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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in April 2024

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected — from a pandemic to flight troubles to the crowded airport terminals so many of us have encountered.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care or a policy that includes extreme sports, these are the best travel insurance providers to get you covered.

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

Read our full analysis about the average cost of travel insurance so you can budget better for your next trip.

However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize at an added cost.

As we continue to evaluate more travel insurance companies and receive fresh market data, this collection of best travel insurance companies is likely to change. See our full methodology for more details.

• Best travel insurance companies

Types of travel insurance

What does travel insurance cover.

• What's not covered?

How much does it cost?

Do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers.

• Frequently asked questions

Best travel insurance overall: Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

• ExactCare Value (basic) plan is among the least expensive we surveyed.
• Speciality plans available for road trips, luxury travel, adventure activities, flights and cruises.
• Company may reimburse claimants faster than average, including possible same-day compensation.
• Multiple "Trip Delay" coverage types might make claims confusing.
• Cheapest plan only includes fixed amounts for its coverage.

Under the direction of chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been around since 2014. Its plans provide numerous opportunities for travelers to customize coverage to their needs.

At $135 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers protection roughly $10 above the average price.

Want something cheaper? Air travelers looking for inexpensive, less comprehensive protections might opt for a basic AirCare plan that includes fixed amounts for its coverage .

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers available at no extra cost.

Plans available for travelers going on a cruise, participating in extreme sports or taking a luxury trip.

ExactCare Value (basic) plan was among the least expensive we surveyed.

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

Annual or single-trip policies are available.

• Multiple types of insurance available.
• All plans include access to a 24/7 assistance hotline.
• More expensive than average.
• CFAR upgrades are not available.
• Rental car protection is only available by adding the One Trip Rental Car protector to your plan or by purchasing a standalone rental car plan.

Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering plans for over 25 years. Customers can choose from a variety of single and annual policies to fit their needs. On top of comprehensive coverage, some travelers might opt for the more affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus, which is geared toward domestic travelers looking for trip protections but don’t need post-departure benefits like emergency medical or baggage lost.

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $149, about $22 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

Stand-alone and add-on rental car damage product available.

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG

Travel Guard by AIG

• Offers last-minute coverage.
• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver available at all plan levels.
• Plan available for business travelers.
• Cancel For Any reason coverage only available for higher-level plans, and only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost.
• Trip interruption coverage doesn't apply to trips paid for with points and miles.

Travel Guard by AIG offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs. On top of more standard trip protections like trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and medical coverage, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available on certain Travel Guard plans, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get 50% of your nonrefundable deposit back as long as the trip is canceled at least two days before the scheduled departure date.

At $107 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was below average, saving roughly $20.

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

Three comprehensive plans and a Pack N' Go plan for last-minute travelers who don't need cancellation benefits.

Flight protection, car rental, and medical evacuation coverage, as well as annual plans available.

Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available on all plan levels, as long as it's purchased within 15 days.

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

Travel Insured International

• Higher-level plan include optional add-ons for event tickets and for electronic equipment
• Rental car protection add-on for just $8 per day, even on lower-level plan.
• Many of the customizations are only available on the higher-tier plan.
• Coverage cost comes in above average in our latest analysis.

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

Be sure to check which policies are available in your state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see coverages.

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

Comprehensive plans include medical expense reimbursement accidents, sickness, evacuation and pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan.

Flight plans include coverage for missed and canceled flights and lost or stolen baggage.

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

World Nomads

• Travelers can extend coverage mid-trip.
• The standard plan covers up to $300,000 in emergency evacuation costs.
• Plans automatically cover 200+ adventurous activities.
• No Cancel For Any Reason upgrades are available.
• No pre-existing medical condition waivers are available.

Many travel insurance plans contain exclusions for adventure sports activities. If you plan to ski, bungee jump, windsurf or parasail, this might be a plan to consider.

Note that the Standard plan ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

Coverage available for adventure activities, such as trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

Travelex Insurance Services

• Top-tier plan doesn’t break the bank and provides more customization opportunities.
• Offers a plan specifically for domestic travel.
• Sells a post-departure medical coverage plan.
• Fewer customization opportunities on the Basic plan.
• Though perhaps a plus for domestic travelers, keep in mind the Travel America plan only covers domestic trips.

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $125, almost exactly average for our sample trip.

Travelex’s plans focus heavily on providing protections that are personalized to your travel style and trip type.

While the company does offer comprehensive plans that include medical benefits, you can also choose between cheaper plans that don’t provide cancellation coverage but do offer protections during your travels.

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

Three comprehensive plans available, two of which cover international trips.

Offers a post-departure plan geared exclusively toward disruptions after you leave home.

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

Seven Corners

• Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.
• Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.
• Cheapest plan also features a much less costly Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
• Offers only one annual policy option.

Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is a Trip Interruption for Any Reason, which allows you to interrupt a trip 48 hours after the scheduled departure date (for any reason) and receive a refund of up to 75% of your unused nonrefundable deposits.

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

Comprehensive plans for U.S. residents and foreigners, including travelers visiting the U.S.

Cheap add-ons for rental car damage, sporting equipment rental or trip interruption for any reason.

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

• Coverage available for adventure travelers.
• Special medical insurance for ship captains and crew members, international students and missionaries.
• Claim approval can be lengthy.

While some travel insurance companies offer just a handful of plans, with IMG, you’ll really have your pick. Though this requires a bit more research, it allows you to search for coverage that fits your travel needs.

However, travelers will want to be aware that IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel Lite is expensive. Coming in at $149.85, it’s the costliest plan on our list.

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

• In addition Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reason coverage.
• Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
• Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
• Only one plan includes Rental Car Damage coverage available as an add-on.

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto the average basic policy cost. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad.

The multitude of plans can help you find coverage that fits your needs, but with so many to choose from, deciding can be daunting.

The only real way to figure out your ideal plan is to compare them all, look at the plan details and decide which features and coverage suit you and your travel style best.

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

• Covers up to $300 redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award flights.
• Optional add-on protection for business equipment or sports rentals.
• Multi-trip or year-long plans aren’t available.

Selecting your travel insurance plan with TravelSafe is a fairly straightforward process. The company’s website also makes it easy to visualize how optional add-on elements influence the total cost, displaying the final price as soon as you click the coverage.

However, at $136, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Mexico.

What else makes TravelSafe great:

Rental car damage coverage add-on is available on both plans.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage available on the TravelSafe Classic plan.

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

HTH Travel Insurance

• Covers travelers up to 95 years old.
• Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay up front for services.
• A 24-hour delay is required for baggage delay coverage on the TripProtector Economy plan.
• No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.

HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans.

At around $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at the average mark for plans we reviewed.

You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers.

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll find many of the same coverage categories across numerous plans.

Trip cancellation

This covers the prepaid costs you make for your trip in cases when you need to cancel for a covered reason. This coverage helps you recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption benefits generally involve disruptions after you depart. It helps reimburse costs incurred for flight delays, cancellations and plenty of other covered disruptions you might encounter during your travels.

This coverage can cover the costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.

Trip delay coverage helps cover unexpected costs when your trip is delayed. This is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions.

Note that many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits, too.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip even if you’re canceling for a reason not otherwise covered by your standard travel insurance policy.

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

This coverage helps cover the costs of essential items you might need when your luggage is delayed. Think toiletries, clothing and other immediate items you might need if your luggage didn’t make it on your flight.

Many travel insurance plans with baggage delay protection will specify how long (six, 12, 24 hours, etc.) your luggage must be delayed before you can make a claim.

Lost baggage

Used for travelers whose luggage is lost or stolen, this helps recoup the lost value of the items in your bag.

You’ll want to make sure you closely follow the correct procedures for your plan. Many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.

Travel medical insurance

This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency.

Because many travelers’ health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas, travel medical insurance can help offset out-of-pocket health care costs.

In addition to emergency medical coverage, many plans have medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country because of a medical situation.

Most travel insurance plans cover many trip protections that can help you be prepared for unexpected travel disruptions and expenses.

These coverage are generally aimed at protecting the money you put into your trip, expenses you incur because of travel trouble and costs incurred if you have a medical emergency overseas.

On top of core coverages like trip cancellation and interruption and travel medical coverage, some plans offer add-on options like waivers for pre-existing conditions, rental car collision damage waivers or adventure sports riders. These usually cost extra or must be added within a specified timeframe.

What’s not covered?

Typical travel insurance policies offer coverage for many unforeseen events, but as you research to select a plan, consider your needs. Though every plan differs, there are some commonly excluded coverages.

For instance, you typically can’t get coverage for a named storm if you bought the coverage after the storm was named. In other words, if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked for Sept. 25 and on Sept. 20 a hurricane develops and is named, you generally won’t be able to buy a travel insurance plan Sept. 21 in hopes of getting your money back.

Many plans also don’t cover activities performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol or any extreme sports. If the latter applies to you, you might want to consider a plan with specific coverages for adventure-seekers.

For numerous plans, a few other situations don’t qualify as an acceptable reason to cancel and make a claim, such as fear of travel, medical tourism or pregnancies (unless you booked a trip and bought insurance before you became pregnant or there are complications with the pregnancy). This is where a Cancel For Any Reason add-on to your coverage can be helpful.

You can also run into trouble if you give up on a trip too soon: a minor (or even multihour) flight delay likely isn’t sufficient to cancel your entire trip and get reimbursed through your plan. Be sure to review what requirements your specific plan has when it comes to canceling a trip, claiming trip interruption, etc.

Travel insurance costs vary widely. The final price of your plan will fluctuate based on your age, length of trip and destination.

