Travel Insurance

There are no shortage of travel agents and companies e.g., online price comparison sites offering travel insurance. So many it can be mind boggling. Customers may also think travel insurance is an unnecessary expense or they are not sure if and why they need it.

So why exactly do people need travel insurance?

Travel insurance doesn't just cover medical expenses as the picture below shows.

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:

• Shop around e.g., an online price comparison site, or compare more than one high street travel agent.
• Declare any pre-existing medical conditions or the insurance could become invalid if a claim was necessary.
• Ensure the policy covers them for where they are travelling. Typically policies fall into four categories and increase in price depending on where they are travelling to.
  • UK only
  • UK and Europe
  • UK and the rest of the world (minus USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribean)
  • UK and the rest of the world (including USA, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribean)
• The customer can also save money by buying an annual policy if more than one trip in a year is expected and / or taking out a couples or family policy if appropriate.
• Carry insurance documents including emergency telephone numbers to contact the insurer if needed in an emergency. Keep a digital copy also.
• Ensure to leave copies of travel insurance with family and friends.
• The Association of British Travel Agents ( ABTA ) advice is, do not hire a moped or quad bike if you have never ridden it as knowledge of the local roads and local highway code is pretty non-existent! Remember the highway code in their country will be different from ours and your usual travel insurance may well not cover this so check.

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:

 Although IT SHOULD NEVER REPLACE TRAVEL INSURANCE the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) (which replaced the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) after Brexit) lets you get necessary state healthcare in EU countries, and some other countries. this is usually on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free, or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay. More information can be found on the NHS GHIC website and customers can be signposted towards this.