Travel insurance isn’t mandatory for South Africans, but it’s strongly recommended due to high medical costs and security risks. For example, private hospital care abroad can exceed R35,000 for a short stay, and medical evacuation can cost more than R350,000.

Top 20 Cheapest Travel Insurance in South Africa 

International Travel Insurance

Cheapest Options (14-day trip, 25-year-old):

Rank	Insurer	Policy	Est. Price	Excess	Key Feature
1	HelloSafe	Globe Traveller	R200–R300	R500	Affordable short-term cover
2	HelloSafe	Tourist Card	R250–R350	R750	Fast claims, good value
3	HelloSafe	Cap Assistance 24/24	R300–R400	R500	24/7 support, no age increase
4	HelloSafe	Globe Partner	R350–R450	R800	Extended stays, telemedicine
5	HelloSafe	World Travel	R400–R500	R600	Emergency evacuation specialists
6	HelloSafe	HelloTravel Premium	R450–R550	R500	High medical cover (R2m)
7	Hepstar	Zero Excess Plan	R350–R500	R0	No excess payment
8	Hepstar	Standard Plan	R250–R400	R1,000–R5,000	Basic coverage
9	Momentum Medical Scheme	Emergency Travel (add-on)	Included	R2,280	R5M–R9M cover for members
10	Discovery Health	Travel Cover	Included	Varies	Medical aid members only

Domestic Travel Insurance

Domestic travel insurance is far cheaper than international cover. A one-week policy typically costs R60–R450 per person, depending on trip length and coverage.

Cheapest Domestic Options (7–14 days):

Rank	Insurer	Policy	7 Days	14 Days	Key Feature
11	HelloSafe	World Travel	R60–R100	R100–R150	Direct hospital billing
12	HelloSafe	HelloTravel Premium	R70–R110	R120–R180	Strong medical + baggage cover
13	HelloSafe	Cap Assistance 24/24	R80–R120	R130–R200	Adventure activities included
14	HelloSafe	Tourist Card	R90–R130	R140–R220	Fast claims, pre-existing condition options
15	HelloSafe	Globe Traveller	R80–R120	R130–R200	Good for self-drive trips
16	HelloSafe	Globe Partner	R100–R150	R160–R250	Digital claims, emergency cash advance
17	Hepstar	Zero Excess Domestic	R120–R180	R180–R280	No excess payment
18	Hepstar	Standard Domestic	R70–R120	R110–R180	Basic coverage with excess
19	Broker	Domestic Safari Cover	R200–R350	R250–R400	Specialised for remote areas
20	Bank Credit Card	Travel Insurance	R0–R150	R0–R200	Complimentary, limited cover

Annual / Multi-Trip Insurance

For frequent travellers (3+ trips per year), annual policies are more cost-effective than buying multiple single-trip covers.

Examples:

• 3 business trips to London: R2,500–R4,200 (vs R3,000–R5,400 single-trip).
• Family holidays + regional trips: R3,800–R6,500 (vs R5,000–R8,000).
• 6-month round-the-world trip: R8,500–R15,000 (vs R15,000–R25,000).
• 3 trips to Australia (21 days each): R4,500–R7,800 (vs R6,000–R10,000).

Savings range from 20% to 40% depending on travel frequency.

Zero Excess Travel Insurance Explained

Most policies require an excess/deductible of R1,000–R5,000 per claim. Zero excess policies eliminate this, meaning you receive the full claim amount.

Comparison Example (14-day trip, R5,000 loss):

Policy	Excess	Premium	Claim Payout
Standard	R2,500	R250–R350	R2,500
Zero Excess	R0	R350–R500	R5,000

Best For:

• Frequent travellers (multiple claims).
• Families with children (small incidents common).
• Business travellers (cannot afford delays).
• Adventure travellers (higher risk of minor losses).

Comparison of Key Features

International Travel Insurance (HelloSafe examples):

• Medical cover: R1.5m–R2m depending on plan.
• Deductibles: R500–R800.
• Trip cancellation: R20,000–R25,000.
• Baggage cover: R12,000–R15,000.
• Adventure sports: included in some plans, optional in others.

Domestic Travel Insurance (HelloSafe examples):

• Medical cover: R80,000–R150,000.
• Deductibles: R400–R600.
• Emergency transport: R20,000–R25,000.
• Trip cancellation: R10,000–R15,000.
• Baggage cover: R7,000–R8,000.

Cheapest Options by Traveller Type

Students & Young Adults (under 30):

• Globe Traveller (International): R200–R300.
• Tourist Card (International): R250–R350.
• Standard Domestic (Domestic): R70–R120.

Families with Children:

• Cap Assistance 24/24 (Domestic): R240–R360 for 7 days (family of 4).
• HelloTravel Premium (Domestic): R280–R440.
• Family Annual Plan (International): R3,800–R6,500 per year.

Seniors (65+):

• HelloTravel Premium: no age-based price increase.
• Globe Traveller: premiums unchanged after age 60.
• Momentum Medical Scheme: requires pre-notification for over 70s.

Business Travellers:

• Globe Partner: R3,500–R5,500 annually, with high-value item protection.
• HelloTravel Premium: R4,000–R6,000, with family/business add-ons.
• Annual Multi-Trip: R2,500–R4,200 for 3 trips.

FAQs

• Is travel insurance required? No, but strongly recommended.
• Cheapest domestic cover? R60–R100 (HelloSafe World Travel).
• Cheapest international cover? R200–R300 (HelloSafe Globe Traveller).
• Does medical aid cover travel? Momentum and Discovery include international emergency cover, but with strict requirements.
• Do credit cards include travel insurance? Yes, some (FNB, ABSA, Standard Bank) offer complimentary cover if flights are booked with the card.
• Single-trip vs annual? Single-trip covers one journey; annual covers multiple trips (30–90 days each).
• Excess/deductible? Standard policies: R1,000–R5,000. Zero excess eliminates this cost.
• Pre-existing conditions? Must be declared; premiums may be higher.

Conclusion

Travel insurance in South Africa can be extremely affordable if you choose wisely:

• Budget travellers: HelloSafe Globe Traveller or Tourist Card.
• Families: Cap Assistance 24/24 or HelloTravel Premium.
• Frequent travellers: Annual multi-trip policies save 20–40%.
• Seniors: HelloTravel Premium avoids age-based increases.
• Zero excess seekers: Hepstar Zero Excess plans.
• Medical aid members: Check Momentum or Discovery benefits before buying extra cover.

Final Advice: The cheapest policy isn’t always the best value. Always ensure adequate medical cover (at least R1.5m internationally), evacuation, and cancellation protection. Read the fine print, declare pre-existing conditions, and buy early to maximize benefits.