multi trip vhi

Vhi Extends MultiTrip Cover for Six Months

All Vhi MultiTrip policyholders due to renew in 2021 get six months additional cover at no extra cost

1st December 2020:   Vhi today announced it is giving all Vhi MultiTrip travel insurance customers due to renew in 2021 an additional six months cover at no extra charge. The six-month period will start from the date of their next renewal and will be given to all customers insured on Vhi MultiTrip on 31st December 2020.

Vhi will write directly to eligible customers informing them of the additional six months of cover. No action is required by the customer. Towards the end of the six-month period, customers will be contacted about their annual renewal in the normal way.

Noel Lawless, Head of Diversified Business at Vhi said, “We are all aware that the travel restrictions associated with COVID-19 have had a significant impact on people’s ability to travel and as a result reduced opportunities to use their travel insurance. With the decision to move to the EU traffic light system and some positive news, emerging with regards to a vaccine there is more optimism that travel will commence again in 2021. For this reason we have made the decision to give all our existing customers an additional six months cover – giving them additional value by providing cover for 18 months rather than the typical 12 months.”

COVID-19 has had a disruptive effect on the travel insurance industry and since March 2020, Vhi has announced a range of measures to its MultiTrip product to support its customers. These measures include:

• Enhancing cover for trips in Ireland
• Reducing the price of our annual Vhi MultiTrip policy
• Extending the cooling off period from 14 to 28 days for customers renewing
• Setting up a separate fund to deal with COVID-19 cancellation claims for all renewing customers who booked holidays prior to 19th March 2020

Vhi MultiTrip is an annual travel insurance product that provides customers with cover for multiple trips over a 12-month period. The product provides cover for unforeseen events while travelling at home or abroad. It is available to customers that hold a domestic private health insurance policy with one of the health insurers in Ireland. Vhi MultiTrip tops up the medical emergency cover that exists on domestic health insurance policies so that customers are not paying twice for this cover. Launched in 2004, Vhi MultiTrip is Ireland’s number one travel insurance provider.

For further information visit:  www.vhi.ie/pdf/products/multitrip-cover-update.pdf

01-Dec-2020

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How Annual or Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Works

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Table of Contents

What does annual travel insurance cover?

Single trip insurance vs. multi-trip travel insurance, how does annual travel insurance work, annual travel insurance plans, is annual travel insurance worth it, caveats to yearly travel insurance, if you're considering multi-trip travel insurance.

Are you hoping to fill your annual calendar with multiple travel adventures? When you’re heading out on a trip, travel insurance may provide peace of mind in case things go awry. It can provide protection in the event of unexpected injury and illness, no matter where you are.

For frequent travelers, sometimes a single-trip travel insurance policy just doesn’t cut it. Let’s take a look at when to buy annual travel insurance, what annual multi-trip insurance is and whether you should invest in this product.

For those who aren’t familiar with travel insurance, it basically works like this: Your personal insurance covers you when you’re at home. Travel insurance does the same when you’re abroad.

There are different levels and kinds of insurance, including those that’ll reimburse you if you have to quarantine, ones that let you cancel for any reason and even policies that cover emergency evacuation services.

Some common types of travel insurance include:

Health insurance .

Lost luggage insurance .

Trip cancellation insurance .

Accidental death insurance .

Rental car insurance .

Trip interruption insurance .

Cancel For Any Reason insurance .

Emergency evacuation insurance .

Most travel insurance policies will offer different levels of coverage for the different types outlined above. In some cases, you can customize your coverage to better meet your needs instead of opting for base-level policy inclusions.

» Learn more: What does travel insurance cover?

Here's a high-level overview of how annual travel insurance policies differ from single trip plans.

Yearly travel insurance works a little bit differently than single-trip insurance. For the most part, you won’t find an annual travel insurance policy that covers extras such as baggage loss or rental car insurance, though you may find some that cover trip interruption and cancellation.

Why is annual travel insurance cheaper than single trip? Multi-trip insurance focuses mainly on medical policies, while single-trip policies can cover a broader range of issues.

In general, annual travel insurance will cover you in the event that you need medical care while traveling overseas. Different policies will have different coverage. Some can include hazardous sports such as skiing and scuba diving, while others will include care in the event you fall ill with COVID-19.

Check whether your medical care is primary or secondary; secondary medical insurance only pays out after other eligible insurances have made their payments.

If you’re looking to be covered for specific needs, be sure to double-check any policy before you decide to purchase it.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Purchasing an annual or multi-trip travel insurance plan doesn’t have to be expensive. Of course, you’ll want to get quotes before going forward with any purchase, so it’s best to do your homework ahead of time.

