Buying travel insurance is one of those things you don’t want to get wrong, because it can end up being almost useless! If you find a good company you like, you can use them every time you go on holiday so it’s just the initial investment in researching the right company you need to get out of the way. I’ve personally had some pretty bad experiences with travel insurance – when there was a major earthquake in my home town one of my family members died and my travel insurance initially refused to fly me home. It was a very frustrating time for me as not only had I lost a near and dear family member, but I couldn’t call home as all the power and phone lines were down.
Thankfully, I knew a few friends who used to work for this company and they checked through my policy and found a clause that meant they’d fly me home. After this experience I am now pretty fussy with travel insurance policies, but have heard that holiday insurance with Holiday Extras is very reliable. When you’re sorting out which travel insurance company you’re going to choose, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
1) Will the Policy Cover you for Cancellation?
I’ve read that in order to be covered for any unforeseen incidents that happen prior to your trip, you need to get travel insurance for that period. That seems really bizarre to me and quite expensive. Read the fine print of your policy and make sure it’ll cover you if something comes up prior to your trip that prevents you from going.
2) Can You Do That Activity
I’ve heard horror stories about people riding on motorcycles and not being covered by their travel insurance when things go pear shaped and they fall off the bike. By pear shaped I mean that they wont pay for your medical coverage if it’s not covered in your policy, simple! Even if the accident wasn’t your fault. This includes all sports activities, such as skiing, rock climbing, sky diving and so forth. Check if it’s in your policy!
3) What About the Excess
Some travel insurance policies have an excess fee per claim, others have an excess fee per item category. If the company charges per item category, a stolen bag with a passport, phone and cash inside could carry 3-4 excess fees alongside the claim. That can add up really quickly and eat into any money you might get in compensation for lost items. Just be mindful of what you’re really signing up for and make sure it’s practical for you.
4) Emergency Medical Evacuation
There are different tiers of travel insurance and some of the more budget coverage policies do not include emergency medical evacuation. Personally, I always ensure that mine covers this because I think if you’re in a situation where emergency medical evacuation is required, you don’t want to be worrying about the price tag that’s often 5 or 6 figures large. This is just one of those things that you probably wont need, but if you do need it you really need it.
Travel insurance can be the difference between life and death… but most often it’s a peace of mind you can’t afford to travel without. If you’re planning a holiday, please take a moment to check out this holiday planner for some travel inspiration.
