Travel Insurance

You will need suitable travel insurance to go on holiday. Its important you know what your travel insurance covers and ensure that the policy you purchase is suitable for you and your holiday. Some holiday providers and cruise lines will ask you to provider your travel insurance details prior to travel. You may also be asked on entry into a country about your insurance arrangements. You are however free to choose the right insurance provider for you and your holiday.

The key cover you will require is

Cancellation Cover (before travel). If you become ill or injured before travel and need to cancel your holiday plans, your travel insurance should cover the majority of your cancellation charges. Some policies can also cover you for serious illness or the death of a close relative.

Medical & Repatriation Cover (while on holiday). If you become ill or injured during your holiday, your travel insurance will cover the cost of your treatment. Some insurance providers will also be able to help you find suitable doctors, hospitals, or other healthcare providers while you are away. If your unable to travel home on your original schedule your travel insurance provider should cover any repatriation expenses such an new flights.

Insurance policies may also cover baggage, delay, and valuables while you are on holiday. You should be aware of the limits of the provided coverage.

Key Considerations

Your policy need to cover the country/ destination. Many providers offer European or Worldwide policies. Its especially important you review this if you have an annual or rolling insurance policy to ensure your cover is still suitable for your next holiday.

Check your policy cancellation limit. A basic policy may only cover holidays up to £1500pp. You will need to ensure your limit is higher than the per-person cost of the holiday you are travelling on.

Going on a Cruise, Skiing or Activity Holiday? You may need to upgrade your cover to include your cruise or add extra cover winter sports or more adventurous activities. Your policy document will list the activities your policy covers. For cruise and some adventure holidays, you may need to provide your insurance details to the organiser prior to travel.

Tell your insurance provider about any pre-existing medical conditions. If you are receiving treatment, on any medications, or have been admitted to a hospital or clinic, you will need to declare this. This is normally captured during medical screening on purchasing a new policy.

Don’t leave it too late! Best practice is to ensure you purchase travel insurance as soon as possible after booking. Remember once you pay your final balance then the cancellation charge significantly increase so if you had to cancel you may loose between 50% – 100% of the cost of your holiday.

Where to Purchase Travel Insurance?

We do not sell travel insurance policies; however, there are many insurance providers in the marketplace. Your bank, existing insurer (car, home etc) or even your supermarket may sell policies. It’s important to ensure you purchase the right policy to cover your needs and the type of holiday you are travelling on. We have listed a few places below.