets, trips to multiple countries and a whole lot of adventure activities. These guys are well used to dealing with backpackers like us, and they are regularly recommended by travel bloggers and industry insiders. We love them.

They offer 2 different policies depending on your needs. The Standard Plan is standard & the Explorer Plan covers a whole host of high risk, high fun activities. World Nomads are also one of the few travel insurers who will write you a policy after starting your trip. The one downside for us is that they don’t cover Pakistan.

Let’s look at the maximum coverage amounts a World Nomads travel insurance plan can offer with both the Standard & Explorer plan.

• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses -$100,000/$100,000
• Baggage and Personal Property – $1000/$3000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation – $300,000/$500,000
• Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation – $25,000/$25,000
• Trip Cancellation -$2500/$10,000
• Trip Interruption – $2500/$10,000

If you want more info or to get a quote then visit the World Nomads site for yourself and take a look.

Iati Seguros

Iati Seguros is a Spanish based travel insurance company who we have personally used and loved. You will notice that they provide competitive cover amounts for the key travel insurance areas, and are competitively priced. So far we have heard nothing but good things about them.

They also offer multiple ones, but we have focused on the Standard Plan although we wholly encourage checking out all plans for yourself to identify the best one for your needs.

Standard Plan

• Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expenses – $200,000
• Baggage and Personal Property – $1000
• Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation – 100% of cost
• Trip Cancellation -$1,500
• Trip Interruption – 100% of cost

Insure My Equipment

Insuremyequipment.com does precisely what the name suggests. They are an online insurer for expensive equipment (like camera gear & gold clubs). You can use them to get specific pieces of gear insured but please bear in mind this policy is only for your specified gear.

An Insure My Equipment policy works well in combination with other travel insurance. Insure My Equipment policies are an excellent choice for professionals and backpackers with more $0000’s worth of camera equipment, expensive laptops or fishing rods.

I also know a few travelling musicians and DJs who use these guys so you are in cool company.

Choosing the right travel insurance for your Ireland holiday is like choosing a wife, it is something only you can decide (unless your Indian in which case your parents will do it) . You need to work out how much your trip is worth, how much equipment you plan to take and what activities you intend to engage in.

And of course, you need to ask yourself how much can you afford – how much you can afford to pay for cover, and how much you can afford to be out of pocket in the unlikely event of a claim. Sometimes, the cheapest Ireland travel insurance will be enough and sometimes it will be worth spending a bit more. Hopefully the information provided in this post will help you to decide – if not, then I just wasted 5 hours of my life in writing it!

Safety in Ireland Backpacking Ireland

Is Ireland Expensive? Where To Stay in Ireland

Final Thoughts on Ireland Travel Insurance

Well done, you made it all the way to the end! Now you’ve brushed up on your Ireland travel insurance need-to-knows, over to more interesting topics. It’s time to plan what you’re going to do in this remarkable country. We can help you out there, too.

Have a leaf through the rest of our Ireland travel content. We’ll tell you the best places to stay, the top attractions you shouldn’t miss, and restaurants you have to check out – everything you need in order to make the most of your time on the Emerald Isle! Safe travels in Ireland.

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Aiden Freeborn

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Take us away with you

Travel insurance from €6.71*

InsureandGo offers  a range of travel insurance policies  for holidays and trips of all types, whether you’re looking to cover a lazy beach holiday or an action-packed adventure around the world. That’s why we’re  Ireland’s travel insurance specialist.

• Medical coverage up to €10m (Platinum product)
• Cancellation and personal belongings covered
• 24/7 emergency assistance
• Discount for private health insurance customers
• Online medical screening

Our travel insurance policies now provide cover for Cancellation and Curtailment as a result of a COVID diagnosis, and Medical Expenses incurred abroad as a result of a COVID diagnosis, subject to the policy terms, conditions, and exclusions.

*Based on a single trip to anywhere in Europe for three days for someone aged 65 or under.

Single trip travel insurance

• Up to €7,500 Cancellation cover (Platinum product)
• Cover for trips of 3 days to up to 12 months
• Over 50 sports and activities covered free
• 24-hour emergency helpline

Annual multi-trip

• Unlimited number of trips covered
• Cover for trips of up to 60 days (Platinum product)

What are you covered for?

InsureandGo offers comprehensive coverage for your travel needs. Get a quote for an annual multi-trip or single trip travel insurance policy now.

Medical coverage

You will have access to medical coverage up to €10 million if you choose the Platinum option.

Cancellation

All of our travel insurance policies include cover for cancellation of your trip.

Emergency assistance

If you have an emergency, you can call our medical emergency line, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Transparency

We are fully transparent to our clients. There are no hidden transaction fees in your coverage.

I’ve lost my documents. How do I retrieve them?

If you have lost your policy documents, you can retrieve them online. Enter your quote number and e-mail address to access your documents. If you would like your documents resent through the post or you have forgotten your quote number or if you have any other problems accessing your documents online, please call our customer service team on 091 545 904 or email [email protected] .

What do I do if my passport is lost or stolen abroad?

You should report any loss or thefts of passports to the local police in the country you are in as soon as possible. You will need the crime reference details they provide for the APS1 (which is the Lost or Stolen Passport Notification) form. You should also report the loss or theft to the Irish embassy of the country you are in. You can get details of your local Irish embassy wherever you are by visiting the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Irish embassy will issue you with replacement travel documents so you can travel back.

When will my documents arrive through the post?

Normally, we say to allow between 5 to 10 working days between you buying your policy and your documents being received in the post. However, we do always aim for your policy pack to be with you sooner. You can still travel with a printed copy of your emailed documents if the posted documents don't arrive in time.

What do I need to take on holiday with me?

We advise that you take your travel insurance certificate and the relevant policy wording booklet away with you.

You may travel with a printed copy of your emailed documents. If you are unable to print your emailed documents, simply write down your policy number and the emergency medical assistance and claims line telephone numbers from the back of our policy wording booklets which can be found here.

Read more FAQs

Emergency contact overseas

In the event of an emergency overseas, call +353 91 545908

Non-emergency claims

For non-emergency claims, please call +353 91 545907

Other enquiries

For other enquiries, please see our “Contact Us” page.

Wintersports cover

We will pay (up to the amount specified, based on the policy you choose) for:

loss, theft or damage to winter sports equipment, the hire of winter sports equipment (should your equipment be lost stolen or damaged), the cost of your ski pack (should you become ill or injured), extra travel and accommodation expenses if your outward or final return journey is delayed due to avalanche, and if the piste is closed for more than 12 hours.

Private health insurance discount

If you and each additional traveller on this policy have private health insurance in place providing inpatient medical cover abroad to a minimum of €55,000 per person per claim, you qualify for a reduced premium on your travel insurance. This cover must remain in place for the full duration of your policy with us.

In the event of a claim for inpatient medical treatment abroad, you must claim on your private health insurance first. The benefits payable under your travel insurance policy will commence once you have reached the limit on your private health insurance policy.

Destinations

Europe excluding Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Lebanon and Syria (Area 2)

The Continent of Europe, The Azores, any country or island with a Mediterranean coastline.

Please see list below:

Albania - Andorra - Austria - Balearic Islands - Belgium - Bosnia - Bulgaria - Canary Islands - Corsica - Crete - Croatia - Cyprus - Czech Republic + Slovakia - Denmark - Egypt - Finland - France - Greece - Germany - Hungary - Ibiza - Iceland - Italy - Lapland - Liechtenstein - Luxbbourg - Madeira - Mallorca - Malta - Menorca - Monaco - Morocco - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - San Marino - Sardinia - Sicily - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Tunisia - Turkey - Yugoslavia. Also included is these parts of the former USSR: Estonia - Belorussia - Latvia - Lithuania - Moldavia - Russia (Moscow) - Ukraine (Kiev)

Worldwide excluding USA/ Canada (Area 3) Worldwide including USA/ Canada (Area 4) United Kingdom and Channel Islands (Area 1)

Group types

Individual(s): Principal insured Person(s) that are not spouses or common law Partners.

Couple: Principal insured Person and his/her spouse or common law Partner.

Family: Principal Insured Person, his/her spouse or common law Partner, and their dependent child/children aged 17 years and younger.

The main traveler must be aged 18 or over, but not exceed 86

This date is too far from the current date

Ireland Travel Insurance

If you are planning a trip to Ireland you may highly benefit from our Ireland Travel Insurance.

 What is Travel Insurance?

Travel  insurance is  a  type  of insurance that covers the costs and  losses  associated with traveling. It is a plan you purchase that protects you from certain financial risks that can occur while traveling, such as a delayed suitcase, a trip cancellation, or a medical emergency overseas. Helps travelers deal with various contingencies that can occur during their trips.

The Significance of Travel Insurance

This insurance is significant because it offers travelers peace of mind and financial protection. It ensures that they are not burdened with exorbitant costs in case of unexpected incidents such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost luggage, or other unforeseen events during their travels.

Benefits of Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is more than just protection; it's your ticket to peace of mind. It goes beyond addressing health risks and travel disruptions; it empowers you to immerse yourself in the Honduran experience fully.

best places to visit in ireland

Grafton street, dublin.

Dublin is the capital and largest city of Ireland and is situated on a bay on the east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey.

Grafton Street is not only a great place to shop in Dublin but is also alive with buskers, flower-sellers, and performance artists. Café culture has taken off in the capital, and on a sunny day here, you’d think you are in Barcelona or Lisbon. You’ll find friendly, chatty service no matter where you go and be entertained from the bottom of the street to St. Stephen’s Green at the top. Grab a coffee or, in the mornings, a legendary Irish breakfast at Bewley’s Grafton Street Café. Make sure you also save some time to walk along the numerous alleyways and streets to see what you can discover.

The  Ring of Kerry is a 179-kilometer-long circular tourist route in County Kerry, south-western Ireland, and arguably Ireland’s most scenic route.

Most people tend to start out from either Kenmare or Killarney and end up, naturally enough, back in the same spot. The entire journey non-stop could take under three hours, but that’s unlikely to happen. En route, there’s a feast of jaw-dropping Atlantic Ocean views, stunning islands to visit, wild sweeping mountains, and many picturesque villages. This area of exceptional natural beauty boasts a range of outdoor pursuits including golf, water sports on pristine beaches, cycling, walking, horse-riding, terrific freshwater fishing, and deep-sea angling.

Continents:

The European continent is located completely in the northern hemisphere and mainly in the eastern hemisphere. Europe borders onto the Arctic Ocean in the North, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean Sea in the South. There are 50 countries in Europe with a total of more than 748 million people living on the continent in 2021.

There are 49 countries in Asia according to the UN. The 10 biggest countries are listed in the right column of this page. Two of the Asian countries, Russia and Turkey, also share part of their territory on the European continent. Additionally there are two countries that only have limited international recognition: State of Palestine and Republic of China/Taiwan and some dependencies. Asia is the most populous continent with more than 4.7 billion people living there. (2022)

There are 54 countries in Africa – and 9 dependent territories. More than 1.3 billion people live on the African continent. This means about 15% of the world’s total population live in Africa! Even though Nigeria is only a third of the size of Algeria, it is the most populous country in Africa, with more than 219 million people.

