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Travel Insurance Claims

guider — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:54:46 +0000

Holidays abroad don’t always go without a hitch. Every year UK travel insurance companies receive thousands of claims for compensation from unlucky holidaymakers. The most common claims tend to be for lost baggage, cancellation or medical expense.

But being ambushed by monkeys, blazing brides and escaping hairpieces are examples of the more bizarre claims received by some of the UK’s largest travel insurers.

Here are the 10 oddest travel insurance claims:

1. Monkey Business

Malaysian monkeys caused romantic getaway mayhem when a couple returned to their chalet to find their underwear, clothing and belongings strewn across the resort and neighbouring rainforest. Fortunately the travel insurer paid the claim for the clothes-less couple.

2. Toupee overboard

One unlucky pensioner enjoying a cruise found his toupee overboard after a strong gust of wind lifted it off his head and blew it in to the sea. His travel insurance reimbursed him for the cost of his hairpiece.

3. Don’t get stung

A careless holidaymaker paid a painful price when he dropped his wallet down a drain in Natanya. The Briton’s claim wasn’t for his cash or credit cards though – it was for hospital treatment after he reached down the drain to rescue his wallet, and was stung by a scorpion. Luckily, his travel insurance covered the cost of the treatment.

4. The unhappy campers

An unfortunate family had a shock when they were on a camping trip in a remote field in Wales, following a parachutist from a nearby airbase missing his target and landing on their camping equipment, destroying it. The family weren’t covered for accidental damage, so unfortunately their insurer did not reimburse them.

5. Swimming smile

Whilst on a cruise, one sickly pensioner lost his false teeth over the side of the ship when throwing up into the choppy seas of the Bay of Biscay. The misplaced dentures were thankfully covered in his travel insurance policy under lost baggage, so his claim was paid.

6. Holy smoke

A British couple’s idyllic wedding soon took a turn for the worse when the bride’s dress was caught alight by a brick of coal that fell from the BBQ. The smart-thinking groom quickly picked up his new blazing bride, ran down the beach and threw her into the ocean. Fortunately the couple had taken out wedding cover before tying the knot, so they could claim on their travel insurance policy for their ruined wedding outfits.

7. Bad hair day

Whilst on holiday in Spain, a resourceful father had to rush his distressed daughter to the local hairdresser after she frazzled her hair on the oven in their apartment. The results were far from satisfying, leaving the poor girl running from the salon in tears. Her dad did try and claim on their travel insurance, but unfortunately was not reimbursed as they weren’t covered for accidental damage.

8. Bikini distraction

A man on holiday in Greece broke his nose by walking into a glass-panelled bus shelter, after getting distracted by two Greek goddesses in bikinis. His travel claim for hospital bills was successful.

9. Life’s a beach

Frustrated parents were shocked to find that their playing children had buried their £600 camcorder in the sand on a beach in Cornwall. Thankfully the insurer saw the funny side and refunded the cost.

10. Lotions and potions

The search was on for a wrinkle-free burglar in France after a woman had her cosmetics bag stolen, then later admitted she had transferred medical-strength haemorrhoid cream in to an empty moisturiser tub. Her claim for make-up, lotions and perfume was paid.

Getting the right travel insurance for your Easter break

guider — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:51:08 +0000

Getting the right travel insurance for your Easter break

So far, the first few months of 2009 have thrown households across the UK some tough challenges. In addition to the usual post-Christmas comedown, people have been plagued by extreme winter weather conditions and an almost constant flow of gloomy news about the state of the world economy. As a result, the advent of the long Easter Weekend in mid-April is sure to have many families champing at the bit for a short break away from the drone of everyday life.

And no matter what the state of your finances, you’re sure to be able to find an affordable break if you search in the right places. For instance, if money is short, an excursion to a local beauty spot or a visit to see friends on the other side of the country is sure to be an attractive – and relatively inexpensive – option. At the same time, if you’re tempted to go abroad, many travel agents and budget airlines are offering great deals on flights and accommodation in Europe, so you could bag a short break abroad for less than you might think. But wherever you’re going, there’s one thing you can’t do without: travel insurance.

