Travel Insurance

	Compare single, annual and long term travel insurance policies

Travel and holiday insurance for travel in the UK and for international travel; what travel insurance and holiday insurance you may need. How annual travel insurance works and why you may need to take out separate ski insurance.

• Why do I need travel insuranceWhat health cover is already availableWhat cover can I expect from a travel insurance policyIs it really worth shopping around for travel insuranceDo I need extra insurance cover if I am taking my car abroadIs it worth buying an annual travel insurance policyWhy do I need special insurance for a skiing holidayCan I get free travel insurance cover from my credit card issuerWhat kind of cover should I be buying What potential problems are not covered by travel insuranceWhat things do I need to take with me when I go abroadCheck out our travel insurance service .Top of Pagewww.dh.gov.uktravellers . It is worth remembering that even in countries with which the UK has health care agreements you will need a certain amount of insurance.What travel insurance do you needTop of Pagethe right travel insurance !Top of PageCompare travel insurance costs now.Top of PageMotor Insurers Bureau website . You should also consider an international roadside assistance policy. Standard travel insurance policies will not cover you when driving abroad.motor insurance policyTop of PageCompare annual and single trip travel insurance .Top of Pageour travel insurance service now!Top of Pagecredit card dealTop of Pagethe right travel insurance for you.Top of PageAir Travel Organisers Licensing ATOL scheme which makes sure customers get refunds in the event of insolvency and also runs a consumer helpline.Association of British Travel Agents and Tour Operators ABTA ; the Association of Independent Tour Operators AITO ; the Federation of Tour Operators FTO ; the Passenger Shipping Association PSA ; and the Travel Trust Association .our tourist rates .Top of PageForeign Office to determine up-to-date conditions in your destination and also for any advice on specific precautions that you should be taking.The right travel insurance will stop a disaster from being a nightmare.Top of PageMoneyextra.com

Why do I need travel insurance

Every year UK residents make around 59 million overseas journeys. Source Department of Health website We buy travel insurance for the same reason we purchase any insurance policy to cover us when things go wrong. You may not be very impressed by the National Health Service but remember not every country has a free health service and you could find yourself facing a hefty bill if you fall ill abroad.

 

Then there are the problems which are not life-threatening but still stressful - lost luggage cancelled flights and so on. The bottom line is it makes sense to take out an insurance policy unless youre prepared to find yourself out-of-pocket as a result of any holiday mishaps. However if youre only going to be travelling within the UK you are unlikely to need holiday insurance with the exception possibly of cancellation cover in case you need to cancel a pre-booked holiday.

 

Going abroad

What health cover is already available

The level of emergency medical cover available to UK residents around the world falls into three broad categories the European Economic Area; Reciprocal Agreement Countries; and countries with no health care agreements with the UK.

 

The European Economic Area EEA consists of the European Union together with Iceland Norway and Liechtenstein. The European Community reciprocal health care arrangements apply in these countries and also Switzerland. You are entitled to free or reduced-cost emergency medical treatment in the other 27 EEA countries and Switzerland provided you have with you a European Health Insurance Card.

 

The UK also has reciprocal health care agreements with more than 40 countries around the world including Australia New Zealand certain Caribbean Islands and most republics of the former Soviet Union including Russia itself. These agreements entitle you to emergency treatment in those countries.

 

In the rest of the world which means more than 100 other countries including some of the most popular tourist destinations from the UK such as Canada the USA India the Far East the whole of Africa and Latin America no such reciprocal agreement exists. If you are travelling to any country outside the EEA or with which the UK has no reciprocal agreement you would be wise to take out full medical insurance to cover the cost of treatment.

 

Full details of the emergency cover available under the various agreements is contained in the Department of Health booklet Health Advice for Travellers which is available from your local post office via telephone on the Health Literature Line 0800 555 777 or online at

What cover can I expect from a travel insurance policy

Your travel insurance policy should cover medical expenses personal liability cancellation and curtailment loss of baggage and theft.

 

The two most important parts of the cover are the medical expenses to cover the cost of any emergency medical treatment you may require over and above the basic cover offered by governmental arrangements and your European Health Insurance Card and personal liability - this covers you in the event that youre faced with a bill for any damage or injury you cause to anyone else or their property while abroad.