NORTH AMERICA

Oceania is in a continental group consisting of 14 countries and includes Pacific islands and Australia. Often Australia is named as a continent, but this means that the many islands and countries except Australia would then be not included. Oceania in fact is mostly ocean and spans a vast area as you can see below.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance, Schengen visa travel insurance, Europe and Worldwide Single Trip and Multi-Trip Insurance policies.

• Cover Information
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Allianz Assistance  Travel Insurance

Feel relaxed on   your holidays, your benefits.

• 24/7/365 medical assistance helpline

Presence in 66 countries worldwide to support you

• Sales and claims services are based in Ireland
• Allianz Assistance is part of the Allianz Group and is one of the world‘s leading Travel Assistance Companies
• Allianz Assistance has a presence in 66 countries worldwide to support you
• Allianz Assistance have significant expertise in Travel Insurance & Assistance. They provide a wide range of flexible travel insurance products with optional covers.

Get a Quote  online today!

Learn more about allianz  travel insurance.

Allianz Assistance

Annual Multi Trip

Our annual multi trip policy helps keep you protected whenever you travel, covering you for all of your trips of up to 35 days in duration, throughout the year.

Annual multi trip insurance policy information  click here .

Our backpacker travel policy offers protection for up to 365 days against risks such as cancellation, delays, missed departures, lost or stolen personal items and medical expenses.

Backpacker insurance policy information  click here .

Single Trip

Business Travel

Contact  allianz assistance travel insurance.

If you have a query about your travel insurance policy you can call Allianz Assistance on 01 619 3681 , Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm

Or email: [email protected]

AWP Assistance Ireland Ltd, trading as Allianz Assistance and Allianz Partners, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, registered in Ireland No: 163174. Registered Office: Allianz Assistance , 11b Joyce Way, Park West Business Campus, Dublin 12, D12 C4V6 VAT no IE6563174F. 

AWP Assistance Ireland Ltd arranges insurance and carries out a full policy and claims administration service for customers on behalf of AWP P&C S.A. – Dutch Branch, who is the underwriter.

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Travel Insurance

Ireland's award winning travel Insurance provider. We provide Annual, Single Trip and Backpacker travel insurance to suit different trips abroad, budgets and needs. Annual travel insurance provides European and/or Worldwide cover. Backpacker travel insurance covers trips to the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and more. No matter what holiday or trip you have planned abroad, we will help you stay protected. Get a quick travel insurance quote below now.

• Discount applies if You and all Insured Persons on your travel insurance policy have Private Health Insurance, with a minimum of €55,000 inpatient medical cover abroad.

Important Conditions Relating To Health

Tel: 0818 286 525.

Please note certain medical conditions will incur an additional premium.

Medical Screening Line Opening Hours

• Monday: Friday 9am to 7pm
• Saturday: 9.30am to 4pm
• Sunday: 11am to 3pm
• Quoting Reference: Blue Irish Broker 2015-2016.

Private Health Insurance Members

If you hold a valid private health insurance with a minimum of €55,000 of inpatient medical cover abroad and have declared your private health insurance details to us, then you do not need to contact the medical screening line as detailed below.

Important note: If your private health insurance does not provide cover for the full duration of your trip abroad as stated on your validation certificate you will still be required to contact the Medical Screening Line to declare your medical conditions.

Non Private Health Insurance Members

At the time of taking out this policy, do you have or have you had any medical condition(s) for which you are taking or have taken prescribed medication or are waiting to receive, or have received treatment (including surgery, tests, or investigations) within the last 2 years?

If so, it is a condition of this policy that you will not be covered under Section A – Cancellation or Curtailment Charges, Section B – Emergency Medical and Other Expenses, Section C – Hospital Benefit, Section D – Personal Accident and Section X3 – Green Fees for any claims arising directly or indirectly from this medical condition(s) unless you contact the Medical Screening Line on and they have agreed in writing to cover your medical condition(s).

If you have only one medical condition and it is one of those shown in the table of ‘Medical Conditions which do not require screening’ below, then this will be covered under the policy without the need to contact us.

Exclusions that apply to all Insured Persons

These exclusions apply to all insured persons irrespective of whether they are a Private Health Insurance or Non Private Health Insurance holder.

The following exclusions apply to all insured persons at the time of taking out this policy or at the time of booking the trip.

You will not be covered under Section A – Cancellation or Curtailment Charges, Section B – Emergency Medical and Other Expenses, Section C – Hospital Benefit, Section D – Personal Accident and Section X3 – Green Fees for any claims arising directly or indirectly from:

• Any medical condition for which you are aware of but have not had a diagnosis.
• Any medical condition for which you have received a terminal prognosis.
• Any medical condition for which you are receiving or are on a waiting list for or have the knowledge of the need for surgery, treatment or investigation at a hospital, clinic or nursing home.

The following exclusions apply to all insured persons at all times:

• Any medical condition you have in respect of which a Medical Practitioner has advised you not to travel or would have done so had you sought his/her advice but despite this you still travel.
• Any surgery, treatment or investigations for which you intend to travel outside of Ireland to receive (including any expenses incurred due to the discovery of other medical conditions during and/or complications arising from these procedures).
• Any medical condition for which you are not taking the recommended treatment or prescribed medication as directed by a Medical Practitioner.
• Your travel against any health requirements stipulated by the carrier, their handling agents or any other public transport provider.

You should also refer to the general exclusions in the policy wording.

Exclusions that apply if a Close Relative or Travelling Companion has Medical Conditions

If any of the below exclusions apply to your close relative(s) or travel companion(s) at the time of taking out this policy or at the time of booking the trip, you will not be covered under Section A – Cancellation or Curtailment Charges, Section B – Emergency Medical and Other Expenses, Section C – Hospital Benefit, Section D – Personal Accident and Section X3 – Green Fees for any claims arising directly or indirectly from:

• Any medical condition for which a close relative or travelling companion have received a terminal prognosis.
• Any medical condition for which a close relative or travelling companion are receiving or on a waiting list for or have the knowledge of the need for surgery, treatment or investigation at a hospital, clinic or nursing home.
• Any medical condition for which a close relative or a travelling companion are aware of but for which they have not had a diagnosis.

Medical Conditions which do not require screening

Important Note: If you have more than one of the below medical conditions you must contact the Medical Screening Line or if you have any other medical condition in addition to any of the below, you must declare all conditions to medical screening..

• Achilles Tendon Injury
• Acid Reflux
• Anal Fissure/Fistula
• Allergy (requiring non prescriptive treatment only)
• Bells Palsy (in isolation only)
• Benign Prostatic Enlargement
• Broken/Fractured Bones(not head or spine)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Colds or Influenza
• Colitis (no hospital admissions in last 12 months
• Corneal Graft
• Cuts & Abrasions (non self-inflicted)
• Cyst Breast (Benign)
• Cyst Testicular (Benign)
• Diarrhoea and/or vomiting (resolved)
• Dislocated Hip
• Epididymitis
• Essential Tremor
• Fungal Nail Infection
• Gall Bladder Removal (if more than 3 months ago)
• Gastric Reflux
• Glandular Fever
• Hemorrhoids (Piles)
• Hernia (not Hiatus)
• Hip Replacement
• HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)
• Hyperthyroidism
• (Overactive Thyroid)
• Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid)
• Hypercholesterolaemia (high cholesterol)
• Hysterectomy (provided carried out more than 6 months ago)
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Macular Degeneration
• Menorrhagia
• Migraine (confirmed diagnosis, no on-going investigations)
• Myalgia (Muscular Rheumatism)
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) (if the only symptom is fatigue)
• Nasal Polyp(s)
• Neuralgia, Neuritis
• Nut Allergy
• Osteochondritis
• Osteoporosis, Osteopaenia (fragile bones) NO vertebral (backbone) fractures
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
• Reflex Oesophagitis
• Rhinitis (Allergic)
• Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
• Shoulder Injury
• Sleep Apnoea
• Tendon Injury
• Underactive Thyroid
• Varicose Veins legs only (if GP has confirmed that client is fit to travel)
• am resident in Ireland    (i)
• have not already departed on/commenced my trip
• have read and agree with the important conditions relating to health
• understand that this policy does not cover cancellation due to government lockdown or travel restrictions imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. There is no cover for any cancellation claim event relating to a Covid diagnosis occurring within 14 days of the date you purchased this insurance or the time of booking any Trip whichever is the later or if you and/or all insured persons are advised to self-isolate without a positive Covid diagnosis. Please refer to the Policy Wording for full information.

Private Health Insurance Discount

Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited offers significant discounts on our Annual Multi Trip and Single Trip policies for Insured Persons with VHI, Laya or Aviva Private Health Insurance policies. Your Private Health Insurance policy must include a minimum of €55,000 of inpatient medical cover abroad. If your Private Health Insurance policy includes this select ‘Yes’ in the ‘Private Health Insurance’ box on our website home page. Our Travel Insurance policy will provide the same benefits as on our standard policy, but it recognises that you already have cover on your Private Health Insurance policy for inpatient medical expenses abroad up to a specific limit (Min €55,000). Our Travel Insurance policy will top up the amount to the overseas medical expenses limit on your Private Health Insurance policy allowing you to save money on travel insurance premiums without sacrificing cover.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your Private Health Insurance policy covers you and all other travellers named on your Travel Insurance policy for a minimum of €55,000 of inpatient medical cover abroad.

Please note that not all Private Health Insurance Plans provide a minimum of €55,000 of inpatient medical cover abroad. Please check with your Private Health Insurance provider to ensure you have adequate cover to be eligible for this discount. If you cancel or fail to renew your Private Health Insurance policy, it is your responsibility to contact us as soon as is reasonably possible to update your Travel Insurance policy details and ensure you have sufficient cover. Any Private Health Insurance discount you received will be removed from the Travel Insurance policy and you may also be required to contact the Medical Screening Line to declare any medical conditions you or anyone named on your Travel Insurance policy has/has had.

Further information on Medical Screening can be found by clicking here.

Data Privacy Policy

This notice will inform you about our policies and procedures concerning the personal information about you that we collect, maintain and disclose, in connection with the insurance policies you obtain from us.

Information we may provide to others

We may disclose information about our applicants, customers and former customers, as permitted or required by law in conjunction with our normal insurance operations, such as:

• in the processing of an insurance claim.
• in connection with a legal proceeding.
• with government agencies conducting examinations of our procedures.
• internal database marketing.

Data Protection

We collect and maintain personal information about you in order to carry out our functions as a provider of insurance products. All personal information submitted is treated with the utmost confidentiality and with appropriate levels of security.

This information is used to manage the issuance of an insurance policy, including underwriting and claims handling, and may be stored as computer records and/or paper files to assist us to complete transactions, or follow up discrepancies, complaints or queries. Details may also be submitted to regulatory authorities and auditors. Unless otherwise instructed, we may use personal data for commercial purposes.

Personal Information Restrictions

Access to the information you submit is limited to those employees who have legitimate business needs for such information with respect to the insurance policies issued. We maintain physical, procedural and electronic safeguards to protect the privacy and confidentiality of your non-public personal information.

