Travel Insurance
Boring but essential, travel insurance is one travel staple you shouldn't scrimp on. Here's our buyer's guide
Insurance is the dullest subject in travel – until you need it.
Stranded overseas thanks to an Icelandic ash cloud? Spent two nights on an airport floor during airline strikes? Feeling a bit sniffly after a trip through a swine flu hotspot? Suddenly you’re trawling through your policy small print wishing you’d paid a bit more attention when you bought it.
The first thing to remember is that all travel insurance policies are not the same – choosing the right one can make the difference between significant compensation and crippling debt. With insurance, cheaper is very rarely better. So what do you need to check to ensure you’re not caught out?
Pick your policy type
Before you start searching,
be clear about what you need. (Read our
Travel Insurance FAQs.) Your age, health, choice of destination, type of activity and trip duration are key factors. For regular travellers, an
annual policy will usually be cheaper than several single-trip policies. Families and couples are often better off under
joint policies – but make sure you’re individually covered if you’re not travelling together. Trips of more than 90 days may be better covered under a ‘long stay’ or ‘backpacker’ policy.
Shop around
This is a huge market, so always compare a number of quotes.
The best insurance deals are usually online, especially if you are looking for a ‘standard’ policy. Useful sites for comparing quotes and providers include: www.insuresupermarket.com, www.squaremouth.co.uk, www.fairinvestment.co.uk and www.confused.com.
There’s also a useful travel insurance forum with user recommendations on www.moneysavingexpert.com. Be careful when buying online though – the onus is on you to ensure you have declared all relevant conditions and facts. If you have any doubts about what’s covered, call the insurer before you buy.
After much research, Wanderlust has its own insurance in conjunction with InsureandGo - click here for details.
Get specialist help
If you have specific needs, an
insurance broker may be best – they can talk you through exclusions and search the market for you. The
British Insurance Brokers Association can put you in touch with one.
Read the small print
Dull but essential.
Policies do vary widely, so make no assumptions. Think “what if…?”; check all the exclusions, conditions and excesses; and query anything you don’t understand with the insurer.
Travel insurance top tips
- Get an EHIC – The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) entitles you to emergency state (ie free or subsidised) healthcare in most European countries, and insurers will often waive your medical excess if you use it. Order one from www.ehic.org.uk or a Post Office – allow at least two weeks for delivery.
- Check for multiple excesses – If you lose your bag, will you pay one excess, or one for every item inside?
- Beware 'Free' credit card insurance – Offered free with some credit cards, travel accident insurance is not the same as travel insurance – it offers limited compensation for personal accidents abroad, not medical expenses. Some credit cards and banks do offer complimentary travel insurance but check the policy carefully for exclusions.