Regardless of how often you travel, your age, health or wealth, any half-baked travel insurance policy should cover you for loss against all of the following:

Expect:

Cancellation & Curtailment (trip is cut short)
Emergency Medical & Repatriation (being returned to your country of origin)
Personal Possessions
Personal Money
Personal Accident
Missed Departure e.g. flight or ferry
Departure Delay
Personal Liability
Hijack/Mugging
Legal Expenses

Hot Tips and Info

How do you know you're not buying a pig in a poke?

Cover is always restricted to pre-agreed limits and excesses, so check your policy document carefully - and make sure you do agree with them.

Is the limit to what you can claim for valuables enough?

Is the excess you'll have to pay if you do need to claim too high ...?

There are zillions of travel insurance companies out there begging for your business.

If it doesn't, then think again

Cancellation & Curtailment Up to £3,000 if your trip's cancelled or cut short due to circumstances beyond your control.
Emergency Medical & Repatriation At least £1 million for Europe and £2 million worldwide but ideally up to £10 million for medical treatment, hospitalisation and bringing you home if you're ill or injured.
More...
Personal Possessions Up to £1,500 to cover loss or damage to personal possessions and documents, including the cost of replacing a lost passport - a nightmare.
Personal Money Up to £500 for loss or theft. Hard cash, obviously, is covered (keep proof of what you were carrying e.g. cash withdrawal slips). Also cheques, Postal Orders, money orders, travellers cheques, e-cheques, coupons or vouchers with a monetary value, current postage stamps, tickets to shows and events and travel tickets (for private not business uses).
Personal Accident Up to £15,000 if you suffer permanent disability or death on holiday.
Missed Departure Up to £800 if you're stranded at the airport through no fault of your own.
Departure Delay Up to up to £800 (delay) or up to £3,000 (if departures are abandoned).
Personal Liability Up to £2 million in legal expenses and personal liability cover if you have an accident and cause injury or damage to other people and their property (see golf liability).
Hijack/Mugging Up to £1,000 if you get caught up in a hijack (see business/corporate cover) and up to £150 if you get mugged
Legal Expenses Up to £25,000 to help you claim compensation or damages following personal injury. A must if the country you're visiting doesn't have a legal aid system.

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