Travel Insurance Buying Guide
The saveyourselfmoney guide to cheap travel insurance
Why is travel insurance important?
Everyone deserves a holiday from time to time after working hard for weeks on end, and of course all jet-setters expect their trips away to come off without a hitch - no accidents, no mishaps, no lost luggage. Unfortunately for some, this often doesn't happen so it is imperative that all eventualities are considered and prepared for, to make sure time off is as restful and relaxing as can be.
That's why travel insurance - also known as holiday insurance - is just so very important, particularly given the high fees that can be incurred if holidaymakers find themselves involved in an accident of some description or fall ill while they're away. It's definitely better to be safe than sorry, especially for those who enjoy indulging in a few adrenaline-fuelled pursuits such as skiing or hang-gliding, where accidents are commonplace.
If you hurt yourself hurtling down the slopes, for example, and require an airlift off the piste, you could end up facing a hefty bill running into thousands of pounds, which would no doubt ruin anyone's holiday. But taking out travel insurance before you board that flight will mean that any injuries you do sustain won't do as much damage to your wallet when you finally make it back home.
It's not just about medical costs, however - travel insurance is important to cover you if you misplace your personal belongings, or even if your flights are delayed or cancelled. With some policies, should you accidentally cause damage to a third party, you'll also be protected against liabilities incurred up to a certain level.
Remember - all policies are based on people taking reasonable care of possessions, so if a bag is left unattended and is stolen, a payout is quite unlikely as insurers will consider you to be at fault.
What kind of insurance should you take out?
There are a number of different options people can consider before heading off to sunnier climes. Family policies, for example, allow adults to cover themselves and their youngsters - those under 18 years old - without having to take out individual cover for each person.
Alternatively, jet-setters could opt for annual travel insurance, which could prove to be both convenient (since you only have to sort it all out once a year, instead of each time you go away) as well as cheaper in the long run. Of course, if you only holiday on the odd occasion, single trip travel insurance is probably the more appropriate choice. Often just two trips abroad make an annual policy a more sensible choice.
If you are planning on taking part in any skiing give careful consideration to adding optional winter sports cover.
It's also worth looking at cover exclusions and excesses, as these can vary widely between companies - make sure policies are relevant to your personal travel interests, as some may not pay out if a holiday is abandoned because of pre-existing medical conditions.
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Incidental basis - Participation in dangerous pursuits on an occasional basis
Emergency repatriation - Coming back to the UK via air ambulance when necessary
Trip interruption - Covers eventualities that interrupt a trip, such as weather, illness, strikes, injury or death
Financial default - If a cruise, airline or tour operator goes out of business
Adventure sports coverage - Insurance for higher-risk activities such as skydiving or snow boarding
