Thousands of UK football fans are planning to attend this year’s World Cup, and much like a passport, travel insurance remains an essential for anyone headed abroad.
In 2024 alone, travel insurers paid out £35 million to help their customers visiting the USA and Canada cover the cost of medical bills and other unexpected losses.1 Considering the cost of medical care is significantly higher across the pond, insurance is something fans won’t want to forget.
Ahead of the tournament, the ABI has shared five top tips to help people understand the key features of travel insurance and choose a policy that suits their needs.
- Buy before you fly. Most policies won’t be valid if you buy them after you’ve started your trip, which means you won’t be able to make a claim should something go wrong overseas. It’s always best to take out insurance as soon as you’ve booked a trip, as this will ensure you're covered if you need to cancel. We recommend shopping around and choosing a policy that meets your specific needs, considering factors such as your destination, the length of your trip, and any planned activities.
- Declare any pre-existing medical conditions. Doing so will help you get the right level of medical cover for your individual circumstances, giving you peace of mind that you're protected abroad. The primary purpose of travel insurance is to cover the cost of what can be incredibly expensive emergency medical treatment overseas. In 2025, one of our members paid out £500,000 to a customer who required emergency surgery in the USA and medical repatriation back to the UK, demonstrating just how costly these situations can be and why disclosing conditions is vital to make sure you have the right cover. If you’re unsure what you need to disclose, speak to your insurer.
- Make a ‘claim plan’. Keep your insurance policy and your provider’s contact details to hand in case anything goes wrong on your trip. It can also help to share these with a trusted friend or family member travelling with you, as well as someone at home. Should you need to make a claim, contact your insurer as soon as possible. Many insurers will have a 24/7 phone number you can call for support.
- Follow FCDO travel advice. This advice is there for your safety, and travelling against it could invalidate your insurance. You can sign up to receive email alerts about changes to travel advice here, and the FCDO's Travel Aware campaign page also has important guidance on a range of topics, including travel insurance. Information specific to the World Cup is also available on Gov.uk Travel Advice pages for the USA, Canada and Mexico.
- Celebrate responsibly. While it might be tempting to raise a glass after a big win, consume alcohol responsibly. Insurers will expect you to take ‘reasonable care’ on your trip, so if you’re injured whilst drinking excessively, you may not be able to claim for any emergency medical treatment you need or other costs incurred. Don’t forget it’s illegal to consume alcohol in the USA if you’re under the age of 21, so any related claims are unlikely to be covered by travel insurance. Most standard travel policies will also have exclusions for recreational drug use – even if the drug is fully legal in your destination.
We can’t promise your team will win the World Cup, but our top tips can help you travel there like a champion. Given the higher cost of medical care in the US and Canada, travel insurance will be essential to protect your finances should you fall ill or be injured abroad. Don’t get caught offside – check you’ve got the right cover in place before your trip kicks-off.
Fraser Lyall
Policy Adviser for General Insurance at the ABI
Notes for Editors
Travel insurers paid out £262 million in medical expense claims across 2024, representing over half (56%) of all claims paid to customers (£472 million).1
The FCDO currently advises against all but ‘essential’ travel to some parts of Mexico. While no matches are taking place in these areas, people travelling between matches in Mexico will need to carefully consider their routes. Advice can change quickly, so it’s best to sign up for FCDO alerts for any regions you visit. More information can be found here.
Footnotes
- This data includes figures from ABI members but doesn’t represent the whole of the market.