It will also depend on how much coverage you need, whether you add on specialized policies (like Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing conditions coverage), whether you plan to participate in extreme sports and other factors.

In our examples above, for instance, the 35-year-old traveler taking a $2,000 trip to Italy would have spent an average $76 for a basic plan to get coverage for things like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, etc. That’s a little less than 4% of the total trip cost — lower than average.

If there were multiple members in a traveling party or if they were going on, say, a rock-climbing or bungee-jumping excursion, the costs would go up.

On average, travel insurance comes to about 5% to 10% of the trip cost. However, considering many of the plans reimburse up to 100% of the trip cost (or more) for disruptions like trip cancellation or interruption, it can be a worthwhile expense if something goes wrong.

It depends. Consider the following factors that might affect your decision: You’re young and healthy, all your bookings are refundable or cancelable without a penalty, your flights are nonstop, you’re not checking bags and a credit card you carry offers some travel protections . In that case, travel insurance might not be necessary.

On the other hand, if you prepaid a large chunk of money for a nonrefundable African safari, you’re going on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of a hurricane season or you’re going somewhere where the cost of health care is high, it’s not a bad idea to buy a travel insurance plan. Here’s how to find the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re thinking of booking a trip and not planning to buy travel insurance, you may want to consider at least booking refundable airfare and not prepaying for hotel, rental car and activity reservations. That way, if something goes wrong, you can cancel without losing any money.

Selecting the best travel insurance policy comes down to your needs, concerns, preferences and budget.

As you book, take a few minutes to consider what most concerns you. Is it getting stranded because of flight trouble? Having the ability to cancel for any reason you see fit without losing money? Getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip? Injuring yourself or falling ill while overseas?

Ultimately, you want a plan that protects you, your money and the large investment in your trip — but doesn’t cost too much, either.

Medical coverage. If your priority is having adequate medical coverage abroad, you might want to look for plans with high limits for medical emergencies and medical evacuation.

Complex travel itinerary. If your itinerary has lots of flight connections, prepaid hotels and deposits for activities you can’t get back, prioritizing a plan with the best coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions may land at the top of your list.

Travel uncertainty. If you’re on the fence about a trip and have nonrefundable reservations, you may want to select a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason coverage option, which can help you recoup about 50% to 75% of the costs. This helps provide peace of mind, placing the decision on whether to travel entirely in your hands.

Car rentals. If you’re renting a car, a collision damage waiver is often worth looking into.

The following destinations are the top insured destinations in 2024, according to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

In 2022, travelers spent about 25.53% more on trips than they did before the pandemic.

As of December, NerdWallet analysis determined travel prices are 10% higher than pre-pandemic. Each statistic makes a strong case for protecting your travel investment as you plan your next trip.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

Methodology

We used the following factors to choose insurance providers to highlight:

Breadth of coverage: We looked at how many plans each company offered plus the range of their standard plans. 

Depth of coverage: We considered two data points to get a sense of how much each company pays out for common travel issues — the maximum caps for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.

Cost: By looking at the costs for basic coverage across multiple companies, we determined an average cost for shoppers to benchmark plan prices against.

Customizability: While standard plans can cover a lot of ground, sometimes you need something a little more personal.

Customer satisfaction. Using data from Squaremouth when available, and Google Reviews as a backup, we can give kudos to companies with better track records from their clients.

No, it doesn’t necessarily get more expensive the longer you wait to purchase. However, as you put off buying insurance, you may lose access to potential plans and coverage options.

In general, buying travel insurance within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

But, generally, many plans do allow you to buy coverage quite close to your departure date.

To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, buy it soon after making your initial prepayment or deposit to ensure you have access to the biggest menu of plans possible.

Select a plan that’s comprehensive enough to cover the travel scenarios you’re most concerned about or likely to encounter but not too expensive or laden with protections you’d never likely need.

Whatever your coverage, thoroughly review the plan so you understand what’s covered and what’s not, plus how to adhere to the plan’s rules for making a claim.

Travelers frequently use phrases like “trip insurance” and “travel insurance,” as well as “trip protection,” interchangeably, but they do mean different things, according to Stan Sandberg, founder of insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.

Trip insurance, or trip protection, generally refers to predeparture (or preevent) coverage if you need to cancel. You may see these plans sold by airlines, online travel agencies or even ticketed event sellers.

“You could refer to it as the portion that protects the investment in the trip,” Sandberg says.

A travel insurance plan typically includes that — plus more comprehensive benefits to protect you during your trip, from medical coverage to trip delay and lost baggage protections, and many more elements, depending on the plan.

Though travel insurance is typically not required for international trips, your personal circumstances will play a key role in whether it’s a good investment.

For instance, young, healthy travelers with few prepaid trip expenses embarking on a relatively risk-free trip may not see a need to buy a plan.

Older travelers with complicated itineraries who are visiting destinations where they could potentially fall ill or get injured — or who could encounter bad weather or some other disrupting factor along the way — may want to buy coverage.

Consider a few key questions:

How well would your health insurance plan cover you if you needed to visit a hospital overseas?

How much did you prepay for a hotel or rental car?

How much money would you be out if weather or some other flight issue derailed your itinerary?

Could you afford an unexpected night in a city where you have a connecting flight?

Do you already have a credit card that provides some travel protections?

Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether you need travel insurance for your international trip.

In general, buying travel insurance

within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit

for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

THREE WAYS TO PLAN AND BOOK YOUR SAFARI WITH AFRICANMECCA

TRAVEL & OPERATIONS OFFICES

• United States
• United Kingdom

• Travel Insurance Guide For Tours

Africa Travel Insurance Guide For Safaris & Adventure Tours – AfricanMecca Safaris

Africa Travel Insurance Guide For Safaris & Adventure Tours

Published By AfricanMecca Safaris  | Blog Categories :  Safari Planning .

Africa Travel Insurance Overview

We at AfricanMecca Safaris have been pondering for a long time about writing a complete travel insurance guide so that our customers have a better understanding of the selection process in choosing the right travel insurance coverage for Africa. Additionally, we also want to assist and guide our travelers so that they pay the lowest priced premiums and avoid overpaying for insurance coverage they do not necessarily need.

AfricanMecca travelers starting and ending their safaris and tours from the United States, would be provided the appropriate quote so as to receive maximum coverage and value available for use during their tour with a reliable and reputable travel insurance provider and its respective underwriting team to cover for unforeseen events in case something was to happen before or during their trip in Africa .

For travelers from other parts of of the world, we recommend you speak to local insurance companies based in your home/resident countries, study/review, compare and purchase your insurance from those travel insurance companies so you can benefit for country specific government rules and regulations as well as ease of filing claims and having questions answered locally. US based travelers going on a safari in Africa and looking to request a travel insurance quote can use our Contact Us section to reach out to us.

Compound the above equation in an environment where global travel operates in a chaotic world ecosystem with corporate financial bottom lines as a sole determinant of the value of a travel company, airline blurs leading to last minute flight changes, airline route cost cutting and flight cancellations, unpredictable weather and climate change, reliance on massive computerized airline scheduling and data systems without much human presence, coups and unstable governments, terrorism, ever escalating cost of living and expensive medical care — primarily available in private care and hospitals in safari countries like Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, tour company bankruptcies and any unforeseeable issues one can conjure up.

AfricanMecca Travel Insurance Quoting & Rates Policy

Quoting the recommended and correct travel insurance policy as an ethical business practice requires consistent solid, proven work on behalf of our holidaymakers. At all times, AfricanMecca upholds the principles of compassion, integrity and honesty to offer our customers the best pricing value for coverage that will actually deliver assistance during the time of need for travel to and in Africa at the best lowest rates available without ever employing a sales commission approach.

When recommending policies, we always look out for our customer’s best interest, and not ours nor the travel insurance provider. The quality of being protected and maximum coverage available to our travelers are infinitely more valuable than any compensation offered by the travel insurance companies to us for selling or recommending their traveler insurance. We also only work with travel insurance companies that have a proven track record of customer service and claims process.

An Ever Changing Travel Landscape Open To The Unforeseeable

Gone are the good old days, where your travel professional would literally follow your movements as you travel across and in Africa, and to be personally available to you at the whim of the moment. If international flights got delayed or canceled, the tour would be pushed back to meet the tour time and airline schedules. No more!

Globalization, upward financial mobility in the world, the advent of self-planning internet based travel tools, access to knowledge and learning and reduction in costs of airline operations has made travel to Africa more accessible and possible, which has in turn boosted mass market tourism to the continent. To handle the large daily arrivals now in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa albeit with limited rooming availability and human resources require automation of the operational business process.

Subsequently, automation has made travel less personalized where travelers are a number on a daily roster and where communication is mostly done via special notes on the system rather than an in person or particular phone call to the safari camp, lodge, hotel, guide, transportation or airline. Open this up on a grander scale and on a daily basis, one can easily begin to see the picture on how a safari tour can easily unfold and breakdown with a single hiccup in the travel operational ecosystem or sequence.

Traveling to Africa and for that matter anywhere outside of one’s home country, requires the foresight to protect not only the experiential investment of the safari i.e. trip cancellation, travel interruption, flight cancellation but also the traveler themselves when in need of primary medical care, evacuation to the hospital of choice most time in nearby countries like in the case of evacuation to South Africa from Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia via a private MEDIJET or the equivalent AMREF Flying Doctors when in East Africa.

Having spent over 25 years in the Africa travel trade with hands on experience, specifically safaris and travel around Eastern and Southern Africa, the various repeated questions and scenarios vacationers have asked about and faced during travels in Africa encouraged us to write a comprehensive blog on this subject from the perspective of the discerning traveler who often face confusion on which travel insurance plans to purchase, what to look for, what is important etc. all with varying degree of coverage and costs.

