How Many Excesses Does It Take To Make A Travel Insurance Policy?
Posted on | December 13, 2009 | 9 Comments
No one likes to think that bad things will happen while you’re on holiday, but it becomes a reality for lots of travelers every year.
The right travel insurance policy can reduce the impact that injuries, illnesses, delays and lost property have on your precious holiday time. Finding the right travel insurance policy, unfortunately, is not as easy as ticking off the box next to “Do you want travel insurance?” at the travel agent. In fact, that could be the most expensive cover with the least benefits. According to Direct Line insurance, buying your travel insurance through your travel agent could cost you up to five times as much as you’d pay if you take the time to research and buy your own travel insurance policy.
Doing that requires a little knowledge beforehand though. It’s important to understand the types of medical situations that are typically covered by a holiday travel plan, and which tricks to watch out for that could leave you without the cover when you need it most. Here’s a quick guide to what to watch for when you’re comparing holiday travel insurance.
1. Watch the excess.
Excess is the amount that you must pay before your travel insurance kicks in and picks up the remainder of the cost. On the typical travel insurance policy, there’s an excess of £50 which is often counted against each incident. A few count an overall excess – they might require that you pay the first £150 of all insurable expenses on the trip no matter how many incidents are involved. This can be a vital difference. If, for instance, you stumble and fall, breaking a leg – and your expensive digital camera, along with your eyeglasses – some insurers may count that as three separate incidents, and charge you an excess for each of them, although they all stemmed from the same incident.
Solution: Consider getting a policy with an overall excess.
2. Watch the cover.
Read through the policy carefully so that you can be sure that the most important items are covered. Many policies don’t cover you for the most common losses and injuries while you’re on holiday. For instance, nearly all policies exclude injuries that happen while engaging in “winter sports”.
Solution: If you’re going on a skiing holiday, go over the policy, and if necessary, take out specific “winter sports cover” because it’s better to be safe than sorry.
3. Cover your baggage.
Your baggage should be insured for at least £1,500, but keep in mind that many items you commonly carry may not be covered. It’s typical for baggage insurance to exclude cover for sunglasses, mobile phones, cameras, watches, baby buggies and other expensive pieces of equipment. It’s also typical for insurers to set an upper limit for how much they’ll pay toward the loss of any one item. If your upper limit is £75 and you lose your £800 laptop, you’ll be out of luck.
Solution: Look at getting separate cover for any expensive items that you plan to take with you.
4. Cover your pre-existing conditions.
If you have pre-existing medical conditions that flare up while you’re abroad, you may find yourself responsible for all expenses related to them. Pre-existing conditions are also the most common reason for travel insurers to reject your policy. If you have a condition like angina or high blood pressure, a history of heart problems or diabetes, you might be wise to look into travel cover that takes those conditions into account and will cover you regardless. You may pay a bit extra for the premium and have a higher excess, but the peace of mind will be worth it.
Related posts:
- Time For Travel Insurance?
- Travel Insurance Pre Existing Medical Condition: Travel Relaxed
- Travel Insurance and Extreme Sports
- The Most Common Risks That are Covered by Travel Insurance
- Senior Citizen Travel Insurance Ensures Sufficient Protection!
- Buying Travel Insurance
- Travel Insurance – How to Get the Best Deal
- The Advantages To The Regular Traveller Of An Annual Travel Insurance Policy
- Pitfalls of Free Travel Insurance Offered With Cards
- Travel Insurance for Special Needs Travellers
Comments
9 Responses to “How Many Excesses Does It Take To Make A Travel Insurance Policy?”
Leave a Reply
December 13th, 2009 @ 10:38 am
I think that you will find a great deal on Moneysupermarket.com thats where I got my travel insurance, and they actually had to pay out on my policy as I ended up in a French hospital.
My insurance was about 40pounds, and it was for annual insurance! I think from memory you could go away for up to 94 days at a time, or 17days at a time if you included winter sports.
Hope this helps – just remember to read the small print about how many consecutive days away from the UK you are covered for! Happy Travels!
December 13th, 2009 @ 11:26 am
Try this site for a quick quote on travel medical insurance. TravelEx allows for pre-existing conditions. —> http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0018
December 13th, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
You can get a refund if your insurance covers illness as a reason for cancellation. Different policies cover different contingencies. The way you would prove illness is by a note from your physician.
InsureMyTrip.com is one site that has comparisons among policies. I'm sure there are others.
December 13th, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
It could very well be true. Although they are different countries to where you are, we are in the UK and when we book to go to Ireland the company we book with insists on having our insurance details. Besides, as the first answerer says…they would be daft to travel without it as the cost of treatment is far more than the cost of the insurance. Accidents do happen…believe me, I broke an elbow last year, and a few weeks after that was healed I broke my foot…if I had been abroad I would have been in sh*t street without insurance!
December 14th, 2009 @ 6:58 am
Here are some links-
I had a similar situation- I was living in the Caymans Islands, no longer a Canadian resident, and wanted to travel for the summer. But every policy required that Canadian citizens be insured in their home privince, which I no longer have as non-resident. IMG was the only one I found, but as you DO have Canadian insurance, this will be easy for you. There are lots of short-term plans.
https://www.imglobal.com/travelinsurance/index.cfm?show=&&CFID=1718830&CFTOKEN=d9392e2d0226f2d2-EC75C061-1143-EBE5-76B31862584AA777
http://www.internationalsos.com,
http://www.travelexinsurance.com,
http://www.ijet.com,
http://www.travelassistance.com,
http://www.wallach.com,
http://www.travelguard.com,
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=48&category=8,
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/insurance.htm.
December 14th, 2009 @ 3:19 pm
December 15th, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
healthquotes.awardspace.info – here is my health insurance plan. As I remember they can provide such a service.
December 15th, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
Checkout their theft rider, and the link for a free quote. http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0018
December 16th, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
There are some good travel insurance companies. Get ones that pay your expenses or pay you in cash. Dont get ones that make you take another trip or give you a voucher to travel again with them.
I only buy insurance if the trip is WAY more than I can afford to lose.
Read the fine print of the policies before you purchase.