Top 10 travel insurance tips

THE world of travel insurance can be difficult to navigate, with travellers often left in a nightmare situation when buying the wrong policy.
So, to make it easier for you, we've been in touch with travel industry experts and put together this top 10 list of things you might not know about travel insurance - and the things you need to avoid.

1. Australians have no legal entitlement to financial assistance from the Government if something goes wrong while overseas

Medical costs you may be hit with while overseas are not covered by Medicare and can end up being very expensive.

"If you fall ill in countries like the US - with its sky-high health-costs - you will be hit up for huge medical expenses if you don't have adequate insurance cover," Doc Holiday said.

While medical insurance should be a top priority, Government website Smarttraveller.com says you simply shouldn't travel without travel insurance of some kind.

"Regardless of how well prepared, healthy and fit you are - if you cannot afford travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel," the Smarttraveller website states.

2. You can insure your iPhone

The growing cache of iPhones, laptops and other electronic devices carried by Australians has fuelled a surge in travellers seeking extra insurance cover.

"These items not only posed a greater risk of theft, they could also take a traveller's total luggage value beyond the limits of their insurance," Travel Insurance Direct's (TID) Ian Jackson said.

For example, TID's standard policies offer $12,000 luggage cover, including up to $4000 per item for cameras, laptops and hand-held computers, and up to $700 for other individual items.

3. Be prepared to claim

If you get robbed on your trip, notify the police within 24 hours and keep a copy of the police report - this will enable you to claim more quickly, according to travel.com.au's General Manager - Brand, Lisa Ferrari.

Interestingly, you can't claim a personal item that an animal has stolen - so watch out for those monkeys.

4. Medical condition loophole

You can apply for cover for cancellations and additional expenses that arise due to an existing medical condition.

While terms, conditions and an additional amount payable may apply based on your medical appraisal, it's definitely worth checking out and could save you heaps, Ms Ferrari said.

5. Insure yourself in "safe" countries too

A survey commissioned by Bupa Australia - which provides travel insurance under the brands MBF, HBA and Mutual Community - has found that 55 per cent of respondents purchase travel insurance based on their perception of a country's safety.

But Bupa's Shane Williamson warns travellers not to tempt fate.

"Some Australians believe they only need travel insurance if they're running with the bulls, or engaging in daredevil behaviour, which is simply not true," he said.

"The reality is that we processed over 2500 travel insurance claims last year, and the majority of incidents occurred in destinations that were perceived as safe, with most claims related to common occurrences such as lost luggage, travel cancellations, or requiring medical treatment."

6. Don't pay more just because you're old

Some of Australia's most popular over-the-counter insurance policies are more than twice as expensive as online policies for travellers aged 60 and over.

"Travellers are routinely being told they need to pay hundreds of dollars more than they should, simply because of their age," Mr Jackson said.

"Others are being charged extra for pre-existing medical conditions that are relatively routine and should be covered for no additional cost."

Advice? Look online at sites for travel insurance to avoid paying hundreds of dollars extra for age-based premiums, according to a leading insurer.

7. Don't rely on your credit card company

TID claims that thousands of Australians are unnecessarily exposing themselves to enormous risks by relying on travel insurance offered through their credit card providers. Many basic policies cannot be activated without producing a copy of your credit card and do not cover any business or sporting activities, such as rafting.

TID also claims that it's not uncommon for insurance offered by credit card providers to only last three months, and once overseas, coverage cannot be extended.

If you are planning to rely on the travel insurance provided by your credit card, you should, before travelling, obtain written confirmation that you are covered and of what exactly the insurance covers.

8. Work out how the policy is calculated

"The cost of travel insurance is usually based on the type of cover requested, the age of the insured, the travel destination and the duration of stay," Ms Ferrari said.

It's important to figure out exactly what your package includes, and whether what's included is right for you. Always take time to purchase the right policy to suit your holiday - and if you're not sure, ask.

9. Be prepared for some action

Don't shy away from all those action sports and activities while you're away, just make sure you buy travel insurance before you leave.

For example, "if you decide to go skiing in Austria, it could be very expensive to get insurance once on the ground, rather than in your overall policy prior to departure," Ms Moy advises.

Check your policy cover before you go, and if you are going to participate in activities that aren't already covered (including skiing and many water sports), take out additional cover early to save you money.

10. Shop around

It's becoming a cliche, but shopping around for the best insurance policy can pay off. Look online, through travel agents, your credit card provider, and ask your friends what they've used in the past too.

"Although it can be overwhelming sifting through the numerous insurance providers out there, it's important to shop around to find the best policy to suit your specific needs," Nicole Moy, managing director, Contiki Holidays, said.

"A travel agent is a great place to start as they are already aware of what you need to suit your travel arrangements plus have access to a number of great deals."

