Explorer Travel Insurance

What Explorer Travel Insurance does

Explorer Travel Insurance is a UK-domiciled insurance broker (legal entity: Explorer Insurance Services Limited, company registration 7496730) operating from Westcliff on Sea, Essex, with FCA authorisation (FRN 583108). Founded in 2011, the company specialises in retail travel insurance for UK residents, organised around five core product lines: Single Trip, Annual Multi Trip, Cruise, Winter Sports, and Backpacker policies. Each product is offered at five coverage levels with configurable cancellation cover from £750 to £10,000 per person per trip, and includes up to £10 million in medical expenses cover, 24-hour worldwide emergency medical assistance, and standard gadget cover. A no-maximum-age policy on single trips and inclusion in the BIBA medical conditions directory position the firm as a specialist for older travellers and those with pre-existing conditions.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through a self-serve quote engine at explorerinsurance.co.uk, supplemented by UK-based phone sales advisors available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. All policies are placed with a single primary underwriter, AWP P&C S.A. (Allianz Partners), authorised by ACPR in France and regulated by the FCA in the UK. Gadget cover is underwritten separately by Collinson Insurance through Bastion Insurance Services Limited. Operational partners include Claims Settlement Agencies for general claims, The Oxford Claims Company for gadget claims, and iTravel Incorporated (iT Affinity) for 24/7 worldwide emergency medical assistance.

Revenue is generated through commissions on insurance premiums charged to customers, with IPT at 20% included in all displayed prices. Distribution is UK-domestic only, restricted to residents of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. Ancillary travel services (airport parking, hotels, lounges) are offered through a partnership with Holiday Extras, and ineligible customers are referred to Europasure Travel Insurance. The company is privately held with no disclosed parent, investor, or acquisition activity.

Name

Explorer Travel Insurance

Legal name

Explorer Insurance Services Limited

Website

https://explorerinsurance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Explorer Travel Insurance is a UK FCA-authorised insurance broker founded in 2011, selling direct-to-consumer travel insurance (single trip, annual multi-trip, cruise, winter sports, backpacker) to UK residents, with policies underwritten by Allianz Partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Insurance

NAICS

Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel Medical Insurance (Individual) (FSAIAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Travel & Corporate Travel Accident Insurance (FSAJAJAK), Travel Insurance & Protection Products (Cruise-Specific) (THAEAFAL), Adventure Sports & High-Risk Activity Travel/Accident Insurance (FSAJAJAL)

Keywords

• Travel insurance
• Trip cancellation cover
• Winter sports insurance
• Cruise insurance
• Pre-existing medical cover

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel Insurance Premiums: Explorer Travel Insurance earns revenue through insurance premiums charged to customers for travel insurance coverage. IPT (Insurance Premium Tax) at 20% is included in all prices. The company acts as an insurance broker placing policies with underwriters Allianz Partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Explorer Travel Insurance is a UK-authorised insurance broker that sells travel insurance policies to UK residents underwritten by Allianz Partners (AWP P&C S.A.). The product portfolio includes Single Trip, Annual Multi Trip, Cruise, Winter Sports, and Backpacker policies, with five cover levels, optional cancellation amounts from £750 to £10,000, and standard gadget cover. Policies are sold directly online through a quote engine and via phone-based UK customer service advisors.

