To be clear, there are some things that none of these policies cover: if you simply decide not to travel, if your business meeting gets canceled, if you have a child-care emergency. On the plus side, most of the policies cover acts of terrorism (which, sadly, is becoming more of a realistic possibility these days).

Here, then, is a rundown on the five most popular annual travel-insurance policies on the market. Keep in mind that coverage varies from policy to policy and state by state (insurance laws differ by state). It’s also important to note that with any insurance policy, understanding the fine print can be challenging, which is why we recommend calling for more details.

In a list of top tips, the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) explains that medical bills and an air ambulance can reach more than £25,000 in costs in South Africa.

Without travel insurance in place, the individual concerned would be expected to pay these costs back.

Travel insurance cover that includes belongings may also be a wise investment in light of the risks of theft.

“With the high levels of crime it is also important to insure any possessions you take with you,” the FCO urges of travellers.

The news comes as the FCO launches Be on the Ball, a campaign encouraging football fans to make sure they are well prepared for the sporting spectacular.

Other recommendations include the suggestion that passports should have two blank pages before leaving the UK.

According to tour operator Rhino Africa, the most popular spots include flagship city Cape Town and the world-famous Kruger National Park.

Anton De Wit, reservations manager at Rhino Africa, said: “You can find Cape Town which is a bit like Barcelona. You can do a normal safari without malaria issues and next year we are hosting the World Cup. You have the whole world in one country.”

More than 40 hotels have recently opened across South Africa, which could be convenient for travel insurance customers thinking of visiting.

Other activities on offer include whale watching and swimming with dolphins – both of which are on offer around South Africa’s picturesque coastline.

Figures released by South African Tourism earlier this month reveal that the number of Britons visiting the country increased by 6.8 per cent between August 2008 and August 2009.

Taking out expat health insurance should be a top priority for people making a move overseas, particularly if their destination has a weak healthcare infrastructure, Shelter Offshore has advised.

According to the expat advice site, international health insurance is also a sensible idea for workers travelling regularly on business, as this will provide cover in any country they fall ill or have an accident in.

“You have to make sure that your insurance is broad enough in terms of its geographical cover to make sure that you’re not uninsured if you leave your own home country,” the site declared.

The site advises that although in some circumstances expats may have access to public healthcare services by making contributions to the national system, procedures to do so must be followed carefully.

In a separate guide, the site urged expats to take protecting their health overseas as seriously as protecting their money.

Generally speaking, you can purchase single trip travel insurance to cover three areas; Europe, Worldwide and Worldwide with exclusions. These exclusions tend to be travel to areas like the Caribbean, USA and Canada where claims tend to be more expensive. Check your policy details to make sure you have chosen the right territory – for example, some providers include Tunisia under their European cover, while others don’t.

It is also very important to check the details of your single trip travel insurance policy very carefully to check the cover meets your needs. If it does prove to be unsuitable, you should be able to obtain a refund within 14 days of taking out the policy provided your trip has not already begun and you have not made a claim on the policy.

A good single trip travel insurance policy should offer cover for emergency medical expenses, cancellation, curtailment, personal possessions, personal liability and legal expenses. Many single trip travel insurance policies offer the option to exclude baggage cover for a discount – this is worth doing if you already have “away from home” cover for your personal belongings on your home contents insurance policy, or don’t feel that you need cover for this.

You may also have encountered something called “excess waiver” on some single trip travel insurance policies. Basically, the excess is an amount that you pay whenever you make a certain type of claim. By paying a small addition premium for “excess waiver” you can eliminate this cost.

If you are planning a ski or snowboard trip, it is important to find single trip travel insurance which offers cover for this. Similarly if you are going on an adventure holiday, check that the single trip travel insurance policy offers cover for any hazardous activities you are taking part in before you go.

Single trip travel insurance is available from a number of places. If you booked your holiday through a travel agent you will probably have been offered their policy, but remember you are not obliged to take this and it can work out very expensive. Thanks to comparison sites such as Moneysupermarket it is easier than ever to compare single trip travel insurance premiums, and as a result the market has become very competitive.

Don’t be tempted to try and save money by traveling without single trip travel insurance – the cost of sorting out even a small problem will probably outweigh the premium you paid, and bills for medical emergencies can run into many thousands of pounds.