What Policy Items Should A Travel Select At The Very Minimum – Important Travel Insurance Coverage Items For Travel To & While In Africa?

A. primary medical coverage for travel in africa.

Reliable and professional medical services in Africa are astronomically high because of the need for hospitals to retain or have access to specialized labor (doctors, surgeons and specialists) and equipment (purchasing, operating and maintenance). AfricanMecca Safaris recommends the maximum medical coverage amount be part of any policy. A good starting point would be $100,000 in upgraded medical expenses for any travel insurance coverage for anyone visiting or traveling in Africa . This is typically the currently maximum amount what travel insurance companies will generally offer.

We also highly recommend the Travel Insurance Medical Coverage to be PRIMARY and NEVER SECONDARY . This allows the policyholder to directly file a claim for reimbursement with all the supporting diagnosis, medical documentation, bills, receipts and invoices from the doctor or hospital without needing to first file a medical reimbursement claim with the traveler’s current health care insurance provider in their home country.

For the secondary traveler insurance coverage, the insurance health care provider in the home country will need to first formally decline to reimburse the traveler. The traveler will then need to take the rejection document along with all the supporting diagnosis and related documentation from the doctor or hospital in Africa, and file a claim with the travel insurance company. This ends being a major issue for those on secondary insurance because many travelers never receive the correct and timely documentation from their current health care insurance provider in their home country to prove the rejection.

Save yourself the worries and hassle, and purchase Primary Medical Coverage when traveling anywhere in Africa. Another hidden benefit of upgraded Primary Medical Coverage is that insurance companies will often charge a deductible amount to apply towards your secondary medical claim. Selecting an upgraded Primary Medical Coverage will most times allow for a waiver of this deductible, depending on the insurance company.

Tip 1 : When filing a claim for medical treatment received in Africa with your travel insurance company, you must (and we cannot stress this enough) get a letter of diagnosis of your ailment/sickness in English as well all other related receipt bills and invoices paid. The travel insurance claims review procedures are very strict and operate with verification and review guidelines . They will require documentation in English on the official hospital and doctor letterhead, and stamped with the names of the hospital, doctors and medical staff, contacts including email, phone number and website so that they are able to verify the claim with them.

Tip 2: The amount paid for travel insurance coverage especially upgraded Primary Medical coverage when traveling to Africa for covered unforeseen events, in the grand scheme of things, is negligible compared to the peace of mind and superb value it offers. Just ask someone who lives in Africa on how unaffordable and inaccessible medical services are for those who need them regularly.

Tip 3: For extensive medical services, hospitals like those in Kenya and Tanzania like the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam will require a large initial payment to guarantee service and compensation to them. Immediately get in touch with your insurance carrier to alert them of this issue so they can work with the hospital on a deposit payment to be paid so medical services can continue to be rendered to the allowable benefit amount.

Tip 4: Hospitals in Africa are keen to add on charges to your hospitalization so review all the charges being applied to your stay. The insurance will cover only selected items. Please review the insurance description of coverage in full so that you are aware of what will be covered as part of the hospitalization and what will need to be paid out of pocket .

Tip 5: Travel Insurance marketing material are often written with generalized emotional eye-catching clichés and examples, leading one to believe the specific one line blurbs and examples would apply to all situations. Please review the insurance description of coverage in full which will elaborate the complete conditions.

B. Evacuating To A Hospital You Prefer

The typical basic travel insurance will only cover medical evacuation, with prior approval of course. If you do not get approval before evacuating, the insurance company will typically cap amounts to the maximum they would pay if the insurance company would have utilized the services of their preferred evacuation provider with the rest to be borne by the insured traveler, from the point of incident or accident to the nearest adequate licensed medical hospital or clinic, or/and from one hospital to the next nearest one for reasons being that the medical services at the current clinic are not available, which must also be  certified by the local attending medical physician.

The costs for these are normally capped to approximately $100,000. We recommend the freedom to choose the upgraded choice to evacuate to a hospital that suits the best needs of the insured traveler where services are not limited to geography when traveling in Africa. The maximum benefit for this advantageous upgrade is about 1 million on average, and supplementary costs are relatively small to add this to one’s insurance policy.

C. Taking Advantage Of The Highly Valuable Pre-existing Medical Waivers

Travel Insurance companies often provide a valuable 14-day window from when the first deposit is placed towards the trip, be it the airline ticket purchase or the land portion of the Africa safari trip itself. The complete price of the entire trip must be protected within this 14-day window to receive a waiver of the medical conditions or illness the insured had faced in the previous 6 months before the payment of the deposit PROVIDED YOU DO MEET SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS : you are still healthy for travel; are not receiving ongoing treatment when arranging for your safari in Africa; your ailments/sickness/health is getting better not worse; not taking medication because the illness is in control etc.

In simple terms, what the travel insurance medical coverage for travel in Africa wants you to be is healthy enough to travel to Africa before purchasing their policy. Travel Insurance companies are experts at managing risk; they are also in the business of protecting the unforeseeable, particularly for healthy travelers. Going into any safari or travel to Africa knowing that you are already unwell will not bode well for them, so they are not going to agree to a claim when presented with one.

We highly recommend AfricanMecca Safaris travelers take advantage of the Pre-existing Medical Waivers provided by the travel insurance company for travel to and in Africa (or anywhere else in the world for that matter) when you meet the conditions outlined by the travel insurance company. Please always review the travel insurance description of coverage in full .

D. The Best Available TRIP CANCELLATION Travel Insurance For Africa

The base standard travel insurance coverage for TRIP CANCELLATION would cover for situations like (some of the many common ones): major illness – where the insured, their immediate partner or immediate family members are unwell to the point that it would be impossible to travel (which will always require certification from a doctor); extreme weather like snowstorms, hurricanes which would cause the flights to get cancelled; unplanned or last minute airline strikes common in countries in Europe where many flights connect from the US and Canada.

AfricanMecca Safaris recommends the inclusions of other often key missed trip cancellation inclusion coverage to pay attention to, especially in the current unpredictable geo-political-climate change environment we live in, such as an officially certifiable illness or sickness at the safari camps or lodge s being visited in Africa, bankruptcy of the camps, lodges, hotels, ground transportation and tour operations, chartered, low cost carrier or commercial airlines associated with your trip; a case of terrorism within a certain time period before arrival at one of the countries in Africa you will be visiting as part of your confirmed safari tour ( note : coup and wars are typically not covered as reasons under trip cancellation as they are not considered terrorism. Coverage for coup and wars may be available under a separate option like item H below:

Cancel For Any Reason so select the right insurance coverage if you are traveling to a country in Africa prone to such a possibility); if yourself or your traveling partner have lost a permanent jo b which you had held for over 1-2 years at no fault of your own; a traffic accident occurs on route to your destination where the insured traveler was delayed or personally involved in an accident – for which a police report will be required to ascertain the event took place; a change of employment work schedules which requires the insured traveler to work during otherwise scheduled off or vacation days – which will require documentation for reimbursement.

E. The Best Available TRIP INTERRUPTION Travel Insurance For Africa

Should an unforeseeable Trip Interruption incident occur such as inclement weather, flight cancellations, strikes etc., aside from the unused portion of the trip where a claim can be submitted for reimbursement at a later point upon your return back to your home country, insured travelers will also incur additional costs to rejoin the trip based on their arrival date in Africa i.e. with new flights, ground transportation services, reorganizational and rebooking services. We recommend protecting for these additional costs to rejoin the trip mid-way under your Africa trip interruption insurance at a minimal cost.

F. The Best Available MISSED CONNECTION Travel Insurance For Africa

The base Missed Connection coverage is a very common problem for which most travel insurance coverage offers little coverage in smaller amounts with additional caveats like how long the delay has to be , which cause a missed connection before travel insurance coverage will pay. We recommend leaving between 5-6 hours of connection time when connecting between flights to allow for the insured to meet the 3-4 hours’ minimum hours of delay requirement before coverage can be applied, especially where there is no other connecting flight later that day which will then require an overnight and space available on the next flight – a challenge on its own. We highly recommend upgrading this, so you have a larger benefit available to you, greater than the base. Please review the insurance description of coverage in full for options .

G. The Best Available TRIP DELAY Travel Insurance For Africa

The base Trip Delay coverage is a common problem for which most travel insurance coverage offers little coverage in smaller amounts with additional caveats like how long the delay has to be (12-14 hours typically) on route to the final destination before travel insurance coverage will take effect . We highly recommend upgrading this, so you have a larger benefit available to you, greater than the base. Please review the insurance description of coverage in full .

H. Can cel For Any Reason Travel Insurance For Africa

The optional add on coverage Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) benefit provides a peace of mind, flexibility and freedom to those traveling to Africa, and affords coverage for items that are typically excluded from the core base coverage i.e trip cancellation, trip interruption etc.

The protections received from Cancel For Any Reason coverage kicks in for occurrences which are NOT typically covered by the main standard policy as the Cancel For Any Reason are occurrences that are looked at as foreseen circumstances — like for example unplanned personal matters one needs to attend to 1 week before your travel date, whose reasons for cancellation are not covered under the standard/core coverage as reasons to cancel a whole trip.

A second example can be: before your travel date, awareness of a potential issue comes up in the area you are traveling to (like government election dispute, wars, riots, illness/pandemic or climate/weather pattern change) and are fearful of visiting a particular area because of a possible situation that may or may not arise, and affect you or your travel plans so you decide not to risk it and maintain your peace of mind, and willingly decide to cancel your African safari or trip. The critical take away from the second example is that the potential issues must NOT already be in place at the time of booking because your claim will not be approved for issues you already knew about when or before booking your African safari or trip.

