Quick Answer
Cedar Tree Travel Insurance holds a Defaqto 5-star rating for 2025 and offers single-trip European cover from approximately £5. Annual multi-trip policies suit students travelling more than twice per year. Key extras include BagFinder (free luggage tracking) and the Doctor Please! app for medical consultations abroad. Pricing varies by age and declared medical history.
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What Is Cedar Tree Travel Insurance?
Table of Contents
Cedar Tree Travel Insurance is a UK travel insurance provider operated by Cover For You Insurance Group Limited. It offers single-trip and annual multi-trip policies for UK residents, with additional add-ons including winter sports, gadget, cruise, and car hire excess cover. The brand has won the Moneyfacts Travel Insurance Award and holds a Defaqto 5-star rating (2025), indicating it meets a high benchmark for policy features relative to price.
How Cedar Tree Travel Insurance Works
Cedar Tree policies are underwritten and distributed under the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). When you purchase a policy, you receive an Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and a full policy schedule — both required under FCA rules. Cover activates from the policy start date, not the purchase date.
Policy types available:
- Single Trip: Covers one journey from the UK. European cover starts from approximately £5. Worldwide cover pricing depends on destination, age, and medical history.
- Annual Multi-Trip: Covers an unlimited number of trips within a 12-month period, subject to a per-trip maximum duration (typically 31 or 45 days depending on the tier). More cost-effective if you travel more than twice per year.
- Add-ons: Winter sports, gadget cover, cruise cover, car hire excess insurance, and wedding cover are available as supplements.
Unique features: Cedar Tree includes BagFinder free with all policies — a service that helps locate lost baggage at airports, addressing one of the most common travel pain points. The Doctor Please! app allows policyholders to video-call a UK doctor while abroad for minor medical issues, with the ability to issue local prescriptions.
Key Benefits of Cedar Tree for Students
- Defaqto 5-star rated (2025): Independent assessment confirms Cedar Tree’s policy features rank in the top tier relative to price across the UK market.
- Competitive single-trip pricing: European single-trip cover starts at approximately £5, which is relevant for students taking short breaks or visiting home.
- BagFinder included free: No additional cost for luggage tracking on every policy — useful for students checking bags on budget airlines where lost luggage rates are higher.
- Doctor Please! app: Video consultation with a UK doctor while abroad reduces the risk of expensive private GP visits in countries where NHS reciprocal cover does not apply.
- Cedar Tree Plus loyalty scheme: Returning customers can save up to 20% on renewal — relevant if you plan to travel repeatedly across multiple academic years.
Risks and Limitations
Pre-existing medical conditions: Cedar Tree, like most standard travel insurers, requires declaration of pre-existing medical conditions at the point of purchase. Failure to declare accurately can result in claims being declined — this is not unique to Cedar Tree but is the most common reason UK travel insurance claims are rejected (FCA data). Students with ongoing health conditions should read the IPID carefully before purchasing.
Trip duration limits: Annual multi-trip policies include a per-trip maximum duration. Extended stays — such as a full academic semester abroad — may exceed the per-trip limit. Students studying abroad for more than 31 consecutive days will need to check whether a standard policy provides adequate cover or whether a specialist long-stay or student study-abroad policy is more appropriate.
Excess charges: All Cedar Tree policies include an excess — the amount you pay on each claim before the insurer contributes. Purchasing an excess waiver reduces out-of-pocket costs but adds to the premium. Students on tight budgets should factor this into their cost calculation rather than comparing headline premium prices alone.
Cedar Tree vs Competitors: Feature Comparison
| Provider | Defaqto Rating 2025 | BagFinder / Extras | Single Trip (Europe) From | FCA Regulated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Tree | 5 stars | BagFinder + Doctor app (free) | ~£5 | Yes |
| Post Office Travel Insurance | 5 stars | Standard cover | ~£8–12 | Yes |
| Aviva Travel Insurance | 5 stars | Strong medical focus | ~£10–15 | Yes |
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Illustrative Cost Calculation: Annual vs Single-Trip for a UK Student
Consider a student who travels home once per term (3 trips) and takes one additional holiday during summer — 4 trips per year, all within Europe.
Single-trip approach: 4 × £5 = £20 total annual spend (at Cedar Tree’s approximate European single-trip entry price).
Annual multi-trip approach: A Cedar Tree annual multi-trip policy for a UK resident in their early 20s with no pre-existing conditions typically costs less than £30–40 for European cover. At 4 trips, the per-trip effective cost falls below the single-trip price, and cover is unlimited in frequency.
Assumption disclosure: Pricing is indicative based on publicly available data and varies by age, destination, and declared medical history. Obtain a personalised quote for accurate figures. All prices correct as of June 2026.
For students who travel more than twice per year — including trips home during term breaks — an annual multi-trip policy tends to be cheaper per trip and administratively simpler than buying individual policies each time.
Analyst Note
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cedar Tree Travel Insurance good for students?
Cedar Tree holds a Defaqto 5-star rating for 2025, which independently confirms its policy features are competitive within the UK market. For students, the BagFinder service and Doctor Please! app are directly useful. Whether it is the optimal policy depends on your trip frequency, destination, and any pre-existing medical conditions — compare quotes before purchasing.
Does Cedar Tree cover studying abroad?
Standard Cedar Tree annual multi-trip policies include a per-trip maximum duration (commonly 31 or 45 days). A full academic semester typically exceeds this limit. Students studying abroad for an extended period should specifically check the trip duration cap in the IPID, or consider a specialist long-stay student policy.
How do I claim on Cedar Tree travel insurance?
Claims are submitted via the Cedar Tree website or by contacting their customer service team. You will need your policy number, evidence of the incident (medical receipts, police reports for theft, airline documentation for delays), and bank details for reimbursement. Filing promptly — ideally within 31 days of returning to the UK — reduces the risk of documentation gaps.
Conclusion
Cedar Tree Travel Insurance offers a competitive entry point for UK students needing single-trip or annual cover, backed by a Defaqto 5-star rating and practical extras like BagFinder and the Doctor Please! app. The critical step is reading the IPID before purchase — particularly trip duration limits and the pre-existing medical condition declaration requirements — to ensure the policy matches your actual travel pattern.