'Tis the season to insure your travels
Thinking back to last year’s travel chaos caused by the snow and ice, Cheapflights.co.uk, UK website for travel deals comparison, helps travellers protect themselves in the event of another white Christmas and the havoc that may come with it.
The website’s insurance tips for coming holiday season provide advice on all-round protection, from healthcare to lost baggage and cancelled flights.
“The world has had its fair share of travel chaos caused by weather events this past year. From snow disruptions, which brought both planes and trains virtually to a halt, to volcanic ash grounding flights in Australia, there were stranded travellers aplenty in the last 12 months,” says Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for Cheapflights.co.uk.
“The lesson learned is that it’s important to understand travel insurance and use it wisely to protect yourself and your trip. While it may not be possible to plan for absolutely everything, it’s quite possible to get cover for most things,” adds Hallak.
In these top tips, Cheapflights guides travellers on how to get the best travel insurance coverage.
Policies: who, how much and where?
As a starting point, it’s important to know that general travel policies tend to cover the traveller in the event of lost baggage, cancellations and medical care while overseas. Notable insurance policy providers include AA, AXA, Virgin Money Essentials, Holiday Safe, Topnotchcover, Leisurecare, Simple Travel and AnnualTravelInsurance.com, among others. Policies start from as low as around £19 annual for individuals and £30 upward for families. Travel insurance is available for both business and leisure travel.
Unplanned disruptions
Unplanned disruptions, such as cancellations caused by bad weather or tour operator collapses, often fall outside general travel insurance. One simple way to ensure customers get their money back in the event of unplanned disruptions is to book using a credit card. Those booking package holidays or even just flights should check the travel companies they use are ATOL bonded. ATOL licenses travel companies that have participated in a financial guarantee scheme to ensure customers are reimbursed in the event of a collapse, or brought home should the collapse occur during their time abroad.
Single trip versus annual multi-trip
When it comes to insurance, generally the rule is more means less. In other words, an annual multi-trip insurance policy is going to be cheaper than taking out a single trip insurance policy each time you travel. Policies tend to have different levels of cover, varying in price, but can start as low as a one-off payment of £19. They may also specify a time limit for the amount of cover offered. For example, the policy may insure the traveller for up to 60 days or less per trip, depending on the type of policy taken.
Health insurance on the go
UK residents travelling through EU countries holding a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) are entitled to medical treatment within state-run hospitals in those countries at the same cost as local residents. Additional eligible countries also include Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Iceland. Cards are free for all, including children, and can last up to five years then should be renewed online. Apply through the EHIC website.
Worldwide medical insurance can either be covered by purchasing a general travel insurance policy or a separate, international cover. When deciding which to take out, consumers should consider the amount of travel they do and any outstanding health issues in order to determine how much cover they might require.
Winter sports and adventure travel
Ski season is in full swing, so those heading off on a skiing or adventure holiday should make sure they’re covered correctly. Policies insure for everything from injury to lost, misdirected or damaged equipment. However, customers should inspect policies carefully because, when it comes to extreme sports like heli-skiing or bungee jumping, some providers may limit the number of times the traveller can indulge in their adrenaline sport of choice. For example, they may cover for two bungee jumps but not three, or they may cover for leisurely skiing, but not a ski race. The cost of winter sports insurance can vary starting from around £20 per individual and from £40 upwards for families.
For more information on travel insurance, visit cheapflights.co.uk.