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:

• The cheapest policy may not meet all the traveller’s needs so it’s better to shop around e.g., an online price comparison site.
• Declare any pre-existing medical conditions – if anything gets missed off, in the case of emergency, the customer may end up with an invalid policy which is the same as being uninsured. In turn they may pick up an extortionate cost following on from medical consultations, hospital stays, and/or ambulance fees.
• 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 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:

• £100,000 to treat a stomach bug or infection in a hospital in the USA with return flights.
• £30,000 for a quad bike accident in Greece, with surgery and return to the UK.
• £15,000 for a fall in Spain, resulting in a broken leg, hospital treatment and flights.

 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.