Make sure the cover provided suits your needs and is valid for the whole time you will be away – and be sure to read the fine print as well.

World Reviewer's Travel Tips: Travel Insurance

Before You Take The Plunge: A Quick Aside

Travel Insurance is a high stakes game. Some consider it a gamble, the sort that most of us have to do, placing a bet against our luck.

How much money is wagered is really the game. The questions and criteria range from “How prone to accident or injury am I?” to “How lost or otherwise destroyed will my trip be if I have to do it without my luggage?” But these are only a few of the factors to take into account when figuring out the matter of travel insurance.

Taking notes from the philosophies of certain twelve-step programs, the first step is admitting that there’s a problem – in this case that step means admitting that you need travel insurance – which can be a hard pill to swallow. Insurance is usually the last factor taken into account when planning a trip and for good reason - no one wants to think about what could go wrong on their vacation.

Brass Tacks: The Basics for Travel Insurance

These are most important questions to ask yourself when purchasing your travel insurance policy:

* Am I covered for the entire duration of my trip?
* Am I covered for medical care in case I become injured or ill?
* Does my policy have 24-hour emergency service and assistance?
* Will I be covered if I damage property? How about if I am sued?
* Does my coverage extend to lost or stolen property?
* If I should fall ill or cannot otherwise finish my trip, can I decide to curtail or outright cancel my trip? If so, will I get my money back?
* What kind of extra risk will I put on myself on this trip? Will I be covered should the unthinkable occur?
* If the airline I booked my flight through goes bankrupt, will I be covered?

Tips for choosing the right insurance

* Read the fine print. The last thing an insurance company wants is to pay claims. Through murky language and exclusions, insurance companies limit their coverage and may leave you in the cold should a disaster strike – so clarify what you’re getting.

* If you’re holidaying somewhere like the Amazon Rainforest purchase a policy that includes medical coverage appropriate to the danger level of a wild tropical climate – get covered for illness and injury.

* Assume the best, but plan for the worst. If you take an uninsured ski vacation in Aspen, one rock on the ski run could be the difference between a cheap winter excursion and a small financial apocalypse when you’re removed from the slopes by air ambulance at your own expense.

* You get what you pay for. Cheap insurance policies may seem thrifty, but there’s no point paying for insurance if it leaves you only partly covered.

* Insurance you buy from travel suppliers can be less inclusive than policies purchased through insurance companies - read the fine print and make sure you’re getting the coverage you need. Travel companies make a profit selling insurance so buying it from an insurance company direct may even save you.

* Take into account how much you travel each year. Frequent travellers, can save time and money by purchasing annual multi-trip insurance.

* Even if you insure your luggage watch your possessions like a hawk. When it comes to lost or stolen luggage, the company is only legally obligated to pay you the amount you insure it for which could be less than the real value. If you’re taking jewellery or expensive camera equipment etc. on your journeyBusiness Management Articles, you may want to insure it separately. So much fraud occurs with “lost” or “stolen” camera equipment that some insurance companies will hesitate to honor your policy outright – especially if it’s professional equipment – but it can be easier if you have separate policies.

* Make sure you’ve got your visa before you schedule a flight and buy insurance. Countries like China that require a visa can put a damper on your plans by refusing your application and many travel and insurance companies will not cover you in that event.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
World Reviewer will give you inspirational travel advice from a panel of experts who've been there and done that! Read more about tips for travel insurance and learn the top tips for credit crunch travel. Find exciting and new challenges and extreme sports for your next vacation.

Travel Insurance - It pays to check the small print!

by Keith McGregor

Whilst sometimes this is a totally justified call because miss-selling of travel insurance, though less frequent than in the past, still occurs, there is still a many people who take travel insurance out by simply ticking the box on the holiday booking form without as much as seeing what they are covered for.

This is far from ideal when it comes to making a claim because pleading ignorance is never a strong position to come from. But you can help yourself if you follow a few simple rules: Always get a report from an official source within 24 hours if something goes wrong. A police report for theft, a tour operator’s reports for baggage delay and loss, an airline letter if you suffer travel delay and a Property Irregularity Report before you leave the airport if your luggage is lost or delayed. Without these, you will find that insurers will not readily settle your claim.

# Know what valuables you are taking with you and take extra care of them. Valuables will be defined in your policy but generally includes all jewellery, mobile phones, computer games and equipment and cameras. Add to this list the personal money you take with you. By extra care, we mean you should lock them away in a safe in your room or carry them with you. They should never be left unattended and never in checked in baggage otherwise this will invalidate a claim.