Internet Usage

Our websites do not contain any hidden codes or applications designed to obtain any kind of information about you from your computer, apart from what is required to establish a connection and transfer content between our website and your computer.

Our host servers do obtain information about the number of connections to it. This data may contain details such as your IP address, the kind of operating system you are using and the version of your internet browser. This information is used only for the purposes of analysing the traffic to the website. It does not contain any kind of data about you which may be classified as personal or private.

Our website uses ‘cookies’ to track visitor navigation. Cookies are small text files stored on your computer, which identify it to our website. Cookies do not contain viruses, and the cookies stored on your computer by the website do not contain any kind of personal, private or sensitive information. They are used simply to track navigation and remember data and preferences submitted by you. Cookies can be disabled on your browser, though this may hamper your ability to effectively obtain a quote and purchase a policy from our website.

Sensitive Data

Any sensitive data supplied by you in order to purchase an insurance policy, such as dates of birth or health details, will only be used for the purpose specified at the time of submitting this data.

We reserve the right to provide this information, when we are legally obliged, to official bodies such as the Police, the Courts, or other organisations investigating insurance fraud.

Call Monitoring

We may monitor and record telephone calls in order to improve our service to you and to prevent and detect fraud.

Marketing Preferences

We will use the details you have given us to provide you with information about the products and services of the Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited and our affiliates/partners which may interest you. Your data will not be shared with our affiliates/partners. We will not do so if you have already told us you do not want this information, see the ‘opt-out’ phone number email address below. We may also use your information for these purposes in the event that you do not take up a policy with us at this time and also after your policy has ended, unless you ask us not to.

We may contact you with a reminder that your insurance is due to be renewed. This contact may be made by a number of communication methods in addition to traditional correspondence, see below:

How we might contact you for marketing purposes?

From time to time we may contact you using the information you have provided in relation to our products and services in any of the following ways:

• Through digital and/ or other remote applications
• By text message

Why might we contact you?

We might contact you:

• about an enquiry you have made;
• with products or services offers from the Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited;
• in relation to your policy or quote;
• to ask for your feedback/views on the products and services we provide;
• to tell you about any important changes to our website; or
• where there is another genuine reason for doing so

How to Opt out

You can change your mind about receiving marketing information from us at any time. Each time we contact you electronically with marketing information or a marketing message, you can choose not to receive further marketing information from us to that email address or phone number. This is known as an ’opt-out’. If you want to ’opt-out’, please phone us on 0818 484 484 or email us at [email protected] . Please make sure you tell us about any changes to your marketing preferences for each affected address, email address or phone number you have registered with us.

Marketing Preference

We may contact you with a reminder that your insurance is due to be renewed. This contact may be made by a number of communication methods in addition to traditional correspondence, see below. We will also use the details you have given us to provide information about our products and services and those of other companies in the Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited and other companies whose products and services may interest you. However, we will not do so if you have already told us you do not want this information. We may also use your information for these purposes after your policy has ended, unless you ask us not to.

How we might contact you?

• about an enquiry you have made
• with relevant products or services offers
• in relation to your policy or quote
• to ask for your feedback/views on the products and services we provide

You can change your mind about receiving marketing information from us at any time. Each time we contact you electronically with marketing information or a marketing message, you can choose not to receive further marketing information from us to that email address or phone number. This is known as an ‘opt-out’. If you want to ‘opt-out’, please phone us on 0818 484 484 or email [email protected] . Please make sure you tell us about any changes to your marketing preferences for each affected address, email address or phone number you have registered with us.

By going ahead with a Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited quote or policy or by giving us personal information including sensitive personal information (as more particularly described in our Security and Privacy Statement) you will be explicitly agreeing to us, our agents, other insurers and the other persons described in this notice (and/or in the Security and Privacy Statement) processing it for all relevant purposes including but not limited to those described in this notice. Before you provide us with any information about others, you should make sure they are aware of how we will use their information and have agreed to this. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have obtained the permission of any such persons and have shown this notice to them to allow us to process their personal data for the purposes outlined in this notice. For our policy about taking instructions from persons other than the Policyholder, details about data transfers outside the European Economic Area, how to obtain copies of personal information and who to contact in the event of questions, please see the Security and Privacy Statement (which contains a full overview about Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited’s use of your personal information) which we expect you to read. You can view this by visiting our Privacy Policy or by contacting our Customer Services Manager at [email protected] for a hard copy.

You can obtain confirmation on what information is held about you and your previous claims on Insurance Link by visiting www.inslink.ie .

Before you travel, get a Risk assesment of your destination . Check Trip .

Travel Insurance with Covid-19 Medical & Cancellation Cover . Learn More .

Why Blue Insurance?

Online Annual European Premier Plus cover for person under 66 years holding private health insurance with medical cover abroad.

• Cancellation or Curtailment
• Emergency Medical Expenses
• Personal Accident
• Personal Money & Documents
• Personal Liability
• Missed Departure
• Holiday Abandonment

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© 2020 Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited. All rights reserved.

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Get a travel insurance quote from The AA

All the help you need to buy the right travel cover for your holiday, get a European Health Insurance Card, and what to do if things go wrong.

Why get travel insurance?

Travel insurance can protect you financially if something goes wrong when you’re travelling abroad or on holiday.

This could include paying for medical care if you fall ill, refunding your booking if you have to cancel or compensating you for lost or stolen personal belongings.

Find out how to secure the right travel insurance in our guide. Here’s what’s included:

What travel insurance covers

Types of travel insurance.

• Buying travel insurance in Ireland
• What the European Health Insurance Card covers
• Making a claim on your travel insurance

Holiday consumer rights

What’s covered by travel insurance.

It depends on the insurance provider and level of cover you choose, but most decent policies cover:

• Emergency medical assistance: which pays for the cost of medical treatment if you fall ill overseas. This also covers repatriation costs to get you home to Ireland if you’re not well enough to travel on a standard flight.
• Personal accidents & injury: which pays you a lump sum if you have a serious accident on your holiday resulting in life-changing injuries, for example, losing a limb or your sight.
• Cancellation & curtailment: which refunds the cost of your trip if you need to cancel or cut short your trip due to unforeseen circumstances, for example, if you or a family member are seriously ill or you’re made redundant after you book.
• Luggage & personal possessions: which pays out the cost of replacing lost or stolen luggage and for essential items to tide you over if your baggage is delayed at the airport.
• Lost or stolen money & documents: covers your foreign currency, including cash like U.S. dollars or British pounds. This also covers your travel documents and passport if they’re lost or stolen on your trip.
• Personal liability cover: which protects you financially if you cause an accident or injure someone else while abroad.

You can also add extra cover to include things like:

• Winter sports, e.g. skiing and snowboarding
• Extreme sports, e.g. scuba diving or paragliding
• Golf equipment & bookings, including your clubs and green fees if you’re injured or too ill to play

Make sure you take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if you’re travelling in Europe, even if you have travel insurance.

To get the right value from your insurance, it pays to get the right type of insurance tailored to your circumstances and the type of travel.

Here’s the types of insurance you can get in Ireland:

• Single trip insurance: This covers one trip only, usually for between 30 and 60 days and is the cheapest.
• Multi-trip insurance: Also called annual cover, it covers multiple trips in one year. It may cover worldwide or just Europe & UK trips.
• Backpackers insurance: Cover designed for travellers going on a long trip or holiday abroad. Many standard travel policies only offer cover for up to 30 days per trip, but with a backpacker policy, you can get cover for up to two years plus cover for visiting multiple counties.
• Winter travel insurance: Cover that includes extra protection for activities like skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing. Some standard travel insurance policies exclude these activities because they’re high risk and the cost of medical care on the slopes can be very expensive.
• Elderly travel insurance: Cover for older people can be harder to find or more expensive because over 65’s pose a greater risk for medical care. It may also have more restrictions, so take more time to read the T&Cs and compare quotes.
• Family travel insurance: Cover for your children will work out cheaper if you buy a family policy and if you choose annual family cover you’ll have the flexibility to travel as an individual or a couple too. Perfect for a snatched weekend away!

You can read our guides How to find the right travel insurance guide or How to get travel insurance as you get older to find out more about other types of insurance.

Single trip or annual multi-trip travel insurance?

If you have more than two trips planned per year, it’s usually cheaper to get an annual policy, but your age and medical history may affect what’s available.

With annual cover, you’ll be covered for any short trips in Ireland, but if you plan to travel outside of Europe and the UK or are unsure of your travel plans, choose an annual policy that covers worldwide destinations.

For a look at the pros and cons of single versus multi-trip insurance, visit How to choose the right travel insurance .

How to choose the right type of cover

You’ll save money by choosing the right type of travel insurance for your circumstances, so ask yourself these questions before buying:

• How many trips are you taking? Consider taking out annual cover if you plan to travel more than three times per year.
• What will you be doing? Consider specialist cover if you plan to go skiing or do another high-risk activity.
• Who is the cover for? Check for discounted cover if travelling as a couple, family or group. If you’re over 70 your choice may be more limited.

For more advice on finding the right insurance for your needs, visit our how to find the best travel insurance guide.

Does travel insurance cover COVID-19?

Losses due to epidemics, border closures, warnings, travel advisories or quarantine rules are generally not covered; however, some insurers offer COVID-19 related benefits.

They may provide cancellation, curtailment, medical expenses and accommodation cover if you get COVID-19 while abroad and are unable to return home as planned.

If this is an important concern, shop around, read the terms and conditions carefully and get several quotes before choosing a travel policy.

Buying travel insurance

How much does travel insurance cost.

Standard single trip insurance could cost you less than €25 if you are young with no underlying medical conditions, but may not provide the cover you need if it’s very cheap.

Annual or multi-trip travel insurance could cost around €50 or more for European cover and €65 or more for Worldwide cover. The older you are, the higher the premium regardless of your health.

If you have private medical insurance which covers you while you’re abroad, your travel insurance will be cheaper still.

What affects the price of cover?

• your destination
• your medical history
• whether you have private health insurance

To find the cheapest travel insurance quote, shop around so you can compare prices and benefits.

What if I have private medical insurance?

Even if your existing medical insurance covers you abroad, a comprehensive travel insurance policy can offer financial protection in other areas, for example, if you need to cancel your trip or your travel money is stolen.

The good news is that many travel insurers in Ireland offer a discount on your quote if your medical insurance covers you abroad, which could make your travel insurance even cheaper.

If you hold private medical insurance, you could get up to 25% off the travel cover price.

What’s the age limit on annual multi-trip cover?

For many annual policies, the maximum age limit is 75 years, but often people over 70 years must hold private health insurance.

Should you buy the cheapest travel insurance?

Although it’s tempting to pick the cheapest policy, it’s not always a good idea with travel insurance. The cheapest policies will offer less cover and have more exclusions.

It’s best not to scrimp on cover for medical expenses and personal liability because you could end up liable for eye-watering expenses if you get ill or are involved in an accident on holiday.

Also, pick a policy that fully covers the cost of the holiday and your belongings and find a policy that includes enough financial protection for you and your family.

