Over the past couple of years holidays have been up in the air and some travel agents were unable to concretely confirm that your holiday would be able to go ahead. Things have been changing constantly and in some places still are!
That's precisely why buying insurance for your trip is so crucial. Travel insurance gives you extra protection if your holiday doesn’t go as smoothly as you had planned, so it is essential that you have cover if you’re planning a trip away.
With rising costs, a holiday is a big investment you work hard for and look forward to all year. So why wouldn’t you want to safeguard yourself in case of unforeseen events that could put your trip at risk? Most people have home and phone insurance, and so protecting your holiday should be no different.
What is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is a way to protect yourself and your family from any disruptions, cancellations, or medical costs.
It covers you for the possibility of damage to or loss or theft of your belongings, from suitcases to passports. It helps you to recover certain costs you incur from incidents whilst you are away.
Some insurance companies will include medical assistance and even transport home in an emergency. Each policy is modified around you and your party. With travel insurance providers such as All Clear there are add-ons that can be chosen for specific items such as jewellery, watches, electronics etc. Whatever you feel could benefit from being covered, include it.
When to Buy Travel Insurance
Travel insurance needs to be in place pretty much straight away, this will cover you for any pre-holiday illnesses or any other events that could stop you from travelling.
This may also include any delays and changes from the travel agent or airline. By buying your travel insurance policy from a trusted provider such as Coverwise as soon as you’ve booked your trip, it’s one less thing to worry about. And you’re one step closer to that much-deserved relaxing time away!
Always Check Exclusions
Travel insurance is ultimately a legal contract and you should spend the time to read all the details and descriptions of coverage and exclusions thoroughly.
The exclusions you want to be looking out for are specific illnesses or pre-existing conditions, age, cancellation reasons and coronavirus-related events. Check with well-known insurance providers such as Post Office at what they include in their policies. There may also be times when you need to add extra cover for equipment such as golf clubs and skiing equipment, or if you are planning a cruise or business trip these may require the additional cover.
The Importance of Travel Insurance
Travel insurance isn’t just for expensive holidays. Travel insurance isn’t just for trips overseas. Travel insurance isn’t just for long journeys. It’s essential to buy travel insurance for EVERY trip!
In most cases, your travels go without a hitch. You’ll not have to experience the nightmare of being seriously ill or injured in a foreign country. But if you do, the last thing you want is not having the support or financial means by which to get treated and flown home. For that alone, you may find travel insurance from a provider such as Staysure is worth every penny!
Below are some of the specific things that travel insurance can cover for you.
Protection for Cancellations
Even the best-planned trips sometimes have to be cancelled. But many travel providers offer minimal or no refunds for last-minute cancellations.
If this happens, can you afford to lose all the money you’ve already spent on the trip? Travel insurance is your lifeline. They can reimburse you for the money you have lost.
Protection for Medical Help Abroad
If you fall seriously ill or are hurt in another country, don’t bank on your health insurance card to help.
If there is one reason to buy travel insurance from an insurance company such as Avanti, this is it. Not only will it make it easier to get the care you need, but it could also save you from facing a potentially huge medical bill.
Cover Lost Baggage & Personal Items
Whilst loss of your personal belongings and baggage isn't often the main reason most people buy travel insurance, it is still very important.
If you are taking your laptop, camera and other valuable with you, some plans allow you to specify these items to cover them at their higher value.
How to Save on Travel Insurance
As mentioned before, holidays and trips are a big investment. You could be saving up all year round to pay for it and thinking about where you can save money with your insurance.
Price matters but doesn’t just go for the bargain basement cheapest policy. It needs to cover everything that you need.
Here are some ways how to save on your travel insurance…
See If You Already Have it With Your Bank
Some bank accounts offer travel insurance when you sign up with them. Check with your bank and see whether you are already covered.
You don’t want to be paying twice if you don’t need to. When you enquire, your bank may give you the option to add this to your current account at a cheaper rate.
Use Price Comparison Sites
Online comparison websites are usually the best to find the policy that suits you and your party.
You can check what different policies offer and how much they are as the cheapest policy may not offer the best value for money.
Consider Annual Cover Rather Than by Trip
Making the right choice between a single trip and an annual insurance policy can really cut the cost of your cover. Single trip will protect you for just the one holiday, whereas the annual cover includes all trips within the 12-month period no matter the location. Many insurance providers such as Allianz Assistance have these types of insurance policies available.
If you are only travelling once in the year then the single trip is most likely to be cheaper.
Consider Joint Family Insurance
You can get policies for an individual, a couple, a family or a group. If you’re travelling as part of a couple, family or group it’s usually cheaper than insuring each person individually with providers such as Switched on Insurance.
You will want to consider anyone in the party who have pre-existing medical conditions, as they may be better insuring themselves separately.
