Three different protections — ATOL, GHIC and travel insurance

UK travellers regularly conflate these three protections, sometimes assuming that "I’ve got an ATOL package" or "I’ve got a GHIC" is enough cover for an overseas holiday. None of these is a substitute for the others, and a robust holiday is typically protected by all three at once. The table below sets out how they differ.

	ATOL protection	GHIC card	Travel insurance
What it covers	Financial failure of the package operator or its component suppliers (e.g. tour operator insolvency, airline collapse where the airline is part of an ATOL-protected package)	State-provided, medically necessary healthcare in EU and EEA countries on the same terms as a local resident	Medical emergencies and repatriation, trip cancellation and curtailment, baggage loss and theft, travel delays, personal liability, and more depending on policy
Who provides it	The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) regulates the ATOL scheme; package operators including GoToBeach hold a licence	The UK NHS (Global Health Insurance Card), free to UK residents	FCA-regulated insurance companies, sold direct or via brokers or comparison sites
Geographic scope	Worldwide where a UK-licensed package operator’s services fail	EU and EEA countries only (Malta, Greece in our portfolio); not Turkey, Morocco or Egypt	Worldwide, subject to policy region selection (typically Europe, Worldwide excluding USA/Canada, or Worldwide)
Cost to you	Included in your package price	Free for UK residents	Paid separately at time of booking; typical ranges vary widely by age, destination, duration and cover level
What it does NOT cover	Operational disruption such as delays, cancellations, lost baggage or medical emergencies; these are not insolvency events	Private healthcare, repatriation back to the UK, medical evacuation, lost belongings, cancellation costs, or any healthcare in non-EU/EEA countries	Whatever your specific policy excludes — commonly: undeclared pre-existing conditions, specific activities not added to the policy, valuables not declared, intoxication-related incidents

What travel insurance typically covers

Travel insurance policies vary considerably between providers, but most comprehensive policies sold to UK consumers include the categories below. This list is for orientation only — the cover that actually applies to you is the cover specified in your policy schedule. Read it carefully before you travel.

• Medical emergencies and repatriation — usually the largest single cover figure on a policy. Includes hospital treatment abroad, ambulance transport, emergency dental treatment, and where medically necessary, repatriation back to the UK by medical aircraft or with a medical escort. Look for cover of multiple millions of pounds, particularly for destinations outside the EU/EEA.
• Trip cancellation and curtailment — reimbursement if you have to cancel before departure or come home early due to specific reasons defined in the policy (e.g. illness, bereavement, redundancy, jury service). Particularly important: cancellation cover begins from the date you take out the policy, which is why we strongly recommend buying insurance at the same time as your holiday, not closer to the departure date.
• Baggage loss, theft or damage — replacement cost for personal belongings up to a policy limit, with single-item limits and excess fees applying. Most policies have specific limits on valuables, electronics and cash.
• Travel delays and missed departures — modest sums to cover meals, accommodation and onward travel if your outbound or return journey is delayed beyond a defined threshold.
• Personal liability — cover if you accidentally cause injury to another person or damage their property abroad. Important if you’re hiring vehicles, watercraft or property at the destination.
• Personal accident — lump sum benefit if you suffer specific defined injuries or die abroad.
• Legal expenses — help with legal costs if you need to pursue or defend an action arising from your holiday.

Higher-tier policies may add: cruise cover, business equipment, sports equipment, hire car excess, golf cover, scuba diving cover, gadgets and electronics cover. Choose based on what your specific trip involves.

Why it matters — destination-specific medical context

The single biggest reason to hold travel insurance is medical. Routine clinic visits abroad are usually manageable; serious medical incidents requiring hospital stays, surgery or repatriation can run into tens of thousands of pounds. Here’s the practical context for each of our five destination countries.

Turkey

Turkey has both public and private healthcare. Public hospitals (devlet hastanesi) accept emergency cases but standards vary by region; private hospitals in Antalya, Bodrum, Istanbul and the major resort areas are generally high quality, often with English-speaking staff and modern equipment, and they charge accordingly. There is no NHS reciprocal arrangement with Turkey and no GHIC coverage. All treatment is paid for at point of service, although private hospitals widely accept travel insurance pre-authorisation. Repatriation back to the UK on a medical aircraft typically runs into tens of thousands of pounds and is one of the most important things your insurance should cover.

