Travel Insurance

[Eatock08]

Just thought I would post to give advice on Travel Insurance.

It is always best to buy a 12 month policy in the event you need to cancel your trip for any reason. Most bank accounts offer free travel insurance for a monthly fee of course.

If you booked a holiday in January for July and for some reason you need to cancel in May a single trip policy would not cover this as the start date for it would be in July. Depending on the reason and it's not excluded an annual policy will cover it.

Always read the cover details I have seen so many people loose out on money because they didn't read their policy or didn't notice that personal effects are not covered. Always advise of your pre-existing medical conditions, you don't have to take cover for it depending on what it is but if you don't tell them about it they could refuse to pay a claim or even void your policy.

Remember household contents policies usually cover personal effects or valuables worldwide up to a certain amount of days so you can choose if you want your travel insurance policy to cover them or not. It would be a personal choice and which excess is lowest.

If your planning to do watersports while on holiday make sure your travel insurance covers this type of activity and if not ask for it to be added.

[dragon]

Always advise of your pre-existing medical conditions, you don't have to take cover for it depending on what it is but if you don't tell them about it they could refuse to pay a claim or even void your policy.

You really need to tell them everything. I found out last year that my insurance policy hadn't been valid for years and this had then also cancelled everyone else's in the group. Years ago I was diagnosed with angina which I used to declare. A few years later I was told I didn't have it so I haven't declared it since. Last year I gave the usual information and said 'at least I know that I don't have angina'. I was then told it still needs to be declared even though I've been told I don't have it, the reason being apparently is that the diagnosis could have been right and their decision that I don't have it may be wrong. I was also told that as my previous policies had been invalid it would have also cancelled everyone else's in the group as it was information that should have been declared so we haven't been covered for quite a few years. This could have been serious as I have cancer and osteoporosis as well as other illnesses.

Luckily I've never needed to claim but I now feel paranoid and will make sure we tell them everything and leave them decide whether it's relevant or not.

[jnesbitt]

If you purchase an insurance policy at the time of booking your holiday, it will cover you if you need to cancel for any reason . If its anything medical, ie a pre existing condition, please declare this,because if you dont it will null and void your medical cover if anything goes wrong whilst you are away,and you are hospitalised etc. It will be very expensive in Turkey (happened to my friend a few years ago). She eventually had to fly home and lost a lot of money too

[Eatock08]

If the date of purchase was used as the start date of the policy and not the date of travel then yes you would be covered.

Be sure to check your policy start dates if purchasing insurance at the time of booking a holiday. A common mis-conception is thinking that your covered because you bought the policy months ago but travel insurance is the same as any other you choose the start and end date. Cover only starts from the date you enter and not the date you purchase.