# Keep receipts. Not only will this help to substantiate your claim but you are more likely to get close to value of the lost items back, subject to wear and tear. If no receipt is provided then the maximum amount that will be paid back will be capped at a low level. If several unreceipted items are claimed then this will also raise suspicions that the claim is fraudulent and could be investigated.

# Do call the Medical Assistance line if you have to go into hospital abroad or need medical treatment that could be costly. It is worthwhile doing this for anything that could be above £250. Once this is on record, you are generally well covered up to the agreed amounts.

# And finally, whilst this guidance is for travel insurance policiesFind Article, many people will have a household policy in force that should cover ‘all risks’ up to a set value and this could also be used for a claims for personal belongings lost or stolen whilst on holiday but do check the small print again to see what exclusions apply.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Keith McGregor is a partner of Strawberrysoup, a web design agency with offices in Chichester and Bournemouth. Strawberrysoup specialise in creative web design, content managed websites, search engine optimisation, search engine marketing and graphic design

One way travel

by Keith McGregor

A common question asked in relation to travel is whether it is possible to buy travel insurance for one way travel. Yes, you can is the short answer but do look around as not every travel insurance policy provides this level of cover and you could be caught out.

What do we mean by one way travel? This is taken to mean when someone has open ended travel plans and has not bought a return leg or, perhaps, if someone is emigrating and wants to have cover for the travel part of their itinerary. The advice here is to check the policy wording carefully. Some policies, mostly at the cheaper end of the market, will not have cover in place for one way travel and will require travellers to have purchased, or have proof of purchase, of a return ticket and insurers will ask to see this, if and when, a claim is made. Once you have found a travel insurance provider who will cover one way travel, you do need to remember that cover will only be provided for the period of their insurance or there could be a restriction on how long the cover is in place once you have arrived at your final destination. This could easily be overlooked. Likewise, don't assume that your annual multi-trip insurance policy will cover you for the period you spend away, as most of these policies do have trip limits. So if your annual policy allows you to take individual trips of, say, 31 days per trip, then if your one way travel exceeds this then you will definitely not be covered after that period. The same applies to single trip travel insurance policies. For instance, if you planning to take out a three week insurance policy to go backpacking in Europe this summer to attend Euro 2008, then don't exceed your insurance period and still assume you are covered. The lure of the open road, not restricted by an end dateArticle Search, has much to recommend it but don't let this search for complete travel freedom catch you out.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Keith McGregor is a partner of Strawberrysoup, a web design agency with offices in Chichester and Bournemouth. Strawberrysoup specialise in creative web design, content managed websites, search engine optimisation, search engine marketing and graphic design

Annual Travel Insurance Vs Single Trip Travel Insurance: Which Is Better?

by Steven Clarke

Travelling and taking holidays can be a lot of fun, but it can also be scary. If something goes wrong, you may find yourself in a foreign land amongst foreign people with no idea where to turn for help. Travel insurance prevents this from happening by helping you through all of the unforeseen circumstances that may befall you on a trip. Travel insurance can help cover expenses if you become ill or injured, lose your luggage, have a car accident or have to change your plans due to weather or illness.

There are two basic types of travel insurance: annual travel insurance and single trip travel insurance. Annual travel insurance is purchased annually and covers all of your travels for the entire year. Single trip travel insurance is purchased at the beginning of each trip and is only good for that trip.

There are benefits and drawbacks associated with each type of travel insurance. The following two sections will address the pros and cons of each.

Pros and Cons of Annual Travel Insurance

When you purchase annual travel insurance, you pay a one-time fee. This fee covers the cost of the insurance for the whole year. If you travel a lot, this price is almost always less than you would pay for multiple single-trip policies. But the price for annual travel insurance is also more than you would pay for one or two single-trip policies. So you need to have a clear idea of how often you will use the insurance before you spend the money for it.

Annual travel insurance is ideal for people who travel a lot. Business professionals, people with family living abroad, and families with holiday homes usually benefit the most from such a policy. Students who have to travel back and forth from school may also benefit from this type of policy.

Pros and Cons of Single Trip Travel Insurance

Single trip travel insurance is the most cost effective way to purchase travel insurance if you only have need of it a couple of times a year. It is spontaneous. You can purchase travel insurance prior to any trip even if it is spur of the moment. It is also inexpensive. Single trip travel insurance normally costs about four to seven percent of the entire cost of any prepaid trip.

If you make a lot of spontaneous trips, however, you could end up spending more than you bargained for if you purchase a separate policy each time you leave town.

Both annual and single trip travel insurances offer the same coverage. The only real discrepancy between them is cost. Therefore, you need to choose the most cost effective way to purchase the insurance that best meets your needs. If you have any doubts, talk to a travel agent. They will be able to help you compare prices and coverage options. The most important thing is that you always travel while insured. You need to be prepared for everything that may happen.

