Travel Insurance

[Adam Virgo's Shirt]

I used Nationwide who were pretty good. Never buy less than an annual policy though! Recent events have shown that if your policy is around the same duration as your holiday, you will run out of cover if you hit any major delays

The last time I bought it, it was £100 for 2 adults worldwide annual, but that was 5 years or so ago.

 

[brighton_girl87]

Thought I would add my question to this thread, rather than starting a new one. I have tried searching Google for this but its all very confusing.

I am due to go on holiday in 2 weeks to Italy and I need some travel insurance, I usually just opt for the cheapest and hope for the best. However with this whole ash cloud thing going on I figure I should probably do some research into each companies policies and whether I will be covered should my flights be cancelled.

What exactly should I be looking for? Or does anyone know of which company I should be getting my insurance with?

Or is now just the case that companies have changed their polices to get out of paying out because of the ash cloud?

Oh also, I am going to Serbia for a week in July too, so am I best off getting one that will last a year, rather than two seperate ones?

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Thought I would add my question to this thread, rather than starting a new one. I have tried searching Google for this but its all very confusing.

I am due to go on holiday in 2 weeks to Italy and I need some travel insurance, I usually just opt for the cheapest and hope for the best. However with this whole ash cloud thing going on I figure I should probably do some research into each companies policies and whether I will be covered should my flights be cancelled.

What exactly should I be looking for? Or does anyone know of which company I should be getting my insurance with?

Or is now just the case that companies have changed their polices to get out of paying out because of the ash cloud?

Oh also, I am going to Serbia for a week in July too, so am I best off getting one that will last a year, rather than two seperate ones?

All depends what you want it for. Most policies did not pay out for recent ash cloud as it was an act of God/Natural disaster, the same would happen also for example if civil unrest or riots happened (i.e Greece).

Work out what you need, medical cover is a must, then work out what else you need. Most household policies cover for a small limit on items lost/stolen in europe.

Helpline and passport replacemant are worth having.

Its the independent traveller that lost out recentky as your airline or package holiday firm that have to look after you if delays occur. Also if you are going to do any extreme sports cycling etc make sure its covered, and declare all and any medical conditions or your cover may be void.

Getting the right travel insurance - Holiday and leisure - Which? Advice

 

[Cian]

Ace, via my health insurer, annual multi-trip.

Not applicable to me, but I know via my mother than if you've got a pre-existing medical condition you're more likely to get cheap travel insurance via a health insurer than not.

 

[drew]

All depends what you want it for. Most policies did not pay out for recent ash cloud as it was an act of God/Natural disaster, the same would happen also for example if civil unrest or riots happened (i.e Greece).

Are you sure that was the reason and it wasn't just that the policies had been bought after the eruption and first delays had occurred? The same would apply to the unrest in Greece. They normally only exclude cover if you have travelled to a region against the advice of the Foreign Office, who give details of 'hotspots' on their website.

Haven't seen any reports of claims for Greece being turned down for the reason you give.

 

[fataddick]

Never bought travel insurance. Maybe I should now with all this volcano business. Also, it cost me £250 extra getting back from Cologne in the January snow. The problem I have with insurance is insurance companies, by their very nature (being businesses, with staff and advertising costs, etc) will pay out far less than they take in. Therefore over a lifetime you'll most likely be financially better off not taking out any insurance at all.

 

[drew]

Never bought travel insurance. Maybe I should now with all this volcano business. Also, it cost me £250 extra getting back from Cologne in the January snow. The problem I have with insurance is insurance companies, by their very nature (being businesses, with staff and advertising costs, etc) will pay out far less than they take in. Therefore over a lifetime you'll most likely be financially better off not taking out any insurance at all.

So tell me, when you buy a new car or a good second hand car, do you only insure for Third party damage and injury or do you take out fully comp. Insurance is not an investment. Anyway, you've missed the boat now. Any policy taken out now will not cover delays due to any ash cloud. So if there is a delay, expect to stump up some extra cash.