For more details, check the coverage terms of your policy to review more on your specific coverage and exclusions. We recommend you call your insurance company with your quote or policy confirmation reference on a recorded line to discuss the specifics on all situations that you may face that you need coverage for outside of the core/main standard coverage. Reputable insurance providers will have an option to provide Cancel For Any Reason coverage that reimburses the traveler for 50% or 75% of the cost of the trip with an almost no questions asked approach when the following conditions are typically met:

1. At time of purchase of the policy, the complete costs including all non refundable items must be accounted for to include but are not limited to the international airlines, extra overnight hotels, the safari package, optional day tours, balloon safaris or extra services; all these must be covered, protected and bound – from end to end with in 7-14 days. If you do not know the cost of some of the non-refundable items or components of your trip, typically in the case of African safaris or travel – international flights come to mind, which are released 330 days before departure, a best guesstimate/over estimate is required on the possible international airline flight price based on recent historical data available.

2. You can add Cancel For Any Reason when purchasing the main policy (typically right after you make your first deposit towards the trip) or if you are thinking about whether it is worth adding it on, must be added within 7-14 days of initial/first deposit or payment date. It cannot be done after the expiry of these set date periods as indicated by the insurance company guidelines.

3. Cancel For Any Reason coverage will not provide reimbursement if you cancel your trip or safari 48 hours before departure for this specific coverage only (each travel insurance company varies so check your terms). You will be covered if your condition falls under the main standard trip and travel insurance coverage – like hospitalization from a injury, fall, sickness, etc.

4. No coverage for a country deemed high/extreme risk to travel. Check with your insurance company on the list of countries they designate as high/extreme risk. This falls under the foreseen items clause so they won’t cover for a visit to this country. Each insurance company terms vary so check your terms.

5. If your particular state regulation approved for this kind of coverage to be provided to its citizens and residents as Cancel For Any Reason is excluded in a few specific states.

An example of Cancel For Any Reason works with a 75% and 50% optional add on coverage to your policy : $10,000 safari to include non refundable flights for items not already covered under the standard main trip cancellation policy will yield an insurance claim payment to the insurance company of $7500 or $5000 at 75% or 50% coverage options respectively. Naturally, the insurance price premium on a 50% coverage add on is lower than the 75%.

Last but not least, we are often asked this question so we will address it: if there is a 100% Cancel For Any Reason benefit option. Currently, reputable travel insurance companies have reduced or eliminated the 100% Cancel For Any Reason benefit option that used to exist in prior decade(s) due to the abuse of this benefit where travelers would cancel at will and could file a claim for the complete amount. Understandably, to share some of the responsibility of the cancellations with the travelers, the insurance market place currently offers a 75% or 50% option. This might change with time.

I. Adrenali n, Endurance Activity, Adventure & Sports Coverage For Africa

For any safari in Africa , where travelers seek out the enjoyment of activities outside of traditional enclosed game drives on vehicles, adventure coverage upgrade must be purchased as part of any traveler insurance coverage. Such activities include and are not limited to mountaineering ( Mount Kilimanjaro treks or Mount Kenya climbs ), bush and nature walks (offered at many parks and reserves in Africa), walking safaris (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania) , hot air balloon safari  ( Masai Mara and Serengeti ), river boating safaris and canoeing (Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania), Bungee jump and whitewater rafting (Victoria Falls), All Terrain Vehicles (Namibia and Botswana) and close and personal wildlife interactions (Kenya, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa). Most reliable base travel insurance coverage will most likely not cover for these adventure activities and an upgrade will be required. Please review the insurance description of coverage in full .

J. Added Baggage Items & Delay Coverage

The base Baggage Delay and Baggage Personal Items coverage is a common problem for which most travel insurance coverage will first push the responsibility on to the airline as per its official baggage delay policies. The travel insurance will provide secondary coverage for baggage items not received because of a delay, for a specific time period typically 12 hours after you have reached your inbound destination as ticketed. It does not apply for coverage on your return back to your home destination after your safari trip.

The travel insurance caps the reimbursable coverage of necessary personal items to smaller amounts and also allows for a greater upgraded protection purchase amount with an option to make the coverage primary and eliminate the out of pocket deductible. Typically all travel insurance coverage will have a deductible out of pocket amount the traveler will pay before the travel insurance coverage comes into effect.

We would recommend upgrading to primary coverage for baggage to eliminate the hassle and run around that comes with dealing with the airline carrier. Additionally, please remember if you are taking valuable items on your safari, there is only a limited amount of coverage that the base travel insurance covers, unless the additional amount upgrade is purchased, which we believe works well for travel to Africa.

Any items that are lost, damaged or stolen will require some sort of documentation to prove to the insurance company on the event occurrence like a police report or airline damage/loss report. If it is a fairly new item purchased before the trip, the compensation on the item is typically at the same rate as indicated on the product purchase invoice or receipt. We recommend keeping the receipts of purchases made for your trip. Older items are priced and compensated at the current or depreciated market value.

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Greetings to you and our most fervent thanks for a wonderful trip of Kenya, Zanzibar, South Africa & Victoria Falls. Everything went very well. This was truly a perfect vacation. Thank you so much for all your arrangements.

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Dear Raza, The accommodations you recommended were superb. We loved them all -- Giraffe Manor, Wilderness Trails, Governor's Il Moran, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and Mnemba Island Lodge.

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AfricanMecca Safaris created a remarkable honeymoon tailored to our interests and desires. The quality of service and delivery of experience was unsurpassed. I highly recommend AfricanMecca Safaris to honeymooners, families, or any traveler.

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We had a great time on your safaris. Thank you very much for all that you did for us. We were in Africa overall for 5 weeks and spent time in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania. We just totally loved it.

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I cannot say enough about the quality of AfricanMecca. Their teams in Kenya and Tanzania were top notch. Raza, again thanks to you and your entire organization! We will be repeat customers.

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I booked my safari holiday through AfricanMecca. They were the most helpful company I have ever dealt with and I work within the travel industry. I had the most amazing time. The holiday went as clockwork with no hitches anywhere.

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This is to let you know my guests, The Bryant's, had a wonderful time on the trip Samburu, Masai Mara/Kenya, Chobe/Botswana & Victoria Falls/Zambia. Everything was perfect! Thank you..

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Best Travel Insurance for African Safari: 3 Options, 8 Factors to Consider

Heading to Africa for a safari? Here’s what you need to know about the best travel insurance for your safari. We include 3 options for travel insurance for African safaris and 8 factors to consider when choosing.

Best Travel Insurance for Africa: 3 Options and 8 Factors

Your car is protected by auto insurance. Your house is protected by homeowners insurance. Your trip to Africa can be protected by travel insurance. If you’re considering the purchase of international coverage for flights, hotels, tours, and safaris, here are just a few things to keep in mind as you look.

Please note: The following is not professional advice.  Professional advice is best given by professionals. 🙂 We are only travelers, not lawyers or insurance salespeople. This post summarizes things to consider, nothing more. Please confirm specific details before purchasing any policy. Details can change quickly and their current policy may not exactly reflect what I’ve covered here.

Now, on to the best options for travel insurance.

3 Travel Insurance Options for Africa Travel

• World Nomads
• Atlas Travel Insurance (HCCMIS)
• SafetyWing : This is a popular option for longer-term travelers (like digital nomads) but is a good option for shorter-term travel as short as 5 days. Works on a subscription model – and is renewable while you travel.

Best Travel Insurance for Africa: The Do’s and Don’ts

Before we dive into the specific details of travel insurance policies, let’s clear up a few myths and misconceptions about general coverage.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is designed to protect you when you’re away from home. Whether it’s an allergic reaction to an exotic dish or a natural disaster that floods your beach bungalow, travel insurance can keep unexpected incidents from squeezing your wallet.

When should you get travel insurance?

If it’s your first time exploring the African savanna, you’ll probably feel safer with travel insurance in your back pocket.

However, there are a few circumstances where some aspects could be redundant:

• If your credit card company has a forgiveness policy for canceled flights, you won’t need to be concerned about that as part of your travel insurance policy.
• If the airline will assume the liability for lost luggage, you won’t need that included in your travel insurance policy because you’ll already be compensated for the loss of your camera equipment and anything else that goes missing.
• If your health insurance extends internationally as well as domestically, you won’t need to worry about a travel insurance policy that covers surprise injuries.

On the flip side, if you don’t have any cards, carriers, warranties, policies, or existing insurance plans that will cover travel-related mishaps, travel insurance might be exactly what you need to ensure a safe journey.

How to Choose Your Travel Insurance Policy: 8 Factors

Now that we’ve defined basic travel insurance, let’s take a look at what constitutes a good policy.

1. Medical coverage limit, including Emergency Evacuation

You should consider medical insurance, enough to cover you for a couple of weeks in the hospital, but it will also satisfy visa requirements for certain countries.

You’ll want to look for emergency evacuation coverage. It might sound expensive, but being ferried or airlifted to a medical facility outside of Africa will cost you a pretty penny. It’s better to pay a slightly higher insurance rate than a massive bill after an unfortunate accident.

2. Possessions: Lost/damaged/stolen gear 

This is often called “baggage insurance,” and it’s critically important to buy if your airline or hotel doesn’t offer it. Africa is a wonderful place, but don’t expect miracles from airline workers to locate and deliver your lost luggage before your safari pulls out.

Luggage can get lost (and never found) on a domestic flight – it’s even worse internationally.

Some policies will cover not only lost luggage but also lost documents and even laptops, binoculars, and camera gear.

3. Preexisting conditions waiver

Some travel insurance companies won’t want to insure you if you have a preexisting medical condition. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t get coverage.