About Steven Clarke
Steven Clarke - Marketing Manager for www.mytravelinsurance.org.uk. We offer a travel insurance service which compares all the UK’s travel insurance deals to find you the cheapest insurance quote.

Travel Safety with Access America and Travelsafe Travel Insurance

by Astrid Hermanssen

There are several different types of travel insurance that you can choose when you are looking to protect your travel investment. Two of the most well known travel insurance companies are Access America and Travelsafe Travel Insurance. If you are planning on traveling in the United States or abroad, it is a good idea to get travel insurance to cover the cost of your trip in case something goes wrong.

Both Access America and Travelsafe Travel Insurance offer travel insurance for someone who is traveling in a variety of different methods - by air, sea or train. Access America is more geared towards domestic travel, although it is also used by those who are traveling out of the country. Many of the people who get Access America travel are getting it because they are going on a cruise.

Cruising along with Access America and Travelsafe Travel

Cruises are the number one reason why people get travel insurance. Cruises are subject to many mishaps, especially when due to the weather. One of the best aspects about choosing Access America as your travel insurance is that they will insure a cruise. There are exclusions when it comes to insuring the cruise during hurricane season, but you can still get some type of insurance. This means that if your cruise is cancelled due to a hurricane or other act of nature, you can recoup some of your money.

Medical Coverage with Access America and Travelsafe Travel

Travelsafe Travel Insurance is a good option when you are leaving the country and are worried about medical coverage. Medical coverage is something that many people are concerned about when they visit another country that may have foods that are different than what they are used to in the United States.

Many people who are older also worry about medical coverage when they are out of the country. By getting a policy with Travelsafe Travel Insurance, these worries are alleviated. You can get the coverage that you need when you choose Travelsafe and chose one of their package deals.

Looking for Package Deals?

Both Travelsafe Travel Insurance and Access America offer package deals for travel that you can get for yourself by going online. Both of these insurance companies also procure travel agents when it comes to selling the travel insurance. You can get the travel insurance through the agency itself when you are booking your own trip, or you can purchase the travel insurance when you book a trip through a travel agency.

If you are looking for a good deal on cruise travel insurance, you may want to take a look at the packages that are available through Access America. They have reasonable cruise insurance packages that will even cover acts of nature.
If you are worried about getting sick when you travel outside of the country, you may want to check out Travelsafe Travel Insurance as a form of travel insurance. It is important to note that both of these travel insurance companies offer insurance for cruises, medical attention in other counties, lost baggage and other problems that may occur and cause you a loss when you are on vacation. If you are spending money on a tripFind Article, you will want to back it up by making sure that you have travel insurance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
No one likes to get sick abroad so go to TravelInsuranceReviewer.com and read up on user-provided Access America reviews and Travelsafe Insurance reviews to see if any of these providers answer your travel coverage needs.

Travel Horror Stories – Six Tales That Will Make You Glad You’ve Got Travel Insurance

by Patrick Chong

Tempted on skipping your travel insurance this year? Think again! With cheap holiday insurance widely available online and typically adding only a few pounds to the cost of your trip, there’s really no excuse not to buy it. If you’re still not sure, here are six stories that might help to change your mind – sometimes fate conspires against you in a particularly nasty way…

Look Out Below!

Here’s a story to make your skin crawl! A traveller in South Mexico had the misfortune to be the victim of a fly that lays its eggs in living flesh. The eggs hatched into four worms beneath the skin – three of them were removed easily by a doctor, but the last one was proving more problematic. The inventive doctor suggested leaving a piece of meat on the leg next to the wound – sure enough, six hours later the worm had been tempted half way out and could be removed entirely. Medical costs that are claimed on travel insurance usually aren’t as grisly as this!

Scorpion Stowaway

Despite the rigorous security at airports nowadays, occasionally something slips through. A penknife forgotten at the bottom of the bag, a tube of toothpaste that is over the regulation limits for liquids…or even a scorpion hiding in your backpack! On a flight from Miami to Toronto a tiny stowaway crawled out of someone’s backpack and stung another traveller. One can only hope that the unlucky traveller had holiday insurance to cover their medical bills and the likely delay to their flight!

Legless at the Airport

British Airways staff were left red faced after losing a New Zealand woman’s prosthetic leg…especially since she was travelling to compete in the world athletic championships for the disabled. That’s the kind of personal item that you really want your cheap holiday insurance to cover!

Housetrained Police

Sometimes threats to a traveller’s health, wallet, and sanity can come from the most unexpected sources - two police dogs at an airport in Thailand were suspended from duty for making “sexual advances” on passengers and then urinating on their luggage. It may sound like just a funny story, but without cheap holiday insurance the passengers would have to shell out for the replacement clothes and luggage themselves - or put up with some decidedly bad smelling underwear for the rest of their trip…

A Victim of Intrepid Pickpockets or Just the Laws of Physics?

