Travel Insurance

Most people don’t notice they don’t have it until they need it.  When you’re planning a trip, travel insurance can seem like one more ‘just in case’ expense to add to the pile, or if you’re heading off to live in another country, it may not feel like you’ll be travelling around much at all.

Yes, I’m guilty of travelling with no insurance – on defined trips to exotic places I wouldn’t be without it (like when I was in Africa for 3 months), and sometimes I don’t bother with it in the UK, since Australia and the UK have a reciprocal health agreement, meaning I’m covered by their public health system in emergency situations.  But you should remember that travel insurance isn’t just if you break your leg or some other medical incident, it can also cover an airline going bust, having your fancy camera nicked, or your baggage arriving a few days after you do.

So here are some tips and things to remember when choosing travel insurance:

– The best time to buy an insurance policy is right after you book your trip!  This means there’s no time for any pre-existing medical conditions to develop, and for any pre-existing nasty weather conditions to be given a cute name such as Hurricane Betsy, and render you ineligible for coverage.

–  Are you already covered for some things?  Your credit card, private health insurance or home insurance may automatically cover you for lost luggage and medical bills.

–  Pick and choose your coverage – these days you don’t have to buy the full she-bang, but you can select tailored policies that are most relevant to you and your trip (e.g. winter sports, under 18s, students).

–  Know your limits.  It it always very boring reading through the terms and conditions of an insurance policy, but it’s just as important to know what you’re NOT covered for, as for what you are.  Also, check what course of action to follow if an incident or theft does happen – you usually only have 1 or 2 days to get the insurance claim ball rolling.

–  Leave a papertrail.  If you need to make a claim, or anticipate needing to, keep all your receipts relevant to the claim, doctor’s notes, medical records, hotel bills, etc.  If you’re unsure about what to hang on to, call your insurer and check – this should make the process a lot smoother when you get home.

–  In the drink.  Most insurers will reject your claim if it turns out you were inebriated at the time of your injury/arrest/other shenanigans.

–  Branch out – Avoid buying insurance from your tour operator.  For starters, if they go bust you’re out on your rear.  Secondly, it may not cover the parts of your trip before and after the actual tour.

– Location, location, location.  Do your research and find out what the health care system is like in the country you’re visiting, is there any kind of reciprocal health agreement between your country and the country you’re visiting, and if your destination is considered a volatile area – war, epidemics and civial unrest quite often aren’t covered.