The excess is the part of each claim you pay yourself before the insurer pays the rest. A policy can have one excess for every claim, a different one per section (medical, baggage), or none.
How it reads in a policy
What to check
- How much the excess is, and whether it applies per claim, per person or per trip.
- Whether some sections have their own excess.
- Whether you can pay more to remove it.
Read the policy wording before you buy: what’s covered, the limits, the excess and the exclusions.
Questions
What does excess mean in travel insurance?
The excess is the part of each claim you pay yourself before the insurer pays the rest. A policy can have one excess for every claim, a different one per section (medical, baggage), or none.
Where do I find the excess in my policy?
In the policy wording, usually in its definitions and the section it belongs to; your own numbers are in the schedule of cover.
Related words
The three insurers
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Updated 2026-10-24.