A nervous traveller in Barcelona was warned that muggers and pickpockets were rampant along Las Ramblas, so before venturing out she filled her underwear with $1500 in Travellers Cheques. Naturally, before the day was out they had all disappeared, whether it was into the hands of especially adventurous pickpockets or simply down the legs of her trousers will never be known.

The $150,000 Tick Bite

You should never underestimate the cost of even the most minor holiday mishaps, as an unfortunate gap year traveller in America found out to his peril. Bitten by a moose tick, he then developed Lime’s Disease, a very dangerous condition that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Several weeks in hospital meant that he missed his flight back home, but fortunately his travel insurance covered the cost of the medical bills and a replacement ticket – estimated to total over $150,000.

About the Author
Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of Journey’s Travel. Their commercial travel insurance website, Insuremore, offers cheap holiday insurance and a quick and easy online claims feature.

Travel Tours And Travel Insurance

by Jerry K. Blackburn

If you are thinking of taking a vacation but you are not sure whether to take out travel insurance or not then this article is for you. Here you will find out the reasons why travel insurance is often an essential for every vacation that you take which will hopefully help you to understand whether or not you need it.

The Advantages of Travel Insurance

The warnings have been given plenty of times but so many people ignore the fact that no matter where you go in the world, travel insurance is often a necessity. So many things can go wrong whilst you are on holiday and whilst you may not think about it, if you are not covered by insurance then you could stand to lose a lot of money. Think about it – you spend a fortune on flights, accommodation, activities and clothes and so if you were to lose anything or become ill or injured and it had to end your vacation, it would not go down very well!

Basically travel insurance is designed to protect you against a number of situations, though not all travel insurance plans are the same. Some will cover things such as theft whilst others will cover accident or illness. So it is important that you know exactly what your insurance covers if you do get it.

One particular problem which could occur includes your flight or holiday being cancelled. Usually without insurance you would not get any money back but with insurance you could get a fund or at least a partial refund. This is particularly true in the case of terrorist attacks and these days there is a high chance of a terrorism attack happening throughout the world. You never really think of the things which could go wrong and so it is always better to be protected just in case.

Another common occurrence within airports is your luggage could go missing. If this were to happen then you would be left with no clothes and potentially not a lot of anything. If you have insurance then you could claim anything that is lost or stolen so that is another advantage to having the right insurance for your vacation. No matter what vacation deals you are presented with, travel insurance should always come high in your list of priorities. In fact if you get good travel tours discounts then you would have more money left over to spend on the right insurance for you.

Overall travel insurance can really help out in times of crisis whilst you are on vacation. Nobody wants to be caught unaware whilst on holiday but if you do not have any insurance then that is exactly what could happen.

About the Author:
Jerry Blackburn is writing primarily for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web publication on spanish culture . His writings on Jobs in Spain are found on http://www.alicante-spain.com/spain-tips/jobs.html

Travel Insurance for All

by cng0022

Going on holiday for the elder clientele is usually stressful enough without worrying what happens if something nasty happens to you while you are on your travels. My father recently went on a month long trip to Australia, which he thoroughly enjoyed, which I could tell by the sheer number of photos that were taken. He said that during his trip there was very little bother from anything to spoil his travels.

However being not of the 'web' age he went down the expensive path of buying his travel insurance from a local company. Now I just want to let the senior citizens of the world know that the internet is not you enemy and it won't start any nuclear holocaust or steal your money.

You can get very good deals and you are treated like an individual to meet your specific needs. As my father is now planning another holiday to Japan in April 2008 for another month and I have walked him through the steps he needs to take online to book his travel insurance. As stubborn as he is we did find a good company called Insure For All that was extremely easy to use, which was good for him.

http://www.insureforall.com

About the Author
http://www.site-rec.com/podletzrecs

Travel Insurance FAQs

by Patrick Chong

There are a lot of misconceptions related to travel insurance, and understandably most people aren't as well versed in the fine details of travel insurance as I am - I can't say that I blame them! However, many misconceptions put people at risk of spending unnecessary amounts of money on areas that could and should be covered by their travel insurance policy.
So, I've compiled this mini travel insurance FAQ to assist those who have doubts, worries or questions about travel insurance.

Q: What should I do before going abroad?

A: Make sure you have adequate travel insurance and that you have checked the FCO Travel Advice for the countries you are visiting. Check you have sufficient money and that your passport is up-to-date. Take a photocopy of your passport details and keep in a safe place. Check what inoculations and visas are required. Note down the numbers and addresses of the UK embassy and consulate in the country you're traveling to.

Q: Should I take out travel insurance before my holiday?