Who offers travel insurance in Ireland?

Most of the large insurers in Ireland offer travel insurance, as do private health companies. An online search will also provide a selection of smaller, travel insurance specialists.

Although there are many insurance providers to choose from, many policies are underwritten by the same companies.

What you need to buy travel insurance

Before you buy your travel insurance, you’ll need to know:

• Your destination: usually shown as UK and the Channel Islands, Europe or Worldwide (including or excluding USA and Canada).
• The dates of your trip: this is the date you leave Ireland and the date you arrive back in Ireland.
• Who needs to be covered: usually shown as individual, couple or family but check the help information for exclusions.
• The age of each traveller if you’re buying a group policy, have that information to hand.

You may also be asked to confirm:

• If you hold private medical insurance that covers trips abroad
• If you need cover for winter sports

When should you buy travel insurance?

It’s best to buy your single-trip travel insurance as soon as you book your trip so you’re covered if the flights, accommodation or package holiday is cancelled.

This will also cover you if something happens before your trip starts, which means you have to cancel your holiday, e.g. you or a relative becomes seriously ill.

For an annual or multi-trip policy, you need to know roughly when you’ll be travelling as you have to choose a start date for your policy and it runs a year from that date. If you book a holiday that starts before your policy does, you won’t be covered.

The European Health Insurance Card

What is european health insurance (ehic).

It’s free healthcare available to Irish residents and EU citizens living in Ireland. The European Health Insurance Card, known as the EHIC or formerly E111, shows that you’re eligible for free healthcare when you travel in Europe.

If you’re travelling to the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) you should take it with you in case you become unwell or have an accident and need medical attention.

Each member of your family needs an EHIC when they travel within the EU. You can apply for them in person, by post, or online if you have a medical or drug payment scheme card.

What does it cover?

Here’s a summary of what the EHIC does and doesn’t cover you for:

• Free or reduced cost state healthcare in any of the EU and EEA countries
• Pre-existing medical conditions
• Routine maternity care - as long as you’re not going there to give birth
• A temporary stay up to three months*

Not covered

• Private healthcare or costs for something like mountain rescue
• Ongoing or permanent healthcare
• Medical expenses, if your reason for going abroad is to have treatment
• The cost to fly you back to Ireland

*If you’re a student studying abroad, you’ll be covered for up to an academic year.

How to use the card

If you need medical care while you’re away, you must show your EHIC to the public medical centre or hospital as evidence of eligibility.

You can expect to get the same treatment and care as local residents and on the same terms.

If public healthcare is free in the country you’re visiting, you won’t pay anything, but if there’s a charge for medical services, you’ll be charged too.

Here’s more information about how to use your EHIC in each country and any costs involved.

Do you still need travel insurance?

Yes, it’s essential you get travel insurance and an EHIC, or you won’t be covered for things like cancellation and lost or stolen luggage.

Your EHIC just covers medical costs in the EU, but travel insurance can include many extras to suit your trip, such as winter sports cover. You can find out more about how to choose the best travel insurance in our helpful guide.

How to renew or apply for the EHIC

You can either apply or renew:

• In person: at any local health office except Dublin North West. Check what ID to take.
• By post: Print out an application form and post it to your local health office along with any documents required.
• Online: using the official HSE website

The EHIC is completely free. Never use a website that tries to charge you a fee.

Claiming on your travel insurance

You’ll need to contact your insurance company as soon as possible in the event of a problem.

Remember to take your travel insurance documents and their emergency contact details with you when you travel. Take a paper and electronic copy of the policy so you have more than one way of accessing the information.

If you’re taking expensive items abroad, jot down serial numbers or take photos of your electronics or jewellery before you travel.

Here’s the emergency claim numbers of popular travel insurers in Ireland:

Claiming for illness, accidents and medical emergencies

If you need medical treatment while you’re away, you’ll need to contact your insurer as soon as possible. Your insurer has to agree to any medical procedures, so do this before treatment takes place.

This may not be possible in an emergency, so get evidence of any treatments or medication you’ve paid for.

Depending on the country you’re in, you may have to pay up-front for treatment and claim it back when you get home, so always secure medication receipts or an invoice for medical treatment.

It’s vital you tell your insurer about any existing health problems or conditions when you take out insurance, or you may not be covered.

Claiming for lost, stolen or damaged belongings

If your belongings are lost or stolen, inform the local police within 24 hours of your items going missing and get a statement. If this isn’t possible, tell someone else such as your hotel manager, tour operator or airline and get a written report.

If you have to replace essential items, such as toiletries or clothing, keep receipts for everything you need to purchase and provide them as evidence to support your claim.

Your insurer will want to see that you’ve taken reasonable steps to look after your luggage or belongings whilst travelling, so be prepared for questions and support your claim with evidence wherever possible.

Claiming if you have to cancel your trip

Your claim for cancellation or trip curtailment will only be accepted under certain conditions. It’s wise to check the small print for acceptable reasons, but typically they will be:

• unexpected death, illness or injury involving you, your partner or fellow travellers
• unexpected damage to your home, such as fire, flood or burglary
• you’ve been advised not to travel due to pregnancy (after you bought insurance)
• you’ve been called for jury service or as a court witness

Check your policy schedule for the rules of reimbursement should you have to cut short your trip.

You now have the same rights whether you book your holiday at a high street retailer or online. Here are your consumer rights if you book a package holiday or linked travel arrangement.

When can you cancel?

You can cancel at any time up to the start of your holiday for a reasonable cancellation fee. The less notice you give, the more money you’ll lose.

You may be entitled to a full refund without paying any fee in the following situations:

• In extraordinary circumstances: e.g. war, terrorism, floods and earthquakes that will significantly affect the holiday or stop you from reaching your destination safely.
• If the price increases by more than 8%: you have the right to cancel without paying a charge. Contractually no price changes are allowed within 20 days of the departure date.
• If significant changes to the holiday are made: e.g. departure and arrival times that will affect your accommodation and transport arrangements.

When can the travel company cancel?

They may have to cancel due to extraordinary circumstances beyond their control or where they can’t get the minimum number of participants needed for a trip to run. In these situations, you have the option of:

• A replacement holiday of equal or superior quality
• A lower quality holiday, plus a refund for the difference between the two trips
• A full refund

Can your holiday price go up after you’ve booked?

Yes, the cost can go up but not within 20 days of your departure date. The cost of your trip may be affected by increases to:

• Transport costs e.g. fuel prices
• Taxes, fees and duties charged at airports or ports
• Currency exchange rates

What are my package holiday rights?

If you book a package holiday, you should be:

• Given all the essential information from the retailer or trader before the booking is completed.
• Able to contact the organiser directly and through the retailer you bought the package from (if different).
• Entitled to a full refund and repatriation if the trader becomes insolvent.
• Able to transfer the holiday to another traveller, giving reasonable notice and you may have to pay costs.
• Offered suitable alternative arrangements at no extra cost if a significant proportion of the travel services can’t be provided.
• Given assistance if you’re in difficulty e.g. access to healthcare or alternative travel arrangements.

How to complain about your holiday

You must raise any issues with the travel organiser without delay, where you feel a service isn’t satisfactory. If you delay, it could affect the compensation you get.

They should be allowed to put things right, but if this doesn’t happen, you should gather evidence to support your complaint e.g. take photos or video footage.

If the matter is still unresolved when you’re back home, you should put your complaint in writing within 28 days of the holiday end date. Details of where to send your complaint should be shown in the contract’s terms and conditions.

If you’re unhappy with their response or they fail to respond within a reasonable timeframe, you can contact:

• The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CPPC): who can investigate Irish traders and ensure they comply with the Consumer Protection Act.
• ECC Ireland: who can settle complaints between consumers and traders in another EU country, not Ireland.

Travel companies may use arbitration to resolve complaints. This is where an independent party investigates and reviews the evidence to decide how much compensation to award.

You also have the option of pursuing a claim up to €2,000 through the Small Claims Court.

Specific travel insurance questions

What is the maximum length trip i can get cover for.

It depends on the insurer. Most insurance providers cover trips lasting up to 30 days, but you could find cover up to 60 days if you shop around.

If you buy an annual travel insurance policy, you’re covered for multiple trips but only up to the maximum duration per trip and total duration for the year.

If you need continuous cover for longer, backpacker insurance usually lasts up to a year but can last up to two years.

Do you need special travel cover if you're pregnant?

Most travel insurance policies will cover you to travel in the early stages of pregnancy, but you should always check how far into the pregnancy the cover will last. For example, you may be covered to travel up to 32 weeks into your pregnancy but not beyond this date. If you fall pregnant after taking out a travel insurance policy and will be at a late stage in your pregnancy when you’re due to travel, you may be able to claim for cancellation.

What is a linked travel arrangement?

This is where you buy two or more travel services from different companies that are linked. For example, you book a flight on one website and click on a targeted link to another website where you book accommodation for your trip.

The second booking must be made no later than 24 hours after the first, to count as a linked travel arrangement.

You have fewer rights with a linked travel arrangement than with a package contract and you’re only covered against insolvency with the first booking.

What does repatriation mean?

It’s the return of someone to their own country. For example, if you fall seriously ill during your holiday you’d have to travel back to Ireland early and may need treatment on the flight home.

Emergency repatriation can be very expensive because you may need to travel back to Ireland in a specialist air ambulance, or you might have to be brought home from a remote location.

Repatriation is usually included in the medical cover benefit of a travel insurance policy, but check the policy document to make sure.

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Travel Insurance For a Trip From USA to Ireland (2024)

Travel insurance for Ireland vacations can provide peace of mind and cover medical and cancellation-related expenses that sometimes arise during international travel.

in under 2 minutes

Josh Lew is a travel journalist and writer based in the midwestern U.S. He has been active for the past decade, covering airlines, international destinations and ecotourism for sites like TravelPulse and TreeHugger. He currently contributes to content writing agency World Words.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

Ireland is an attractive destination for tourists on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2022, 1.5 million North Americans made the trans-ocean journey to the Emerald Isle, and 2.6 million visitors landed from mainland Europe.

If you invest in a transatlantic holiday to Ireland, you must manage financial and physical risks. The best travel insurance companies offer policies covering medical emergencies, rental car damage, flight delays, flight cancellations and other common travel dangers. Here’s what to consider when choosing insurance coverage for your Ireland adventure.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Ireland?

Ireland doesn’t require travel insurance for U.S. visitors. But coverage for medical events, trip cancellations and rental cars can save you from losing money to sunk costs and expensive medical bills. The U.S. Embassy warns that U.S. health insurance may not work in Ireland, and you may have to pay healthcare expenses upfront.

Travel to Ireland often requires connecting flights. A delay or cancellation could have a snowball effect, causing you to miss the next leg of your journey or lose hotel reservations. Strong Atlantic storms or ash from volcanic eruptions in neighboring Iceland could halt flights. Trip cancellation insurance accounts for these unexpected events.

Finally, despite good driving infrastructure , Irish roads compared to U.S. roads are narrow and winding, which may challenge many American tourists. It’s a smart reason for taking car rental insurance.

Here are the five travel insurance policy types to consider when planning an Ireland getaway.