We put in a search for annual travel insurance plans using a 31-year-old traveling from California to Europe among three different policy providers.

1. Nationwide Travel Insurance

Nationwide came in at the cheapest for just $52 for the year, though at that price range it didn’t include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance.

It was possible to add these in, but it increased the price appropriately. Otherwise, the plan offered $10,000 in emergency medical, $100 for baggage delay, $100 for trip delay and $500 for lost luggage

For our sample itinerary, Allianz offered three different annual travel insurance plans with varying levels of coverage — Executive, Prime and Basic.

The cheapest rang in at $138 for the year but also failed to include trip interruption, while the most expensive option would cost this travel $510.

Allianz’s lowest-cost option (Basic) provided $20,000 in emergency medical and $1,000 for baggage loss, as well as $45,000 for rental car insurance .

3. AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard returned just one option for multi-trip travel insurance, costing $259 for the year.

However, the increased price seems worth it for the additional coverage, which included $2,500 in trip interruption, $1,500 for trip delay, $500 for missed connections, $2,500 for lost baggage, $1,000 for delayed luggage and $50,000 for emergency medical.

There are a few different questions you’ll want to consider before purchasing travel insurance. This is true whether you’re looking for a single-trip policy or a plan that covers you for an entire year.

How often will you travel?

This is probably the most obvious question you’ll want to answer: How often do you travel? Are you out of town frequently? Do you stay out of the country for longer periods of time?

If you’re someone who goes on one or two vacations per year, for a week or two at a time, it may not be worth purchasing annual travel insurance. Although it’s cheaper than single-trip insurance, the benefits that you’ll receive are reduced accordingly.

What kind of trips are you taking?

How expensive are your trips? What about the chance for illness or accidental injury? Are you certain that you’ll be going on your trip, or is there the chance that you’ll need to cancel?

Multi-trip travel insurance is inherently limited due to its length of coverage. If your trip has a lot of components and opportunities for things to go awry, you may want to consider instead purchasing a single-trip policy.

As we noted above, these types of policies have a much broader area of coverage. This includes options such as cancel for any reason insurance and trip delay insurance.

Do you have any pre-existing conditions?

Pre-existing conditions are those that you have had prior to purchasing insurance. Let’s say that you tore your hamstring last year. After completing a round of physical therapy, you’re doing pretty well, though sometimes you still struggle with pain.

Some annual travel insurance policies will cover acute flare-ups of pre-existing conditions. This means that if your sore hamstring is suddenly aggravated to the point of needing crutches, they will cover the cost of that care.

Some policies do not; they will have a specific clause excluding any pre-existing conditions from your medical care.

» Learn more: What to know about travel insurance for pre-existing conditions

Does your credit card provide travel insurance?

Did you know that many travel credit cards provide complimentary travel insurance? If you book and pay for your trip using your card, you may be eligible for this insurance.

Examples of travel insurance offered by credit cards include:

Rental car insurance.

Emergency medical insurance.

Emergency evacuation insurance.

Trip cancellation insurance.

Trip delay insurance.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for travel insurance benefits

Not all credit card travel insurance coverages are equal; if this is something you’re relying on, you’ll want to carefully examine the policies of the credit card you’re using and the types of coverage it offers.

Cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer some of the best complimentary travel insurance on the market.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Yearly travel insurance may be a good option for you if you’re often on the road, but keep in mind that there are limits to the product.

For example, many travel insurance plans limit the amount of time you can spend on each trip. This is true for policy provider Heymondo, whose 12-month plan stipulates that your trip duration be less than 60 days.

Other plans may only apply outside the United States. This is the case for GeoBlue , whose travel medical insurance doesn’t cover you when you’re home.

Yes. Depending on the provider, you can purchase multi-trip or an annual travel insurance plan.

The biggest difference with annual travel insurance is it doesn't have as many covered benefits as the individual single-trip plans, as one of the main focuses of annual travel insurance is medical emergencies.

To determine which plan type is right for you, ask yourself questions such as:

How often are you traveling?

Are the trips expensive?

Do you have any credit cards with travel insurance coverage ?

Although cheaper, multi-trip or annual travel insurance are policies that cover multiple trips over a specific time frame. Policies have less coverage than single-trip policies. Generally, single-trip policies have baggage loss or rental car insurance, whereas annual travel insurance does not.

The average cost of a travel insurance policy varies on the coverage provided and the length of the trip. It's typically a percentage of your overall trip cost. On the high end, you can estimate up to 10% of your trip expenses. On the low-to-mid scale, you can estimate 4-8% of your anticipated trip costs.

