Travel Insurance

While we all love to get away from it all, accidents do happen. As well as medical bills, travel insurance can cover delays, lost items and theft, alternative accommodation and travel arrangements. 

All these can prove costly if you’re not properly insured. Medical costs abroad can easily run into tens of thousands – even hundreds of thousands – if you need specialist treatment or an emergency evacuation. And even something as small as a lost passport can be hugely disruptive to your plans. 

It depends on the level of cover you choose, how long you’re away and where you’re travelling to. Typically, the higher the level of cover, the more it may cost. Some providers offer silver, gold and platinum levels of cover. 

There are a few changes you need to be aware of.

• You now need to have at least six months to run on your passport to visit countries in the EU.
• If you’re a tourist, you’ll only be able to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• If you’re planning on taking your car abroad or hiring a vehicle, you’ll need the right driving documents.
• Your EHIC card (European Health Insurance Card) is still valid until the date of expiry, but will be replaced by the GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card). It’s still recommended to make sure your travel insurance gives you an adequate level of cover.

See more on the changes that Brexit brings for travellers.

Yes, if you want cover for cancellation, theft, loss of baggage and so on. And while the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) provide help with medical care, you shouldn’t presume this offers you the same protection as travel insurance. For example, it won’t cover you for an emergency repatriation if you need to be returned to the UK for specialist medical care. This can be extremely expensive to fund yourself. 

Yes, you can get travel insurance for trips in the UK. The NHS will cover your medical needs, but it’s possible that an internal flight or train might be cancelled, your hotel closed or your baggage lost or damaged. Or you may need to cancel your trip because of ill health or bereavement. Travel insurance could cover you for all these things. 

While you should always check your policy beforehand, most travel insurance will cover you for lost or stolen passports. If your passport is lost or stolen, it’s important that you report this quickly and apply for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) to minimise the disruption to your holiday. Keep any reference numbers when you report the loss/theft, as these will be needed when claiming on your insurance. 

Yes, you can still get travel insurance even if you have a medical condition, although you might need to look for a specialist provider. That’s because having certain health issues could mean that you’re more likely to need medical treatment while you’re on holiday.  

See more on travel insurance with medical conditions with some specialist advice if you have cancer or heart conditions.

Although you should arrange cover before you set off, you may be able to buy specialist travel insurance after you’ve departed. Your circumstances and whether you intend to make a claim will be taken into account, and there may be a waiting period to prevent you from making an immediate claim. 

Many providers will let you extend your cover if you decide to make your holiday last a little longer. You should let your provider know as soon as possible and avoid letting your cover expire, as this might make an extension more complicated.

Doubling up on insurance means that you’ve taken out more than one type of cover. This might be because you’ve taken out a travel insurance policy but also have cover from another source, like a bank or credit card provider. 

Having two forms of cover doesn’t mean you’ll get twice the pay-out. And doubling up could delay your claim being processed, as both providers may ask each other to cover the cost. So, it’s not usually an advantage to be ‘double’ insured. 

If you need to make a claim on your travel insurance, here’s what to do:   

Have your policy and travel documents with you.  It’s a good idea to have a printed and e-version. 
 
Contact the police or relevant authority as soon as possible to get an official report if your claim is for theft or the result of any other criminal activity. Your policy may set out how quickly you must do this. 
 
Contact your insurance provider as soon as possible. It can be helpful to let your provider know you want to make a claim immediately.

Keep or request any evidence to support your claim. Make sure you have the necessary receipts, or police or medical reports.