Going abroad this year? Don’t be caught out by your travel insurance
Here are our do's and don’ts.
At a glance
- If you take more than three trips a year, an annual policy could work out cheaper than a single policy
- Mums-to-be are considered high risk so make sure you are covered
- Shop around for the best deal but make sure it covers everything you need
Travel with an ATOL-protected company
Most package holiday companies are ATOL-protected, which means if they go bust while you’re away, you won’t be left stranded. Instead, the Civil Aviation Authority will step in and sort flights home for you, so you won’t have to shell out any extra cash.
If you haven’t departed yet, it also means you should get a full refund on the holiday. Look out for the ATOL sign on the brochures and websites you’re trawling through before you book anything.
Think carefully about travel insurance
Most travel insurance companies will give a minimum of £1 million, but some stretch to £10 million.
You might think that sounds ridiculous, but it’s worth paying more for the extra cover if you’re travelling somewhere where healthcare is ultra-expensive. Like the US or Australia, for example.
The whole point is not to get caught out, so don’t automatically dismiss forking out that bit extra. Make sure your whole family are sorted with European Health Insurance Cards, too.
These entitle you to discounted or even free healthcare in EU countries. Some insurance companies will waiver the excess for medical claims if you use one of these to get treated.
Don't be fooled into overspending on something you don’t need
There are two types of travel insurance out there – multi-trip or single. Multi-trip, or annual insurance, involves paying a one-off fee, or monthly instalments, that’ll see you covered for all the trips you take in any given year.
If you take more than three trips a year, this works out a lot cheaper – especially for families (annual cover can start at around £20-£30 for your whole brood).
But don’t let the company persuade you to go with this option if you really don’t need it. If it’s unlikely you’ll take more than one holiday, go with the single trip option.
Think carefully about travel insurance if you’re pregnant
Mums-to-be are considered high-risk, and are usually advised to stick to travelling in their second trimester, when the chance of miscarriage has significantly lowered and the risk of early labour is yet to increase.
Every policy is different, though, and lots of companies vary in terms of when they’ll agree to supply cover, and what the implications of that are. Some companies even flat-out refuse to insure a pregnant woman.
Travel insurance if you're more than 27 weeks pregnant
You’ll probably find that most companies are happy to supply cover up to 27 weeks. After that, they’ll either refuse, or you’re likely to be asked for paperwork from your GP.
Your policy will need to cover you for any kind of scenario, like early labour and care during early labour, so read the small print and ask questions.
Don’t forget, if you pay for annual insurance, you’ll need to give your insurance company a ring to check you’re still covered.
Be smart about your excess
Your excess is the amount you’ll have to pay towards any claim you make. For instance, if you claim for £1,000 and the excess is £150, your insurer pays out £850.
The higher the excess, the cheaper the policy. But set it too high, and it makes your insurance redundant and not worth having.
Finally - save some money
We all know it makes sense to shop around for the best deal on any insurance, and Let's Save Some Money make's life a bit easier for you.
You can compare travel insurance quotes from all the major comparison sites and the companies that only deal direct - they don't appear on comparison sites.