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 Columbus Direct has an easy-to-use, online quotation. Internet-based travel insurance specialist Columbus Direct offers an easy-to-use, online booking service. Once you've logged all your details, you get immediate delivery of your policy by email without having to step outside your front door. Great, if yours is a last-minute booking, plus they promise to respond to any queries or comments within one working day. Owned by the Collinson Group, the service is 100% internet based there are no middle men in sight which means you can expect to save as much as 60% on High Street prices. Interactive and Easy Quote SystemFor our money, the site's interactive quotation system gets a big thumbs up. You don't have to wade through screeds of type to find out exactly which destinations are/aren't covered, or how old your child has to be before s/he's suddenly considered an adult. Plus that, the site also asks you to select the type of activities you want covered - anything and everything from Big Foot Skiing to BMX riding. Whatever type of policy you're after - single trip, annual, backpacker, ski travel, business or adventure travel insurance, you just place your mouse pointer on the information symbol alongside each mandatory field (eg destination) and hey presto, up pops a list of all countries included in the policy cover. For instance, say you're buying single trip travel insurance to Europe. Position the mouse pointer over the destination section and up pops a guide to the areas covered. You'll also see which countries and regions are excluded. So you'll know immediately it's a waste of time trying to buy single trip insurance for any of these places: Interestingly, UK Cruises are also excluded from single trip cover. For families, alongside the mandatory field for children (2 - 18), point your mouse to the information symbol and the pop-up info box explains that students in full-time education aged 19-21 can also be included on a Columbus Family annual policy. Single Trip Travel InsuranceThere are two types of policies on offer, Standard and Super. For a two-weak break in Europe, expect to pay £9.95 for Standard cover, and £14.75 for Super. For the sake of a measley £4.80 extra, we'd go for the Super cover every time. The difference in benefits is quite staggering. Standard Super
You can add on winter sports (£29 for Standard cover with just £1 million worth of medical expenses or £42.56 for Super cover with a more realistic £10 million worth of medical expenses) and this covers you for on or off-piste skiing or snowbarding. As well as winter sports, your policy covers you for a variety of activites, from angling to banana boating, surfing to waterskiing. As always there will be exclusions. You can't take part in any sporting activity on a professional basis, for instance - you'll need specialist cover for that. Jet skiingAnd there's no personal liability cover for sports such as catamaran sailing or jet skiing - two popular holiday activities. Elephant riding is OK, though (but make sure it's an organised event), and read your insurance schedule BEFORE you take part in any activity. If in doubt, speak to Columbus Direct - if your sport of choice is particularly hairy, you'll need to pay an extra premium. Worth it though, for peace of mind. Families & CouplesThe Columbus Direct definition of families and couples is reassuringly broad - a legally married couple, a common law husband and wife, a single parent or adult couple who have cohabited for at least a year and up to 3 children under 19 (or up to 21 if in full time education). Under 2's travel free on an Adult or Couple Policy - select 'Family' under the Type of Policy section to set this up. For a couple with 3 kids, a standard single trip travel insurance package to Disneyland Florida, will set you back a respectable £73.50 (£120 with winter sports cover) and £79.43 for an annual policy (£115 with winter sports). If your family travels more than once a year, it definitely pays to opt for annual cover. Annual Multi-trip Travel InsuranceThe good thing about Columbus Direct's annual multi-trip travel insurance package is that couple and family policies cover everyone separately. Great if your kids are still in full-time education - they can take advantage of the cover over the long summer vacation. The policy covers an unlimited number of trips in any 12-month period, and you can choose from European or Worldwide cover. EuropeAll the members of the European Community plus - WorldwideYou can travel the world, except for: The maximum length of any one trip varies depending on the level of cover you opt for - 21, 31 or 60 days. With the annual standard policy, for instance the maximum length of stay away on any one trip is 31 days. The annual travel insurance package has an added bonus - Priority Pass membership to the airport VIP lounge with free refreshments and nibbles for the knockdown price of £15 covering you and your entire party. Could come in very handy, especially if your flight's subject to a long delay. Sample 2005 prices are:
Ski Travel InsuranceColumbus Direct also offer specialist ski travel insurance, with single trip cover starting from just under £20 for a week's break in Europe, and from £65 for an annual travel policy. You're covered for your own and hired ski equipment, plus there's cover for lift pass and ski school costs and piste closure. Over 64 Travel InsuranceYou can choose between Annual or Single Trip cover - but an Annual policy is out if you're over 74, as are hazardous activites, and the maximum lengh of stay for any one trip abroad is restricted to 31 days. The Classic Annual Multi-Trip package for someone aged 74 would set them back a whopping £124.95. For that you get
Compare that with the cost of Classic single trip cover to Europe for a 2-week break - £35.99 - with the same level of benefits. Unless you have itchy feet and plan on making at least three trips, the cost of an annual package just isn't worth it. But we give Columbus Direct a big pat on the back for taking on older people aged up to 99 - the Classic Single Trip travel insurance policy for a 2-weak European break comes in at £43.99. Not fair, we know, if you've hit the hundred mark. Adventure Travel InsuranceThe Columbus Direct Adventure travel insurance is tailor made for thrillseekers. Whether it's zorbing, cross-country skiing, kayaking, gorge walking or white water rafting, make sure you're covered. Choose between Standard or Super cover. For a 2-week adventure holiday worldwide, Standard comes in at £29.40 (medical expenses £1 million), and Super at £32.65 (medical expenses £10 million). For this type of break, you really shouldn't pinch on the pennies. Comprehensive medical coverage is a must, as is personal liability cover (Standard £1 million, Super £2 million). Business Travel InsuranceYou can't buy business travel insurance for single trips from Columbus Direct - it's only available for annual multi-trip policies. Prices start from £99.45 for annual cover with the maximum days abroad on any one trip restricted to 60 days. Key benefits include -
They also throw in membership to Priority Pass, the world's largest airport lounge access programme. If, for whatever reason, you can't make the trip the Annual Executive Multi-Trip package means that Columbus will pay for a colleague to stand in for you. If you get mugged and lose your laptop, you're covered for that too - they'll replace the laptop and arrange a courier to deliver any contract that went AWOL in the theft. As many a golf widow will testify, a lot of business is carried out on the golf course. If your clubs go missing or are damaged - Columbus can help with replacement. The cover extends to other sports including skiing and scuba diving. LifestyleFor an extra £15, you can buy into the Lifestyle policy pack whereby you can mark and register your laptop, mobile phone, PDA and i-Pod with Columbus.If you lose anything, alert Columbus immediately, either by phone or via the web. Alongside the identification number on your belongings is an international telephone number and web site address that enables the authorities or anyone finding them to contact Columbus who then aim to return them to you as quickly as possible. Contact detailsColumbus Direct promise to respond to any queries or comments about their products or services within one working day. COLUMBUS DIRECTSouthgate Place41 SouthgateChichester West Sussex PO19 1ETSales - Tel 0870 033 9988 Visit their website Customer Service - asmin@ website |