Cancel for Any Reason Coverage

As its name suggests, cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage pays for a trip if it gets canceled without explanation. This is important because standard trip cancellation insurance covers cancellations only if they fall into specific categories.

With a standard policy, insurers offer reimbursement if the cancellation is beyond your control. Scheduling conflicts, such as a family event or a change in relationship status with your traveling companion, won’t qualify for coverage.

CFAR coverage lets you cancel for reasons that are excluded in standard cancellation policies and still receive compensation. It can prove useful for trips to Ireland planned well in advance because it protects against conflicts that come up between your booking date and departure date.

Gear Theft Protection

Travel insurance plans often include a modest amount of coverage for lost luggage or theft. But these policies have limited payouts for gear theft. If you have a valuable phone, camera, computer or other device, insurance may not cover its full value.

According to the U.S. Department of State , theft rates in Ireland have increased in recent years, and tourists are often targets. So adding gear theft coverage could be a good idea.

Medical Emergency Insurance and Emergency Medical Evacuation

Injuries, accidents and illnesses happen anywhere. Medical emergencies are especially stressful when you are traveling in an unfamiliar country. If you are hurt or ill, you will have to seek treatment from a hospital or medical clinic. This type of travel insurance covers those bills.

According to the State Department, Ireland has excellent healthcare facilities capable of providing emergency assistance and quality treatment. Unless your private medical insurance works internationally or you’re eligible for coverage through Ireland’s Department of Social Protection, you’ll pay out of pocket for care.

If you purchase travel insurance for medical emergencies , you might want to seek a policy including medical evacuation insurance. This covers the cost of a medical flight back to the U.S. or another location. These policies usually include coverage for repatriation of remains, should you die abroad.

While Ireland has excellent medical care, the State Department warns that waiting for some procedures can be lengthy, so evacuation insurance could help you get faster access to care.

Rental Car Protection

Auto rental companies in Ireland require car insurance. These agencies provide collision damage waiver (CDW) coverage when you rent the vehicle. This basic policy covers damage after a deductible gets paid. Most companies also have a “CDW excess” option with complete, no-deductible coverage.

While you can choose convenient insurance products when renting, you can waive them if you already have coverage. Some premium credit cards automatically insure rental vehicles that get paid with their card. If you have a single-trip itinerary requiring a significant amount of driving, you can purchase a separate rental car policy or find a comprehensive travel insurance plan with vehicle coverage.

Before you purchase rental car protection, check your policy document for your vehicle insurance at home. Some include coverage for rentals. Take these documents with you to Ireland so that a rental car company can verify your coverage.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

Trip cancellation insurance covers 100% of the cost of your trip if you cancel for specific reasons. The insurance provider usually pays claims for travel canceled because of a death in the family, jury duty or a court summons, natural disasters or conflict in your destination, verifiable illness occurring before your departure date or military deployment.

Insurers list exclusions, such as scheduling conflicts, non-emergency appointments or falling out with travel companions. Insurers may also consider excluding pre-existing medical conditions . While coverage applies to unexpected illnesses or injuries, it won’t protect for healthcare issues you already know about or illnesses beginning before you bought the policy.

Because of the cost of international travel, trip cancellation insurance is typically a good investment, and it brings peace of mind from knowing unexpected events won’t cause a complete loss of your travel budget.

How Much Does Ireland Travel Insurance Cost?

Different factors can affect the cost of travel insurance for an Ireland vacation. For many travelers, a comprehensive plan with cancellation, interruption , emergency medical and evacuation coverage provides good value.

We requested quotes from ten travel insurance companies for their most affordable plan for a trip to Ireland. The below quotes are for a 30-year-old traveler from Florida, traveling to Ireland for ten days in September 2024, with a total trip cost of $4,000. Policies include coverage for cancellations, interruptions, delays, medical care and evacuation.

These quotes were collected in April 2024 for a trip in September 2024.

Why Trust MarketWatch Guides

Our editorial team follows a comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing travel insurance companies. Advertisers have no effect on our rankings.

Companies Reviewed

Quotes Collected

Rating Factors

These quotes are from insurer websites, and they’re an average of seven trips outlined in our methodology. These trips have varying numbers of travelers, traveler ages and trip costs.

Other options may be more suitable for some travelers. For example, multi-trip insurance or an annual multi-trip policy could provide better value for frequent international fliers or backpacker-style travelers visiting multiple destinations over a long period.

For a look at the full details of travel insurance costs, go here: How Much Is Travel Insurance?

How Do I Get Travel Insurance for Ireland?

You can get a travel insurance quote from each insurer’s website. While comprehensive cancellation and medical coverage may be the most convenient choice, you may not need all the elements.

Here are some of the protections you may already have:

• Your private health insurance may cover many medical expenses for international travel. If this is the case, you don’t need medical coverage as part of your travel insurance.
• If you book your flight and hotel with a credit card, you may already have cancellation coverage. Contact your credit card company or look at its FAQs page to find out the full details of any coverage.
• Airlines often offer cancellation insurance when you book your ticket. Also, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) points out that airlines must refund money to passengers for canceled flights that result in the cancellation of an entire trip. However, the compensation only covers the price of a flight and any associated fees. It doesn’t cover fees for canceled hotel reservations or other lost travel costs.

By checking these various coverages, you can avoid wasting money by paying for insurance that you already have through another source.

Ireland Safety Tips

According to the State Department , Ireland currently has a Level 1 travel advisory. This rating means it is generally safe in the country if you use standard travel tips for safety.

Potential issues to be aware of when traveling in Ireland include crime and safety, problems with day trips and tours and safety from e COVID-19.

Crime and Safety

Even though Ireland is relatively safe, crime is rising. Ireland’s Central Statistics Office found a 41% increase in theft between 2021 and 2022 and a 17% bump in assaults and harassment.

Thefts of tourists may occur near ATMs, and thieves may attempt to break into rental cars, which have specific identifying stickers. Take common-sense measures to stay out of dangerous situations, such as remaining in crowded areas at night, using ATMs inside banks during the day and not leaving valuables in visible places inside your car.

Day Trips, Tours and Excursions

Some Ireland excursions can be hazardous. For example, 1,435 cyclists were injured on Irish roads between 2016 and 2021. Many of these incidents involved cars hitting cyclists on rural roads. You can avoid dangerous situations by biking with a group or taking a tour with a trusted guide.

Some of Ireland’s most popular hiking trails and mountains have treacherous conditions. For instance, Croagh Patrick, a popular mountain on the western coast, experiences high winds and unstable trail surfaces that can make climbing dangerous.

You should always check weather reports, seek local insights, or travel with a group or guide when attempting hiking or other adventure activities in Ireland.

Ireland today has no COVID-19-related travel restrictions . Arriving passengers no longer need to provide vaccine documentation or coronavirus test results. The Irish government issues guidance related to the virus but has lifted all restrictions.

Should You Get Travel Insurance For a Trip to Ireland?

Travel insurance is worth it for tourists visiting Ireland. Even if you don’t encounter a cancellation, medical treatment or other crisis during your visit, you will have peace of mind knowing you are covered if something does happen. The protection leaves you free to enjoy your trip without worrying about possible “what-ifs.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance in Ireland

How do i make a travel insurance claim while in ireland.

You must take specific steps to claim compensation for a flight cancellation or medical emergency during your Ireland trip. First, make sure an insurance claim is necessary. Airlines must book passengers on other flights after cancellations unless their trip was canceled because of weather or some other uncontrollable event.

Airlines don’t have to pay for hotels during extended delays, so you may be able to file a claim with your insurer. It will review the circumstances and make a compensation decision.

Is it worth getting travel insurance for Ireland?

Travel insurance is a sound investment for international travelers. But research your current policies to see if adding travel insurance is necessary. Some private health insurance may cover emergency medical care overseas, and your credit card could offer reimbursement for cancellations of any aspects of the trip you pay for with it.

Do Americans need travel insurance for Ireland?

Ireland doesn’t mandate travel insurance for international visitors. But the State Department says they don’t have to pay for healthcare or repatriation of remains for Americans abroad. A comprehensive policy or an a la carte plan covering any gaps in current insurance can cover these unlikely but expensive events.

What is the best travel insurance for Ireland?

The best travel insurance policy depends on your coverage needs and available budget. While researching different companies, look closely at coverage limits to ensure the plan provides enough compensation for the problems you might encounter while in Ireland.

If you have questions about this page, please reach out to our editors at [email protected] .

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Travel Insurance for over 70s

Annual travel insurance from €19.95 *, affordable travel insurance.

Multitrip.com offers comprehensive travel insurance, whether you're traveling for business, pleasure, or adventure. We understand that unexpected events can occur, causing disruptions and inconvenience. That's why we are here to provide you with peace of mind by protecting your travel plans at affordable prices.

Flexible choice

Whether it's a weekend trip to Europe, a backpacker holiday to Asia, or multiple trips around the world each year, you can rest assured that with Multitrip.com you will find a travel insurance policy to suit your needs.

Expert Service

We believe that everyone deserves to travel with confidence, knowing that they are backed by a reliable and trustworthy insurance provider. Our team of experienced professionals are committed to delivering a high level of service and support, providing you with the assistance you need when you need it the most.

Covid Cover

We are committed to ensuring that you are protected against any unforeseen circumstances during your travels, including those related to COVID-19 medical and cancellation. With our enhanced coverage, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands. Learn More .

Travel Insurance Reviews from Multitrip.com Customers

So helpful on the phone and easy to get travel insurance at a great price would highly recommend. John - 5 Star Review - 31 st January 2023

Ireland's Favourite Travel Insurance Provider

Looking for travel insurance that gives you peace of mind no matter where you are? Here are three reasons to travel with Multitrip.com:

Competitive Prices

The travel insurance we offer is not only affordable, but we also allow you to compare travel insurance benefits across three levels of cover.

Multi-Award-Winning Provider

Multitrip.com is part of Cover-More Blue Insurance Services Limited, winner of numerous Best Travel Insurance Provider awards and Deloitte's Best Managed Companies Award.

Friendly Customer Service Team

Our customer service team is always happy to help you via phone, email and social media.

Easy Claims Process

The claims process is made as fast, simple and straight forward as possible. Liaise with an experienced team, committed to providing the highest standards of service.

Types of Travel Insurance

No matter what your travel style is, we’ve got a travel insurance type for you:

Planning a one-off trip? Whether it’s a long or short getaway, Single Trip Holiday Insurance could be the best option for you.

Love travelling? Save money with 1 or 2 Year Multitrip Travel Insurance - it covers unlimited trips, so you can holiday as much as you like.

Heading abroad to travel, work or study? Backpacker Holiday Insurance offers extensive protection whether you’re 18 or 49!

Travelling with children? Protect your family under one Multitrip Travel Insurance policy.

Hitting the slopes? Add Winter Sports Cover to your policy and stay protected whether you’re skiing or snowboarding.

Want to spend your retirement travelling? Find affordable holiday insurance with comprehensive cover for seniors over 70s.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Discover six of Multitrip.com's travel insurance benefits below* or explore more details here .

