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Travel insurance - have you got yours?

27th July 2012 Print

With summer holidays now here, travel insurance specialists, World First are reminding travellers to buy travel insurance to make sure they are covered for anything that may go wrong whilst on foreign shores.

Travel insurance, although not a legal requirement for summer holidays, does provide travellers with cover for a wide range of travel related incidents, from travel disruption and delays to lost luggage and accidents.  It can mean the difference between being faced with a costly medical bill or cost of replacing damaged or lost luggage, to a hassle free holiday with complete peace of mind.

If you don’t have travel insurance and something goes wrong, you could find yourself in a difficult situation. If you have to cancel your holiday, your luggage is lost or stolen or you have an accident and require medical assistance, you will be responsible for covering any costs. 

Bills for medical treatment can run into hundreds of thousands for serious cases and you can’t bank on the European Health Insurance Card (the old E111) to cover you. The EHIC will only cover you for the same free treatment as residents of the country you are travelling in. It won't pay your fare home or help with specialist treatment and medication.

World First Travel Insurance recently dealt with a claim from a customer who had a fall whilst on holiday in Europe. Mrs Crispin tripped on a badly maintained pavement.  As she fell she caught the right side of her face on a kerb stone.  Mrs Crispin needed immediate admission to hospital.  Examinations by the doctor and surgeon determined she needed an operation to repair her right eye socket and remove bone fragments from soft tissue in her face.

When the accident was reported to the emergency assistance team the couple were offered early repatriation and they could choose between surgery being carried out at home or abroad.  An interpreter was also available by phone, if they required any help communicating with the hospital team.

Mr Crispin said, “We agreed, in consultation with the Spanish surgeon, that my wife should have a few days rest to recover from the shock of the fall and allow the swelling in her face to subside. We opted for surgery to be carried out back home, as we would feel more confident and in control being able to converse with the medical team in English.” 

Because Mrs Crispin had adequate travel insurance she was able to undergo initial treatment in hospital at no cost and they were both able to return home early, with no charges for changes to their travel plans.

Had Mr and Mrs Crispin not had travel insurance, the bill for the treatment and change to travel plans could have amounted to more than £3000.

World First Travel Insurance have released a list of some of the most common travel insurance claims, and therefore the things most likely to go wrong whilst on holiday. 

1. Cancellation due to ill health or a family member's ill health;
2. Insect and mosquito bites;
3. Gastroenteritis or food poisoning;
4. Ear infections from hotel pools;
5. Sunburn and heat stroke;
6. Lost/broken glasses;
7. Lost or damaged luggage by an airline;
8. Loss of cash or loss of passport;
9. Delayed departure at the airport due to strike; and
10. Medical Expenses as a result of injuries sustained by moped hire or assault, or twisted, fractured ankles due to broken and uneven pavement

Managing Partner of World First Travel Insurance, Martin Rothwell said, “The cost of travel insurance can sometimes put people off, especially if they have pre-existing medical conditions. But when you consider the cost and disruption that can be caused if you don’t have cover when you travel this is really not an excuse.

“We see more and more programmes on the television about Brits in trouble abroad, most of the time because they haven’t bought travel insurance to cover them. You never know when something may go wrong. You always hope your holiday will be relaxing and problem free, but no matter what you plan for, you can’t be 100% sure there won’t be any problems.

“Whether you’re taking a short break or a two week family holiday make sure you buy travel insurance, it’s really not worth the risk.”

World First Travel Insurance policies start from as little as £10 for a single trip and £55 for a multi trip policy. For more information, visit world-first.co.uk.