Planning an overseas trip in 2025? Travel insurance is not a nice-to-have; it is your financial safety net when medical emergencies, delays, or lost baggage threaten to derail your plans. South Africans have a strong selection of local insurers and bank-card benefits to choose from, plus medical-scheme travel benefits that can reduce the cost of standalone cover if used correctly. This guide explains what to look for, how much you can expect to pay, which providers stand out in 2025, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.
What excellent travel insurance looks like (2025 checklist)
When you compare policies, tick off the following essentials. Use this as your quick pre-purchase audit:
- Medical emergency cover of at least the equivalent of €30,000 for Schengen visas, but preferably much higher for destinations with expensive healthcare (the United States, for example). Schengen rules explicitly require a minimum of €30,000 including repatriation and validity across all Schengen states. (AXA Schengen)
- Medical evacuation and repatriation to South Africa or the nearest suitable facility. Many policies bundle evacuation under emergency medical benefits. (Hollard)
- 24/7 global assistance with a dedicated emergency line. Most leading South African policies include this. (brytesa.com)
- Trip cancellation, curtailment, delays, missed connections for non-refundable bookings. Useful when you have prepaid tours, cruises, or accommodation. (brytesa.com)
- Baggage and personal effects cover with sensible single-item limits and theft-from-person protection where available. (Hollard)
- Pre-existing conditions: confirm whether stabilised chronic conditions are covered, excluded, or require an upgrade. Some local products allow limited pre-existing cover or top-ups. (FNB)
- Age limits and senior cover: several South African options cover travellers well into their 80s; check trip-duration caps. (brytesa.com, Nedbank)
- Adventure sports and hazardous activities: many policies need an add-on for winter sports, scuba, or high-risk pursuits. Always check policy wordings and general exclusions. (Hollard)
- Infectious-disease disruption: look for explicit wording on quarantine, infectious or contagious diseases, and airspace closure. (brytesa.com, FNB)
How much does travel insurance cost in 2025?
As a global rule of thumb, comprehensive travel insurance costs about 4%–6% of total trip cost. If you are purchasing a medical-only policy (no cancellation), expect far less; recent marketplace data shows budget medical-only plans averaging about US$4.42 per travel day for a 23-day trip. South African Schengen-only policies can start from about R268 for short trips, but pricing rises with age, trip length, and extras such as sports cover. (Forbes, Squaremouth Travel Insurance, allianz-assistance-co-za)
The best travel insurance options for South Africans (2025)
Below are our category winners for international trips this year, with notes on who each option suits best.
Best overall range (families, solo, seniors): Bryte Travel Insurance
Bryte offers a broad suite of leisure, business, youth, and senior plans, with emergency medical cover, trip disruption benefits, baggage protection, and 24/7 assistance. The programme also includes cover for infectious and contagious diseases, and has targeted options for missed connections and airspace closures. Age eligibility is wide (from 3 months up to 89 years, depending on plan), making Bryte a dependable one-stop shop for most South Africans. (brytesa.com)
Why it stands out: Depth of plan types, senior coverage up to 89, and strong assistance benefits. Also, Bryte underwrites many South African bank credit-card travel insurance programmes, which makes top-ups and claims pathways familiar to many travellers. (brytesa.com)
Best for Schengen visa compliance: Allianz Assistance South Africa (Schengen Travel)
If you only need visa-compliant medical cover for Europe, Allianz sells Schengen-specific policies online in South Africa, starting from about R268. These meet the EU’s insurance requirements (minimum €30,000 medical cover and repatriation) and are simple to purchase for short city breaks and quick business trips. (allianz-assistance-co-za, AXA Schengen)
Tip: Ensure your policy dates fully cover entry and exit days and all countries on your itinerary, as required by Schengen rules. (AXA Schengen)
Best for frequent travellers and annual multi-trip: Santam Travel Insurance (TIC)
Travel Insurance Consultants (TIC), now integrated with Santam, has long been a heavyweight in South African travel cover. Besides single-trip policies, it offers flexible options for frequent and business travel, with Santam also providing dedicated business-travel solutions. If you take multiple overseas trips a year, an annual multi-trip plan can work out cheaper and simpler than repeated single-trip policies. (Santa M)
Best “free” cover via your bank card (with smart top-ups)
Several banks provide automatic basic international travel insurance if you buy return tickets on an eligible card. For most travellers this is a solid baseline, but limits and benefits vary, and you may need a top-up for longer trips, higher medical limits, or older ages:
- FNB Global Travel Insurance – basic cover when you pay for tickets with your qualifying FNB card; includes 24-hour assistance and downloadable schedule and policy wording. (FNB)
