Columbus Direct travel insurance review

Columbus Direct has existed as a brand since 1988, and has covered over 15 million holidaymakers in this time.

It's owned by Collinson Insurance Services, which itself is a trading name of Astrenska Insurance Limited.

Columbus Direct offers three levels of cover – Bronze, Silver and Gold – though for added premiums, you can attach various optional modules to add extra protection, such as for Covid-19 or airspace closure.

Its policies are underwritten by Collinson Insurance.

Please note that the information in this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice. Please refer to the particular terms and conditions of an insurer before committing to any financial products.

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Does Columbus Direct offer the best travel insurance?

See our full list of the best travel insurance.

What does Columbus Direct's travel insurance cover?

'Two imperfect but worthwhile Best Buys'

Dean Sobers, Which? travel insurance expert, says:

Columbus Direct's Gold and Silver policies were both Best Buys in our analysis. With 66% and 64% respectively, they just about vaulted our Best Buy bar of 64%.

The Gold policy boasts low excesses as standard when you claim (£50), and with all three policies you can opt to waive all excesses if you purchase the 'Zero excess' add-on.

The two policies also have high levels of cover if you miss outgoing, connecting or returning parts of your journey because of earlier transport delays. Gold will pay up to £1,500 (£750 if it's a missed connecting flight) to get you back on track. Silver will pay half this – a still reasonable cover level of £750 (£500 for missed connections).

However, the devil can be in the details. Various parts of the policy (such as the excess waiver) come in the form of add-ons, so check your policy is configured to your taste before buying it. We also noticed that certain causes of disruption, such as natural catastrophes (like earthquakes or hurricanes) or terrorist events, are excluded unless you've purchased optional 'Extended Trip Disruption' cover.

Hospital benefits

If you're hospitalised, travel insurance's core function is funding the costs of emergency treatment. But separate costs, such as meals or parking charges, can accrue while you're laid up. 

Gold provides a 'hospital benefit' here of £40 a day up to a total of £2,000, with Silver providing £30 each rate up to £1,500. In both cases, these are higher than average.

Bronze policy

Columbus Direct's Bronze policy covered most of the same things as Silver and Gold, but less extensively. Its lower cover levels place it in the bottom 40% of policies we assessed, with a score of 59%. 

For example it had a baggage claims limit of £500, compared with £2,500 for the Gold policy. And even if you made a claim for £500 of losses, you'd only be able to claim for £350 of it, with a standard excess of £150 applying (unless you'd opted to buy the zero excess add-on).

Is Columbus Direct good if you have a medical condition?

Columbus Direct will consider covering medical conditions if you declare them when obtaining a quote.

It works with a medical screening company called Verisk to ask customers about their medical conditions.    

Columbus Direct isn't a specialist provider for customers with pre-existing medical conditions, but this doesn't necessarily mean it won't be able to cover your medical condition at a reasonable price.

However, if you are struggling to obtain cover, check our guide on travel insurance if you have a medical condition.

How good is Columbus Direct at handling claims?

Columbus Direct's claims are dealt with in-house.

• The most recent data from the Financial Conduct Authority shows that Columbus Direct's underwriter, Astrenska Insurance Limited, paid out 90-95% of claims made on annual European policies in 2024, beating the market average of 86.30%.
• It was also above average (84.5%) with payout rates on worldwide policies, accepting 90-95% of claims.
• It accepted 85-90% of claims on single trip policies, compared to an average of 80%  

Columbus Direct's travel insurance: how can I claim?

For medical emergencies, call +44 (0)144 444 2390.  

To make non-emergency claims, call 0208 865 1654. You can also claim online. 

Insurers will usually expect you to try recouping lost costs (such as deposits) elsewhere before claiming with them, for example checking with the travel provider if you're entitled to a refund or can move a cancelled trip. However, you can still call the insurer to let them know if there's a chance you will need to claim.    

You'll need your policy document and policy number when you call.

• Find out more: how to claim on your travel insurance

How does Columbus Direct compare with other providers?

Columbus Direct's Gold policy, with 66%, closely followed Explorer's Level 5 policy, InsureandGo's Black cover, Leisure Guard's Standard policy, NatWest's Silver and Platinum packaged bank accounts, Outbacker's Platinum policy,  RBS' Silver and Platinum packaged accounts, Tesco's Standard policy, and Travel Insurance Saver's Silver cover. These each earned 67%.

Behind it, with 65%, was All Clear's Gold policy (a Best Buy), Axa's Silver policy, Cedar Tree's Gold policy, Cover For You's Gold Cover, Explorer's Level 4 cover, Free Spirit's Super Duper policy, Great Cover's Platinum policy, Holidaysafe's Premier Plus policy (a best buy), Insure & Escape's Premium policy and InsureandGo's Gold policy (a Best Buy). 

Should you buy Columbus Direct travel insurance?

Potentially, if the price is right: although not the highest scorers in the analysis, two of Columbus Direct's policies were Best Buys, so definitely worth considering.

How we rate travel insurance