Does anyone know how soon you need to get a single trip insurance cover.

[brenda67]

We usually use Atlas insurance., but have just ever gotten annual cover, this year its for a single trip to Maldives in Oct. Do we need to sort cover now in case of cancellation, or can we leave it closer to the holiday? We are going with Kuoni, who are ABTA covered, but we didnt get insurance through them as we knew we could get it much chwaper elsewhere.

Cheers for any further info
B x

[237SJ]

I`ve booked single trip insurance for my mother 2 days before a trip. If you do it online, you print off your own certificate. I have always used Flexicover for her and you can do your own medical health assessment now online for pre-existing conditions.

[joggerjayne]

You can get it from the Post Office.

Last time I needed it, i bought it over the Post Office counter on the day I was going.

[Gail_Fawcast]

Have you checked how much Atlas would charge you for a single trip Brenda? We use Atlas all the time and find them very reasonable for one-offs.

[brenda67]

Hi Gail..
Just checked and Atlas charging same for single as they are for annual! makes more sense to go annual. What happens if Kuoni cancel holiday for some unknown reason, and we havent taken out insurance as yet, are Kuoni responsible, meaning that WE are only responsible for the TRAVEL side of the holiday.
Thanks everyone for help
B x

[dzug2]

You need insurance NOW to cover you needing to cancel.

If you are prepared to cover that risk yourself for now - that's your decision.

It's possible Kuoni require you to have insurance anyway. They can't any longer insist it's theirs, but they can insist you are insured.

[buildersmate]

If you are intending to buy single trip insurance, there is no reason NOT to buy it as soon as the trip is arranged. It doesn't cost any less closer to the time and some event for which you might have been covered under insurance might happen between now and the time that you get around to buying it.
Since annual insurance seems to cost about 1.2x the price of a single trip insurance, I've never understood why it makes sense to buy single trip anyway - for most people.

[joannie10]

yes well pointed out by DZUG - i usually buy annual insurance but for example if it finished in January and I was not planning a holiday between then and September I would hang off. I might buy it in advance but would have the cover starting from whatever day in September I was travelling until it was pointed out to me that I would not have any insurance cover if for example something happened in June and I needed to cancel that September trip!

[spudqueen]

Buy it now. I work in a Post Office and although most people buy their travel insurance just a few days before they travel they don't realise that by buying as early as possible they are covered for all sorts of reason why they might not be able to travel. For example if your boss broke their leg a week before you were due to go on holiday and you had to cover for them at work then by already having your travel insurance you would be covered. I am going on holiday in July and bought my travel insurance in February.

[boxtops]

If you buy it now, then if you should develop any medical condition which means you can't travel (which you haven't got or don't know about now) then you will be covered. We always buy our travel insurance annually just to be on the safe side, so we don't ever forget. Don't just think about travel problems, you need to be well when you buy the cover!

[brenda67]

Thanks so much folks for the information. Will get annual insurance as its the same price as single. Will get this done ASAP, another thing ticked off the list. This is a great wee site, always loads of helpful information
Cheers
B x