You just have to look for providers that offer a “preexisting conditions waiver” that will cover you anyway. You might need to meet certain criteria to qualify, but if you’re willing to jump through the hoops, you can get medical coverage just like anyone else.

4. Age limitations

In the same vein as the above, some insurers will look twice at your application if you’re above or below a certain age. Make sure to inquire about age limitations for children and seniors when you call.

5. Weather coverage

Weather in Africa can range from gloriously sunny days to devastatingly intense rain storms. Do some research before you book your flight! If you can only afford to travel during the rainy season, you’ll want more coverage than if you were traveling in temperate climates.

Another thing to consider about the weather is how you’ll be compensated by the insurance company if things do get wet. Here are some questions that you might ask:

• Will they refund delayed or canceled flights?
• Will they cover the cost of travel to a new location if the old one has been battered or flooded? Will they compensate you for power outages that make hotels unlivable?
• Will you receive cash, credit, or travel vouchers for your trouble?
• Will they cover the cost of an emergency evacuation during a natural disaster?

6. Trip Cancellation

Are the wildebeests having a later migration than usual? If you had planned your trip around their migration you may want to cancel. Trip cancellations are when you cancel your plans before you leave home.

7. Trip Interruption

Do you want to spend more time observing the spoonbills and hoopoes ? Trip interruptions are when you alter your plans after you’re already on the move. They’re different than trip cancellations, so double-check that your travel insurance policy offers both.

8. Trip Delay

Trip delays are when flights, ferries, cruises, and trains put you way behind schedule.

There are usually terms that dictate what does and doesn’t qualify as a delay; for example, you might have to wait for hours for an overbooked flight before your insurance will cover the cost of a new ticket. This is another area where you’ll need to do some research before committing to anything.

What isn’t covered by (most) travel insurance?

While every travel insurance company will have its own limitations, there are a few things that the average provider won’t cover.

Not covered: Don’t expect them to reimburse you for lost cash , drunk driving accidents, unnecessary medical check-ups, or injuries from extreme sports and activities.

If you want to base jump while you’re in Tanzania, you’re on your own!

More reading: Is Uganda Safe? Guide to Water, Crime, Disease and Sun Safety

Hi, I'm Bryan Haines . And I'm a co-founder of Storyteller.Travel . I'm a traveler and photographer.

I also blog about photography on Storyteller Tech .

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How to compare and buy travel insurance

Author: Alice Lombard - 17 September 2012

Last Update: 30 January 2024

Part of the Southern Africa Safaris & East Africa Safari Vacation & African Safari Collection

In a time when travellers are paying higher ticket costs and baggage fees, adding travel insurance onto the cost of a trip can seem like just another expense. The truth is that travel insurance is very inexpensive for the protection and assistance you get with it.

Benefits of obtaining travel insurance

#1 you won’t lose your trip investment.

No traveller can predict exactly what will happen between now and when they return home. If someone gets sick, a parent dies, a traffic accident happens, or any of a number of things occur, you could have to cough up loads of money. With the right travel insurance plan, you’ll be reimbursed for your pre-paid non-refundable trip costs if you have to cancel your trip before leaving or abandon your trip and return home.

The following are just a few reasons travellers have to cancel or interrupt their trips:

• Injury or illness of you, a travelling partner or a family member.
• Bad weather or natural disasters that destroy your destination accommodation or your house back home.
• Traffic accidents that occur en route to your scheduled departure.
• Work or schedule conflicts including work transfers, court summons, terminations, or work schedule changes.
• Labour strikes and financial default that disrupt flights and leave travellers stranded.
• Terrorist attacks and mandatory evacuations. With adequate travel insurance, if you experience a situation that requires you to cancel your trip prior to departure or abandon your trip and return home post-departure, you’ll be reimbursed for all of the unused trip expenses you insured.

#2 You won’t have to pay for unexpected medical care

We’ve all read stories of travellers who were injured or got sick while travelling. When a traveller is in a foreign country, their health insurance from back home doesn’t usually extend to paying foreign hospitals and doctors.

If you, or someone travelling with you, gets sick or injured and needs medical care while you’re travelling, your travel insurance provider will help you find emergency transportation and local medical care. In most cases, they can arrange for payment to be made directly to the medical providers too. They also have experts on hand who can provide translation services if you are unfamiliar with the local language.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition, your travel insurance assistance service team can work with your doctors back home and help coordinate your care. In addition, they’ll inform your family and business associates of your condition while keeping track of your progress.

#3 You can be evacuated out of danger

There are many reasons that travellers have to be evacuated: to escape terrorist attacks, impending hurricanes, or when they are so badly injured that local medical care can’t provide adequate treatment.

A travel insurance plan with medical evacuation coverage helps a traveller by arranging and paying for safe transportation to a medical facility that can treat their condition. In addition, this coverage typically pays to bring a family member or friend to the traveller’s bedside as well as transporting you back home when your recovery is stabilised.

If the worst should happen and you die on your trip, this coverage also provides money and co-ordination for repatriation – that is, the proper return of your body to your home. In some cases, repatriation can take tens of thousands of dollars and leave family members struggling to negotiate complicated transportation regulations through their grief. An adequate travel insurance plan can save your family from all that.

#4 You can buy travel insurance for special circumstances

Travellers with special circumstances often think they can’t get travel insurance, but it’s not true. Travellers can get coverage for all kinds of special situations and activities, including:

• Coverage for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions.
• Coverage for travellers who like to go rock climbing, diving, hang-gliding, white-water rafting etc.
• Coverage for travellers with young children (even grandchildren)
• Coverage for travellers headed to unsafe areas of the world. For just a little extra money, travellers with different needs can get adequate travel insurance.

#5 Other benefits of travel insurance

Many travel insurance plans include additional benefits that include:

• Assistance recovering from lost or stolen passports and identity theft.
• Help with missed connections and travel delays.
• Coverage for car rentals and roadside assistance.
• Assistance when your baggage is lost, stolen or delayed.
• Accidental death and dismemberment and flight accident benefits.
• Concierge and business assistance services. Not every plan includes all of these and every plan will have different levels of coverage and limits.

Now that you realise how important and simply travel insurance is, you can now visit the best places in Africa without a care in the world.

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African travelers Get Insurance Offering

• By The African Times USA
• August 27, 2023

With many travel insurance products and assistance services available in Africa’s source markets falling short when it comes to catering for travelers to Africa, SATIB Insurance Brokers has launched a new insurance offering that fills the gap.

“Providing the right cover limits with an understanding of remote locations, Third World medical infrastructure (outside of major metropoles) and unreliable transportation are all nuances we understand,” explains  Andre du Toit , Business Development Head at SATIB Insurance Brokers. 

The new SATIBGo Inbound Travel Insurance (SATIBGo) provides comprehensive cancellation cover options, immediate remote medical assistance, first response services and evacuation, as well as comprehensive cover for medical expenses incurred as a result of illness and/or accident while travelling. Standard cover can be extended to include 100% trip cancellation and/or cancellation for any reason. 

Designed by industry experts and specialists in Africa travel, SATIBGo is backed by Lombard Insurance Company Limited, Nexus Re (UK), United States Fire Insurance Co (USA) and SATIB24 Crisis Call – a leading incident management team. 

And in a travel industry first, SATIBGo can be purchased directly by South African tour operators, allowing them to embed the product in their packages, offering guests 24/7 access to Africa’s leading crisis response specialists. 

SATIBGo, which starts at a flat rate of US$7 per person, per day, includes cover for: 

• Expenses incurred as a result of trip cancellation, postponement, interruption and extension. 
• Missed transport connections, travel delays or overbooked flights. 
• Emergency medical transportation, including evacuation and repatriation. 
• Security protection and political evacuation. 
• Luggage delay and/or loss. 
• Repatriation of mortal remains. 
• SATIB24 Crisis Call. 

Du Toit believes SATIBGo offers tour operators – and their guests – complete peace of mind.  

“If a guest is injured or becomes ill while in Africa, it often falls to the operator or agent to step and assist. Trying to locate and communicate with a myriad of different travel insurance call centers can be frustrating and very often reflects negatively on the operators and the client’s experience in Africa.

“SATIBGo has been developed by people who not only love Africa and are passionate about the inbound tourism industry – but who also understand African travel inside out. No one knows Africa like we do.”   

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• Africa Travel Insurance

 Instant Policy Delivery

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Looking for the best travel insurance for Africa? When travelling on holiday or for business on the African continent, travel insurance is a vital part of planning your trip, and you want to ensure that you’re picking the right policy for you. To be prepared for any unforeseen, or unexpected, circumstances during your travels, you want to make sure that you’ve selected the best travel insurance for Africa in advance to offer you adequate cover and to keep you protected in a range of eventualities. 

There are a variety of reasons why Africa is a popular destination amongst holidaymakers, and its favourable environments for adventure sports are but one of these reasons. Whether you fancy diving with the Great white shark in South Africa , sand boarding in Namibia, or even embarking on a motorcycle tour through the heart of the continent, if adventure activities are on your agenda, it’s essential that you factor this into your travel insurance cover.

And there are a range of insurance policies on offer with us here at Navigator Travel Insurance, with our most budget-friendly cheap travel insurance to Africa options covering not only the essentials that you need to be protected on your trip but also, in some cases, adventure sports, higher risk activities, and even long-stay and business trips.

Whatever your plans, there is a range of options available for you to choose from when it comes to finding the perfect travel insurance policy for you and a variety of considerations to take into account when planning your next trip to Africa, which we’ve shed some light on below. 

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Africa from the UK?

