True Traveller was started by three people who had spent years running adventure holidays and kept finding that high-street cover fell short on trips such as Mera Peak in Nepal. That origin shows. The policy is written for people who trek, dive and wander, it can be bought after you have left home, and it screens medical conditions rather than simply excluding them. For UK and European residents shopping for travel insurance, it is one of the more thoughtful policies on the market.
True Traveller Promo Code box
- Offer: 92 sports and activities covered as standard, with cover available to buy after you have left home
- Promo Code: No Promo Code needed
- Who qualifies: residents of the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, or of EEA countries plus Switzerland and several other European states
- Key terms: 48-hour waiting period if you buy while already travelling, with no cancellation cover; maximum age 75 for single trip and 65 for annual multi-trip; 14-day cooling-off period
| Offer detail | What you get |
|---|---|
| Promo Code | No Promo Code needed |
| Welcome offer | 92 activities covered as standard on every plan, plus cover you can buy after leaving home |
| Who qualifies | UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents (UK policy) or EEA and listed European residents (EU policy); up to 75 for single trip, 65 for multi-trip |
| Key terms | Buying abroad: 48-hour wait and no cancellation cover; excess from £35 to £125 by plan; Extreme and Ultimate packs not available from age 66 |
| How to claim | Get a quote on True Traveller’s site, choose a plan and any activity pack, answer the health questions and pay |
True Traveller: key facts
- Official website: truetraveller.com
- Owner: The True Traveller Limited (UK, company 07368275); True Traveller s.r.o. (Czech Republic) for EU sales
- Headquarters: London, UK (EU entity in Prague)
- Founded: 2010
- Regulation: Insurer: Inter Partner Assistance S.A. (AXA Group); The True Traveller Limited authorised and regulated by the FCA, FRN 756107
- Support: Live chat: yes, on the website (hours not stated); Email: compliance@truetraveller.com (complaints about the sale); Phone: +44 20 3822 0200 (sales and support); claims 020 3439 4285; emergency +44 20 7985 7446
- Ratings: Trustpilot 3.7 (3,351 reviews)
- Headline offer: 92 activities covered as standard; buy after leaving home with a 48-hour wait
- Promo Code: No Promo Code needed
- Free plan or trial: No free plan; 14-day cooling-off period
- Best features: £10m medical cover on every plan; Online medical screening for pre-existing conditions; Adventure, Extreme and Ultimate activity packs (trekking to 4,600m, mountaineering to 6,000m)
Key facts
- Plans: True Value, Traveller and Traveller Plus, as single trip or annual multi-trip
- Medical cover: £10 million on every plan (€10 million on the EU policy)
- Excess: £125, £75 or £35, depending on plan
- Activities: 92 included; Adventure, Extreme, Ultimate and Winter Sports packs extra
- Pre-existing conditions: online medical screening; accepted conditions covered
- Buying while abroad: yes, 48-hour waiting period
- Insurer: Inter Partner Assistance S.A., part of the AXA Group
- Trustpilot: 3.7/5 from 3,351 reviews
Verdict
True Traveller gets the important things right for independent travellers: a high medical limit on every plan, cover you can buy from a hostel in Cusco, a sensible menu of activity packs and a genuine route for people with medical conditions. Its gadget limits are modest and the cheapest plan carries a hefty excess, so most people will be better served by the middle tier or above.
Pros
- £10 million medical cover on all three plans
- Medical screening means declared conditions can be covered
- Buy after leaving home, with a short 48-hour wait
- Trekking to 3,000m included, and to 4,600m with the Adventure Pack
- Low £35 excess on Traveller Plus
- Separate policy and euro limits for EEA residents
Cons
- True Value’s £125 excess and £150 single-item limit make small claims barely worthwhile
- Phones and laptops share the valuables limit unless you specify them
- Multi-trip policies cap each trip at 30 days, or 70 on Traveller Plus
- No cancellation cover if you buy once you are away
- Claims are handled by AXA Assistance, and some reviewers report slow medical bill payments
Who owns True Traveller and who is the insurer?
True Traveller is a managing agent rather than an insurer. The UK business is The True Traveller Limited (company 07368275), based in London and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference 756107. European policies are sold by True Traveller s.r.o., a Czech company based in Prague.
The insurer behind both is Inter Partner Assistance S.A., part of the AXA Group. For European sales, the Czech branch of Inter Partner Assistance underwrites a group policy held by True Traveller s.r.o. Emergency medical help and claims are handled by AXA Assistance.