A: I may be a little biased on this one, but yes! It is extremely important that you take out adequate travel insurance even for short trips or visits to Europe, and absolutely imperative in countries outside the EU where different conditions make illness more likely and affordable medical cover that bit more difficult to get hold of. It also covers for cancellation as soon as you book your trip.

If you travel to a country, or part of a country, against FCO advice, it is unlikely that your insurer would meet any claim, however. Should the FCO advice change after you have booked a holiday, check the position with your tour operator and travel insurance company.

Q: Should I be looking at single trip or annual multi trip travel insurance?

A: Only you can answer that really - although single trip insurance is (generally) cheaper, it does exactly what it says and covers you for just the one trip. By contrast, annual multi trip travel insurance will cover you for the whole year on various breaks, making it the choice if you think you're likely to travel that much. You may find that just taking two trips a year would make annual multi trip travel insurance cheaper than the single trip variety!

Q: What sort of reason for cancellation is valid to ensure cover from travel insurance?

A: As long as your reason is within the scope of cover provided by your insurance, then you should be entitled to claim in most cases. Legitimate reasons for canceling your trip could include an illness or death in the family (as defined by your policy), freak weather conditions suspending travel for 24 hours, burglary or damage to your home, being a victim of criminal assault resulting in you being medically unable to travel, being called up for emergency military service or jury duty (subject to the specific terms and conditions of the policy). Likewise, if the hotel or resort (for independent travelers) you're due to visit suffers from a terrorist attack in the days leading up to your travel, you will generally be able to claim.

Q: Who pays if I need to be hospitalized overseas or flown back to the UK?

A: If you have proper travel insurance, the insurance company should pay such fees. If not, the cost will fall to you or your relatives and friends.

Q: Is a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) the same as health insurance?

A: No. The free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) shows that the holder is entitled to reduced or free emergency care only within the EU. You will still need travel insurance to ensure you will be covered fully in the event of illness or injury. The EHIC card will help though, by reducing your initial outlay before you can be reimbursed by your travel insurance company.

Q: Is my pre existing medical condition a big issue?

A: Generally, yes. Check the wording of your policy to ensure it covers pre-existing medical conditions. Often they're not covered unless you pay an extra premium, and if you fail to declare your condition when you buy the travel insurance, you'll be unable to claim on it. As always the key advice here is to check the policy wording with a fine tooth comb.

Q: How can I find out whether it is safe to travel to a particular country?

A: It is strongly advised that you check the FCO Travel Advice section of their website (fto.gov.uk). This information is regularly updated and should give you solid advice on where is and is not safe to travel (remember, areas officially outlined as 'unsafe' will seldom be covered by travel insurance policies).

Q: Is it safe to travel after a terrorist attack overseas?

A: Unfortunately, there is no such thing as risk-free travel, and the absence of advice against travel to a particular country or area does not imply that the FCO guarantees safety in that country or area.

I hope this travel insurance FAQ has proved useful - it's only really scratching the service and each policy is different, but with this advice you should be in a better position to shop around, next time you need to purchase travel insurance.

About the Author
Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of Journey's Travel. Their commercial travel insurance website, Insuremore, offers cheap annual multi trip travel insurance packages for families, singles, children and skiers with free cover against acts of terrorism and a quick and easy online claims feature.

Travel Insurance? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Travel Insurance! (do We?)

by Tina Irasthmus

Should you have travel insurance? An interesting question. But if you question the need for travel insurance, perhaps you are the same person who questions the need for any kind of insurance. Most people have auto insurance, health insurance, homeowners’ insurance or renters’ insurance, and maybe even life insurance or disability insurance – so I ask you: Why not have travel have travel insurance?

Insurance is for “What if’s”

Insurance is protection for that unwanted and unexpected challenge. Your auto insurance protects you from shelling out $2,000 for that unexpected fender bender that wasn’t even your fault. Travel insurance does likewise. Have you ever had luggage “misplaced” by an airline and been left with no clothes to wear on your trip? Have you ever had to cancel a trip that was fully paid due to some unforeseen incident that arose before you even had an opportunity to leave? Or have you had to cut short that cruise because of something that happened at home? Ever gotten sick on vacation?

These are all travel problems that can be covered by travel insurance. One company I reviewed will reimburse your trip cost for covered (always read the small print) cancellation, and 125% of the cost due to an interruption of the trip. They will also pay $500 for your accommodations if you missed your connecting flight and can’t get another until “tomorrow morning, at the earliest.” Ever slept in an airport on behalf of your Atlanta-based flight crew, who were very happy to serve you, but couldn’t manage to get the airplane to your connecting airport by the time they said they would? A $500 hotel room might not get you to your destination, but it sure could be a sweet wait. Can you say “honor bar?”

