Travelling abroad needn’t fill you with worry, but it’s important to be covered just in case the worst does come along. Flight cancellation and loss of baggage or passport are some of the more trivial things that could happen while your away, but you could also find yourself in a very sticky financial situation should you or one of your group become ill or suffer an accident. Outside the EU, medical expenses won’t be covered, while even inside the EU you may need to pay for transport home or private treatment. Taking out the correct travel insurance policy can cover you against all of these misdemeanours, and give you peace of mind while you’re away. If you’re looking for the best travel insurance deal for this summer, then take a read of this article for some tips for finding the best policy.
Shop Around
Even before you get started on your travel insurance search, check out what your bank account or credit card provider offers. Some include annual travel insurance with their accounts, so you won’t need to bother shopping around for another quote. However, do make sure you check the small print of these policies – it’s worth giving the company a ring if you’re still unsure. If you don’t have a relevant deal, then there’s not many ways to get the cheapest deal other than shopping around. The Internet makes it much easier to find the deal that’s right for you quickly and easily, especially through price comparison websites. A couple of these will put you on track for a good quote, while typing ‘travel insurance’ into Google can also provide substantial leads – make sure you at least check five different quotes according to your circumstances.
Any Special Circumstances?
Be careful if you or anyone in your travelling party has special circumstances – it’s possible that prices will be higher as a consequence. Special circumstances include a history of serious illness, pregnancy or being over 65 – all of which present higher risks for insurers. Specialist insurers such as SAGA may be able to help you here, but should you not be able to find a decent quote, you may be able to forego your clause about any history of illness – just remember it’ll be on your head should anything go wrong. Also if you are travelling in the EU, make sure you have an EHIC card. This will provide you with the same amount of cover as a citizen of the country you are visiting, which will mean you will get free or discounted treatment should you fall ill or be injured.
Know What You Need
When booking a holiday, it’s quite easy to be sold a travel insurance policy that over covers you. For instance, you could be asked to upgrade to a platinum policy, which might offer £200 million worth of medical cover – but when would you actually need such an excessive amount of cover? In essence, it’s incredibly unlikely. You’re never really going to need more than £2 million worth of medical cover, while for personal liability (damage to other people and their property) £1 million should be enough, and £1,500 for baggage. Meanwhile, also make sure you have cover for cancellation and delays; there’s nothing more soul destroying than getting excited for your dream holiday, only to find you can’t go for reasons out of your control and yet you still have to fork out for it.