Greece

Greece is in the EU, so your GHIC card entitles you to state-provided medically necessary treatment on the same basis as a Greek resident. In practice, this means public hospital emergency care is largely covered, but private clinics (often the more accessible option in island resort areas) are not, and the GHIC does not cover repatriation. Travel insurance fills both gaps and is strongly recommended even for Greek holidays.

Malta

Malta is also in the EU, and the GHIC applies. Maltese public healthcare is generally good and English-speaking. As with Greece, the GHIC does not cover private treatment, repatriation, or any non-medical issues such as cancellation or baggage loss — so travel insurance is still strongly recommended.

Morocco

Morocco has no NHS reciprocal arrangement and no GHIC coverage. Public hospitals in major cities provide basic care; private clinics in Marrakech, Agadir and Casablanca are good but expensive. Pharmacy provision is excellent in cities but more limited in rural and mountain areas. Travel insurance with adequate medical and repatriation cover is essential.

Egypt

Egypt has no NHS reciprocal arrangement and no GHIC coverage. The major Red Sea resort areas (Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Makadi Bay) have private international-standard hospitals and clinics that cater to tourists, often with English-speaking staff and 24-hour emergency provision; cover is typically by direct payment or insurance pre-authorisation. Cairo also has international-standard private hospitals. Repatriation from Egypt is a common claim category and can be costly; ensure your policy has substantial medical and repatriation cover for Egypt trips.

Pre-existing medical conditions — declare everything

This is the single most common reason that travel insurance claims are refused. Almost every UK travel insurance policy requires you to declare any pre-existing medical condition at the time you take out the policy. Failure to declare typically means that any claim related to that condition — or sometimes any medical claim at all — will be denied.

Conditions you should normally declare include, but are not limited to:

• Any heart, circulatory or blood pressure condition
• Diabetes (both types)
• Asthma and other respiratory conditions
• Cancer, current or historical
• Mental health conditions, including treatment for anxiety or depression
• Any condition for which you take regular medication
• Recent surgery or planned procedures
• Pregnancy (some policies have specific gestational limits)

If a comparison site or standard policy can’t cover your condition, specialist travel insurance providers exist who serve travellers with more complex medical histories. Two free UK signposting services can help you find them: MoneyHelper (the government-backed financial guidance service, at moneyhelper.org.uk) and the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA, at biba.org.uk). Both are independent of any individual insurer. An FCA-regulated broker found via these services can usually point you to the right specialist provider for your circumstances.

Activity considerations — what your policy needs to include

Standard travel insurance policies typically cover routine holiday activities such as walking, swimming, snorkelling, sightseeing, beach pursuits and general tourism. Higher-risk activities often require a specific add-on or upgraded policy tier. Common activity considerations for our five destinations:

• Golf — standard cover usually applies for playing golf as part of a leisure holiday. A specific golf add-on may be available to cover golf equipment, green fee loss on rained-off days, and personal liability while playing. Particularly relevant for Belek and Antalya golf trips, and Mediterranean golf courses generally.
• Watersports — jet-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, wakeboarding and similar are often classed as "hazardous" activities and may need a specific add-on. Snorkelling is usually included as standard; scuba diving usually needs an add-on, particularly for dives below specific depths or for those requiring qualifications.
• Scuba diving — particularly relevant for our Egyptian Red Sea destinations (Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Makadi Bay), which are some of the world’s most popular diving locations. Confirm with your insurer that diving is covered, and to what depth.
• Motorcycle, scooter, quad bike or buggy rental — common in Greek islands (especially Kos, Rhodes, Crete), Malta and Morocco. Many policies exclude motorcycle and scooter cover unless specifically added, or require that you hold a UK motorcycle licence and wear a helmet at all times. Read your policy carefully if you plan to hire two-wheeled transport.
• Hiking — walking and lowland hiking are usually standard. Higher-altitude mountain hiking, multi-day treks (e.g. Atlas Mountains in Morocco) or anything involving technical equipment may need an add-on.
• Sailing and chartering — relevant for some Turkish coast (Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye) and Greek island trips. Bareboat charter or skippered charter participation may need specific cover.
• Sports equipment — if you’re travelling with golf clubs, scuba equipment, sailing gear or similar, check that your policy covers the equipment in transit and at the destination.