Yes, you can buy annual or multi-trip travel insurance policies, which can be a good option for extensive trips. Note that these plans differ from single-trip policies in terms of coverage. Annual plans tend to focus on medical emergencies, whereas individual plans offer more robust travel-related coverages (such as baggage or trip delay).

Multi-trip insurance covers an unlimited number of trips during your coverage period. However, the length of time for your period is going to depend on your specific policy. Many multi-trip plans can be purchased as annual travel insurance, which will cover you up to 365 days.

It’s possible to cancel any insurance policy that you buy, but only during specific periods. This is called the "lookback" or review period. In most states, the lookback period lasts up to 15 days, during which time you can cancel your insurance without penalty.

Do you have any

credit cards with travel insurance coverage

Multi-trip travel insurance can be a cheap, affordable way to make sure you’re covered if you’re a frequent traveler. However, you’ll also want to understand the limitations of year-long policies. Although they can be less expensive than policies that cover a single trip, you can also expect to have less coverage.

Annual travel policies tend to focus more on medical care and — in limited circumstances — trip cancellation or trip interruption. However, if your needs include the ability to cancel your trip for any reason, or extras such as baggage insurance, you may want to consider purchasing a single-trip policy instead.

Finally, if you hold a travel credit card, odds are good that it comes with some form of travel insurance. Check out its guide to benefits to see what types of coverage your card offers, whether it’s emergency medical evacuation or trip delay reimbursement.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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Due to the recent announcement regarding aerlingus strikes:, annual travel insurance from €19.95 *, affordable travel insurance.

Multitrip.com offers comprehensive travel insurance, whether you're traveling for business, pleasure, or adventure. We understand that unexpected events can occur, causing disruptions and inconvenience. That's why we are here to provide you with peace of mind by protecting your travel plans at affordable prices.

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Whether it's a weekend trip to Europe, a backpacker holiday to Asia, or multiple trips around the world each year, you can rest assured that with Multitrip.com you will find a travel insurance policy to suit your needs.

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Travel Insurance Reviews from Multitrip.com Customers

So helpful on the phone and easy to get travel insurance at a great price would highly recommend. John - 5 Star Review - 31 st January 2023

Ireland's Favourite Travel Insurance Provider

Looking for travel insurance that gives you peace of mind no matter where you are? Here are three reasons to travel with Multitrip.com:

Competitive Prices

The travel insurance we offer is not only affordable, but we also allow you to compare travel insurance benefits across three levels of cover.

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Types of Travel Insurance

No matter what your travel style is, we’ve got a travel insurance type for you:

Planning a one-off trip? Whether it’s a long or short getaway, Single Trip Holiday Insurance could be the best option for you.

Love travelling? Save money with 1 or 2 Year Multitrip Travel Insurance - it covers unlimited trips, so you can holiday as much as you like.

Heading abroad to travel, work or study? Backpacker Holiday Insurance offers extensive protection whether you’re 18 or 49!

Travelling with children? Protect your family under one Multitrip Travel Insurance policy.

Hitting the slopes? Add Winter Sports Cover to your policy and stay protected whether you’re skiing or snowboarding.

Want to spend your retirement travelling? Find affordable holiday insurance with comprehensive cover for seniors over 70s.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Discover six of Multitrip.com's travel insurance benefits below* or explore more details here .

Cover the expenses of unused and irrecoverable travel and accommodation costs in case you need to cancel or cut short your travel.

Cover financial expenses should injury, illness or death occur during your trip outside Ireland.

Have 24/7 assistance should you require medical emergency abroad, repatriation or curtailment while on holiday.

Get cover against accidental loss of, theft of or damage to baggage/personal belongings.

Cover the expenses you become legally liable to pay if you cause another's bodily injury or property damage.

Get reimbursed for the costs of travel delays if your scheduled public transportation is delayed for over 12 hours.

Cancellation or Curtailment

Medical expenses, emergency assistance, baggage & personal belongings, personal liability, delayed departure.

*Terms & Conditions apply.

Upgrade Your Travel Insurance

Planning a holiday that’s unique to you? At Multitrip.com, you can include additional travel cover to suit your specific needs:

   Winter Sports

  travel disruption,   flight cancellation,   wedding,   business,   golf,   cruise connection,   excess waiver,   exam failure backpacker cover only, travel insurance tips.