Regardless of where you’re travelling from, if you’re travelling to Africa, travel insurance is a must. This is no exception for those travelling from the UK, who need to ensure that they have selected the best travel insurance for Africa for the duration of their trip. This should also cover any activities planned and offer suitable protection in the event of an unforeseen circumstance, such as luggage going missing or a medical emergency occuring. 

It is especially important that Brits travelling to South Africa select a travel insurance plan with adequate health and medical cover as, unlike countries in Europe, for example, there is not a reciprocal agreement for providing healthcare between the UK and South Africa. This means that, if you require medical care or emergency treatment, you will be relying on your insurance to cover any expenses incurred.

What African Countries Are Covered with Travel Insurance?

Depending on where you’re going in Africa, your travel insurance can cover you for just one country or can cover you for multiple if you’re planning on travelling around the continent. For example, if you only plan on travelling to South Africa, you could select a policy that only offers you cover in this country and specify your particular requirements to determine the extent of the cover that you need for your visit here.

The countries covered by travel insurance in Africa aren’t necessarily all of the countries within the continent, however, as those covered by Africa travel insurance policies are often in line with FCDO recommendations on travel . This means that if the UK government deems a particular country in the continent as unsafe to travel to then those travelling there will be exempt from receiving insurance cover. 

This is subject to change and travellers should be conscious of FCDO recommendations when choosing where they want to travel to in Africa, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. These recommendations are in place in order to protect travellers’ wellbeing and you would be advised to take these into consideration when planning a trip to Africa.

What if You’re Travelling to More Than One Country in Africa?

Some policies can offer you cover for the whole continent, offering you comprehensive Africa travel insurance that provides you with the freedom to travel to multiple countries and adequate cover as you explore its vast horizons. 

Equally, with other policies, you are able to select multiple destinations if you know the specific countries in Africa that you will be travelling to on your next adventure, ensuring that you have an Africa travel insurance policy that covers every inch of your travel route and itinerary. 

What is Covered With our Travel Insurance to Africa?

Depending on the Africa travel insurance policy you choose with us, this will determine the type of cover, and level of cover, you have for your trip to the continent or any one of its countries. We’ve outlined a selection of our policies below and what they cover so that you can determine which policy may be the best travel insurance for Africa for you. 

Like any standard travel insurance policies, you will be covered, in most cases, for:

• Baggage loss, damage, or theft
• Trip cancellation and delays
• Medical and emergency repatriation

Navigator Silver, Pearl, Gold & Diamond

If you select any one of our Navigator Silver, Pearl, Gold, or Diamond policies, these have options for short stays of up to 62 days in length, annual multi-trips of up to 45 or 62 days per trip, and long-stays for up to 18 months for those in the UK and EU/EEA. Motorcycling touring is also covered on these travel insurance policies for a maximum of 31 consecutive days per trip.

It is also possible to upgrade your cover to include a variety of extreme activities and sports, should you be planning on partaking in these during your travels. However, it’s worth noting that depending on the type of policy you choose, the age limits vary, so we’d strongly advise that you check the age restrictions of each individual policy before purchasing one with us. Action plus options can be added to policies for those looking for extended and additional cover during their travels.

Gaining a quote for our Navigator Silver, Pearl, Gold & Diamond policies is quick and easy to offer a price tailored to your trip itinerary and travel plans whilst in Africa.

High-Risk Voyager

This policy is largely applicable to those who study or travel for work. Leisure trips are possible with this policy, but only for up to 31 days. This can be a useful business travel insurance for Africa as working trips can be covered for up to 12 months in length. You’ll also find this policy to be valid for travel that goes against FCDO advice, should you need to travel to any of the destinations deemed unsafe by the FCDO. 

With this policy, baggage, loss of pasport, cancellation, or any other cover that isn’t medical and repatriation is classed as an optional extra so needs to be added as an additional cover when receiving your initial quote. This policy also has a maximum age of 69 years.

Picking our High-Risk Voyager policy may be right for you if you’re travelling for work and are in search of business travel insurance for Africa, with a quote easily accessible from us in our online portal .

Longstay & Backpacker 

Our Longstay and Backpacker policy covers those who are travelling longer term, offering cover for up to 18 months in length. This policy also covers a range of higher-risk activities and sports, as well as work responsibilities such as working with machinery or wild animals. This covers people up to 69 years of age in its worldwide cover, which includes Africa. You can get a quote for our Longstay and Backpacker policy on our website. 

To learn more about the range of policies that we have on offer here at Navigator Travel, you can visit our policy overview page where you’ll find further details to help you come to a decision as to which one is right for you.

How Do I Get Emergency Assistance When in Africa?

With our policies here at Navigator Travel Insurance, we offer 24-hour medical assistance for those who are faced with an accident or medical emergency on their travels and need expert advice on what to do in these situations. 

You should also call the phone number for emergency medical services in the country you are in. If you are travelling to Africa, before you are to depart on your holiday here be sure to note down the emergency medical number for each country that you are visiting. For example, 112 is the nationwide emergency response number for South Africa, and a few other African countries.

Much like travelling to any corner of the globe, ensuring that you have sufficient travel insurance cover is a must. And when it comes to selecting Africa travel insurance in particular, you want to make sure that every aspect of your trip to this beautiful continent will be covered to offer you the peace of mind you need so that you are protected at every moment during your adventure.

We hope that this article has shed some light on the options available to you so that you can choose the best travel insurance for Africa to suit you, bringing you one step closer to being prepped and ready for your next holiday to this magical continent.

If you have any queries or need assistance with quotes or booking, please do not hesitate to call us on 0161 973 6435 or email [email protected]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much is travel insurance for south africa.

Travel insurance for South Africa will vary depending on what you plan on doing whilst you are there, the length of your trip, and any additional extras you may want included in your chosen policy. For example, if you plan on partaking in higher-risk activities, this will likely add to the cost of your insurance in order to keep you safe, if this isn’t already included in your chosen policy. 

We offer cheap travel insurance to Africa for the level of cover that we include, meaning that you can rest assured that you are protected in the event of any unforeseen circumstances during your trip, whilst not being put out of pocket.

What is the Best Travel Insurance for Africa? 

The best travel insurance for Africa will vary depending on the nature of your trip, amongst other factors. For example, international insurance in Africa will ensure you have cover in multiple destinations if you wish to travel to the continent’s countries, which is something that our High-Risk Voyager policy can offer. 

Altetnatively, if you’re looking for business travel insurance for Africa, our Longstay and Backpacker Policy is most likely the right fit for you, offering the cover that you need for any working trip.

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Cover for multiple trips.

• Up to 45 days each trip
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Cover from 2 to 18 months.

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Cover for up to 45 days.

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Safeguard Your Travel Investment with Insurance

Minimise the risks, maximise the rewards.

At Rhino Africa, we believe that your African journey should be all joy, from start to finish. That’s why we help you handle the logistics of planning a trip, especially during these uncertain times. 

The most important thing guests need to understand is that your financial protection and deposit refund is not your travel insurance. You cannot have one or the other, which is why we always stress that every guest has both.

What is Travel Insurance?

If you think you don’t need travel insurance, think again. There are certain costs that will quickly add up and put a damper on your otherwise wonderful trip. 

You might be held accountable for cancellation fees, medical curtailment costs, medical cover in case of emergencies, and much more. Therefore, you need to ensure that you have the correct Travel Insurance in place to cover this. You certainly don’t want any surprises! Therefore, sufficient insurance cover is a necessity for anyone planning a trip. 

• Credit Card Payments At Rhino Africa, we accept credit card payments.
• No Surcharge  We do not add a surcharge to your credit card payments. However, please always check with your card issuer when it comes to this.
• Additional Cover You can book additional cover through our online travel insurance sites in your home country.

Our Partnership with Global Rescue

To ensure that we provide 100% peace of mind for our guests, we teamed up with the best in the travel insurance business. As a leader in the travel industry, Global Rescue covers cancellation as well as medical emergency costs. If you need more information about the world’s best travel protection,  you can visit their website here .  

What Does This Travel Insurance Entail?

When it comes to our travel insurance partnership with Global Rescue, your travel insurance will include the following:

• Up to $100 000 medical expenses and emergency assistance cover
• Up to 150% of the trip cost reimbursed for any unforeseen trip interruptions
• Up to $100 000 cancellation cover including claims as a result of Covid-19
• Cancellation for any reason benefit - up to 75% of non-refundable trip costs (upgrade)  

Have Questions About Travel Insurance?

Contact the Global Rescue team who can help you with any information you need. 

How it works

• 1 Describe your dream trip
• 2 A Travel Expert will help curate your experience
• 3 Confirm & start packing

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Enquire now and a Travel Expert will get back to you within 24 hours.

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• Safari Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance for Safaris

Stay protected from the unexpected. Browse travel insurance policies that offer the coverage you need for your upcoming safari adventure.

Compare Quotes for Your Safari Trip

• Find the Best Policy
• Do I Need a Policy
• Popular Safari Policy Benefits
• Coverages Explained
• Top Safari Destinations

When it comes to taking in the splendor of Sub-Saharan wildlife, there's nothing like an African safari. But taking a safari trip is a major investment which can take months of preparation. How can you find the best safari travel insurance to protect your investment?

Getting the best travel insurance starts with knowing what benefits come with a good trip insurance plan, what situations are covered, and where to find the maximum coverage and access to assistance for your budget. Here's what you need to know when it comes time to start looking for safari travel insurance.

A safari trip can be an expensive investment. The most popular safari destinations - such as Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, are among the most expensive destinations, with average trip costs ranging from $7,500 to over $17,000, according to data from Squaremouth.com. Squaremouth data also suggests most travelers spend seven months planning their safari trip.

With so much time invested and money on the line, getting safari travel insurance is a good bet. Without a policy, you could lose your money if you cancel, or be forced to pay out of pocket for medical care in case of an emergency abroad.