Don’t underestimate the importance of travel insurance

Travel insurance might seem like an extra cost you can forgo, especially at times when money is tight. But the benefits offered by travel cover almost always outweigh its relative costs – especially on a short weekend break. For instance, if you’re travelling from London to Manchester for a short break over the Easter Weekend, obtaining travel insurance for your trip might not at first seem like a necessity. However, travel insurance for UK breaks often works in much the same way as overseas holidays – so if you should lose your personal possessions or suffer a theft, your loss will be covered. What’s more, if your flight or train back from Manchester is delayed or cancelled – which, let’s face it, is a very real possibility in Britain – your travel cover could pay out for the time you’ve lost.

On the other hand, families, groups and couples taking short breaks overseas over the Easter Weekend may remember to take out travel insurance before embarking on their trip, but they could also opt for the very cheapest option in order to save money. While a low level of coverage is better than no travel insurance at all, it’s crucial to ensure that you opt for the policy that meets your personal needs. For instance, a European travel insurance policy may cover you in the event that your flight is delayed or if you have to unexpectedly cancel your trip – but does it offer you protection if the airline with which you’re flying goes into liquidation? In today’s economic climate, there’s a high chance that this may happen, and though a travel insurance policy that does cover such an outcome may cost more, the fact that it will cover the cost of your alternative travel arrangements certainly makes it worthwhile.

Ensuring that you make the most of your money when buying travel cover

With a little help from travel insurance experts and insurance comparison sites, you’ll be able to find travel insurance with levels of cover that suit both you and your bank balance. Moreover, today’s technological advances mean that it’s easy to buy travel insurance direct from websites in just a few clicks – so you’ll have no excuse to delay buying travel cover before the Easter break.

Why We Need Travel Insurance Plans For Senior Citizens, Children & Students

guider — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 09:47:54 +0000

Are you the one who has never purchased travel insurance while traveling abroad or moving to other states?. Then relax! There are many who had n’t. Lets not discuss about the intricacies why they didn’t bought it. We should know about why we need travel insurance.

Travel insurance is one of the only sources available in foreign country that can compensate for you in case of luggage loss, accidents, cancelled trips, postponements, injury, illness and other relative adversities.

You should be careful while choosing travel insurance plans. Better way is to compare travel plans form various companies. You can blindly opt for the best and number one general insurance company in the market or choose after searching the web. The main aspect is to opt for the travel plan that meets up your actual travel expenses. An expensive traveling need cannot be covered by vying for lower premium travel plan and vice versa because it also holds true for smaller traveling expenses.

Though there are some insurance plans that overlap benefits or some how cover injury, illness and accidents but to have the treatment of local citizen you require travel insurance plan that is applicable in that country. For example you can choose from travel plan UK, travel Plan US, travel plan Canada, travel plan Hong Kong, travel plan Australia and others.

Always buy travel insurance from the best rated travel insurance company, never fall prey to the freebies offered by local travel agent. These type of agents provide travel insurance with some freebies which ultimately is not reasonable when considered the inclusion factor of travel insurance

There are special types of travel insurance plans for Senior Citizens, Students, Children, Tourists before buying avail the best deal from the company.

Always insure yourself in home country so that the cost of premium is on par with your local currency thereby making you save money which would have caused a lot in foreign country. To have complete peace of mind and to combat any adverse condition in foreign countries, It is advisable to have travel insurance policy. For more details on best travel insurance quotes and rates click here

Travel Insurance for Special Needs Travellers

guider — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:54:06 +0000

If you have special needs you must ensure that your special circumstances are covered by the policy you choose.

Pre-existing medical conditions
Most insurers do not automatically cover pre-existing medical illnesses or medical conditions. However traveler’s can apply for coverage for their pre-existing illness via an application, which is, then subject to approval and possible payment of a premium. Keep in mind there are illnesses and conditions that will not be covered under any circumstances. Some insurers offer automatic coverage for common illnesses/conditions such as tinnitus, asthma or stable high blood pressure but the onus is on the traveler to check because conditions can apply. For example if you are on a hospital waiting list for treatment for your illness or condition you may not be covered. Sometimes insurers will offer you a policy that excludes claims caused by your condition or they may not offer a policy because of the destination of your travels.

