Travel insurance
So why exactly do people need travel insurance?...
It’s important to take out sufficient insurance from reputable travel insurers to cover the length of the trip and provide peace of mind. Here are some tips you can provide to your customers:
- The cheapest policy may not meet all the traveller’s needs so it’s better to shop around.
- Declare any pre-existing medical conditions – if anything gets missed off, in the case of emergency, the traveller is more likely to pick up an extortionate cost following on from hospital and/or ambulance fees
- Carry insurance documents including emergency telephone numbers to contact the insurer – ensure to leave copies of travel insurance with family and friends.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) launched a video for their ‘Know before you go campaign’ which highlights the complications people may face if undertaking high sports or leisure activities without taking adequate travel insurance:
Here are some of the medical expenses that travellers have encountered as found by Gov.uk (www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance)
£100,000 to treat a stomach bug or infection in a hospital in the USA with return flights
£25,000 for a moped accident in Greece, with surgery and return to the UK
£15,000 for a fall in Spain, resulting in a broken hip, hospital treatment and flights