Product overview

Explorer Travel Insurance offers a portfolio of travel insurance products organized by trip type: Single Trip, Annual Multi Trip, Cruise, Winter Sports, and Backpacker policies. All policies include standard Gadget Cover as a built-in feature. The company operates exclusively online with optional phone support, providing coverage through underwriter Allianz Partners (AWP P&C S.A.) with Gadget Cover underwritten by Bastion Insurance Services Limited. Travel Extras (airport parking, hotels, lounges) are available as an add-on via Holiday Extras partnership. Policies are available at five coverage levels (Direct Levels 1-5, Platinum Lite/Platinum, Gold/Gold Plus, Backpacker/Backpacker Plus) with varying benefit levels and optional excess waiver.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Trip Travel Insurance Single trip travel insurance for UK residents covering beach holidays, city breaks, cruises, and sightseeing trips, with no maximum age limit. Covers individuals, couples, families, and single parent families for trips up to 90 days across UK, EU, Australia/New Zealand, and worldwide destinations.
• Annual Multi Trip Travel Insurance Year-round multi-trip policy providing unlimited trips for frequent UK travellers, including city breaks, beach holidays, sightseeing trips, and cruises. Start date must be within 60 days of purchase.
• Cruise Travel Insurance Specialist cruise holiday insurance for Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, Rhine, Nile, and other cruise destinations. Included as standard on single trip and annual multi trip policies, with optional additional cruise cover upgrades.
• Winter Sports Travel Insurance Ski and snowboard insurance with equipment protection, piste closure compensation, and off-piste cover when accompanied by a qualified guide or instructor. Available up to age 65 on single trip policies.
• Backpacker Travel Insurance Long-term travel insurance for extended trips covering 100+ adventure activities as standard, with optional protection for 70 additional hazardous pursuits. Available to customers aged 35 and below.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to £10 million medical expenses cover available
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Holiday ExtrasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExplorer has partnered with Holiday Extras to offer customers discounted airport parking, airport hotels, and airport lounges. Holiday Extras is the market leader with 200 car parks, 70,000 spaces at 29 UK airports, and 165 hotels at 25 UK airports.
• British Insurance Brokers' Association (BIBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBIBA offers a travel insurance directory for people with serious pre-existing medical conditions. Explorer is listed in this directory. BIBA call centre available on 0370 950 1790, Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm for enquiries.
• Europasure Travel InsuranceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrusted partner referral arrangement for EU residents or UK residents who have already begun their trip. Explorer directs customers who don't meet UK residency requirements to Europasure for alternative coverage.
• Claims Settlement AgenciescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThird-party claims handler for non-emergency travel insurance claims. Located at 308-314 London Road, Hadleigh, Benfleet, Essex SS7 2DD. Handles claim submission and processing for Explorer policies.
• The Oxford Claims CompanycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialist gadget cover claims handler. Located at Temple Court Mews, 109 Oxford Road, Oxford OX4 2ER. Handles all gadget cover claims for Explorer policies. Email: [email protected], Phone: 01865 745566.
• iTravel Incorporated (iT Affinity)coreTechnology or IntegrationMedical Emergency Assistance Company providing 24/7 worldwide emergency medical assistance. Available 365 days a year for serious illness or accident abroad requiring hospitalisation or early return. Contact: +44 (0) 1444 465553, [email protected].
• Allianz Partners (AWP P&C S.A.)coreOthersPrimary underwriter for Explorer Travel Insurance policies. AWP P&C S.A. is a French company authorised in France and acting through its UK Branch. Authorised and regulated by ACPR in France; in the UK subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.
• Bastion Insurance Services LimitedcoreOthersGadget cover provider for Explorer Travel Insurance policies. Gadget cover is underwritten by Collinson Insurance and handled by The Oxford Claims Company.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• LV= Travel Insurance: UK general insurer with travel as one line in a multi-product portfolio. Competes on aggregator channels for similar customers but does not specialise in Explorer's medical-condition or older-traveller niches.
• Direct Line Travel Insurance: UK personal-lines insurer including travel insurance. A broader incumbent that overlaps with Explorer across consumer travel cover but at significantly greater scale and product breadth.
• Post Office Travel Insurance: High-recall UK high-street brand distributing travel insurance as part of a broad financial services portfolio. Competes for the same consumer travel insurance wallet but as one product within a much wider offering.
• MoneySupermarket (Travel Insurance): UK price-comparison platform that aggregates travel insurance providers including direct competitors such as Explorer-relevant brands. Functions as a key acquisition channel for the category in which Explorer competes.

Direct peers

• Staysure: Large UK direct-to-consumer travel insurance provider, also known for catering to older travellers and those with medical conditions. Closely comparable in target customer, underwriting model, and direct online distribution to Explorer.
• Avanti Travel Insurance: UK specialist travel insurance provider targeting customers with pre-existing medical conditions, with a comparable call-centre-assisted distribution model and BIBA-directory presence.
• AllClear Travel Insurance: UK-based specialist travel insurance provider focused on customers with pre-existing medical conditions. Like Explorer, it is a broker-listed underwriter structure and competes head-to-head for the BIBA medical-directory customer, including Explorer via the BIBA directory.
• Columbus Direct Travel Insurance: Established UK travel insurance brand offering single trip, annual multi-trip and cruise cover via direct online and phone channels, comparable in product scope and customer type to Explorer.
• Saga Travel Insurance: Specialist UK over-50s brand offering travel insurance. Targets the same older-traveller demographic that Explorer addresses with its no-age-cap single trip policy, with comparable product depth in medical and cancellation cover.
• InsureandGo: UK-focused direct travel insurance brand offering single, annual, and cruise cover through online channels. Operates a similar broker/underwriter model and competes for the same aggregator-discoverable consumer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ExplorerTravelInsurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/explorer-insurance-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Explorer Travel Insurance