Another thing is that the main purpose of insurance is not the couple of hundred quid on a lost camera etc but for the medical insurance if you get struck down and the repatriation costs.

I like to see what you did if you or a member of your party got struck down with some illness or had an accident.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Are you sure that was the reason and it wasn't just that the policies had been bought after the eruption and first delays had occurred? The same would apply to the unrest in Greece. They normally only exclude cover if you have travelled to a region against the advice of the Foreign Office, who give details of 'hotspots' on their website.

Haven't seen any reports of claims for Greece being turned down for the reason you give.

No if you had cover prior to the activity, the airline was responsible so most travel insurers used 'act of god' clause and refered policy holders back, lots of people who flew with cheap airlines but booked into expensive hotels were in trouble as the airlines would probably only pay what they deem as reasonable costs towards your expenses.

The Greece thing was an example as riots and unrest are often excluded like pre exsisting medical conditions, so like Kenya the other year responsibility goes over to Goverment - local consulate. Some insurance companys did pay to start with on the ash, I am sure they did not imagine it would last as long as it did.

Travel policys are often quite self explanitory so easier to digest what you need and don't need and what you may be covered for else where, i.e Credit Card, bank accounts, house hold insurance.

 

[fataddick]

So tell me, when you buy a new car or a good second hand car, do you only insure for Third party damage and injury or do you take out fully comp. Insurance is not an investment. Anyway, you've missed the boat now. Any policy taken out now will not cover delays due to any ash cloud. So if there is a delay, expect to stump up some extra cash.

Another thing is that the main purpose of insurance is not the couple of hundred quid on a lost camera etc but for the medical insurance if you get struck down and the repatriation costs.

I like to see what you did if you or a member of your party got struck down with some illness or had an accident.

Apart from taxis, I don't think I've ever been a passenger in a car in my adult life, let alone had the inclination to learn to drive one. In my experience, cars are the preserve of knuckle-dragging halfwits. No educated person would ever contemplate driving.

As for medical insurance, I only travel within Europe (everywhere else frightens me) so medical treatment is all covered with the E111 card anyway.

Everyone should stop taking out insurance and club together to pay anyone that needs to 'claim'. By cutting out the middle man - the insurance companies - we would save billions, and could build hundreds of new schools, hospitals, yoga centres, etc.

 

[drew]

No if you had cover prior to the activity, the airline was responsible so most travel insurers used 'act of god' clause and refered policy holders back, lots of people who flew with cheap airlines but booked into expensive hotels were in trouble as the airlines would probably only pay what they deem as reasonable costs towards your expenses.

Again are you sure? Surely it is the travel operators responsibility with regard to costs of accommodation and food if you have booked a package. Those people that suffered were the ones who brought the flights/hotel separately. The Airlines are only responsible for bringing you back on the basis that is what you paid for, ie a return flight. The problem is that the flight is delayed. They are therefore not paying any additonal money to you.

I've got a Tesco single trip policy, brought before the eruption and I am covered. Even if there is a delay on the return, there is an automatic extension to all the various sections until you get back.

 

[folkestonesgull]

do not go near insure and go or anyone backed by Europ Assistance - screwed me over completely with the volcanic ash a month back. I would stick to one of the companies that paid out now - mainly backed by large international banks

 

[Igor Gurinovich?]

included in my bank account with Lloyds-TSB

this.

 

[drew]

do not go near insure and go or anyone backed by Europ Assistance - screwed me over completely with the volcanic ash a month back. I would stick to one of the companies that paid out now - mainly backed by large international banks

If you haven't got a policy now then any one you buy isn't going to cover the volcanic ash anyway. When did you take out your policy with Insure then?

 

[drew]

this.

The trouble with these type of free insurance, you need to check that they don't exclude pre-existing conditions such as asthma, back problems etc. You might still need to declare these before you travel.

One size doesn't fit all.

 

[brighton_girl87]

Just found this:
Travel insurance: We list insurers that WILL pay for ash cloud delays this summer - update | This is Money

So if I go with one of these listed, I should be covered for the volcanic ash.