What is a pre-existing medical condition?
In general they are usually defined as any chronic or ongoing medical or dental condition for which you have received treatment or advice within a specified time prior to the policy being issued or any chronic or ongoing medical condition, illness or disease that’s been medically documented prior to departure.

If the insurer does agree to cover you it is recommended you get it in writing. There may be an additional premium. Also check the excess in relation to a claim relating to the pre-existing condition. If you cannot get travel insurance for your condition it is still important to get travel insurance for other claims.

Pregnant Women
Most policies will cover pregnant women on application but you might be charged an additional premium for prior complications.

The cut-off point for coverage during pregnancy varies from 26 weeks to ‘no time limit’, with 26 weeks being the norm. Many policies cover unforeseen complications of the pregnancy during that time period, but they don’t all cover the medical costs of a premature baby.

Some charge an additional premium. Policies do not cover full-term birth. A few policies don’t cover you if you buy a policy and depart on your journey without knowing you are pregnant.

Older Travelers
Most of the policies offered have special conditions for older travelers. Some will require the payment of an extra premium while others will not offer cover after a specific age such as 75.

Most will require a medical assessment; some will charge a higher premium or extra fee. Others have no fee but have an extra excess for medical claims.

Adrenalin Seekers & Adventure Travelers
It is very important to check what activities you are covered for and more importantly what activities you are not covered for. Most amateur sports are covered however there are many exclusions. Exclusions can include mountaineering using ropes, base jumping, running with the bulls, snowboarding and professional sports. All product disclosure statements will outline the specific ‘adventures’ which are covered. Be aware that an extra premium may apply and read the conditions.

Single Parents traveling with children
If you are a single parent or adult traveling alone with several children most policies will cover the children for the single premium. However, some only allow cover for two dependent children travelling with one parent. It is important to check the age limits for children traveling with one parent.

Duo policies
These are policies that enable two people to travel together under the same policy. Make sure you check the restrictions because some may only allow you to travel with a spouse or family member others may require you to have the exact itinerary whereas others may allow you to spend 50% of time together.

Working while overseas
Working and traveling is a cost effective way of financing your trip. However some policies don’t cover you for manual labor or an accident that has happened while working. Policies that do provide cover usually don’t charge an additional premium but a few do.

As always make sure you check and double-check what you are buying. It is very important to understand the conditions and restrictions found in the product disclosure statement before you travel. It is essential for you to check all the small print on your policy before you make a decision. Read many policies carefully before making a decision and make sure you understand exactly what you are covered for and more importantly what you are not covered for.

Australia Travel Insurance wishes you a wonderful and safe journey.

What is Travel Insurance?

guider — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:47:35 +0000

In order to decide whether you need travel insurance or not, you must first understand – what is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is a short term or temporary insurance that, depending on the terms of the plan you choose, can provide coverage for the medical and financial expenses due to sickness, accident, loss or damage of luggage during travelling. Travel insurance serves a varied clientele such as students, businessmen, leisure travelers, adventure travelers and many others. There are three important types of travel insurance. They are:

1. Accident or health travel insurance:
This travel insurance typically provides coverage for any accident or illness that you might sustain during the period of travel. It generally covers expenses related to hospitalisation, intensive care, surgery and outpatient treatment.

2. Trip cancellation travel insurance:
There are situations wherein the person misses his flight due to bad health or needs to cancel his flight. This travel insurance typically ensures that your money is refunded to you.

3. Medical evacuation travel insurance:
It might happen that the hospital in which you are admitted is not able to treat you properly. In such cases, medical evacuation becomes necessary to remove the patient safely and quickly to his own country. As medical evacuation is very expensive, this travel insurance can provide a great financial help to the patient and his family.

Getting an international travel insurance plan is important but, you should choose a travel insurance plan as per your travel needs. You should read the travel insurance plan carefully to ensure that it covers you and the activities you will do on your holiday.

These days, you can find various travel insurance companies that offer travel insurance plans designed to meet different requirements and budget. If you want to save your time and get the best travel insurance plan, you can look for the travel insurance quotes available online. You can simply visit the websites of travel insurance companies, check the terms of the plans they offer and fill in their application form to get travel insurance quotes within a few minutes. Whatever method you adopt to use, making sure you have the appropriate travel insurance plans for yourself, is the best possible way to help in having a trouble-free and memorable travelling experience.