Many travellers will embark on their holidays this summer under the false impression that they have comprehensive cover that protects them against all eventualities. The internet offers a host of generic travel insurance packages that can leads us to think that one policy is as good as the next. As with any insurance policy, we should always aim to get the most comprehensive policy instead of merely the cheapest.
Our credit cards and statutory European Health Insurance guarantees can lull us into a false sense of security which the wise traveller should be aware of. Credit card insurance schemes can be highly superficial whereas those through a seasoned broker such as Endsleigh can be far more comprehensive.
Many travellers treat the European Health Insurance Card as their sole source of cover. The card does undoubtedly entitle EU citizens to statutory cover throughout the EEA and Switzerland but it certainly doesn’t mean you are insured. Sometimes private care is inevitable and even preferable and the EHIC won’t cover you for fees such as repatriation or eventualities such as theft, loss, or personal liability. The EHIC is a good start and a necessity for all considered travellers but we must realize its limitations.
In a time of cheap air travel, many of us will take more than one holiday per year. This means a multi trip policy will be better suited than a one off single trip policy. This may involve a larger outlay but the long term savings can be significant. Therefore it is very important to realise the benefits of going through Endsleigh annual travel insurance before you choose your policy.
If you are skiing or on any kind of adventure holiday you may be exposed to personal liability claims where someone is injured as a result of your actions. Personal liability cover is therefore an essential feature of your plan.
If you make a lot of transfers between airports, a policy which covers the loss of luggage may be particularly sought after – the airline is only liable to contribute a set fee towards your loss. If booking through small un-established travel companies, cover against insolvency can be wise.
Above all, don’t necessarily take the travel insurance offered to you on booking a holiday without reading how comprehensive it is – it can be overpriced and insufficient – so seek a better policy.
