TRAVEL EXTRA

AVOID HOLIDAY HORRORS IN 2023 BY GETTING THE RIGHT TRAVEL INSURANCE

With the early months of the year being a popular time to make holiday bookings, many people may already have a break planned for 2023. But with high living costs to worry about, keeping holiday-related expenses down will be a priority for most of us. Aviva recently found a third of holidaymakers are considering forgoing travel insurance. This could turn out to be a very costly mistake, however, if holidaymakers become ill or have an accident while they’re away.

GETTING THE RIGHT COVER

Taking out travel insurance soon after you book can also mean you’re covered if you end up needing to cancel before jetting off.

Make sure you take travel insurance out as soon as you book your holiday. No one wants to think of anything going wrong when overseas, but if the worst happens, travel insurance could prove a financial lifeline.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT ABROAD CAN BE HUGE.

In one case, the medical bill for treating a holidaymaker injured in a fall in Spain and their safe return to the UK was a jaw-dropping £124,000. In another case, treating a traveller who contracted Covid while in Cyprus and their safe return cost £70,000.

TAILORED POLICY

Policies vary, so it is also important when choosing holiday insurance cover to check the small print. Before you buy, make sure the travel insurance meets your needs, and you understand what you are covered for.

And when you finally get to go on the trip, don’t forget to pack the details of your travel insurance in your suitcase.

If you plan to take part in certain activities, make sure your policy covers these too.

Brokers can also help people to shop around for cover to fit their specific needs if they have a preexisting medical condition, or if they’re an older traveller, for example.

PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Getting appropriate cover can be particularly important for anyone with pre-existing health conditions.

“If you have any medical conditions, make sure you declare them so you can travel with peace of mind and not be liable for any emergency medical bills while on holiday,” says Graeme Trudgill, executive director of the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA).

“Suitable and competitive travel insurance is available for people with medical conditions, but you’re likely to benefit from speaking to a specialist broker who can advise on the type of cover you need and ensure you have adequate protection.

BIBA’s Travel Medical Directory can help you find a specialist broker - biba.org.uk/travel-medicaldirectory. Kelly Whittington, speciality claims director at insurer Aviva UK, says an annual multi-trip policy may be handy if you’re planning more than one holiday: “Most annual policies will have a day limit for each break, (often 31 days although extensions are often available), so make sure you are travelling within the policy terms.”

Depending on where you want to travel, choosing European cover only, if this is sufficient, rather than worldwide, could also help holidaymakers save some cash. Whittington also suggests weeding out any insurance add-ons, such as winter sports, that you’re not using.