Travel health insurance

Although the school holidays have ended, the travel season carries on.

 

Every month we get at least one press release with another new survey which shows people do not bother with travel insurance or fail to check that what they buy is suitable.

 

If you are canoeing down the Rockies, bungee jumping in India, paragliding in France, the chances are that the travel insurance sold by the agent will not be suitable.

 

International travel can be an exciting adventure, provided you are aware of the need for travel health insurance. You need to be aware that travel can, and does throw up any number of unpredictable situations.

 

Probably the most serious risk is the chance of an accident or illness occurring while you are overseas. Requiring emergency medical care, while in another country can be not only inconvenient but extremely problematic as well, if you do not have the right cover.

 

There is an unfamiliarity associated with being in a foreign country, with a completely different culture and a different medical system, which make it awkward being in an accident or requiring any other kind of emergency medical help.

 

Trying to communicate with people in a different language is enough of an effort, without working out the currency conversions for paying the medical bill before they treat you, and the time difference. Shouting loudly in English no longer works. If this is all complicated by a lack of insurance cover, the dream holiday can become the nightmare holiday.

 

If you have health insurance it may provide some emergency cover, and if you are lucky, repatriation to the UK. Mostly it will not.

 

If you are in the majority with no health insurance, then you are totally unprotected.

 

You may feel that your home insurance will cover the baggage and that using plastic means money cover is not needed,

 

If the trip is a last minute one, you may feel that cancellation cover is of no value

 

You may be scared about kidnap or terrorist cover, but you have a much larger risk of being killed or badly injured by a home appliance than both these. Many travel policies now exclude both.

 

The one thing you should not ignore is travel health insurance, whether the trip is long or short, business or pleasure.

 

Anyone travelling outside the UK needs to be adequately covered by ample travel health insurance, regardless of where you are travelling to, and this is especially true if travelling to the USA.

 

Travel health insurance may include an accidental death and dismemberment, repatriation of your remains, or medical emergency and emergency medical evacuation while you are on a trip outside the UK.

 

Depending on where you are going for your trip, and why, additional coverage such as winter sports or for special activities might become necessary.

 

Travel insurance can be arranged a long time, even months, before the actual trip, or minutes before- online.

 

Travel health insurance gives you the peace of mind of having protected your wealth and your health.

 

Don’t let the airline or travel agent bully you into buying their cover. Tell them straight that they are breaking the law.

 

If they threaten to cancel your booking, call the local consumer trading people- the travel business are regular offenders.

 

Enjoy your holiday, it costs enough -but if it does go wrong, make sure it does not leave you with financial problems