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As the world becomes more accessible, with cheaper travel and better communications, we are all travelling more than ever before. Gone are the days when people had one holiday a year. Now we often take off for several holidays, plus a few short breaks and weekends away, and we often spend extended time abroad as well for more extensive travel.
When you're away, whether on holiday or business, it's important to make sure you're insured, in order to pay for any misadventure that may happen. There are several different types of travel insurance that you can take out, depending on your destination, activities, and length of time away. Different insurers offer different types of policy, including different options, so investigate which one suits your particular requirements.
- Single Trip
You can insure each individual trip, tailoring it to what you will be doing and where you will be going.
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Annual Multi Trip
For regular travellers covering unlimited trips per year, sometimes with a winter sports option. There may be limitations on the duration of each individual trip.
- Long Stay
If you are making one trip for over a particular length of time, eg. a month.
- Ski/Snowboarding
Including on- and off-piste cover, medical emergency repatriaton, baggage and money , personal and rented equipment, piste closure, cover for lift pass and ski school costs, air ambulance, mountain rescue, and hospital care.
- Backpacking
For backpackers and students on their Gap year, either travelling or working. Includes sports, extreme sports such as skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, and adventure activities such as trekking and surfing.
Other options
You can take out insurance as an individual, a couple or a family. You can take out cancellation insurance, or particular insurance if it is a business trip. You can find special insurance if you are above a certain age (eg. 64), and you can find insurance for particular sports and recreations, such as for green fees and baggage loss for golfers. In an ideal world, everyone would have insurance for every trip. Always check the exclusions of a policy, and make sure you are covered for your own particular needs. The following are things which you need to be particular vigilant about ensuring that you are covered for:
- Pre-existing medical conditions
- Cancelling your trip due to pre-existing medical conditions
- Sports and activities
- Pregnancy – check how many weeks you are covered for
- Age limitations
- Valuables – check how they must be kept
- Claim settlement limitations – check you will be sufficiently covered for everything, including cancellation and baggage if you think you will need it
- Destination – you will not be able to find insurance for travel to a country to which the Foreign Office has advised you should not travel.
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