 

You should also have cover to pay out a lump sum if youre injured or if you die while abroad. The amount of insurance for each of these categories obviously differs from policy to policy generally the cheaper the policy the lower the cover.

 

In addition to basic disaster scenario insurance your policy should include cover for those awkward moments when you discover that you have arrived in one continent while your baggage has been despatched to another. Cover against theft of valuables such as clothing jewellery cameras foreign currency and credit cards is no more than common sense!

 

Some policies offer a range of value-added services such as replacement vehicles house-watching and so on. It may also be worthwhile choosing a policy which offers an international helpline especially if you are going to a country where English is not readily spoken.

 

Get

Is it really worth shopping around for travel insurance

Travel insurance like other general insurance policies is regulated by the Financial Services Authority except when the travel insurance is sold in connection with travel arrangements e.g. a holiday or a flight. In other words the FSA does not regulate travel insurance when it is sold by travel agents which seems strange when it is estimated that up to one-third of all travel insurance policies are sold by travel agents. Source Churchill website 29122004

 

Travel agents want you to buy the travel insurance they offer because they can earn substantial commission by getting you to sign up for cover when you pay for your holiday. It used to be a nifty marketing ploy for travel firms to offer discounts on the package if you took out their insurance policy. This so-called "conditional" selling is now illegal but the convenience of taking the cover offered by your travel agent remains persuasive as indeed do the salesmen.

 

Some operators may refuse to book a holiday without insurance policy details. However you can get round this problem - there is nothing to stop you signing a form stating that you are making your own insurance arrangements.

 

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with policies offered by travel agents but frankly the cover on offer from a high street travel agent is highly unlikely to be the best deal you can get. Agents may charge between two and three times as much as other insurers for cover that is often not as comprehensive.

Do I need extra insurance cover if I am taking my car abroad

If you plan on driving abroad whether your own vehicle or a hired vehicle you should check with your car insurer about just how much protection your existing policy provides. All UK policies provide the minimum cover required by law in other European Union EU countries or the minimum cover required by UK law if that is greater. However this cover does not automatically include theft or damage to your car.

 

Most people will want the same protection they enjoy in the UK when travelling abroad for example Comprehensive or Third Party Fire and Theft. This could in addition to the legal minimum of third party liability cover include accidental damage to or theft of or from your own vehicle depending on the policy cover. A number of insurers automatically provide this extended cover for a specified period and often do so without additional charge. It is important however that you check with your insurer or insurance adviser to ensure that you have the cover you need before you go abroad.

 

Outside of the European Union a green card provides proof that your domestic motor insurance policy covers the minimum legal requirements in the country being visited. Further details on the Green Card Scheme can be found on the

 

Looking for a better

Is it worth buying an annual travel insurance policy

There is a very simple rule of thumb if you travel abroad more than twice a year you are likely to be better off purchasing an annual policy rather than separate policies for each journey. Annual travel insurance policies generally allow an unlimited number of trips as long as no one trip exceeds 90 days in duration. If you are travelling for a longer period say taking a gap year abroad you need to take out special long stay travel insurance. If you are planning a long trip off the beaten tourist path you will almost certainly require specialist help.

 

Annual policies are offered by a number of insurers. However you should check the cover some annual contracts may not insure you for winter sports for example so if one of your trips is to the ski slopes you may still be better served by arranging dedicated policies.

Why do I need special insurance for a skiing holiday

Lets face it. British skiers have something of a reputation on the slopes! It seems we have a tendency to ski just a little too fast for our own good. Statistically you are far more likely to have an accident skiing or indulging in some other hazardous sport than you are sitting on a beach reading a book. This is why most basic travel insurance policies exclude hazardous pursuits.

 

You should make sure you are covered for example for mountain rescue costs if you need to be brought off the mountain; the cost of prepaid expenses such as ski pass and skis; and expenses incurred as a result of delays caused by avalanches in addition to the standard travel cover.