Here’s another swell deal: your travel insurance could pay you $1,000 for lost luggage, or $200 for delayed luggage. That’s some pricey underwear and deodorant, but I’m not arguing.

Travel insurance can also be purchased to cover emergency medical treatment or “medical evacuation and repatriation.” Or, if you prefer, you could just click your heels together three times and say, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place…”

Yeah, but how much is it going to cost me?

The cost of travel insurance is based on the number of people traveling and the value of the trip. Time away can also be a factor if you will be gone for more than a month. For example, a family of four taking a trip valued at about $3,000 could expect to pay in the neighborhood of $250 for all of the coverage mentioned above. Is it worth it? On the website of one travel company it stated, “If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel.”

Can I ask my uncle?

Sure. Uncle Sam says medical evacuation from a foreign country can cost $10,000 and up. And in his inimitable way, he warns that Social Security Medicare does not provide coverage for hospital or medical coverage outside of the US. If you have a private insurer, you might want to check on what out-of-country coverage you have if your trip will take you outside of the good ol’ USA.

OK, OK, you’ve convinced me. Any last bits of advice before I leave for Katmandu?

I am so glad you asked. Here’s a little extra for you - at no additional charge:

1. Take all your travel insurance documentation with you – DON’T put it in your luggage!
2. Put all of your policy numbers on a separate piece of paper in a separate location from the actual policies in case of loss or damage to your policies.
3. Leave a copy of your policy(s) at home with next of kin, or whomever knows your whereabouts.
4. To expedite service in case of an accident, fill in all of your vital statistics on the information page of your passport (name, address, phone number, etc.), or carry it on a card that you keep in your wallet or stuffed into the sleeve of that tag that says Hello My Name Is_____.

In a coconut shell…

Travel insurance can help you with:
· Reimbursement of your travel investment due to cancellation or early termination
· Reimbursement of unexpected travel expenses (delays, loss of luggage)
· Covering emergency medical assistance and medical referrals
· Obtaining medical assistance abroad

Bon Voyage!

© 2005 Travel Insurance Directory

About the Author:

Tina Irasthmus has developed the website Travel Insurance Directory, which answers the most common questions people have about travel insurance. Please visit us at http://www.travelinsurancedirectory.net today

Travel insurance - are you missing out?

by Chris Rowlands

Each year, thousands of British tourists suffer personal injury and theft when they travel abroad. Their losses run to many millions of pounds. Yet a large number do not have any form of insurance cover, leaving them to foot hospital bills and find the money to replace items such as digital cameras and camcorders.

Of course not much thought is given to these negative aspects when planning for and booking our holiday. Indeed, this is often the last thing on our minds.

By the time you remember to purchase travel insurance or at least recognise a need for it, you may be only day's away from the start of your holiday. It is all too easy at this point to purchase the first policy you come across with a decent price tag and sometimes even this goes out of the window in your haste.

So what should you think about when considering travel insurance? The first thing is to be careful when allowing your tour operator to package your holiday insurance alongside your other travel arrangements. More often than not such policies work out much more expensive this way.

You may also find that particular travel agencies/companies are affiliated with one insurer, so you will not receive a competitive quote on your policy, or it may not cover all your precise needs.

When searching for a travel insurance policy you should be careful to look for the features you require. A good policy should provide you with a minimum of £1m in personal injury or accident cover, baggage cover, theft cover, holiday cancellation cover and public liability cover in case you are sued by a third party.

Using a comparison website can allow you to search through many insurers at once. Indeed just spending 10-15 minutes trawling round a few websites yourself will return enough quotes to allow you to make an educated decision.

To many the main aim is to find a cheap travel insurance policy, whilst this is in theory a good idea and definitely advised if you want to save those pennies, you should never lose sight of the features you require.

Nine times out of 10 you will find that the cheapest quote has the minimum features you're looking for. But you should remember that sometimes it is best to increase the cover in certain areas. A good example being travel to the USA: look to increase the cover for personal injury from £1m to £2m, as hospital costs can literally bankrupt you.

Above all, travel insurance affords you peace of mind, the knowledge that you are covered should you fall victim to an accident or have your personal possessions stolen cannot be valued highly enough.

About the Author
Chris Rowlands is a UK-based author with experience within the financial sector, specialising on insurance topics.

Travel Insurance FAQ

by Terrell James

Travel Insurance is an essential part of any trip and is something that should not be put aside. Most soon-to-be travelers usually have heard about travel insurance, but might not know the specific reasons why they need travel insurance. This is an important article about frequently asked questions for travel insurance. This article also provides a link for further reading about travel insurance.

What is travel insurance protection?