• Purchase your policy straight after you've booked your trip:  If you buy your holiday insurance as soon as you book your flights and accommodation, Multitrip.com travel insurance can provide cover should mishaps affect your holiday before you even leave home.
• Personalise your cover to match every inch of your itinerary:  Hitting the slopes for a snowboarding sesh? Worried volcanic activity will affect your dream holiday? You can protect your bespoke trip with the additional coverage options.
• Always declare your medical conditions:  Multitrip.com travel insurance automatically covers a number of medical conditions, but if yours isn't listed, be sure to contact the Medical Screening line to find out more about the options available.

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VHI Multi Trip travel policy now available to any Health Insurance customer

• Posted by irishhealthinsurance
• On October 14, 2011

Some of you who have previously switched from Vhi to another health insurance provider will be aware that Vhi’s policy was to cancel your multi trip travel insurance with effect from the day you cancelled your health insurance with no refund. Obviously this proved rather vexing to many customers who saw their travel insurance cancelled as early as 14 days into the policy. This practice was claimed to be anti competitive by rival insurers was subsequently brought to the attention of the competition authority who recently upheld this claim and ordered the Vhi to change their policy in relation to their multi trip cover.

The end result is that Vhi will now allow you to obtain or retain a multi trip travel policy so long as you have health insurance with one of the three providers in the state and providing that cover has overseas Accident and Emergency medical cover of a minimum €65,000. Otherwise, no travel benefits can be claimed.

This means that the likes of Quinn’s Family Care and Essential Plus with/without excess would qualify while Health Manager Starter and Company Care Starter would not.

Likewise Aviva’s Hospital Level 1 & 2 and their new family Health Plans would qualify while their Access Level 1 and their I, Me & We Level 1 plans would fall short.

As much as this is great news for consumers and Vhi customers, the benefit is somewhat offset by the fact that it comes after Vhi’s changes in Terms & Conditions which effectively make it increasingly difficult to switch your health insurance outside of renewal date. One step forward and 2 steps backwards.

It’s also worth noting that Aviva and Quinn both have overseas multi trip policies which offer similar cover.

Patrick Brennan Director of Corporate Business Irish Health Insurance

Please CONTACT US if you wish to discuss how this impacts your premiums, or if you need help to understand the best deals on the market in Health Insurance.

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What is annual travel insurance?

Coverage options in annual travel insurance plans, how much does annual travel insurance cost, purchasing annual travel insurance, annual travel insurance frequently asked questions, how annual travel insurance works.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

• Annual travel insurance offers multi-trip coverage for travelers taking several trips over a year.
• Annual travel insurance can be cheaper and more convenient but is less flexible than single trip insurance.
• A 30-year-old US resident can expect to pay between $125 to $700 for annual travel insurance.

The more you travel, the higher your chances are that something goes wrong. Fortunately, coverage is available that can soften the financial blow if you get sick, lose your luggage, or experience some other hiccup while abroad.

While single trip travel insurance can cover one-off trips, frequently travelers may want annual travel insurance, which covers all your trips throughout a year. Read on to learn what annual travel insurance covers, how much you can expect to pay, and when you should buy.

Annual travel insurance, also called multi-trip insurance, is a type of insurance policy that protects you from potential losses on all trips in a 12-month period.

An annual travel insurance plans is more expensive than one single trip policy, but annual travel insurance becomes increasingly cost-effective as you take more trips. Buying annual travel insurance is also more convenient than shopping for travel insurance every time you take a trip. As such, these policies are particularly good for people who travel for work.

While annual travel insurance offers more convenience over single trip policies, you forfeit some flexibility offered in single trip travel insurance. For one, annual travel insurance limits the maximum number of days it will cover in one trip . This threshold varies from provider to provider, but generally it's up to a maximum of 90 days.

"During the coverage period, a traveler can move between countries and remain covered on the same insurance policy," says Rajeev Shrivastava , chief executive officer at VisitorsCoverage , a travel insurance marketplace. "With 30-day coverage, the plan is no longer valid on day 31. The traveler needs to return to their home country, resetting the 30 days and allowing them to resume travel."

Additionally, some annual travel insurance policies only cover trips a certain distance (say, 100 miles) from your residence or farther. Make sure to note these limitations before purchasing your policy — particularly if most of your travel is domestic. 

Annual travel insurance coverage varies by plan and provider, but it is generally less comprehensive than a single trip policy.

Annual policies typically include coverage for emergency medical care, medical evacuations, trip delays, and lost or stolen baggage. Most basic plans do not cover trip cancellations (though a few more comprehensive ones do). If you're looking for cancellation reimbursement, you may want to purchase a single-trip plan with cancel for any reason coverage.