The company dates from 2010, when the founders set up an adventure holiday business with its own insurance scheme. The insurance outgrew the holidays, moved to its own site in 2012, and the holiday side closed in 2014. True Traveller donates 55p from every policy to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Prices: what drives a True Traveller quote
True Traveller does not publish example prices; you see a figure only after you enter your details. These are the levers that move it:
- Plan. True Value is the cheapest, Traveller Plus the most expensive.
- Age. Older travellers pay more, and the Extreme and Ultimate packs are closed from 66.
- Destination. Trips including the US, Canada or the Caribbean cost more than Europe-only cover.
- Length and type. A single long trip is priced differently from an annual multi-trip policy.
- Activity packs. Each pack beyond the standard 92 activities adds a premium.
- Health. Medical screening may add a premium for accepted conditions.
- Optional extras. Specified items and an excess waiver both cost extra.
Worked example of the real saving. Because there is no code, the saving comes from choosing the right plan. Picture a teacher from Bristol whose £300 phone is stolen on a beach in Goa. On True Value, the single-item limit is £150 and the excess £125, so she receives £25. On Traveller, the limit is £300 and the excess £75, so she receives £225 (about US$300 / €267). On Traveller Plus, the limit is £350 and the excess £35, so she receives £265 (about US$353 / €314). A little more premium up front can be worth ten times as much at claim time.
The plans compared
Limits are per person on the UK policy. EU limits are set in euros (for example, Traveller cancellation is €3,500 and its excess €90).
| Benefit | True Value | Traveller | Traveller Plus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and repatriation | £10,000,000 | £10,000,000 | £10,000,000 |
| Cancellation | £1,000 (US$1,333 / €1,187) | £3,000 (US$3,998 / €3,560) | £7,500 (US$9,995 / €8,900) |
| Baggage, total | £1,000 | £2,000 | £2,500 |
| Single item limit | £150 | £300 | £350 |
| Valuables, total | £250 | £400 | £500 |
| Money and documents | £450 | £650 | £1,000 |
| Excess | £125 (US$167 / €148) | £75 (US$100 / €89) | £35 (US$47 / €42) |
| Multi-trip maximum per trip | 30 days | 30 days | 70 days |
True Value is aimed at under-40s, last-minute travellers and backpackers on a tight budget. Traveller is the all-rounder, and Traveller Plus suits longer trips, bigger travel bookings and anyone who wants the lowest excess.
Gear and gadgets. Laptops, phones, tablets and cameras count as valuables, so they share a £250 to £500 total. Specified items cover, bought as an extra, raises that to £500 per item on True Value and Traveller, or £850 per item on Traveller Plus. An excess waiver can also be bought; it does not remove the extra £500 excess for an air ambulance or helicopter rescue within Nepal.
Adventure sports and activity packs
Every policy includes the Traveller Pack of 92 activities, among them cycling, swimming, golf and trekking up to 3,000m. Above that, packs are added in layers, each including the one before:
- Adventure Pack: adds activities such as trekking up to 4,600m, marathons and bungee jumping beyond three jumps.
- Extreme Pack: adds scuba diving to 50m, rugby and gliding.
- Ultimate Pack: adds hang gliding, mountaineering to 6,000m and more than one skydive.
- Winter Sports: covers on-piste and off-piste skiing and snowboarding, up to 30 days in total on multi-trip policies.
A couple from Leeds trekking to Everest Base Camp, which tops out at about 5,364m, would need more than the standard pack; the altitude limits matter more than the activity name, so check them against your highest night.
Eligibility, age limits and buying from abroad
The UK policy is for residents of the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man with a permanent residential address there. The EU policy covers residents of EEA countries plus Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gibraltar, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia and Switzerland, with access to long-term medical care at home.
The maximum age is 75 for single-trip policies and 65 for multi-trip. If you buy after leaving home, cover starts after 48 hours, and cancellation cover is not included.
Pre-existing medical conditions
This is True Traveller’s biggest advantage over many backpacker brands. You answer health declaration questions when you buy. If you answer yes to certain questions, such as conditions in the last two years or heart or stroke events in the last five, you complete online medical screening. Accepted conditions are covered, sometimes for an extra premium or with specific exclusions.
Two catches. Conditions you do not declare, or that are not accepted in writing, are not covered. And if your health changes before you travel, you must phone to tell them.