Cover the expenses of unused and irrecoverable travel and accommodation costs in case you need to cancel or cut short your travel.

Cover financial expenses should injury, illness or death occur during your trip outside Ireland.

Have 24/7 assistance should you require medical emergency abroad, repatriation or curtailment while on holiday.

Get cover against accidental loss of, theft of or damage to baggage/personal belongings.

Cover the expenses you become legally liable to pay if you cause another's bodily injury or property damage.

Get reimbursed for the costs of travel delays if your scheduled public transportation is delayed for over 12 hours.

Cancellation or Curtailment

Medical expenses, emergency assistance, baggage & personal belongings, personal liability, delayed departure.

*Terms & Conditions apply.

Upgrade Your Travel Insurance

Planning a holiday that’s unique to you? At Multitrip.com, you can include additional travel cover to suit your specific needs:

   Winter Sports

  travel disruption,   flight cancellation,   wedding,   business,   golf,   cruise connection,   excess waiver,   exam failure backpacker cover only, travel insurance tips.

• Purchase your policy straight after you've booked your trip:  If you buy your holiday insurance as soon as you book your flights and accommodation, Multitrip.com travel insurance can provide cover should mishaps affect your holiday before you even leave home.
• Personalise your cover to match every inch of your itinerary:  Hitting the slopes for a snowboarding sesh? Worried volcanic activity will affect your dream holiday? You can protect your bespoke trip with the additional coverage options.
• Always declare your medical conditions:  Multitrip.com travel insurance automatically covers a number of medical conditions, but if yours isn't listed, be sure to contact the Medical Screening line to find out more about the options available.

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Travel Insurance

Get 20% Off Your Travel Insurance By Buying Online*

*20% online discount automatically applied to all new business AIG Direct Travel Insurance quotes.

Important Notice:  Please be advised that the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine may impact travel insurance coverages and benefits, and AIG’s ability to provide certain travel-related assistance services, for travel to, from or within Ukraine, Belarus or Russia.

Travel Policies

Help & Advice

Discover The Benefits of AIG Travel Insurance

Annual multi trip travel insurance starting from €2.28 per month[ 4 ]..

With all our travel insurance policies you will also get a wide range of benefits as listed below and in our  product information document .

Quick Claims Process

Our claims process is designed to be quick and hassle-free, so you can get back to enjoying your travels as soon as possible.

• Flexible Cover Options

Choose from a range of plans to fit your specific needs and budget, whether you're traveling solo or with family and friends.

Global Coverage

We provide coverage for trips all around the world, so you can travel with peace of mind no matter where you go.

24/7 Customer Support

Our knowledgeable and friendly customer service team is always available to assist you, whenever you need it

Choose the Best Travel Insurance Policy For You

Pick up a travel policy and explore more with our fantastic cover that provides a range of benefits with a 20% online discount[ 1 ]. If you have private medical insurance that has overseas medical cover, you could save even more with a 25% discount on your travel cover.[ 2 ]

Single Trip Travel Insurance

Take a long weekend away from €6.44 per trip [ 3 ], you can get budget holiday insurance that's quick, simple and cost effective for short term trips up to 120 days.

Annual Multi Trip Travel Insurance 

From only €2.82 per month (€33.89 per year) [ 4 ], travel around Europe as much as you like for up to 12 months, with 17 days of our winter sports or skiing cover free.

Long Stay Travel Insurance

If you're in it for the long haul, more than 3 months and up to 12 months, enjoy peace of mind with our Extended Stay travel insurance; perfect for globetrotters.

Winter Sports Travel Insurance 

Make the most of winter and the various activities it offers with our Ski & Winter Sports cover.

Family Travel Insurance 

Add up to 4 dependents at no extra charge, so you can go on and enjoy your family trip.

Backpacker Travel Insurance 

Get 24/7 emergency assistance as standard so you can span the globe with added piece of mind.

Golf Travel Insurance

Enjoy the fairways around the globe with our excellent cover for Golfers.

Covid-19 Update

Find out what AIG Travel insurance provides cover for in relation to Covid-19.

[1]  20% online discount automatically applied to all new business AIG Direct Travel Insurance quotes. 

[2]  25% discount is subject to owning Private Medical Insurance that provides overseas medical cover for all insured persons for the duration of their time abroad.

[3]  Price of €6.44 is based on an individual buying online aged 18-54 holding Private Health Insurance which provides medical cover for the duration of their time abroad, travelling for 3 days (2 nights) on a European Budget policy. Example correct as of 21/11/2023. 

[4]  Price of €33.89 is based on an individual buying online aged 18-54 holding Private Health Insurance which provides medical cover for the duration of their time abroad on a European Budget policy. Example correct as of 21/11/2023. 

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Notice

Due to the widespread media reports of Coronavirus (Covid-19), and the World Health Organization (WHO) announcement declaring Covid-19 a pandemic, Covid-19 is a foreseen or known event. If you are purchasing a new policy, certain covers will not apply.   AIG Travel insurance provides cover for the following Covid-19 related events:

a)  for trip cancellation  (Section A of the policy document attached) if  1)  an Insured Person,  2)  a person who an Insured Person has booked to travel with  3)  a relative or friend living abroad who an Insured Person had planned to stay with or  4)  a Business Associate has a  confirmed and documented diagnosis of COVID-19*  at the time of departure which prevents the Insured Person from travelling.

b) for medical expenses  (Section B of the policy document) and  cutting your trip short  (Section C of the policy document) coverage if an Insured Person has a  confirmed and documented diagnosis of COVID-19*  whilst on a covered trip to a country that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has allocated a security status of Normal Precautions or High Degree of Caution to.

Please note that travel to a country that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has allocated a security status of Avoid Non-Essential Travel or Do Not Travel to is excluded by our policy.

All other Covid-19 related claims are excluded. We encourage AIG travel policyholders to please refer to their  policy wording  for full details or get in touch with us on 1800 344 455 with any further queries. All claims submitted will be assessed in line with the terms, conditions and exclusions clearly detailed in the policy wording.

*Confirmed and documented diagnosis of COVID-19  means a positive PCR or antigen test which has been conducted by a trained clinician. Self-administered antigen tests will not be accepted as a valid confirmation of a positive diagnosis.

Enjoy a Worry-Free Holiday with Travel Insurance From AIG

Travel insurance fedback from aig customers, more than 3 in 4 aig customers would recommend us. [5].

[5] Based on a combined promoter score of 74% in 8,050 AIG new business customers and renewing customers from June 2022 to June 2023.

Customer images are for illustration purposes only and are not reflective of the customer in order to protect their privacy.

• Quick Claim Process

Claims made easy. We'll always aim to make your travel insurance claim as quick and easy as possible.

"SORTED A PROBLEM OTHER COMPANIES STRUGGLED TO."

EDDIE - JANUARY 2024

Whether you're taking a break abroad or enjoying a staycation, we have a policy for you. See our  policy booklet for details.

"IT WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND A GOOD SELECTION OF OPTIONS TO FIT PEOPLE'S BUDGETS."

DARREN - JANUARY 2024

24/7 Help & Support

Whenever you need us, our 24/7 emergency assistance helpline are here to help as standard.

"I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT A PROBLEM AND THEY GOT TO ME FAST AND SORTED IT OUT."

CHRISTENA - JANUARY 2024

79% of travel customers are delighted with our service [6]

[6] Based on a combined promoter score of 79% in Q1 2023 AIG new business travel customers

"THE STAFF WERE VERY FRIENDLY AND INFORMATIVE AND ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS.  MY ONLINE EXPERIENCE WAS EQUALLY EXCELLENT."

DEIRDRE - DECEMBER 2023

• 24/7 Support
• Great Customer Service

You Might Also Be Interested In...

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance is insurance that is designed to protect your health, belongings and the cost of your trip should anything go wrong while you are abroad or in some cases before you leave.

Do You Have Private Medical Insurance?

Having a plan that covers medical treatment while you are abroad, might qualify you for cheaper travel insurance premium. 

Do You Need Car Hire Excess Insurance?

Our Car Hire Excess Insurance can help take care of that nasty bill you may be left with if your rental car becomes damaged or stolen.

Get your great value Travel Insurance today

Frequently asked questions.

You can find a list of our most frequently asked questions on our FAQ page. 

Our insurance policies do not cover pre-existing medical conditions, or travel to or through Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea or the Crimea region, or countries where the Department of Foreign Affairs have allocated  a security status of 'avoid non-essential travel' or 'do not travel'.  Other exclusions and conditions may apply so please check the  Policy Wording  for details.

Policy Documents

You can find our Travel Insurance Policy Document and IPIDs including all our historical versions, by following the link below.

Have A Question?

You can contact our customer service team between 9am - 5pm on  1800 344 455 . If you need help with your existing policy or are looking to renew, you can find all your relevant information on our  Existing Customers  page.

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We understand that traveling with children requires careful planning, patience, and creativity. That's why we've curated a comprehensive guide that covers various aspects of family travel.

Terms and Conditions:

[2]  25% discount is subject to owning Private Medical Insurance that provides overseas medical cover for all insured persons for the duration of their time abroad.

[3]  Price of €6.44 is based on an individual buying online aged 18-54 holding Private Health Insurance which provides medical cover for the duration of their time abroad, travelling for 3 days (2 nights) on a European Budget policy. Example correct as of 21/11/2023.

[4]  Price of €33.89 is based on an individual buying online aged 18-54 holding Private Health Insurance which provides medical cover for the duration of their time abroad on a European Budget policy. Example correct as of 21/11/2023. 

[5]  Based on a combined promoter score of 74% in 8,050 AIG new business customers and renewing customers from June 2022 to June 2023.

• Our products are available for Ireland residents only.

• You must be 18 years or over to purchase a policy.

• Your trip must not have already started to purchase a policy from us.

• Upper age limits may apply, depending on the product selected.

• You may wish to compare the terms and conditions of this policy with those of your existing life, health, home and car insurance policies, as well as any other cover which you may already have or is available to you, including through other insurers, as a member of an organization, or through your bank/credit card program(s).

MAWDY Ireland: pushing travel insurance forward

For a multinational company like mawdy, the assistance arm of mapfre group, ireland is a robust and dynamic market in which to test new products that then benefit thousands of users around the world.

In recent years, MAWDY has undergone an important evolution to a more innovative and digitally driven company. The Ireland unit has played a crucial role in this transformation, and this is especially evident in the area of travel insurance.

MAWDY in Ireland achieved a 13% growth over the previous year. It currently has agreements with more than 35 corporate partners with large distribution networks that rely on us to improve their offer to the end customer. At the same time the importance of our Irish unit goes beyond the figures.

A mature market

In the travel insurance sector, Ireland is a mature market characterised by one of the highest rates of overseas travel, a strong awareness of the benefits of insurance for travel abroad, and a competitive and innovative industry. The Irish unit of MAWDY is the ideal setting for the roll-out of pilot projects that, once successful, can be made available to MAWDY partners and customers in the rest of the world.

A recent project, launched in partnership with Irish start-up Blink Parametric, provides a good illustration. This new product, a real-time flight delay cover, provides policyholders with an automatic and instant benefit if their flight is delayed. This can be access to the airport lounge or a cash payment.