Here are just a few things a basic annual travel insurance plan might include:

• Trip cancellation for covered reasons
• Trip interruption
• Trip delays
• Missed connections
• Lost or stolen baggage
• Baggage delay
• Rental car damage or theft
• Emergency medical treatment
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Repatriation of mortal remains

Limitations and exclusions to annual travel insurance

As we mentioned earlier, annual travel insurance plans are less flexible compared to single trip plans. While this affects how many days are covered in one trip, it'll also limit what you can cover. For one, coverage limits are usually lower throughout the policy.

Most notably, annual travel insurance plans do not offer cancel for any reason coverage . To receive reimbursement for a canceled trip, you must have canceled for a covered reason, such as illness or a disaster at your travel destination. 

Depending on your provider, you may be able to add coverage for adventure sports injuries or purchase an adventure sports-specific policy, as these are not covered by standard travel insurance. 

"Annual travel insurance doesn't cover losses that arise from expected or reasonably foreseeable events," says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Travel Insurance . "If your trips involve high-risk adventure — like skydiving, caving, mountain climbing, or participating in any athletic competition — your annual policy may not cover medical care if you sustain injuries."

Your age, the number of trips you plan to take, where you live, and other factors will figure into the cost of your coverage. For a 30-year-old US resident taking an estimated eight trips per year, all for fewer than 30 days each, annual travel insurance plans cost roughly between $125 and $700 , according to an analysis of plans on travel insurance comparison platform SquareMouth. 

For example, under Seven Corner's travel insurance , one of the companies listed in our guide on the best international travel insurance companies for its long-term coverage, a 30-year-old US resident taking trips to eight destinations (including the US) would pay $375.50 for the annual plan with the lowest annual cancellation limit ($2,500) and $648 for the highest ($10,000). 

"The per-trip length of coverage is usually a determining factor of the cost," Shrivastava says. "The longer the trip duration, the more expensive the policy can be."

Since annual travel insurance plans cover you for a full year, consider purchasing your policy right before your first trip. Strategic purchase dates could help you stretch your coverage period to cover more travels, but don't ignore the drawbacks of this approach.

First, you could forget. A lot goes into preparing for a trip, so leaving your travel insurance until the last minute could cause it to fall through the cracks. If you do opt to wait, make sure you set an alarm or calendar reminder.

Additionally, if you wait too long, your policy may not cover any pre-existing medical conditions. Some travel insurance companies will only cover pre-existing conditions if you buy your policy within 14 days of making your first trip payment.

As Durazo puts it, "Whether you're choosing an individual or annual policy, the best time to purchase insurance is always at the same time as you book your travel."

Assess your travel needs

Annual travel insurance isn't right for everyone, but if you travel often, it might be a good fit. Before you take out your policy, have an idea of what travels you'll take in the next year, and use the following chart to help guide your decision.

"These plans are ideal for frequent travelers such as business travelers, digital nomads, or other avid travelers," Shrivastava says. "They aren't a fit for travelers who are only taking one or two trips per year or someone looking for a more comprehensive range of benefits."

Yes, many policies include an option to add family members when you buy your policy, though. However, terms will vary depending on the insurance provider.

Some insurers allow you to automatically renew your annual travel insurance when it expires, though you can also wait until you're going on another trip to re-purchase. You can cancel annual travel insurance at any time, but you will only receive a refund if you cancel within your policy's money-back guarantee period and your trip hasn't started yet.

Pre-existing conditions can be covered under an annual travel insurance plan as long as you meet certain requirements. Policies often require that you buy travel insurance within a certain number of days from when you placed a deposit on your trip, usually two to three weeks. Additionally, many travel insurance providers require that your condition is stable. 

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VHI Multitrip automatically charged to credit card?

• Thread starter PolkaDot
• Start date 4 Jan 2012

Registered User

Sorry, I know this strictly isn't health insurance but as it as a VHI related question I thought I might get a better answer here. My credit card has recently been automatically charged by VHI for their Multi-trip travel insurance. I bought this last year but I wasn't planning on renewing it so I'm a bit annoyed that they just automatically applied it. Has anyone had a similar experience of this? Are the VHI allowed to do this?  

I had a similar experience with a rival provider. You'll find there was probably a box you had to tick to confirm that you didn't want it taken each year after the initial year. I would imagine if you contact them directly they will sort it all out for you.  

We took out VHI multitrip in June 2010. I was asked if I wanted an automatic rollover in June 2011. I said yes. And it happened as I expected. It is also in the policy documents and letter I received in June 2010.  

I noticed this on my policy documentation too although I'm sure I didn't tick to automatically renew. I contacted them & they did refund me however.