I’ve been burned by cheap travel insurance. Not personally – but close enough. A friend ended up in a Florida hospital two years ago with appendicitis, and her bargain-bucket insurer found every possible loophole to delay her claim while the bills piled up. The final tab came to over £11,000 – and she ended up paying a significant chunk out of pocket. That was the moment I decided to actually start researching travel insurance properly.
Staysure kept appearing. Not just in comparison sites – in real testimonials from people who’d actually needed to use their policy. That’s a very different thing. So I took a proper look at what they offer, and here’s my honest take.
What Staysure Actually Is
Staysure is a travel insurance specialist – and that word “specialist” matters more than you’d think. They’re not a bank trying to upsell you protection alongside your current account, and they’re not a price-comparison tool harvesting your data. Their whole business is built around travel cover, which means they’ve had to think through the edge cases and awkward situations that generic insurers conveniently ignore.
They offer both single-trip and annual multi-trip policies. Cover levels run from their Essential plan through to their Signature tier – which includes gadget cover and zero excess as standard. Worth knowing if you travel with a laptop or an expensive camera. (Raises hand.)
Want to see how the plans compare? Explore Staysure’s cover levels here – it takes about two minutes to get a personalised quote.
The Pre-Existing Conditions Difference
This is where Staysure genuinely stands apart, and I’ll be upfront – I didn’t expect this to be as significant as it is. Most travel insurers treat pre-existing medical conditions like a liability. They’ll technically cover you, but the exclusions are broad enough that you’re never quite sure what you’re actually protected for. It’s vague by design.
Staysure claims they can cover 97% of people, including those with pre-existing conditions. That’s not a throwaway marketing line – the way it works is through proper upfront medical screening. You declare your conditions, get assessed, and if you’re covered, you actually know you’re covered. No ambiguity, no nasty surprises at claim time. And given that a standard hospital stay in the USA can cost close to £10,000 – some treatments far more – that certainty is worth a great deal.
Conditions they’ve covered include heart conditions, diabetes, cancer (including recent treatment), respiratory conditions and a long list of others. If yours isn’t on their list, it’s worth calling them directly – they’re more flexible than most. Check if your condition is covered with Staysure.
Annual Multi-Trip: Worth It If You Travel Twice or More
Here’s a simple rule of thumb: if you’re travelling more than once a year – honestly, even just twice – an annual multi-trip policy almost always works out cheaper than buying single-trip cover each time. Staysure offers both options, which is sensible.
One detail I found useful: if your annual policy comes to £80 or more, you can spread the cost. That’s actually quite handy if you’re booking in January when your finances are recovering from Christmas – no judgement, we’ve all been there. See Staysure’s annual multi-trip options here.
What Happens When You Actually Need to Claim?
This is the question that matters most with any insurer – because anyone can sell you a policy, but not everyone delivers when things go wrong.
One story that kept coming up in my research: Janet, a Staysure customer, had a serious medical episode while abroad. Staysure arranged an ambulance from her hotel, and a second ambulance met her at the UK airport when she landed. All costs – medical bills, hotel extension, everything – were paid without question. Her words, not mine. That level of claims handling – practical, fast, no arguing – is exactly what you’re paying for.
I know one testimonial doesn’t prove a pattern. But the specificity of stories like Janet’s – actual logistics, actual bills settled – tells you something a star rating alone doesn’t. It suggests a company that’s thought about what happens after the sale, not just before it. Read more about Staysure’s claims support.
Cruise Cover and Optional Extras
Staysure also offers specialist cruise cover – and this matters more than people realise. A standard travel policy often doesn’t cover cruise-specific situations properly: missed ports, cabin confinement, or medical evacuation at sea, for instance. If a cruise is on your travel plans this year, this is worth flagging specifically when you get your quote. Check cruise cover options with Staysure.
What Staysure policies can include:
Medical emergencies abroad (including pre-existing conditions) – Cancellation & curtailment cover – Lost baggage and personal belongings – Gadget cover (Signature tier) – Zero excess option – Cruise cover add-on – Winter sports cover – 24/7 emergency assistance line
My Honest Verdict
What I appreciate most about Staysure is that they seem to have built their product around the traveller who actually needs insurance – not the perfectly healthy 25-year-old with no claims history, but the person with a managed health condition who’s spent years feeling like the small print is quietly working against them. For that audience, Staysure looks like a genuinely better fit than most of what’s out there.
The one thing I’d flag honestly: the quote process does involve medical screening, which takes slightly longer than buying a bare-bones policy online. If you want something done in 90 seconds flat, Staysure might feel a little involved. But if you want a policy that will actually pay out when you need it? Worth every extra minute of that process.