- Standard Bank – automatic cover up to 90 days for eligible cardholders, with optional top-up plans for higher benefits or longer trips (AIG is the underwriter). Corporate card policy wording was updated in 2025. (Standard Bank)
- Absa – up to 90 days automatic basic cover for qualifying cardholders ages 3 months to 74 years when the ticket is bought on the card. (Absa)
- Nedbank – highlights include free 24-hour assistance and options for senior travellers (75–89); some credit cards market headline medical limits (for example, Platinum’s promotional “up to R3 million”), but always confirm the current schedule before you fly. (Nedbank)
For context, Bryte is the official underwriter behind several of these bank-card programmes (Absa, Investec, Nedbank, SAA Voyager, Standard Bank, and others), which helps when you want to add top-up cover to the automatic benefits. (brytesa.com)
Best for seniors: Bryte Senior Plans (and card-linked senior options)
Where many policies taper off at 74 or 75, Bryte offers plans for older travellers up to age 89. If you rely on bank-card cover, Nedbank specifically promotes options for 75–89. Always check maximum trip duration and any pre-authorisation or medical assessment rules if you are in your 70s or 80s. (brytesa.com, Nedbank)
Best for adventure sports and complex itineraries: Comprehensive standalone policies (Hollard, Bryte, Santam/TIC)
If your trip involves skiing, scuba diving, trekking above certain altitudes, or other higher-risk activities, you will often need a policy with an adventure or hazardous activities upgrade. South African comprehensive policies from Hollard, Bryte, and Santam/TIC provide strong medical, cancellation and baggage protection and publish detailed policy wordings and general exclusions; read these carefully to confirm activity cover or required add-ons. (Hollard, brytesa.com, Santa M)
Best complement to travel insurance if you have a medical scheme
Many South African medical schemes now include International Travel Benefits for emergency medical treatment abroad, typically for trips up to 90 days. These do not replace travel insurance because they seldom include cancellation, baggage, or trip delay benefits, but they can reduce the amount of standalone medical cover you need:
- Discovery Health – emergency medical cover for 90 days outside South Africa, with detailed 2025 rules available. (Discovery)
- Momentum Medical Scheme – 2025 guidance outlines cover, co-payments for out-patient claims, terrorism sub-limits, and changes to age rules from 1 January 2025. (Momentum, Consolidated Wealth)
- Bonitas – 2025 documents confirm an international medical emergency benefit per trip (registration required before departure). (Qabonitas, Alexforbes Health)
If you rely on a scheme’s travel benefit, add a standalone travel policy for cancellations, baggage, and non-medical risks.
Quick comparison (headline traits)
| Provider / route | Best for | Typical strengths (headline) |
|---|---|---|
| Bryte Travel Insurance | Most travellers, including seniors | Broad plan range (leisure, business, youth, senior), infectious-disease wording, 24/7 assistance, wide age band (3 months to 89). (brytesa.com) |
| Allianz Assistance SA (Schengen) | Schengen visa travellers | EU-compliant cover, fast online purchase, pricing from about R268 for short trips. (allianz-assistance-co-za) |
| Santam / TIC | Frequent travellers; corporate | Longstanding market presence; annual and business travel options via Santam and TIC channel. (Santa M) |
| Bank card automatic cover (FNB, Standard Bank, Absa, Nedbank) | Cost-conscious travellers buying tickets on card | Baseline medical and disruption cover for trips up to 90 days; easy top-ups for higher limits or longer trips. (FNB, Standard Bank, Absa) |
| Medical-scheme travel benefits (Discovery, Momentum, Bonitas) | Members wanting medical emergency cover abroad | Emergency medical focus for up to 90 days; pair with standalone travel insurance for cancellations and baggage. (Discovery, Momentum) |
Visa notes for popular destinations
- Schengen Area (Europe): Proof of travel medical insurance is mandatory for most South Africans applying for a Schengen visa. Minimum €30,000 cover including repatriation, valid across all Schengen countries and for the entire stay. (AXA Schengen)
- United Kingdom: Travel insurance is not required for entry, but strongly recommended because the NHS does not cover visitors. (Squaremouth Travel Insurance)
- General advice: Government advisories frequently urge travellers to purchase evacuation, medical, and cancellation cover before departure. Insurers may exclude claims if you travel against official “do not travel” advisories or to sanctioned countries, which South African policies flag in their disclosures. (Travel.state.gov, Hollard Travel)
Card cover versus standalone policies (and when to add a top-up)
Automatic card benefits are a great start, but they are usually basic. Common gaps include lower medical limits, fewer cancellation triggers, shorter maximum trip lengths, and stricter age limits. Many banks allow you to buy a top-up that sits over the automatic cover. For example, Investec’s 2025 documentation explains complimentary cover for up to 90 days, with optional top-ups to extend and expand benefits. Standard Bank’s 2025 corporate wording and exclusions also set out how 90-day basic cover works and when to purchase optional plans. (Bryte Travel Insurance, Standard Bank)
When to add top-up cover:
- You are travelling longer than 30–90 days (depending on your card).
