Comprehensive Travel Insurance

You want a risk free holiday abroad? Of course you do!

Unfortunately NO travel insurance policy could cover all possible events and expenses.

Often you wouldn't want it to - so why pay for cover you don't need?

If your policy includes winter sports, for instance, and you're not going anywhere near the piste then you're over-insured.

You're bankrolling other people who're taking part in dangerous activities.

Travel Agent Trap?

The majority of us still buy our travel insurance from the travel agent when we book our holiday.

The latest guesstimate is that a staggering 64% of all travel insurances purchased are bought at the same time as the holiday.

Often we're given the impression that we're buying a package and there's no option but to buy the insurance as well. Not true.

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There are more comprehensive and cheaper deals on offer from independent insurers elsewhere, many of whom advertise and provide quotes online.

As for the comprehensiveness of the insurance cover you buy with your package holiday, has the travel agent who sold it to you asked you whether you or anyone who's travelling with you has a medical condition?

Or whether a stay-at-home close relative has a medical condition that could result in you having to cut short your holiday?

These are important questions to ask because if the answer is yes, and the policy doesn't cover medical expenses then you're up the creek with no paddle if someone does fall ill.

So make sure that the insurance terms and conditions are comprehensive enough to suit you.

Such as:

• The policy excess - where you pay the first amount - £50, say, of any claim.
• If you're awarded £250, for example, then the first £50 of that will be deducted and you'll get a cheque for £200.
• Is there an additional premium to be paid - e.g. for winter sports options?
• Look closely at the age bands where cover is less for some and not available for others - people aged 65 and over are often excluded
• Is there a cooling off period of 14 days - this works for you!
• If the full terms and conditions in the small print of the policy don't suit then you can cancel with no financial penalty - as long as you haven't already started your holiday or journey.
• Make sure you disclose all relevant facts - before you travel. Failure to do so may lead to withdrawal of cover and refusal to pay claims.
• The period of cover - does it suit? This usually begins from the date you bought the tickets or policy for your journey and the start of your journey.
• Once you start your journey other policy sections become operable until the end of the journey
• For annual, multi-trip cover insurance cover ends 12 months after your policy was issued.
• Medical warranty questions mean that you must reveal any medical conditions that you've suffered from, been treated for or diagnosed within the year before the policy was issued, such as:
  • heart or circulatory related condition (i.e. hypertension, angina, stroke etc)
  • lung or breathing related condition (asthma doesn't usually count as long as it's well controlled and suffered only in isolation)
  • a cancerous condition
  • a psychological condition
  • a terminal condition

Exclusions and conditions not covered usually include:

• A condition that's currently being investigated or for which you're waiting on test results
• Travel against the advice of your doctor
• Travel specifically for medical treatment, or medical treatment while you're away (E112)
• If you're waiting for medical treatment as a hospital patient

The Cheapest Insurance Quote

So always remember, the cheapest quote isn't always the best policy for your individual or family circumstances.

A cheaper policy may have less cover.

Prices quoted depend on-

• where and why you're going - the UK, Europe, Worldwide/ business or pleasure
• your age - medical cover prices increase with age
• prior medical conditions - heart, AIDS, etc
• the number of trips covered - just 1 trip per year, or 2 or 3 or more
• the number of days away in total - 30,90, 120 or more