For travellers, this parametric insurance product is one of the latest service improvements driving innovation, alongside services such as telemedicine and real-time risk warnings. MAWDY aims to assist our customers before, during and after their trip with highly digitised, user-friendly services.

Always seeking innovation

Innovation in MAWDY also provides benefits to our partners. Applications such as the new Sales Portal, partner-integrated APIs, and real-time MI reporting systems all feed into an optimised and integrated sales and after-sales process.

In recent years, MAWDY has undergone an important evolution to a more innovative and digitally driven company

Looking forward, MAWDY are also expanding collaboration with strategic allies, such as large restaurant chains and streaming platforms, to include these services as part of the travel insurance products offered to their customer base. Success in travel insurance depends on being more digital, tangible and closer. In Ireland, MAWDY are taking big steps in the transformation of the travel insurance experience, and their partners and customers are reaping the benefits.

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

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• The average travel insurance premium this week is $285.76, about the same compared to last week.
• For travel in the United States, the average premium is $92 to $403.
• Travel insurance protects against delayed baggage, trip cancellation, and more.

The average cost of travel insurance fluctuates throughout the year, based on demand and whether or not school's in session. Also keep in mind that where you're traveling and how many people are taking the trip will affect your exact premium.

The average travel insurance premium this week is about the same compared to last week.

Travel insurance rates this week:

• Average premium: $285.76
• Average trip cost: $6,848.65
• Average trip length: 16 Days

Understanding Travel Insurance

Travel insurance plans can cover both domestic and international travel. It could protect against something as familiar as delayed baggage (experts estimate 85% of lost luggage is returned to its owner within 48 hours) or as complicated as trip cancellation.

The benefits and limitations of travel insurance vary based on the company and plan. Above all else, this insurance coverage offers peace of mind.

Some credit cards offer a limited amount of travel insurance annually. If you need clarification on what your credit card offers, contact your provider to verify. These plans are great for cancellations and interruptions but may not cover more costly losses associated with unexpected medical expenses or emergency evacuations.

Individual travel insurance plans include this and much more. Travel insurance protects travelers from the unexpected when away from home.

Average Cost of Travel Insurance by Destination

Some countries are naturally more expensive travel destinations due to higher flight and lodging costs, which could increase travel insurance costs. Travel insurance will generally cost 5% to 10% of your total trip price, according to SquareMouth.

Here's how the prices stack up:

Source: SquareMouth

How Far in Advance to Purchase Travel Insurance

According to an AAA travel survey , 88% of travelers say that reimbursement after a trip cancellation is the most valuable benefit of trip insurance.

According to data gathered by SquareMouth in the last six months, travelers tend to purchase trip cancellation travel insurance 53 days before their trip. Meanwhile, travelers without trip cancellation insurance will buy a policy approximately 16 days before their trip. Regardless of when you buy, cancellation protection can kick in to protect you against the unexpected.

Average Cost of Travel Insurance by Age

A traveler's age is a significant factor in determining the cost of travel insurance. The older a traveler is, the higher travel insurance premiums are. For instance, a senior traveler may need more insurance for health-related emergencies than a millennial.

When calculating your travel insurance premium, travel insurance providers consider the likelihood of a medical emergency.

Get your free travel insurance quote with SquareMouth »

Travel Insurance Rate Tips

How much does travel insurance typically cost.

Travel insurance rates through most providers fall between 4% and 8% of the total trip cost. Like the cost of flights, cruises, etc., rates may vary substantially based on the season, your original location, your destination, and other factors. This week, the average cost of a policy was close to $300.

How can I save money on travel insurance?

To save money on travel insurance, tailor your policy to your specific needs and avoid unnecessary extras. You should also shop around to compare quotes from multiple insurers. Opting for an annual plan if you're a frequent traveler, checking existing coverages from other insurance policies or credit card benefits, and choosing a policy with a higher deductible can significantly lower your premiums. Always read the fine print to understand your coverage fully, ensuring you don't pay for redundant or irrelevant features.

Where are the cheapest places to buy travel insurance?

To find affordable travel insurance, consider using online comparison websites like SquareMouth or InsureMyTrip to see rates from various providers. Other ways to save include purchasing directly from insurance companies, exploring package deals from travel agencies or airlines, utilizing included coverage from credit card benefits, and checking for discounts through membership organizations such as AAA or AARP.

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Is travel insurance worth it?

April 30, 2024 | 2 min read

Planning a trip and wondering if you need a travel insurance policy? Keep reading to learn more about travel insurance to decide whether it’s right for you.

Key takeaways

• Travel insurance can provide financial protection if things go wrong before or during a trip.
• You might get travel insurance to cover potential losses from trip cancellations or delays, lost baggage or medical issues.
• Factoring in details specific to your trip and balancing with existing coverage might help you decide whether travel insurance is right for you.

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What does travel insurance do?

Travel insurance is a type of specialized protection that might help protect against financial losses from airline delays, medical issues or other unexpected occurrences. Some travel insurance plans focus on specific things, like lost baggage or health care. Others offer a wide range of benefits under a single plan. It’s a good idea to make sure you understand the terms and conditions, because coverage varies.

When might travel insurance be beneficial?

Some of the situations where it can help to have travel insurance include:

Interruptions and cancellations

Trip delay insurance covers food and lodging expenses if you experience an airline delay. Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse your prepaid costs if an illness forces you to cancel entirely.

Baggage issues

Baggage loss coverage can reimburse you if your luggage is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed.

Medical emergencies

Travel health or medical insurance can cover everything from medication to emergency medical evacuation if you become sick or injured when traveling abroad .

When might travel insurance be unnecessary?

There’s no right or wrong time for travel insurance. It depends on your circumstances. But when deciding whether travel insurance is worth it, you can consider things like:

• Type and length of trip: If the trip’s refundable, you might not need extra protection. And a short or cheap trip might not be worth the cost of coverage.
• Your existing coverage: Check existing policies and agreements. If you have coverage through your health insurance provider, credit card issuer or card network, you may not need more.

Considering travel insurance in a nutshell

Travel insurance can offer peace of mind if anything goes wrong before or during a trip. But it may not always be worth it. If you’re considering travel insurance coverage, looking at your situation, your trip and the terms and conditions of your existing insurance policies could help you determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs.

If you’re interested in getting insurance coverage from a credit card, you can check out the benefits that come with Capital One rewards credit cards .

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Money latest: Bitcoin suffers nightmare month - and it's just got worse

Bitcoin has suffered its biggest monthly loss since June 2022 - amid signs that market euphoria is starting to cool. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news below, plus leave a comment in the box.

Wednesday 1 May 2024 13:54, UK

• Bitcoin suffers nightmare month - and it's just got worse
• Key dates for Spotify customers, energy bills, free childcare and interest rates in May
• Wait for interest rate cut leads to surprise dip in house price growth

Essential reads

• Turns out supermarket boss was right about self-checkouts
• State pensions 'could be in doubt for future generations'
• One of UK's top chefs reveals best Cheap Eats in Norfolk - and cling film tip for amazing veg
• Money Problem : 'Builders won't repair dodgy work - what are my rights?'
• '£2,000 landed in my account' - The people who say they're manifesting riches

Ask a question or make a comment

Are you struggling because of high interest rates? Sky News is keen to hear from people who are due to refix their mortgages this year or are on a variable rate or tracker mortgage or trying to get on the housing ladder. 

Email us your stories at  [email protected]  - or WhatsApp us  here .

By Emily Mee , Money team

Discovering a hole in your favourite pair of jeans or a rip in your well-worn cosy jumper is certainly irritating - but it doesn't mean those items are destined for the bin. 

In fact, ethical fashion campaigners say that's the last place your items should be going. There is usually plenty you can do to repair them - or even to avoid damage in the first place. That way, you can keep your best-loved pieces in your wardrobe for years to come. 

Katrina Caspelich, from fair fashion campaign Remake, takes the Money blog through what you can do...

Store your clothes better

Clean them before storing them: Always ensure that clothes are clean before storing them. Launder or dry clean them according to the care instructions on the label. Stains and dirt can attract insects and cause fabric deterioration over time.

Use breathable storage containers: Opt for breathable storage containers such as cotton canvas bags or boxes instead of plastic bins. This allows air circulation and prevents moisture build up, which can lead to mould and mildew.

Avoid direct sunlight: Store clothes in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause colours to fade and weaken fabric fibres over time.

Hang clothes properly: Invest in quality hangers that provide adequate support to garments. Use padded or wooden hangers for delicate items like suits, dresses, and knits. Avoid using wire hangers, as they can cause garments to lose their shape. Don't hang wet clothes on hangers - they can stretch.

Use garment bags: For long-term storage of formal wear or seasonal clothing, consider using garment bags to protect items from dust, insects, and moisture.

Rotate clothing: Rotate your wardrobe seasonally to prevent garments from being stored for too long without use. This helps to prevent fabric deterioration and ensures that all pieces are worn regularly.

Avoid overcrowding: Avoid cramming clothes into storage containers or closets. Overcrowding can cause wrinkles, stretching, and distortion of fabric fibres. Leave some space between garments to allow for air circulation.

Store leather items properly: Leather garments should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Use padded hangers to maintain their shape and avoid folding, as creases can become permanent.

Does how you wash them make a difference?

What exactly makes a gentle wash gentle? For delicate fabrics, you should always use cool to lukewarm water. (Hot water isn't needed unless you are concerned about bacteria and diseases like COVID-19). 

Pro tip: Be wary of wringing out your wet clothes. It can seriously alter the shape of your garments.

Other options

Wash your stuff less. The only clothes that should always be washed after one wear are underwear and sweaty clothes. Most garments worn regularly should be okay to wear two to three times before washing. Unless your denim has a bad habit of stretching out, experts say you should wash them after three or four wears so they age better. You can also throw them in the freezer to kill bacteria.

Spot clean your clothes. To clean a spot, start by removing any excess spillage and blot away as much moisture as possible with a paper towel or hand towel. NO RUBBING. Use some stain remover or gentle detergent on just the stained spot. Let it air dry or use cool air to speed up the process.

Air dry. Hang your clothes outside, Italian style. For heavier items that could stretch when hanging, lay them out flat on a surface to dry.

When should you dry clean?

Read the care tags! Don't be so quick to adhere to every garment's dry clean only tag - there's lots of chemicals involved that lurk on dry cleaned wool, cotton and polyester. Plus lots of brands put those tags on when they lack confidence in our ability to properly and gently wash our clothes.

If it is made of wool, linen, silk, cotton or cashmere - which is likely a majority of your closet - these fabrications can handle gentle hand washes so long as you pre-treat and single wash anything with stains, as well as wash items in groups determined by fabrication and colour.

If you aren't 100% sure what exactly a garment is made of, you can always test a little spot under the sink water to see if you get a ton of colour bleeding, warping, or shrinkage before going all in.

If your garment has any fancy embellishments, flocking, or beads attached by glue then you should probably take it to the cleaners if it's not just in need of a little spot clean.