Travel insurance is a type of insurance that covers you financial for any losses or illness that may unfortunate occur while you is on your trip. Travel insurance can be bought for international or national (within your country) trips.

Why should I buy travel insurance?

Since travel insurance protects you while traveling, this will help and provide the necessary protection you will need in the occurrence of a unfortunate event. Any individual traveling anywhere without travel insurance will be in a dangerous situation if an accident occur.

What is the coverage for travel insurance?

Travel insurance should provide coverage for medical cost, transportation to a medical facility, and reimburse you for certain or some nonrefundable costs due to a interrupted trip, and financial loss of funds.

How much does travel insurance cost?

How much the cost of your travel insurance will be depends on your insurance company provider and their policy. The cost of travel insurance usually will range up to 12 percent of the cost of your vacation/trip.

Is travel insurance really important and how many people actually get paid for their claims? Travel insurance is highly recommended, there are usually about 10% of people who file claims. Sometimes some travelers make have taken a overly expensive trip that they would have to pay out of their own money if they have not bought travel insurance.

What is the medical care coverage?

When there is a case of illness or serious injury, medical transportation to an appropriate medical facility, and medical treatment will be covered. You should also have coverage for if it is deem necessary to bring you back home.

Does travel insurance cover business trips?

This will depend on the insurance company. Most insurance companies will provide travel insurance for a business trip, but the coverage may be separate from the standard coverage.

How long will travel insurance provide coverage for me?

You can often buy travel insurance starting from as little as two weeks, up to a year. Different insurance companies may vary with their service of coverage.

When is the best time to buy travel insurance coverage?

The best time to buy travel insurance is as soon as possible before you go on your trip or vacation. You want your travel insurance active during your whole trip.

What will happen if my money is lost or stolen?

If you can not receive traveler checks replacements many insurance companies provide a service where a travel agent can arrange a money transfer or traveler check for you to receive. You will have to ask more about this to your travel insurance provider.

About the Author
Recently updated articles can be seen at AFB

Travel Insurance - 10 Top Tips

by Smith Chen


Insurance is one of those areas that is generally unavoidable; you'll need it in some form or another somewhere along the line. For the majority of us that just happens to be every day.

One area always in the spotlight one way or another is travel insurance. Yet many of us still aren't sure if it's something we really need and to this end, many of us travel without it every year. Here are 10 top tips to help you make the right decision.

1) It is a common myth that if you take the European health card (E111) with you when you travel, you will be covered for anything that goes wrong. This is not the case. The card is just there to be given to a hospital, etc, in an emergency so they will treat you (this is still a must have for this reason). You will still be billed for any treatment you receive in a private health care system. For this reason holiday insurance can be invaluable.

2) When applying for your insurance policy, you must inform the company of any/all medical conditions you suffer from, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. This could prove to be something that voids your policy if you do not. You will find this most probably increases your premium, but it is worth it to keep your policy valid.

3) When looking for cheap travel insurance, be careful to check you are not losing out on any coverage that you will need, such as theft, cancellation of holiday/flights. You may find that some polices really are too good to be true and cover you for the bare minimum.

4) If you are planning to go on a trip that may include activities that could be viewed to be dangerous by the insurance company, you may find you will not be covered under most policies. You will need to find a policy aimed at covering for such activities, i.e. a winter ski policy or adventure holiday insurance. If you are thinking of backpacking, you would similarly be best to look for a backpacker's policy.

5) The majority of companies offer single, multi trip, family and annual policies. If you are going to travel just once in a year as a single person or a couple, it will work out cheaper to apply for a single trip travel insurance policy. If however you will be travelling 2 or more times, a multi trip policy will save you money. The same applies to a family group, finding separate policies will be expensive, opt for a family policy and you will save money and most probably receive cover for children (under 18) free.

6) Always check excesses on the policy you choose, most policies are peppered with them and finding a policy with a better or no excess in an area you think relevant is prudent.

7) An important thing to remember in regards to item/theft insurance is; if you leave valuables unattended/ out of sight, you will not be protected.

8) An important "don't" is not to let your holiday provider package the holiday insurance for you as it will work out much more expensive in the long run. In less than a couple of minutes you can find a much cheaper quote on a comparison site. Research from Alliance and Leicester has shown UK holiday makers overspend by ฃ1.3 billion on travel insurance each year, for this very reason.

9) It is important to remember that the insurance company will not pay out for an accident caused whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

10) Finally, in research done by the internet company Moneysupermarket.com it was found that you should ensure you have the following amounts of cover as minimum: Medical expenses 2m, personal liability 1m, cancellation 3,000, baggage 1,500, cash 250, a 24 hour emergency line and cover for legal costs and finally financial ombudsman service membership in case you need to complain.

About the Author
Smith Chen is an author and internet marketing consultant.
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