With more us organising our holiday flights, accommodation and car rental through the worldwide web, it's easy to overlook the need for travel insurance cover.

For most of us, a holiday or trip will go like clockwork without any major health hiccups.

Mosquito bites, yes. Heart attacks, no.

Yet for some there will be accidents, crashes, burns, cuts and bruises to cope with.

Hot Tips and Info

If an old condition flares up then you could be stuck with an expensive bill.

Try to get cover for existing conditions if you suspect that you may have problems.

Seek medical advice about minimising risks whilst abroad.

Often they result in a hospital stay or a trip to the doctor or health professional.

Children's Insurance

When children are travelling with you the need to ensure they can get the best medical treatment available in a foreign country is paramount for many families.

So the wise thing to do is to opt for the maximum protection at the c'eapest price you can find.

No safety net

Health treatment in countries with no health care agreements with the UK requires cash/credit card or an insurance policy to cover the cost of treatment.

In most non-EEA countries, no safety net is in place and travellers from the UK are strongly advised to take out comprehensive health insurance.

Fewer than 60 countries worldwide have any sort of health care agreements with the United Kingdom.

No health care agreements

The vast majority do not - including

Turkey
Canada
the United States and Mexico
most of the islands in the Caribbean
all the South American nations
every country in the Middle East and Africa
most of Asia, including India, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong and the whole Pacific region, except for Australia and New Zealand

To secure even basic medical care in these countries, you are strongly advised to take out comprehensive medical insurance.

For the United States, for example, you should carry a very high level of cover.

Your travel agent or insurance broker will be able to advise you on the amount of travel insurance to take out, depending on your destination.

Related Info

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European Health Insurance Card

E111

USA