 

You need to know what your ski travel insurance does and does not cover. As a minimum you should expect cover for equipment hire piste closure inability to ski because of an accident sickness or loss of ski pass avalanche and repatriation.

 

Be aware that you should also have at least £2 million of public liability cover in case you injure someone else or someone elses property. This is particularly important if you are travelling to the USA or Canada where liability litigation sometimes appears to be a popular sport itself!

 

Going skiing Check

Can I get free travel insurance cover from my credit card issuer

Many credit cardholders paying for holidays or air tickets with their plastic used to be eligible for some kind of free travel insurance. However as an unexpected by-blow of the Financial Services Authority taking responsibility for the regulation of travel insurance in January 2005 a number of card issuers withdrew this perk from their cards. You should check with your card issuer to establish what their policy is.

 

Cover offered by standard credit cards may be limited but gold and platinum cards may still provide comprehensive travel insurance. You should also check your household insurance policy to see what cover it offers you. For example if your household insurance policy is arranged on an "all-risks" basis it means your possessions are also insured outside the home although you should check whether this applies if they are taken abroad.

 

Can you get a better

What kind of cover should I be buying

Are you travelling on your own or with your family or as part of a group If you are buying insurance for more than one person a joint policy is likely to work out cheaper than separate policies for each individual.

 

The kind of cover you will be looking for will also depend on how much cover you already have. Your possessions may already be covered through an all risks clause on your home insurance policy and your actual travelling costs may be covered by insurance through your credit card assuming you used it to purchase the holiday tickets.

 

When you buy travel insurance you may not be asked to fill out a detailed application form. Be aware that this does not mean that there are no policy exclusions and it certainly does not mean that you should keep quiet about anything likely to affect your holiday such as pre-existing medical conditions or your plans to indulge in dangerous sports such as trying skydiving for the first time!

 

Find

What potential problems are not covered by travel insurance

There are some dangers you might face while on holiday which will not be covered by any travel insurance policy these include detention or confiscation of belongings by Customs or any other government officials; the risk of radioactive contamination; and being arrested for spying. You may feel that these possibilities are remote enough not to worry about. However that is probably what the plane spotters found guilty of espionage after being arrested at an air show at Kalamata air base southern Greece in November 2001 thought as well!

 

There are also more prosaic dangers that may prove to be expensive and life threatening in that order no travel insurance policy will cover you against losses as a result of exchange rate movements or against HIV infection or AIDS. You should also check whether your travel insurance policy covers the holiday booking itself. If your tour operator travel agent or airline goes out of business you may lose your money or be stranded abroad.

 

Package holidays involving a flight are required to be covered by the

 

Some protection for other holidays may be offered by tour operators which are members of one of a number of associations including the

 

However accommodation-only agents may not offer cover so you should consider paying with your credit card because of the purchase protection offered by the Consumer Credit Act on purchases of more than £100. Similar advice applies to buying tickets on scheduled airlines either direct or through a travel agent.

 

How much money will you need See

What things do I need to take with me when I go abroad

To state the obvious you should remember to take your passport and tickets together with any visas or entry permits and where necessary vaccination certificates. You should also have a copy of your travel insurance policy with you. Avoid writing your home telephone number on luggage labels. You could unwittingly provide a criminal with information to the effect that your home is unattended. Use business details where possible.

 

Among basic travel security tips to bear in mind keep your baggage and ticket stubs. If your luggage gets lost youll need them in order to confirm you checked the luggage in. If you do run into problems with lost luggage report it as soon as possible before continuing your journey to your final destination.

 

If you carry a credit card or travellers cheques be sure to check youre still in possession of them every day or so. In the case of travellers cheques thieves are known to rip out the bills from the last cheque so that you dont discover your loss immediately. Keep any unused cheques under lock and key.

 

If youre taking your own car abroad or are likely to be hiring a vehicle you should also have your drivers licence motor insurance green card and if you are taking your own car a copy of your car registration document. Finally dont forget your travellers cheques foreign currency credit cards and for the last stage of the return trip some sterling.

 

For those travelling to more exotic locations it may be worth checking with the

 

13 September 2007

 

2009-03-09 16:21:00 © Moneyextra.com