GHIC and EHIC — what they are, and what they aren’t

The Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is the UK’s post-Brexit replacement for the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Most UK residents are entitled to a GHIC for free; existing EHICs remain valid until their printed expiry date. Both provide the same level of access in EU countries.

What the GHIC does cover

• State-provided, medically necessary healthcare in EU and EEA countries on the same financial terms as a local resident — meaning either free or at the same patient contribution rate that locals pay
• Can include medically necessary treatment for a pre-existing condition during a temporary stay, through the state healthcare system, where the treatment cannot reasonably wait until you return to the UK
• Includes routine maternity care and emergencies during the trip

What the GHIC does NOT cover

• Private healthcare in EU countries
• Repatriation back to the UK, including medical aircraft, medical escorts and similar
• Any healthcare outside the EU/EEA (so it’s no use at all in Turkey, Morocco or Egypt)
• Lost or stolen belongings
• Trip cancellation, curtailment, or travel delay costs
• Personal liability or legal expenses

The GHIC is a useful supplement to a travel insurance policy for EU travel — not a substitute for it.

When to buy travel insurance, and how

The simplest answer: at the same time you book your holiday. Cancellation cover begins from the date your policy starts. If you book a holiday months in advance and only take out insurance the week before departure, you have no cover for anything that happens to derail the trip in the intervening months — a serious illness, bereavement, redundancy, or other policy-covered cancellation reason.

Common ways UK travellers obtain insurance:

• Online comparison sites (FCA-regulated) — allow you to compare cover levels, exclusions and premiums across multiple insurers in one place. The fastest route for a standard policy.
• Direct from an FCA-regulated insurer — insurer’s own website or branch, useful if you have a relationship or membership benefit.
• Through an FCA-authorised broker — particularly recommended for travellers with complex medical histories, large groups, or unusual trip itineraries.
• Annual multi-trip policies — if you travel twice or more per year, an annual policy is often more cost-effective than buying single-trip cover each time. Most annual policies have a maximum trip length (often 31, 45 or 60 days) per trip.
• Bank account add-ons — some UK current accounts include travel insurance as a benefit. Check the small print: age limits, geographic scope, and whether you need to register the trip before you fly.

If you need to make a claim

If something goes wrong on your holiday, the steps are broadly:

• Medical emergencies: contact your insurer’s 24-hour emergency assistance line before agreeing to any major treatment if at all possible. The number is on your policy documents — we recommend saving it in your phone and writing it down separately before you fly. The insurer will often coordinate directly with the hospital and authorise treatment in advance.
• Theft or loss of belongings: report to local police within 24 hours and obtain a written report (most policies require this). Keep all receipts.
• Travel delays: keep your boarding pass and any communications from the airline as evidence of the delay duration. Keep receipts for any meals, accommodation or onward travel costs you incur.
• Cancellation before travel: tell GoToBeach as soon as you become aware that you may need to cancel, so we can document the booking status. Then contact your insurer to begin the claim process.
• Curtailment (cutting your trip short): contact your insurer’s emergency line before booking your return travel where possible. They may be able to arrange repatriation directly.

For all claims, keep all original documentation, receipts, police reports, medical reports and correspondence. Claim forms are typically submitted within a specific window after your return.

Linked customer information

This page is part of a wider customer information set covering all aspects of your GoToBeach booking. See also:

• Airlines and Flight Conditions — how dynamic packaging works, charter vs scheduled flights, and what happens if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
• Baggage — hand luggage, checked baggage and how to add baggage to your booking.
• Transfers — airport-to-hotel transfers and what to do at the destination airport.
• Airport Information — departure airports and destination airports we use.

Frequently asked questions

General guidance only; insurance market practice, GHIC entitlements and policy terms change. Last updated: May 2026. This page is reviewed on an annual basis or whenever a meaningful market change makes a refresh necessary. Prepared by the GoToBeach Product Team.