If you are planning a getaway to beat the winter blues, travel insurance will probably be the last thing on your mind. You’d be forgiven for thinking of topping up your Vitamin D levels over looking for an insurance policy, but the latter could prove to be invaluable should something go amiss whilst on your dream holiday.
Medical bills, cancellation fees and repatriation can cost an arm and a leg and run into tens of thousands of £’s. Not to mention the mental anguish of knowing you will have to foot the bill yourself.
Save yourself time and hassle and take a look at the following tips to make sure you get the cover you need without any hiccups:
10 Top Tips
1: Be honest; when applying for your travel insurance policy, make sure you are as honest as possible. If you fail to inform the insurer of any pre-existing medical conditions that could result in a claim, you could find your policy is void just when you really need it. It may mean paying a little more for your cover but you can be sure you are covered for every eventuality having supplied the company with accurate information.
2: Get an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card); if you are travelling in any of the EU member countries (check the EHIC website for exclusions) this is a must-have. Free to sign up for with your National Insurance Number and invaluable should you need emergency health care. The card entitles you to free or reduced rate medical care within Europe and will help you to avoid any unnecessary delays in receiving treatment.
3: Don’t make price the deciding factor; cheapest isn’t always best when it comes to choosing a travel insurance policy. Opting for a policy on price alone could mean that you loose some cover and receive drastically reduced cover levels and higher excesses. Balance the price with the cover level and choose a policy that is cost effective but comprehensive. Make sure you receive a minimum medical cover of at least £1 million (£2 million for US).
4: What policy type to choose; if you only tend to get away once or twice each year then you only need to purchase a single trip policy before each break. If you are a regular traveller you should consider a multi-trip policy which will cover you for a number of trips and a longer duration (usually saving you money in the process). For the backpacker there is a policy to suit that will cover you for as long as you need and take into account the variety of destinations you may be planning to visit. There are even policies for families, groups and stag/hen weekends, all usually a more cost effective option than booking separately.
5: Don’t forget the excesses; most insurance policies have excesses in some form or another (the amount you will have to contribute should you make a claim) but these can be higher on some policies than others (usually on cheaper offerings). Pay careful attention to how much you will have to pay out on each type of cover the prospective policy offers and opt for travel insurance that has a good balance between excess amounts and initial cost to buy. Excesses can be so high in some cases that it is not worth claiming unless the value of the claim far exceeds them.
6: Exclusions; every policy will have its exclusions so it is highly recommended that you read the small print thoroughly when purchasing a new policy. One common exclusion is the use of alcohol or drugs which could be used to dismiss a claim should evidence be found of their consumption. Dangerous activities are also a common exclusion such as: scuba diving, bungee jumping, climbing and skiing. If you plan on taking part in any of these it is worth looking for specialist cover.
7: Compare and compare some more; to make sure you get the best possible fit vs. best possible price for you travel insurance policy, you should compare a number of offerings from different insurers. Aim to shortlist 2-3 policies and then compare the levels of cover each offers to make sure you find the best fit. Price comparison sites will help you to do this without the legwork of having to enter your details for each different insurer.
8: Don’t let the Travel Agent package insurance; every year millions of Brit’s overspend on their travel insurance by £1.3 billion (according to research by Alliance & Leicester). Packaged travel insurance is quite often more expensive than buying a standalone policy and cover may be limited.
9: Are you already covered; some bank accounts and credit cards now award the account holder with free travel insurance. It is worth checking if you have this and examining the cover levels to see if this will provide adequate protection for your trip. Don’t be tempted to take out more than one policy, contrary to what you might think, doubling up cover will not give you twice the protection and payout – you could even find that you slow the claims process by doing so.
10: 24 hour helpline; when comparing prospective policies, try to look for a product that gives you emergency help and advice in the form of 24 hour helpline. This should be accessible from any country you travel to and will give you peace of mind and speedy help and advice should you need it.
Once you’ve got your travel insurance policy in the bag you can enjoy planning every last detail for your upcoming holiday; safe in the knowledge that you have the best policy to suit your needs at an affordable price.