Pro tip: When you find yourself at the dry cleaners, you can try asking for alternatives like a liquid carbon dioxide cleaning, which uses pressurized CO2 mixed with other gentle cleaning liquids as opposed to perc.  Another option is requesting a wet cleaning method , a wash that resembles a normal washing machine but utilises special soaps and conditioners for an extra gentle wash.

How do you know when a broken item is repairable, or when it's no longer usable? 

It's important to always assess the extent of the damage. Small tears, missing buttons, loose hems, or minor stains are usually repairable with basic sewing skills or by taking them to a tailor. 

Considering the condition of the fabric is also important. For example, if the fabric is in good shape apart from the damaged area, it may be worth repairing. 

However, if the fabric is severely worn out or faded in multiple places, it may not be worth repairing. Also, some types of damage such as large holes, extensive fraying, or irreparable stains may render the garment unusable or not cost effective to repair. 

Finally, it's important to consider the sentimental value of the item. If the piece holds sentimental value or is a high-quality piece, you may just want to hold onto it and invest in repairs.

If the item is no longer usable, you could upcycle or repurpose it. Get creative and turn the item into something new. Some ideas include turning old jeans into shorts, using fabric scraps for quilting or crafts, or transforming a worn-out tee into a cleaning rag. Donation is another option. If the clothing item is still in decent condition despite the damage, consider donating it to a local charity or thrift store as some organisations accept damaged clothing for recycling or repurposing.

Finally, look for textile recycling programs in your area. Many communities have textile recycling centres or programmes that accept old clothing, even if it's damaged, to be recycled into new textiles or other products.

How about shoes?

Like clothing, extending the wear of your shoes requires proper care and maintenance. Some ideas include rotating your shoes between different pairs of shoes every day to allow each pair to air out and recover their shape between wears. 

Clean your shoes regularly to remove dust, dirt, and stains. 

It's also a good idea to apply waterproofing spray to protect your shoes from water, stains, snow, and other environmental damage. Like clothing, it's important to attend to any signs of damage or wear as soon as possible, replacing worn-out soles, repairing loose stitching, and fixing damaged heels to prevent further deterioration. Definitely consider taking your shoes to a professional cobbler for these regular repairs! 

By Connor Sephton , news reporter

Bitcoin has suffered its biggest monthly loss since June 2022 - amid signs that market euphoria is starting to cool.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency saw its price plunge by almost 15% in April.

Even though we're just 12 hours into a brand-new month, Bitcoin is continuing to fall further.

This digital asset is often valued in dollars rather than pounds - and certain price points tend to have psychological significance for traders.

Over the past few weeks, Bitcoin had successfully managed to avoid a big fall under $60,000 (about £48,000).

But all of that changed in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

After the $60,000 threshold crumbled, a sharp drop to $57,000 soon followed.

So... with Bitcoin down 7% over the past 24 hours, what happens next?

Well - traders are now engaged in what can best be described as an arm wrestle.

If Bitcoin manages to hold stable around $57,000, its value may start to recover.

But if selling pressure grows as American investors start to wake up and see what's happened, further declines are to be expected.

Bitcoin has now fallen by 22% since hitting an all-time high of $73,750 in March - which technically puts this cryptocurrency in a bear market.

However, avid enthusiasts will insist this is nothing more than a healthy correction, and Bitcoin's longer-term prospects are good.

One thing is clear: this is a volatile asset, and investors should only put in whatever they can afford to lose.

In what seems to be becoming a daily occurrence, four more lenders have announced mortgage rate rises.

Halifax, BM Solutions and Virgin are all doing so for the second time in around a week. They're joined by Nottingham Building Society.

Halifax are increasing rates on purchase products by up to 0.2%; BM Solutions by up to 0.24%. These begin tomorrow.

Virgin increased rates on products between 0.08% and 0.2% yesterday evening, while Nottingham has lifted rates this morning by up to 0.25%.

Mortgage rates have spiked in the last two weeks as financial markets have moved from pricing in a base rate cut in June to thinking it will come in August. Expectations of three cuts this year are now two.

The backdrop is sticky inflation in the US - and concern the global and domestic battle against rising prices isn't over yet.

Skipton had actually announced some decreases - but any optimism from this proved momentary.

Dariusz Karpowicz, director at Albion Financial Advice, told Newspage: "The atmosphere in the mortgage market is rather grim, with major players like Halifax, BM Solutions, Virgin and Nottingham Building Society repeatedly raising their fixed rates.

"This pattern of frequent rate hikes, sometimes occurring multiple times within a week, is casting a shadow over market sentiment. 

"The anticipated 'spring bounce' is nowhere in sight; instead, we're witnessing a continuation of mortgage woes. 

"Higher rates are expected to dampen buyer enthusiasm and potentially delay any positive momentum. 

"As for when borrowers can expect relief, it hinges on broader economic stabilisation. For now, the outlook remains cautious and subdued."

As April rolls into May, let's take a look at the key money dates to add to your calendar this month. 

A small note before we jump in - May is a month with a couple of bank holidays, so if any of your benefits payments would normally fall on those days, you'll get the money on the previous working day instead.

1 May - Prescription price change

The cost of your NHS prescription, in England, increases by 25p today - from £9.65 to £9.90.

Repeat prescription customers can apply for a prepayment certificate (PPC) which charges a fixed amount for a set period of prescriptions.

However, the cost of a one-year PCC will also rise to £114.50 from £111.60 - a rise of almost £3.

If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland you don't have to pay for your prescriptions.

9 May - Interest rate decision 

Next week, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet for its latest review of interest rates. 

The MPC has decided to freeze the base rate at 5.25% over recent months.

While nothing is guaranteed, the BoE is widely expected among economists to hold the rate once again - thought to be waiting for inflation to get closer to the Bank's 2% target. 

12 May - Free childcare applications open

From 12 May, eligible working parents of children from nine-months-old will be able to register for access to up to 15 free hours of government-funded childcare per week.

You won't be able to claim the hours until September. 

Check if you're eligible here . 

15 May - Subway loyalty points changes

Sandwich giant Subway has outlined a series of measures in its branches regarding its loyalty schemes. 

Customers have until 14 May to use the current scheme before it changes to a new app-only loyalty scheme. 

From 15 May, any points will expire and become unredeemable.

May 24 - Energy price cap announcement

Regulator Ofgem will announce the new energy price cap for the period 1 July to 30 September.

The current price cap (£1,690 a year) is expected by analysts at Cornwall Insights to fall by just over £100 to around £1,559 for the average household per year. 

Spotify hikes 

As we reported in the Money blog, Spotify will hike its prices by around £2 per month...

Depending on a customer's billing date, payment change to the higher rate will fall in either May or June. 

Spotify has said it will email existing customers with one-month's notice of the increase.

By James Sillars , business reporter

A piece of good news to bring you: a welcome fall in oil costs.

A barrel of Brent crude started the week close to $88.

It is trading at $85 today after three days of declines – the latest in Asian trading today.

The major move lower, however, came yesterday afternoon.

Analysts credited increasing hopes of a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East and on rising US crude inventories and production.

It's been another positive start to the day for the FTSE 100 - rising 0.1% to 8.157 points in early deals.

The index has started higher each session this week but, in truth, it has struggled to make big inroads since last week's record closing high.

Banks and miners are leading the way.

Next, however, was among the fallers despite posting a strong rise in full price sales.

The first quarter increase of 5.7% was above market expectations but the retailer, usually renowned for keeping expectations low and over-delivering, maintained its guidance for annual sales and profits.

Its shares were 1.2% lower.

Among the fallers in the wider market was Aston Martin Lagonda.

The luxury carmaker's stock was almost 9% down after posting bigger than expected quarterly losses.

EasyJet passengers were left scrambling to rebook flights after they were wrongly told their flights were cancelled "due to Israel". 

The airline sent emails and text messages to holidaymakers informing them their flights would not be taking off on 28 April as planned - before scrambling to let them know, an hour later, that there had been a mistake.

Amid the confusion, travellers shared their frustration on social media, with one asking: "Is this a scam? EasyJet App is not showing cancellation and has allowed me to check in."

The airline has since released a statement confirming there was a technical error.

"EasyJet can confirm that unfortunately, on 28 April, some customers received an incorrect notification stating that their flight on 30 April was cancelled," a spokesperson told Sky News.

"This was due to a technical error and all customers were quickly sent updated messages with a confirmation their flight is operating as normal. We would like to apologise for this and any inconvenience caused."

Shifting expectations for UK interest rate cuts have contributed to a dip in house price growth, according to a closely watched measure.

Nationwide reported a 0.4% fall in average property costs last month compared with March, taking the annual rate of growth to 0.6% from 1.6%.

Economists polled by the Reuters news agency had expected month-on-month growth of 0.2%.

The lender's report said the easing reflected "ongoing affordability pressures, with longer term interest rates rising in recent months, reversing the steep fall seen around the turn of the year".

Read the full story here ...

Every Wednesday we get Michelin chefs, top bloggers or critics to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and at home. This week we speak to one of the most renowned chefs in the UK, Galton Blackiston of the Michelin-starred Morston Hall in Norfolk.

He's gone the extra mile in his Cheap Eats at home - uploading a how-to video to Instagram.

Hi  Galton, c an you tell us your favourite places in Norfolk where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

Allium in Downham Market , a family run restaurant which involves mum, dad, Joe in kitchen and James front of house. Open Wednesday through to Sunday, it has a great vibe on a Saturday evening and great food.

Bure River Restaurant , a tiny restaurant on the broads in Horning cooking lovely fish dishes.

Final cheap place is the Parlour in Binham , where they have a great restaurant and you put money into an honesty box for their local cheese from the village and raw milk from their farm - a great place to visit in Norfolk.

What's your go-to cheap meal at home?

Toad in the hole with a baked potato and hispi cabbage and onion gravy.

A good tip I would say is to colour off the sausages in dripping then pour over the batter, which should be eight eggs, 250g plain flour, one pint of full fat milk, salt pepper and nutmeg. Whisk together and allow to sit for an hour til you use. 

And this is how you do the hispi cabbage with cling film over the pan...

Flight prices often rocket in the summer, but it turns out particular dates can prove cheaper. 

Research by Expedia has revealed the best dates to book your trips... 

The cheapest times to fly 

If you're flying domestic, the best dates for your wallet are 28 July, 19 August and 23 August. 

Expedia also recommends booking your domestic flights for a Wednesday to save roughly 20%. 

For those travelling internationally, the cheapest dates are 2 and 13 June, and 28 August. 

When it comes to booking, you can save about 15% if you book for a Thursday versus at the weekend. 

The quietest times to fly

If you care more about a quieter airport, the least busy dates for flying domestic are 10 June, and 11 and 19 July. 

For international flights, the best dates are 4 June, and 27 and 30 August. 

And the dates to avoid...

The most expensive domestic flights are on 30 June, and 8 and 16 July. 

International flights are pricier on 22, 23 and 29 July. 

Meanwhile, Expedia says 30 June and 24 July will be the busiest air travel days for domestic and international destinations. 

Domestic flights are busiest on 30 June, and 8 and 16 July. 

For international flights, 10, 21 and 24 June are the busiest. 

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