Not every safari travel insurance plan will protect your investment. Some policies offered by travel agents and tour providers may not offer all the benefits you need. Before going abroad, it's important to compare travel insurance plans to find the right one for your needs and budget. The best travel insurance benefits for African safaris include:

• Trip Cancellation
• Trip Interruption
• Emergency Medical
• Medical Evacuation
• Travel Delay & Missed Connection
• Baggage Coverage

Have Questions?

Safari travel insurance trip cancellation coverage.

Trouble can begin before you board your aircraft and head for the African plains. If an emergency occurs before departure, Trip Cancellation benefits can help you recover your unused trip costs.

The best safari travel insurance plans include Trip Cancellation benefits, which cover issues at home ranging from getting injured in an accident, a natural disaster catastrophically damaging your home, or the sudden illness or death of a loved one. Trip Cancellation policies can cover all non-refundable trip expenses, including initial trip deposits, prepaid tours, and hotel costs.

Although Trip Cancellation is the most common travel insurance claim, some life situations may not be covered. For example, worries about an unplanned expense ruining your trip, a pet falling ill, or fear of getting COVID-19 on your tour aren't covered by Trip Cancellation.

If you are unsure about taking your trip, consider adding Cancel For Any Reason to your safari travel insurance. Cancel For Any Reason offers the most possible flexibility for travelers, and can still help recover between 50% and 75% of your non-refundable trip costs.

Safari Travel Insurance Trip Interruption Coverage

Trip Interruption benefits on safari travel insurance plans offer the same covered reasons as Trip Cancellation, however this benefit applies during your trip instead of before.

First, Trip Interruption benefits may cover non-refundable costs associated with the unused portion of your trip in the event you need to return home early for a covered reason. If you are forced to lose deposits or prepaid costs associated with your tour, safari travel insurance can help you get back some of your cash.

Second, Trip Interruption benefits could help pay for an emergency return trip home. Depending on the policy, Trip Interruption benefits can cover anywhere between 100% and 200% of the insured travel costs.

Safari Travel Insurance Emergency Medical Coverage

African safaris often take place in very remote parts of the world. If you were to get sick or injured, finding a doctor or hospital for treatment may be difficult and the cost can be significant. More importantly, your personal health insurance may not cover you while overseas. This is where safari travel insurance medical coverage can help.

Emergency Medical coverage is included within most safari travel insurance plans. This benefit can help travelers get reimbursed for costs associated with medical care during their trip. Common costs covered include ambulance treatment to a hospital, hospital charges, and x-rays.

We recommend travelers purchase at least $100,000 in emergency travel medical insurance when planning for safari travel.

Safari Travel Insurance Medical Evacuation Coverage

Not all illnesses and injuries can be treated at your destination or nearby. If a doctor orders an emergency evacuation to another facility or back to your home, safari travel insurance can help cover your costs.

Medical Evacuation coverage may help travelers pay for the cost of an air ambulance to the nearest adequate medical facility or even back home if it is deemed medically necessary by the treating doctor.

Due to the potential for a high-cost evacuation while on a safari, we recommend travelers get at least $250,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.

Safari Travel Insurance Delay and Missed Connection Coverage

Trip delays can happen without warning, causing you to miss an important connection, and ultimately a big part of your trip.

Two key benefits of a good safari insurance plan are Travel Delay and Missed Connection . If a common carrier (like an airline or train line) forces a portion of your trip to get pushed back, your trip insurance may reimburse costs incurred during the delay, such as a meal, replacement toiletries, or a hotel room for the night.

If that delay forces you to fall behind on your African safari, Missed Connection benefits could help cover your costs to get caught up. Maximum benefits paying for missed connections range from $250 to $2,000, depending on the policy.

Safari Travel Insurance Baggage Coverage

Having luggage delayed or outright lost by an airline or other common carrier is always inconvenient. But if you are in the middle of an African safari, trying to find replacement items can be difficult and expensive.

Safari travel insurance plans often include Baggage Delay benefits, and coverage for Baggage & Personal Items Loss . Baggage Delay benefits may reimburse travelers for essentials they may have to replace while their luggage is in transit, such as clothes and toiletries.

If your bags are permanently lost, safari travel insurance with Baggage & Personal Item Loss benefits could help you recover the cost of replacing those belongings. However, most plans have limits on single items and total loss, meaning expensive items may not be fully insurable under this benefit.

We break down our travel insurance recommendations for the world's most famous safari destinations.

• South Africa

If you already have a policy and have any questions for your travel insurance provider or would like to file a claim, please contact your provider directly. Click here to find your provider's contact information .

Where Should I Get a Safari Travel Insurance Plan?

There are several ways travelers can get adventure travel insurance for their next African safari - but not all plans are equal.

We always recommend travelers shop across multiple sources to find the highest coverage amounts for the lowest possible price. Typically, this includes comparing plans from your travel agency or tour operator, comparison sites like Squaremouth.com and other travel insurance companies.

Getting the right safari travel insurance doesn't have to be complicated. If you're unsure which plan is right for your African safari, Squaremouth's experts are available to help you make the right decision for your trip. Start with a safari travel insurance quote today , and pack with confidence knowing your trip is protected.

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Travel Insurance for African Adventures – Comprehensive Coverage and Incident Management at your Fingertips

• For the first time ever, South African-based tour operators can  extend essential travel benefits  to their clients through SATIBGo. 
• SATIBGo is available to any traveller from any destination travelling into Africa, or the Indian Ocean Islands. 
• In addition to traditional cover, SATIBGo caters for post-pandemic exposures and gives visitors instant access to Africa’s leading incident management specialists, medical personnel and evacuation/repatriation assistance. 

Many travel insurance products and assistance services available in Africa’s source markets fall short when it comes to catering for travellers to Africa.  

SATIBGo Inbound Travel Insurance  (SATIBGo) fills the gap, providing comprehensive cancellation cover options, immediate remote medical assistance, first response services and evacuation, as well as comprehensive cover for medical expenses incurred as a result of illness and/or accident while travelling. Standard cover can even be extended to include 100% Trip Cancellation and/or Cancellation For Any Reason. 

“Providing the right cover limits with an understanding of remote locations, third world medical infrastructure (outside of major metropoles) and unreliable transportation are all nuances we understand,” explains Andre du Toit, Business Development Head at SATIB Insurance Brokers. 

Designed by industry experts and specialists in Africa travel, SATIBGo is backed by Lombard Insurance Company Limited, Nexus Re (UK), United States Fire Insurance Co (USA) and SATIB24 Crisis Call – Africa’s leading incident management team. 

And in a travel industry first, SATIBGo can be purchased directly by South African tour operators, allowing them to embed the product in their own packages, thereby offering guests 24/7 access to Africa’s leading crisis response specialists. 

SATIBGo, which starts at a flat rate of from as little as US$7  per person, per day, includes cover for: 

• Expenses incurred as a result of trip cancellation, postponement, interruption and extension. 
• Missed transport connections, travel delays or overbooked flights. 
• Emergency medical transportation, including evacuation and repatriation. 
• Security protection and political evacuation. 
• Luggage delay and/or loss. 
• Repatriation of mortal remains. 
• SATIB24 Crisis Call. 

du Toit believes SATIBGo offers tour operators – and their guests – complete peace of mind.  

“If a guest is injured or becomes ill while in Africa, it often falls to the operator or agent to step and assist. Trying to locate and communicate with a myriad of different travel insurance call centres can be frustrating and very often reflects negatively on the operators and the clients experience in Africa. By embedding SATIBGo Travel Insurance you gain peace of mind, knowing that you and your guests have the backing of Africa’s best.” says du Toit. “SATIBGo has been developed by people who not only love Africa and are passionate about the inbound tourism industry – but who also understand African travel inside out. No one knows Africa like we do.”

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Money blog: Sales of viral Prime drink sink - as one supermarket 'sells at discount price'

Sales of the viral Prime sports drinks have fallen sharply in 2024 and are down by more than half year on year. Read this and the rest of today's personal finance news in the Money blog - and comment on any of the stories we're covering, or leave a Money Problem, in the form below.

Monday 8 April 2024 18:00, UK

• Pensions rising 8.5% today - as benefits go up 6.7%
• Money Problem : The monthly charge on my leasehold flat has gone up by more than £60 a month - what are my rights?
• Sales of viral Prime drinks sink - as one supermarket 'sells at discount price'
• London restaurant chain ditches tips - just before new legislation saying staff must get 100%
• You may be buying herbs and spices all wrong - and spending six times more than you need to
• The price of getting divorced

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Higher interest rates mean more people are opting to take out out longer mortgages in order to afford their repayments.

If you've recently agreed a mortgage deal that will take you past retirement age, we'd like to hear from you.

Are you worried, or do you feel it doesn't matter? Have you had to change any of your life plans to take on the mortgage?

Let us know by sending us a message via our  Whatsapp here.

More products were available to mortgage borrowers at the start of the month than at any point in the last 16 years, new figures show.

Moneyfacts said 6,307 mortgage options were on offer for house buyers, including fixed and variable deals. It was the highest number recorded since February 2008, when 6,760 products were available.

Some 335 of the deals were 5% mortgages - the biggest choice in nearly two years.

Meanwhile, the number of options for people with 10% deposits rose to the highest level since March 2020.

Santander UK , Britain's fifth-biggest high street bank, is cancelling its membership of a key lending standards body because of the duplication of regulatory standards to which the industry is required to adhere.

Sky News has learnt that the Spanish-owned bank served notice last week of its intention to quit the Lending Standards Board, citing the establishment of the City watchdog's Consumer Duty and the imminent implementation of new fraud reimbursement rules overseen by the Payment Systems Regulator.