- You are over 75 and your basic card cover cuts off or reduces.
- You want higher cancellation limits or Cancel For Any Reason options where available.
- You need cover for adventure sports or pre-existing conditions that the base policy excludes. (FNB, Standard Bank)
Common exclusions and “gotchas”
Even excellent policies have fine print. A recent South African bank article reminds travellers that what is not covered can be as important as what is covered. Watch for: high-risk sports without an upgrade, travelling into areas with civil unrest against official advice, alcohol-related incidents, non-emergency treatment, and unapproved pre-existing conditions. Read your insurer’s policy wording and general exclusions before you buy. (Investec, Hollard)
How to claim without headaches
- Save everything: booking invoices, doctors’ reports, test results, police reports for theft, airline delay letters, and baggage irregularity reports.
- Contact the 24/7 assistance line immediately before large medical expenses or hospital admissions. Many South African policies require pre-authorisation for hospital treatment abroad. (Qabonitas)
- Report loss or theft to local authorities within the time limit stated in your policy.
- Submit claims promptly using the insurer’s forms and keep copies of all documents. Major local insurers provide online claim portals and step-by-step guides. (Hollard Travel)
Practical picks by traveller type
- City-hopping to Europe with minimal prepaids: Allianz Schengen policy for visa compliance; add a small baggage top-up if needed. (allianz-assistance-co-za)
- Family holiday with several flights and tours: Comprehensive plan from Bryte or Santam/TIC for wide cancellation and delay cover plus robust medical benefits. (brytesa.com, Santa M)
- Frequent flyer for work: Consider an annual multi-trip product (Santam/TIC) or a corporate solution if your employer allows it. (Santa M)
- Over-75 explorer: Choose a senior-friendly plan such as Bryte Senior or use Nedbank’s senior options if you qualify via card, then add any sport or cruise upgrades you need. (brytesa.com, Nedbank)
- Cardholder on a tight budget: Activate your bank’s automatic cover by buying your tickets with the card, then purchase a top-up for higher medical limits or cancellation. (FNB, Standard Bank)
Frequently asked questions
Do medical schemes make travel insurance unnecessary?
No. Discovery, Momentum, Bonitas and others provide emergency medical benefits abroad (usually for 90 days), but they do not cover trip cancellation, missed connections, baggage, or many non-medical costs. Combine your scheme benefit with a standalone policy if you have prepaid travel or need disruption cover. (Discovery, Momentum, Qabonitas)
Is travel insurance mandatory?
It depends on where you go. Schengen visas require proof of medical cover. The United Kingdom and many other destinations do not require it for entry, but authorities strongly recommend having medical and evacuation insurance. (AXA Schengen, Squaremouth Travel Insurance, Travel.state.gov)
When should I buy?
Buy as soon as you pay for non-refundable flights or accommodation so that cancellation benefits attach immediately. Many card benefits require that you pay with the card and travel within certain timeframes, so check the policy certificate. (FNB)
How much cover is enough for medical?
For Schengen, at least €30,000. For the United States or destinations with expensive private healthcare, aim materially higher; South African credit-card schedules commonly quote several million rand for emergency medical expenses, but verify the current limits for your card and age. (AXA Schengen, FNB)
Are infectious diseases covered in 2025?
Coverage varies. Several local policies specify benefits for infectious and contagious diseases and even quarantine allowances, but always confirm the latest wording for your plan. (brytesa.com, FNB)
Bottom line: our 2025 Rateweb verdict
- Best overall for most South Africans: Bryte Travel Insurance (broad plan range, senior options up to 89, robust assistance and disruption benefits). (brytesa.com)
- Best for Schengen: Allianz Assistance SA (Schengen) for quick, visa-compliant medical cover from about R268. (allianz-assistance-co-za)
- Best for frequent flyers: Santam/TIC, including annual and business solutions. (Santa M)
- Best budget starting point: your bank card’s automatic cover when you buy flights on the card, then top up as needed. (FNB, Standard Bank)
- Best complement for members: use your medical scheme’s international emergency benefit for medical costs and pair it with a standalone travel policy for cancellations, delays, and baggage. (Discovery)
A well-chosen policy will feel invisible when things go right and invaluable when they do not. Before you hit “book,” check your visa requirements, list your prepaid costs, confirm age and activity limits, and pick the policy that actually matches your trip. That is how you travel in 2025 with genuine peace of mind.
Lethabo Ntsoane holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting from the University of South Africa. He is a Financial Product commentator at Rateweb. He is an expect financial product analyst with years of experience in reviewing products and offering commentary. Lethabo majors in financial news, reviews and financial tips.
He can be contacted:
Email: lethabo@rateweb.co.za
Twitter: @NtsoaneLethabo
