Sun, Sea, Sand...Travel Insurance

In the weeks leading up to a holiday your mind is filled with thought of sunbathing in the sizzling sun, swimming in the shimmering sea and strolling in the sparkling sand not making sure you are financially secure. However you could have a rude awakening from your day dreams of a perfect holiday paradise if you fall ill while abroad and don’t have proper insurance to cover medical costs.

Spend time and money abroad:

During the current recession we can’t afford any unplanned expense, and the last thing we want after a holiday break is a bill to pay. This can be prevented if you remember to put travel insurance on your holiday list of ‘things to do’ before you go on holiday.

Figures show that around 20 million people buy holiday cover each year, but many policies are unsuitable, leaving travellers exposed in the case of accidents and other travel related problems. Not only are jet setters in such a rush before a holiday, buying last minute bits and bobs they are also unaware and uniformed about the different travel insurance policies, resulting in taking out the wrong cover, which doesn’t cover them for all their needs should something unfortunate happen.

If you’re going on holiday with a partner you could benefit from getting joint travel insurance, which means not only will you save on time, effort and expense for taking out one policy instead of two giving you both the same level of cover - you also don’t have to carry around as much documentation.

Not having to carry around masses of documents means more room in your beach bag for more essential items such as, suntan cream, beach towel, magazine and shades. It also means you can feel safe and secure as you soak up the rays - knowing that you are covered for any reason you have to pay out a large sum of money unnecessarily; for medical bills or if your personal property gets lost or stolen.

Choosing your cover:

There are many ways to get travel insurance, the easiest of all is direct from your travel agent, however although it is easy it is also expensive. Some travel agents may offer ‘free’ travel insurance but make sure you read the fine print as you may be paying more for your holiday instead.

Thanks to the internet being the fastest growing source of up to date information and deals, competition is rife so prices are competitive- meaning you are more likely to get a good deal on travel insurance if you shop around online.

If your debating whether or not to buy travel insurance before you go on holiday all you need to do is look at the statistics which highlight that almost 50% of British travellers have become ill or injured while on holiday, yet 17% still go on holiday without either travel insurance or a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

If you get injured, or ill, get your possessions stolen or lost and you don’t have valid travel insurance you may find you have to pay out a hefty sum of money, which you won’t get back - meaning your holiday could cost considerably more than you originally planned.