Read City editor Mark Kleinman's story here ...

Some people eager to maximise their 2024-25 ISA allowance were moving money around just minutes into the new tax year, according to Bestinvest.

The investment platform said the latest ISA subscription went through at 11.55pm on 5 April - while the first came in at three minutes past midnight on 6 April.

Bestinvest said it was just 52 minutes past midnight when the first client maximised their £20,000 ISA allowance.

Aldi is now Britain's third-biggest supermarket after kicking Asda from the bronze medal spot, according to one set of industry figures.

NIQ data shows Asda's growth has slowed, with sales up just 0.8% in the past three months - the worst performance of any big-name retailer.

Its market share has also dropped below Aldi's, with Asda making up 11.7% of the grocery market in the 12 weeks to 23 March, compared with 12.2% for Aldi.

The cost of living crisis has seen major supermarkets in the UK battle to market themselves as the best value for money for shoppers.

Aldi's UK operation reported a 26% rise in sales in December compared to the previous year.

Ex-Lidl UK boss Ronny Gottschlich said previously that he thinks the combined share of the two budget supermarkets will overtake Tesco "by 2027 at the latest".

Here's the latest Which? survey on the UK's cheapest supermarket for a basket...

Sales of the viral Prime sports drinks have fallen sharply since the start of 2024 and are down by more than half year on year, according to a report.

Chaos broke out in UK supermarkets at the end of 2022 following the release of the drinks, with some being re-sold by shoppers at inflated prices due to intense demand.

Prime, founded by KSI and fellow YouTuber Logan Paul, was the fastest growing food and drink brand in 2023, according to The Grocer.

But a new  report by the grocery news outlet cites NIQ data which shows that sales of Prime in the first quarter of 2024 sat at just £12.8m - less than half the £26.8m reported over the same period last year.

A picture emerged on social media last month of bottles of Prime being sold for just 31p in Tesco - although it's worth pointing out that the supermarket giant had previously been reluctant to stock them and other companies are still selling them at around the £2 mark.

You no longer have to pay a fee to sell pre-owned clothing on eBay.

The online marketplace says it has scrapped the charge for private sellers in the UK in a bid to prevent items from ending up in landfill.

In reality, eBay is trying to compete with popular apps such as Vinted and Depop. These apps tend to attract a younger market - which eBay is eager to infiltrate.

Under its change, all items are covered except hats, footwear, watches, bags and jewellery, which still incur a fee.

Items listed before today will benefit from the change.

Kirsty Keoghan, general manager of global fashion for eBay, said: "Free fashion selling has come at the right time for a nation sitting on billions of pounds worth of unwanted clothes.

"We know selling clothes can sometimes feel like a chore, so free selling and new updates like new AI-powered listings will help more of us to sell clothes easily, putting more cash in pockets."

By Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

The price of oil is hovering around $90 a barrel, levels last seen six months ago in the wake of the Hamas attacks on 7 October.

It's a slight fall from the $91.50 recorded on Friday but still not good news for motorists and for most of the economy, which is largely reliant on oil to fuel production. 

The FTSE 100 index of most valuable companies on the London Stock Exchange is down 0.03% this morning with Marks and Spencer experiencing the biggest fall. 

Its share price is down 2.45%, followed by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) itself. 

Following stories of a shareholder revolt in LSEG, as its chief executive David Schwimmer is in line for a pay rise from £6.3m to £13.2m, the share price fell 1.9%. 

A pound buys $1.2616 and €1.656.

Nail salon prices across the UK are going up today as thousands of workers band together.

The Nail Tech Org (NTO) says its member nail technicians make on average just under £7 per hour, well below the minimum wage of £11.44 - and so they're collectively coming together to raise prices to help increase pay.

Lauren Pritchard, owner of The Beauty Bar in Birmingham, told Sky News the cost of opening her salon on a day-to-day basis has doubled in the last four years because of increased energy and product costs.

She says she has already lost some clients after announcing her price increase of £2-3 per service.

"It's always going to be a bit scary," she said, but increasing her prices at the same time as others makes it easier.

"It's us coming together to encourage each other rather than pitching us against each other by undercutting prices."

The state pension rises by 8.5% today.

The "new" state pension, for those reaching state pension age on or after 6 April 2016, will rise to £221.20 a week - up from £203.85.

The "basic" state pension, for those who took it out prior to April 2016, is rising to £169.50 a week. These people may also get SERPs (State Earnings Related Pension Scheme), which goes up by 6.7%.

Both groups may get more or less depending on individual circumstances. 

While the rise is welcome news for some 12 million pensioners, we reported last week that 650,000 additional pensioners could be dragged into paying income tax for the first time.

This is down to state pensions rising in line with inflation while the tax threshold has been frozen at £12,570 (and will remain so until 2028).

The 8.5% increase in the "new" state pension this week will take it to £11,502. While welcome, it means any pensioner with an additional income over £1,068 per year - for example from a private pension - will trigger a tax bill.

Means-tested benefits will also increase today - along with other benefits increases this weekend and at the start of the month. Here's a round up...

• Child benefit

The amount people can earn before child benefit is reduced or taken away is increasing.

At the moment, people lose 1% of the benefit for every £100 they earn over £50,000. At £60,000, the benefit is cut completely.

From this month, the benefit won't be reduced until one parent earns more than £60,000. And it will only go completely at £80,000.

Benefits and tax credits that are linked to inflation will rise by 6.7% this month.

That was the level CPI in September.

These benefits have to go up 6.7% by law:

• Personal independence payment (PIP)
• Disability living allowance
• Attendance allowance
• Incapacity benefit
• Severe disablement allowance
• Industrial injuries benefit
• Carer's allowance
• Additional State Pension
• Guardian's allowance

The government also pledged the same raise for benefits including:

• Universal credit
• Contributory employment and support allowance
• Contributory jobseeker's allowance
• Statutory maternity/paternity pay and maternity allowance
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA)
• Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• Income support
• Working tax credit
• Child tax credit

From April universal credit rates are:

• Single and under 25 - £311.68
• Single and 25 or over - £393.45
• Live with partner, both under 25 - £489.23 (for you both)
• Live with partner, either of you are 25 or over £617.60 (for you both)

Every Monday we put your financial dilemmas or consumer disputes to industry experts. You can find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post.

This week, Sky News reader SBwrry  asks...

"I own a flat in a block where the developer contracted a company to manage the communal facilities. The first year the monthly charge was £149 per month. From April they will increase the monthly charge to £216 per month. What rights do I have to challenge this increase?"

Mark Chick, senior partner at Bishop and Sewell law firm, picks up the first half of this one...

Firstly, we need to understand whether this is a shared ownership property or not. 

However, assuming the lease has a service charge, and that the common facilities form part of the costs which are recoverable under the terms of the lease, then the leaseholder would have the right to challenge the costs in the first-tier tribunal.

In accordance with the provisions of the Housing Act 1985, service charges must be "reasonable" and you have the right to bring a challenge.

In this situation, the leaseholder would need to pay their own costs of going to tribunal and therefore it may make sense to act collectively; if the tribunal did order the service charge is "unreasonable" and should be reduced, this should benefit all those that pay it.

But the first step is to write to the freeholder or manager querying why the increase has been levied, and also to review carefully the provisions of the lease to ensure these are costs which they can legitimately pass on to you as the flat owners.

The Money team's Katie Williams has looked at another avenue you could explore...

Leaseholders in a block of flats can take over management of the building under a process introduced in 2002 called right to manage (RTM).

The leaseholders have to set up a RTM company in order to be able to take over management duties. It can be done without the permission of the landlord, but they will have a right to be a part of the company. They'll also have the option to dispute the claim if they think the RTM company isn't entitled to manage the building.

The RTM process can be used to take back control of a poorly managed block, but flat owners don't need to prove mismanagement to exercise their right.

There are some conditions that have to be met before management can be taken over:

• The building must be self contained and include at least two flats;
• At least two-thirds of the flats in the building have to be leasehold;
• At least 75% of the building must be residential;
• At least half the leaseholders must participate, or all if the building consists of two flats only.

The advantage of right to manage is that you have greater control over the cost of running the building which could lead to big savings - but a potential disadvantage is that it could be time-consuming and stressful in the long run.

This feature is not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about. Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute, leaving your name and where in the country you are, in the form above or by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Money blog". Alternatively, WhatsApp us  here .

If you regularly buy herbs and spices from the supermarket, it could be that you're doing it all wrong.

These items have their own section, usually somewhere near the stock cubes and gravy.

If that's where you pick up your cumin or chilli flakes, for example, you should consider having a look down the world aisle instead.

They're usually much, much cheaper per 10g, and although you'll likely have to buy a slightly bigger packet, you're getting much better value for money.

The Money team popped into a Tesco Extra to have a look - though you'll find this applies to all the big supermarkets where they have a world food aisle.

• East End ground cumin - 13p for 10g v Tesco own brand 23.3p
• East End chilli flakes - 7.6p for 10g v Tesco own brand 35.7p
• East End cinnamon sticks - 13p for 10g v Tesco own brand 83.3p
• Rajah chilli powder - 5p per 10g v Tesco own brand 20p
• Rajah turmeric - 6p per 10g v Tesco own brand 22.2p
• East End fennel seeds - 13p per 10g v Tesco own brand 27.8p
• Natco ground coriander - 14.5p per 10g v Tesco own brand 27.8
• East End garlic powder - 13p per 10g v Tesco own brand 22.2p

And it's not just herbs and spices.

For example, we saw desiccated coconut at £4.25 per kg down the world aisle, compared with £7.25 for Tesco's own brand.

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