Insurance is a very important part of your holiday and you will need proof that you hold such cover before you can book your flight. By clicking any of the companies listed in our independent holiday insurance review, you will be able to pick up reasonably priced cover. If you already have annual insurance then please have this to hand when booking your flight. Don't spend your holiday knocking on my friends door.. A friend of mine who works in the British consulate at a popular tourist destination clearly believes that holiday insurance should be compulsory. The stories he tells after dinner are both shocking and sad and it makes you wonder why holiday insurance isn't made compulsory. Obviously, no names are ever mentioned but it's amazing the problems people encounter when they're abroad. Nearly all of the problems he faces on a daily basis are ones that he can do nothing about, yet if people had taken out holiday insurance or even bothered to take an E111 medical form with them, they wouldn't need to waste his or their own holiday time trying to sort out the mess they now find themselves in. The saddest ones by far are those who have been rushed into hospital and will need special transport home. WARNING! The most thrifty policy is an annual policy that will cover you for several holidays throughout the year. A word of advice. If you (or any member of your party) have any disabilities, ailments or a special medical condition then please do inform the insurers. Most won’t even charge extra but all will
refuse to pay out if you haven’t been totally honest with them. Its just not worth the risk. When a medical emergency becomes a cash crisis
Unless you want to risk huge medical bills, you need insurance cover for medical emergencies when you are travelling. The UK has agreements with all 15 EU states. It means you are treated on the same terms as the locals. But you must take along an E111 form, which you can get from the Post Office or the Department of Health. The E111 won't cover you for the ambulance journey to and from the hospital, your partners accommodation or your flight home. So be safe - be insured.
Non-EU countries Switzerland, Cyprus and Turkey are not covered by the E111.
What cover is necessary?
Medical emergencies: The cost of being flown home or any medical bills not covered by the E111. A standard policy should cover these for £2million.
Personal liability cover: In case of an accident, injuring yourself or a medical emergency. becoming a cash crisis, or damage to someone else's property. Being sued, particularly in America, is costly. Recommended minimum cover is £2million, which is standard on most policies.
Cancellation cover: In case of illness or injury before leaving, you should be covered for the standard minimum of £3,000.Your belongings should be covered for a minimum of £1,500.
What's not included?
A standard policy will not cover adventure sports, such as white water rafting, parasailing or jet skiing. Cover for these costs is an extra 10 to 15 per cent but you must tell the insurance company before they issue a quote..
For an existing medical condition, specialist insurers can be recommended by the Association of British Insurers or your local support group for the condition but check out the companies shown above first of all. Remember to be upfront and honest with them..
Injury from an accident on a hired motor scooter in a Mediterranean country is also not covered in a standard policy. Acts of God are not covered by any policy.
What excess will you pay?
You have to pay an excess on each claim and the more claims you make, the more the excess increases. Standard excess payments are about £35 for a medical claim, which may be waived if you have an E111.
For loss of money it is about £20, and £30 for loss of baggage. Legal claims will have an excess of about £200 because costs are more expensive, especially in America.
Where to buy insurance?
A recent report found that travel agents charge six times more for policies than specialist insurance brokers or on the internet. So make sure you use one of the companies shown at the top of this page.
A family of four holidaying in Europe were quoted £166 by Cosmos, or £146.96 by Lunn Poly. The same cover from either of the top holiday insurers above was LESS THAN £40.00.
Handy contacts: Association of British Insurers 020 7600 33 33; Department of Health 020 7210 4850; Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice Line 020 7008 0232.
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