How to sign up and use True Traveller
- Start a quote on True Traveller’s site, choosing UK or Europe as your residence.
- Pick single trip or annual multi-trip, then True Value, Traveller or Traveller Plus.
- Add activity packs, Winter Sports, specified items or the excess waiver as needed.
- Answer the health questions honestly and complete screening if prompted.
- Pay and keep your validation certificate and policy wording.
- Save the emergency number, +44 20 7985 7446 (or 1 800 986 6380 from the US and Canada).
The claims process
Claims are made online, 24 hours a day, through True Traveller’s claims page, or by phone on 020 3439 4285. If you are taken to hospital by ambulance, call the emergency assistance service within 48 hours, and get authorisation before cutting a trip short. For theft or lost money, get a police report within 24 hours; for bags lost by an airline, get a carrier report or write to the carrier within seven days. Legal expenses claims reported more than 60 days after the event are not covered.
Customer service and app
Sales and policy support are on +44 20 3822 0200 and through live chat on the website. True Traveller does not offer a mobile app; policies and claims are handled online. Complaints about the sale go to compliance@truetraveller.com.
What users say
On Trustpilot, True Traveller scores 3.7 out of 5 from 3,351 reviews. Most reviews are five-star, but few are recent, and Trustpilot notes that the company has not been inviting reviews lately, which pulls the score down. The site itself displays a 5/5 rating from Reviews.io.
Praise focuses on quick claims, sometimes paid within a day, helpful named staff and strong support during serious medical emergencies. Complaints focus on slow or stalled claims, unpaid hospital invoices handled by AXA Assistance, extra premiums after screening, and the no-cancellation rule for policies bought abroad.
True Traveller vs World Nomads vs Travelex Insurance
| True Traveller | World Nomads | Travelex Insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can buy | UK and EEA residents | UK residents (UK policy) | US residents (no UK product) |
| Top medical limit | £10m on every plan | £5m Standard, £10m Explorer | US$250,000 (£187,600 / €222,650) on Ultimate |
| Lowest excess | £35 (Traveller Plus) | £100 | US$50 medical deductible in seven states only |
| Pre-existing conditions | Screened, may be covered | Excluded | Waiver on Ultimate if bought within 21 days of first deposit |
| Buy while abroad | Yes, 48-hour wait | Yes, 72-hour wait | Not stated |
| Maximum age | 75 single trip, 65 multi-trip | 64 | Not stated |
| Promo Code | None needed | WNFOUND (5%) | None needed |
Against World Nomads, True Traveller wins on medical screening, age limits and excess, while World Nomads has a published 5% discount and lets you extend a single policy online up to 12 months. Travelex Insurance is a US product, so it is relevant only to American readers. Travellers who want a second UK option should also compare Heymondo, and long-term nomads may prefer the subscription model in our SafetyWing review.
True Traveller FAQs
Is there a True Traveller promo code?
No Promo Code is needed. True Traveller does not publish a discount code; the saving comes from picking the right plan and only the activity packs you need.
Who underwrites True Traveller?
Inter Partner Assistance S.A., part of the AXA Group. The True Traveller Limited is FCA authorised under firm reference 756107.
Can I buy True Traveller insurance if I am already abroad?
Yes. Cover starts 48 hours after purchase, and there is no cancellation cover.
What is the True Traveller age limit?
75 for single-trip policies and 65 for annual multi-trip. The Extreme and Ultimate packs are not available from age 66.
Does True Traveller cover pre-existing conditions?
It can. You complete online medical screening, and conditions accepted in writing are covered, sometimes for an extra premium.
What is the difference between Traveller and Traveller Plus?
Traveller Plus has higher cancellation, baggage and money limits, a lower £35 excess and allows multi-trip journeys of up to 70 days.
Does True Traveller cover trekking at altitude?
Trekking to 3,000m is standard. The Adventure Pack raises that to 4,600m, and the Ultimate Pack covers mountaineering to 6,000m.
Can EU residents buy True Traveller?
Yes. A separate policy, sold by True Traveller s.r.o. in Prague, covers residents of the EEA, Switzerland and several other European countries, with limits in euros.
How do I make a True Traveller claim?
Online at any time through the claims page, or by phone on 020 3439 4285. Call the emergency line within 48 hours of any hospital admission.
More on DailyStoke
Travel insurance, compared · World Nomads review · Heymondo review · Genki review · Holafly eSIM review · More travel guides
