Time For Travel Insurance?
Posted on | November 23, 2009 | 9 Comments
You’ve checked the brochures, reviewed on the internet and paid the deposit – the great holiday countdown has begun! Time to look at the other things – like the travel insurance. Take time now and save yourself potential problems later
What cover do you need?
Nobody wants to find themselves in need of insurance in a foreign country. All policies have limits and exclusions. You need to know what is, and more importanly, what is not covered by your policy before you travel.
Basic policy requirements:
? 24 hour emergency helpline and legal expenses cover. Make a note of this number in different places so you can find it easily if you need to.
? Medical cover insurance for a minimum 1 million pounds in Europe and 2 million pounds in the USA and rest of the world. This may seem a huge figure, but it does cover the cost of an air ambulance should it be necessary.
? 1500 pounds minimum cover for your personal possessions and baggage. Most policies have a single item limit. Check this figure on your policy covers for example, the cost of replacing an expensive camera or watch.
? 3,000 pounds minimum “cancellation or curtailment ” cover. This covers you if, for example, you have to cut short your holiday to return home due to a family emergency. You could also claim back the cost of any prepaid trips booked.
? At least 1 million pounds of personal liability cover in case you injure somebody or damage their property.
? Your insurer should be a member of The Financial Ombudsman Service. They are an impartial organisation who can help you to settle claims and get compensation. Their services are free and can be invaluable in case where you may have a dispute with an insurer.
Hints and tips for buying your policy:
? Always, always tell the insurer about any pre-existing medical conditions – failure to do so may result in your policy being invalidated.
? Read the details carefully and ask as many questions as you need to to understand exactly what your policy covers.
? Check cover exclusions and limits. For example, do you need cover for sporting activites? Check the details.
? And remember. Check the excesses on the policy.
? Check your household contents policy (personal possessions or all risks section) Your possessions may be covered when you are away from home. Taking baggage cover off your travel policy can save you money on your premium.
? European travel perk – get an EHIC (replaced the E 111 form in 2006). Pick up a form at the Post Office, complete and send it off. Many insurers will waive up fees of between 50 to 100 pounds for excess on policies. This card is only valid in Europe.
? Check with your credit card company and your bank – certain types of accounts carry comprehensive travel insurance as a benefit. Ring and check or call in a your branch – you could save money. Don’t rely on travel accident insurance offered by any credit card – this has only a very limited amount of medical cover and is generally insufficient for your needs.
? Buy your policy from an Insurance company, not a travel agent. A Which survey carried out in 2006 said travel agents policies are generally more expensive and may not provide the correct cover for your needs. At the moment, travel agents are not covered by financial regulations if insurance is sold as part of a package deal, so cannot be covered by the Financial Ombudsman service – if things go wrong, you may have very little recourse.
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Comments
9 Responses to “Time For Travel Insurance?”
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November 23rd, 2009 @ 9:58 am
November 23rd, 2009 @ 10:30 am
There's a little shop where you can get it right before the border. Look for the signs. It costs about $30 for a day.
November 23rd, 2009 @ 11:37 am
If passport "problems" were not listed, then they are not covered. The passport service currently says expedited service is taking 2 to 3 weeks That is not guaranteed, and at times it can take longer. Right now, the grand rush is on because f the change in the passport law. I do hope you get your passports in time…you should.
November 25th, 2009 @ 3:23 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.
November 25th, 2009 @ 3:37 am
I hope you enjoy Ireland, it's a really great place and the people are so friendly.
If you are volunteering, are you a student? If so, maybe your student union could help out with cheap insurance.
If not, see if your mom or dad have any sort of discounts on insurances from their work.
If not try the link below, I've had insurance from these guys and they're pretty good.
November 25th, 2009 @ 6:59 am
Squaremouth specializes in health insurance for foreigners living or working in the US.
You can compare polices from all the top providers and get immediate cover without underwriting questions.
Non US Citizens in the USA
http://www.squaremouth.com/visitors-insurance
US Citizens
http://www.squaremouth.com
UK Residents
http://www.squaremouth.co.uk
November 26th, 2009 @ 5:49 am
I always hesitate in giving a definitive yes or no answer when people ask 'will I be covered if..'.
However, I have never heard of an annual insurance policy that does not let family members travel separately and to different destinations.
You should be able to get a travel insurance annual policy that covers this.
Most insurers class Turkey as European. Since you are going to need a worldwide policy for your Guatemalean trip (jealous by the way!) it may be cheaper to organise seperate policies anyway!
Have fun! By the way, check your bank accounts / credit cards – It is amazing how many of these providers give insurance cover.
November 26th, 2009 @ 10:55 am
I would call them to inquire, inform them about your trip and see what they cover. Generally speaking the best travel insurance for the price is TravelEx. Here is the link I use for free trip insurance quote: http://www.travelex-insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0018
November 26th, 2009 @ 11:08 am
You should be covered but you should read the documentation that came with your policy.